Church of the Holy Trinity, Rayleigh (EHER 13584)

Parish church. 12th century Chancel, 14th-15th century west tower, Nave, north and south aisles and north vestry. Circa 1517 south chapel and 16th century south porch. 19th and 20th century restorations and enlargement of north chapel. Ragstone rubble, flint and some brick. Limestone and Roman brick dressings.

August 1957. Grade II* listed. A 12th century parish church with 14th/15th century west tower, nave, north and south aisles and north vestry. The south chapel is from around 1517 and the south porch is 16th century. There are also 19th and 20th century restorations and enlargement of the north chapel. The church is made from ragstone rubble, flint and some brick, with limestone and Roman brick dressings and red plain tiled roofs. The stone for the tower is believed to have come from Rayleigh Castle (EHER 13586), a licence was granted by Richard II in 1394 to the people of Rayleigh for the carrying away of stone for repairs to church and building of a belfry. A document of 1396 specifies the building of the tower. <1> See photos <2>. Walls are ragstone-rubble, with much flint and some brick in the chancel and south chapel. Dressings are limestone and Roman brick in the chancel 12th century quoins. The south porch is of brick. Dressings are of limestone and Roman brick. The roofs are tiled. The chancel is 12th century. West tower was built late 14th/15th century and nave was rebuilt. Probably late 15th century, north chapel, north and south aisles, and north vestry were built. South chapel was built in around 1517 by William Alen (or Alleyn), and the south porch added. The stone for the tower probably came from Rayleigh Castle (EHER 13586), following the grant of a licence by Richard II in 1394 to the people of Rayleigh to take stone for repairs to the church and to build a belfry. Features and fittings include: late 12th century font; 13th century south doorway reset into south aisle; 15th century windows, doorways, door, north and south arcades; 16th century windows, roof of north chapel, piscina and screen. Roof of chancel, south chapel, and north and south aisles contain some old timbers. Tower is of three stages. There are also brasses of 1416 and 1420, a medieval chest, 15th century consecration crosses, fragments of early 16th century glass in the east window of the north chapel, and Alleyn Monument of around 1517. <3> - <5> The church has been restored `in modern times' when the north vestry was enlarged. One window in the south aisle is probably a 17th century restoration. Features and fittings include: one bell of 1657; 17th century gallery in tower; 17th, 18th century monument in churchyard; plate includes cup of 1681, dated 1683 and stand-paten of 1681; Royal arms of Queen Anne, before the Union, on north wall of tower; scratching on jamb of south doorway, dated 1638. <3> <5> 19th and 20th century restorations and enlargement of west chapel. 19th/20th features. Two bells recast 1790, two dated 1897. Department of Environment dates the font to the 19th century (12th century according to RCHM). Headstone in churchyard listed (EHER 26379). <4> Incorporating Roman brick, hypocaust tile in the fabric. <6> See also <7> <8>. Church photographed by Royal Commission (RCHME) in February 1992. Some tombstones threatened by extension were also photographed. <9> Laser copies of prints in EHER. <10> <11> The Parish Church of Holy Trinity Church is sited at the north-east end of the High Street. The earliest surviving parts are in the chancel, these date to the 12th century (RCHME, 1923). It is probable however that there was a timber predecessor there from at least 1066. The church was substantially rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries. The chancel was reconstructed and a new nave added, both built of Kentish ragstone. Most of the rebuilding probably used material from the earlier structure, but one of the reasons why permission was sought from Richard II to quarry the castle was for the building of the church belfry, so it is likely that the tower was built soon after 1394. Within the church are memorial brasses to John and Thomasin Barrington, who died in 1416 and 1420 respectively. There is also half of a late 12th century Purbeck marble font and a 14th century piscina. The 15th century screen comes from Runwell Church (EHER 17896) and was installed in the 19th century at Rayleigh. The very fine brick porch and the south chapel were added in the early 16th century. <12> Site Assessment: Condition stated as good but stonework of windows much decayed. <3> NRHE data transfer: Holy Trinity Church (CofE) [NAT]. <13> See also <14> <15>.