Church of St Andrew, Rochford (EHER 16319)

Parish Church. Mainly 15th and 16th century, 14th century north aisle. The thickness of east wall of nave and north wall of west arcade suggest earlier origin. Walls of ragstone rubble with flint and septaria in chancel walls and squared rubble in south aisle, porch and tower stair turret 15th-16th century red brick west tower and north chapel, the latter with timber framed and plastered double gabled roofs. Heavy 19th century restoration. Red plain tiled roofs. Chancel. Probably 15th century. Summary from record 16320: The church has been much restored and the organ chamber is 'modern'. Summary from record 26410: Parish church, C14, C15 and C16.

The church stands to the west of the town. Its walls are of ragstone rubble with some flint and septaria in the chancel walls. Squared rubble is in the south aisle, porch and stair turret of the tower, and the north chapel and west tower are of brick. The dressings are of Reigate and other limestone, the roofs are covered in tiles and lead. The east wall of the nave and the north wall west of the arcade are thicker and may indicate remains of early work. The north aisle was added in the first half of the 14th century. There was possibly a south aisle of the same date. The chancel, north and south arcade of the nave, and the south aisle were rebuilt in the late 15th century, and the south porch was added and the stair turret started. The west tower was completed and the north chapel added early in the 16th century. Features and fittings include a 14th century window, north doorway now blocked; 15th century windows, doorways and doors, and some timbers in the south aisle roof; an early 16th century squint, windows and doorways, and a brass of 1514. The floor of the first stage of the tower has early 16th century moulded beams. There is also a possibly 13th century coffin lid in the south porch. <1> - <4> The church has been much restored and the organ chamber is 'modern'. Post-medieval features and fittings include: two projecting plastered gables in the north wall of the north chapel, probably late 16th century or early 17th century; communion rails of around 1700; early 18th century table tombs in churchyard; plate includes cup and cover paten of 1704; scratching of name and date, 1642, in chancel on jamb of south-west window. <1> North side of the church has modern north aisle and clerestory windows. <3> The Parish Church of St Andrew lies about three-quarters of a mile to the west of the town, beside Rochford Hall. Its walls are of ragstone rubble with some flint and septaria in the chancel, and the dressings are of Reigate stone and limestone. The east wall of the nave and the north wall to the west of the arcade are thicker than the others and may represent the earliest phase. The north aisle was added in the first half of the fourteenth century (there was possibly also a south aisle). The chancel, arcades, and south aisle were rebuilt in the late fifteenth century, the south porch added and building of the tower stairs begun. The church contains post-medieval fixtures and fittings, and has been much restored in that period. In the graveyard is the grave of James Banyard, founder of the ‘The Peculiar People’ of Essex sect, a grass-roots revivalist movement in the 1850s. <5> July 2005. Watching brief. A service trench revealed the structure of underlying earth and a possible tomb base. Unusual hoggin foundations may indicate that the church is older than previously thought. <6> Site Assessment: 'The west tower is a good example of early 16th century brickwork.' Condition of the church is stated as 'good'. NRHE data transfer: St Andrew's Church [NAT]. <7> See also <8>.