Church of St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow (EHER 1298)

13th century presumed origins, early 14th century chancel and south aisle walls, 15th century south porch, arcade, chancel arch, tower and south chapel, all restored in the late 19th to early 20th century. Roman brick in fabric.

Monument description derived from merging EHER 1298, 1299, 1300, 13872, and 37721. Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: St Mary's Church (NAT). <1> 'Domesday Book records a priest here in 1066' and it is presumed that the present church is on the site of its late Saxon predecessor. <2> Large, important building, essentially 14th and 15th centuries, many notable features, including good Decorated work in chancel. Priest recorded here in Domesday Book, 1066. Graveyard contains, to north and south of church, two very fine groups of 18th and early 19th century tombs. Graded AAIb by Rodwell. <3> Church of St Mary the Virgin, Grade A. Fine large 14th to 15th century building with a 16th century clerestory. At Church End, north-north-east of the town. Walls are of flint rubble with limestone dressings and clunch. South doorway and some voussoirs of about 1280, reused in the nave arcade, indicate a former aisled nave of that date. Chancel and north and south aisles were rebuilt about 1350. In the first half of the 15th century, the west tower was built, the south aisle lengthened towards the west and the walls of the nave extended to meet the tower. Immediately after, the nave arcades were rebuilt, the chancel arch was rebuilt and widened with the old stones and the south porch was added, at the same time. Late in the 15th or early in the 16th century the south chapel was built and the nave clerestory added. In 1526 and subsequently the south west angle of the tower was rebuilt. Features and fittings: windows and window details of about 1350, 14th, 15th, late 15th centuries, doorways of late 13th and 15th centuries, chancel roof is 14th century, stone corbels in nave are 15th century, flat north aisle pent roof is 15th century, gallery and roof in south aisle are late 15th century, ground stage of tower has 15th century timbers, as has south porch, an indent is early 16th century, coffin lids of 13th century and c1300, doors of 15th century and, probably, 16th century, font of 15th century, glass of 14th, 15th, 15th or 16th centuries, niches of 15th century, piscina of 14th century, sedilia of 14th century, stoups of 15th century. In 1580 stair turret said to have been filled in. In 19th century church restored and north vestry added. Nave roof said to be partly of 1776, eastern half possibly 17th century. 5 17th century bells, brasses of 1579, 1604, 17th chairs, a door is probably 16th century, glass of 16th or 17th centuries, 17th century, early 18th century, also a shield of arms dated 1635, monuments and floor slabs of 17th and 18th centuries, plate includes items of 17th and 18th centuries. <4> Large town church though lies away from the town. Chancel is earlier than the rest, as shown by the windows. Many 15th and 16th century glass fragments assembled in a south aisle window. <5> According to DOE south doorway is 14th century. Nave arcade contains 13th century material. Church contains 17th, 18th, and 19th century monuments. Early 19th century coffin shaped tomb south of tower is also listed. The years following the Reformation saw considerable changes to the interior of the church. In 1549-50 the altars were taken down, in 1550-1 the rood-screen was removed, as was a tabernacle of our Lady of Pity and in 1543 the interior was white-washed in order to obliterate wall-paintings. (RCHM 1). Grade I. <6> <7> Small quantities of Roman brick are scattered throughout the fabric of the church. <8> - <10> 1993. Watching brief. A watching brief was undertaken on the extension of the car park to the Church of St Mary the Virgin. The northern side of the church car park was being extended. The construction technique used was to remove all of the topsoil after which the car park would be constructed. An area approx. 40m x 17m was stripped down to an average depth of 0.20m. This did not remove all the top soil resulting in no archaeological deposits being visible. <11> See also: <12>