Church of St John the Baptist, St Mary, and St Laurence, Thaxted (EHER 1412)

There had been a church in Thaxted since 981. The present church built in 14th century, with 15th to 16th century alterations and additions. It was restored later in 18th century. The spire fell in 1814 and was rebuilt in 1822. The church was constructed of flint rubble with limestone and clunch dressings, with lead and slate tile roofs.

Monument description derived from merging EHER 1412, 1413, 1414, and 25750. Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: St John the Baptist's Church (C of E) (NAT). <1> Church of St John the Baptist, St Mary and St Laurence, Grade A. One of the finest and largest parish churches in the county, of 14th century origin with 15th to 16th century alterations and additions. It was restored in the later 18th century. The spire fell in 1814 and was rebuilt in 1822. The walls are of flint-rubble, mostly cement-covered, with dressings are of limestone and clunch. The north and south nave arcades were built about 1340 when the aisles were probably built or rebuilt. Late in the 14th century came a series of alterations, beginning with the rebuilding of the south transept, then, by widening of the south aisle, addition of the south porch and porch chamber, in about 1380. Alterations have apparently been done after the fall or removal of a central tower. The north transept was rebuilt late in the 14th or early in the 15th century. In about 1445 the north aisle was widened, the north porch and porch chamber were added. Probably in the last quarter of the 15th century the west tower was built. The chancel, north and south chapels, were rebuilt about 1510, at the same time as the north and south arches of the crossing, the clerestory was added to the nave about 1510 also. The medieval features and fittings include: windows of about 1370, late 14th century, 15th century, and early 16th century; doorways of the late 14th century, early 15th century, mid 15th century, and early 16th century; roofs dating to 1350-1400, late 14th century, late 14th to early 15th centuries, late 15th century, early 16th century, some with traces of painted decoration; brasses dating to 1450, 1522; chests of 15th and early 16th centuries; doors of the 15th century, late 15th century, and early 16th century; the font case and cover of the late 15th century; glass of dating to about 1375, 1460, 15th century, and early 16th century; niches of the late 14th century, late 14th to early 15th centuries, 15th century, late 15th century; piscina of the late 15th century; recesses of the late 14th century, late 15th century,; reredos of early 15th century in the north transept, fragment of a late 14th century reredos in the south transept; 15th century screens; 15th century bench; stoups of 15th century. Loose stones include two female head corbels of the 14th century. Pieces of traceried woodwork probably from screens and stalls of the 15th century. It was considerably restored shortly after the mid 18th century and the greater part of the tower was renewed or rebuilt. The spire fell in 1814, and largely rebuilt in 1822, with the whole building further restored in the 19th century. Post-medieval features and fittings include: windows of the 18th century; brasses and indents of the 17th century; a chair of the 17th century; communion rails of the late 17th to early 18th centuries; monuments and floor-slabs of the 17th and 18th centuries; panelling of late 17th century. Plate includes items of the 16th and 17th centuries, pulpit dates to about 1680, and the bench-ends are of about 1610. <2> - <4> Must be previous buildings here as Thaxted has one of the earliest references to an individual church in the Diocese, in a deed of gift of 981. Spire reaches 181ft and the church is 183ft long. Ashlar not used, material is pebble rubble. But it is obvious that much money was spent on the building, in the details. Essentially of the 15th and 16th centuries. Innumerable fine details and fittings. Evidence for Saxon church, or whatever survives, is likely to be below the present church. Any disturbance is potentially of major archaeological significance. No further threats are known at present. Essentially of the 15th and 16th centuries. Innumerable fine details and fittings. Graded AIc by Rodwell. <5> <6> The parish church remained largely unchanged throughout the post-medieval period, although considerable restoration took place in the mid 18th century. The spire collapsed in 1814 and was rebuilt in 1822. Further restoration took place in the 19th century. The triple dedication of the church is unusual. There are also other features that are decidedly odd. The nave floor was originally higher, and the floor was levelled out in the 18th or 19th century. There is a room/crypt underneath the High Altar with stairs to the right and left. There is also a tantalising reference to a miracle. All these factors raise the possibility of a shrine on the site and hence the revenue to build such a massive building in such a small town. <7> Thaxted was a prosperous town in the 14th and 15th centuries, making the size of the church understandable. "The church, as we see it now, appears at first all of one piece, proud, spacious, clear and a little frigid inside, and outside dominated by its splendid tall steeple". Often restored but care always taken, not much changed except the 18th century windows of the transept fronts. The third and perhaps the finest of the great 'wool' churches of north-west. Pulpit is a fine late 17th century piece, communion rails are of about 1700, screens to the north and south chapels are late 17th century, organ said to have been made in London, in 1703, mid 17th century benches, stained glass of 1900, 1907. Spire was struck by lightning in 1814, had to be rebuilt, but the reconstruction was accurate. Spire reaches 181ft and the church is 183ft long. Ashlar not used, material is pebble rubble. But it is obvious that much money was spent on the building, in the details. <8> 1989. Test pit. There had been a church in Thaxted since 981. Excavation of a test pit in 1989, preliminary to a proposed heating scheme, in the south aisle of the present church revealed a churchyard soil containing five burials and numerous loose bones indicating that there had been more originally. Five sherds dating to the 11 to 12th centuries and one to the 13th to 14th century indicate that these burials probably pre-dated the existing church. 13th century timbers from the earlier church have been found re-used in the current roof. The earlier church was replaced by an ambitious rebuilding programme in the 13th to 14th centuries. In approximately 1340 the nave was rebuilt, together with the west arch and the piers of the crossing. The south aisle and south porch were built about 1365-73, followed by the north transept in 1400. The north porch was not finished until after 1461, as it contains the arms of Edward IV. In about 1475 the steeple was completed. The last remnants of the earlier church must have been then pulled down, and in 1510 the north, east, and south crossing arches were rebuilt, the present chancel and chapels erected and the clerestory added to the nave. This church was built of flint-rubble, with dressings of limestone and clunch. It was dedicated to St John the Baptist, St Mary and St Laurence. The 1989 test pit found a level of infant and child burials only 400-500 mm below the floor. <9> <10> 2005. Dendrochronology. The chancel roof was undergoing English Heritage grant aided repairs at the time of sampling, with dendrochronological study requested to determine whether an early 16th century rebuild of the chancel was all one phase or whether a section of the earlier chancel remained, or if the chancel was enlarged at a later stage. Four timbers from the main section of the roof appear most likely felled in the first half of the 15th century (AD 1413-1436) and much earlier than previously expected. A single timber from the half bay at the east end of the roof was felled in the summer of AD 1562, suggesting that the roof may have been extended at this time. <11> 2008. Watching brief. The remains of two burials (cuts) were evident during the excavation of a large pit to consolidate the floor within the chancel following its partial collapse in 2008. The pit was dug to about 1 metre deep and 2.5m square and will be backfilled and the floor strengthened as emergency works. The floor of pamments will also be re-laid. <12> See also: <13> - <23>