St Marys Church, Tollesbury (EHER 11475)

The parish church of St Mary the Virgin in Tollesbury has elements of the late 11th century in the nave and the west tower and is therefore believed to be of Saxo-Norman date for its foundation. The church was then altered in the 14th, 15th, 16th and 19th century. It is built of septaria with some Roman brick and tile in the first stages, the buttresses are of flint and pebble rubble and red brick and the dressings are clunch, limestone and flint. The plan consists of an aisleless nave with a west tower, a chancel to the east, a vestry to the north and a porch to the south. During medieval times the parish church was in the ownership of Saint Mary’s nunnery at Barking. Following the dissolution of the nunnery in 1539, the manor was given to Thomas, Lord Cromwell, the later Earl of Essex. It now belongs to the Exeter College, Oxford and the Bishop of Chelmsford. In 1871-1872 the chancel was rebuilt and the south porch was added to the designs by Habershon and Brock. In the late 19th century the nave roof was replaced and in 1955 the north vestry was added. The church is listed Grade II*.

December 1959. Grade II* listed. The parish church of St Mary is located in the centre of the village, adjoining The Square. The nave and the first stage of the tower are late 11th century in date. They are constructed of septaria with some Roman brick. The church was altered in the 14th and 15th centuries, with the addition of buttresses to the tower, of flint and pebble rubble construction, and new windows in the nave. The parish church had buttressing added in the 16th century, the upper part of the tower is also of that date. In the late 19th century the chancel, north vestry and south porch were added, and a number of windows replaced. The plan consists of an aisleless nave with west tower, chancel to the east, vestry to the north and porch to the south. History Pevsner states that the earliest elements in the Church of St Mary the Virgin are the 11th century nave and lower stages of the west tower, suggesting a Saxo-Norman date for its foundation, although there are claims that these elements may be earlier in date. During the medieval period the parish church was the property of Saint Mary's nunnery at Barking; the nunnery was responsible for the appointment of the clergyman to the parish. Following the dissolution of the nunnery in 1539, the manor was given to Thomas, Lord Cromwell a few days before he was made Earl of Essex. The gift of the living has passed through many hands, and now rests with Exeter College, Oxford and the Bishop of Chelmsford. The church has been altered and extended over its long history particularly in the 14th, 16th and 19th centuries. The most significant of the alterations include: the addition of the upper stage of the tower in the 16th century; the rebuilding of the chancel and the addition of the south porch by Habershon and Brock in 1871-1872; the replacement of the nave roof in the late 19th century and the addition of the north vestry in 1955. During Harbershon and Brock's restoration of the church, which had fallen into disrepair, the extent of re-used Roman building material was revealed, probably robbed from a Roman building located close to the site. Several Saxo-Norman features were discovered including the tile-built rear arch of the south doorway, three blocked, single-splayed windows high in the north wall and another such window in the south wall. Antiquarian study of the remains debated the date of the earliest fabric of the church but H.M and J. Taylor (1965, pp.622-623) conclude that the nave and the lower stage of the tower were probably built late in the 11th century, rather than earlier although they acknowledge that some of the window details and rubble quoins of the nave are indicative of Anglo-Saxon workmanship. <1> See photos <2>. Late 11th century building altered in the 14th, 15th, 16th and 19th centuries. Nave and first stage of the tower of septaria and some Roman brick. Buttresses of flint and pebble rubble and red brick in English bond; dressings of clunch, limestone and dressed flint. The nave and the first stage of the tower are late 11th century. Buttresses to the south of the tower are 14th century, and to the north of the tower and east of the nave are 16th century. The upper part of the tower is also 16th century. 15th century windows in the nave, in north and south walls. High in the north wall are three original windows with round arches of septaria, the two eastern ones blocked and visible only externally. A 15th century south doorway; the round rear arch and tympanum are original and of Roman brick. Between two 15th century windows in the south wall of the nave is the 15th century doorway to the rood stair. West tower of parallelogram plan, the lowest stage 11th century, the upper two stages of red brick built in the 16th or 17th century. Tower arch of late 14th century above which is an exposed relieving arch, partly of Roman brick. 16th century window in second stage of the tower; between stages are strings of moulded brick. Chancel, north vestry and south porch are 19th century. Three 19th century windows in nave. The two upper stages of the tower were rebuilt in the 16th or 17th century. Fittings include monuments of 1654 and 1734, an 18th century octagonal font, bells of the 17th-18th century, 19th century stained glass in the east window. <3> Roman brick in the fabric of the church. Saxo-Norman nave and base of tower, the remainder 14th century and later. 19th and 20th century restorations. <4> The north and south walls of the nave and tower are continuous but are not necessarily contemporary. Chancel rebuilt in 1872. Late Saxon or Saxo-Norman nave and west tower. <5> Fittings include, in the south wall of the nave, externally, a fragment of a Lombardic inscription, early 14th century. Roof of the tower 17th century. <6> Church (NAT). <7> Roman brick and tile are contained in St. Mary's Church, which has a Saxo-Norman nave and first stage to its tower. The remainder of the building is of 14th century and later date. <8> <9> <10> See also <11> <12> <13>. Site Assessment: Restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries have done much damage, particularly to the architecture of this church. Tollesbury is certainly a building and site with great archaeological potential and no opportunity to investigate should be lost. <5> Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import.