St. Peter's, Little Warley, Essex
I must have driven past St.Peter's Church, Little Warley, Essex more than 100 times in my life without really noticing it as it is just south of the Southend Arterial Road, tucked behind some trees and a petrol station. When I finally saw it close-up a couple of months ago I was instantly put in mind of an old boxer saying: "I could have been a contender, I could have been somebody". Truly this is the 'pugilist' of parish churches.
www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/sets/72157594499464845/ to see the full set.
This much battered building has the remains of stone 15th century nave walls on the north and south side, the northern nave wall featuring an arch which springs into nothing... and just turns into badly matched 18th century brickwork. The chancel has six buttresses, four of them on the same side and in four different styles and differing materials. Two chancel walls are in different styles of brick implying more than one re-build on the other two sides.
The chancel's meeting with the nave on the south side is more than a little casual and is not helped by the fact that the more recently built chancel wall is STILL clearly out of plumb to the rest of the building.
The red brick tower at the other end of the church proclaims it was rebuilt in the 18th century, now why doesn't that word 'rebuilt' surprise me? The Victoria County History [now available online for Essex] remarks: "Frequent rebuilding suggests an unstable site". No sh*t Sherlock! This church looks about as stable as the San Andreas Fault yet - to return to my old boxer theme - it is still on its feet and fighting. This is a working church despite needing some serious time in the blue corner with its trainer, its manager plus Wren, Hawkesmoor and Pevsner!
In 1066 the manor was held by Guert but it was given to the Bishop of London by William the Conqueror. In 1086 the priest Tascelin held 15 acres so presumbably his church was on this site. The manor house was later held by the Setmels family and then the Belmels family.
The Victoria County History notes that the church nave is a 15th century rebuild and the original west tower was probably added then. The chancel's first rebuild in brick was in the 16th century while the south porch is probably of the same date. The present brick west tower is from 1718 but is partially on the earlier footings. Among the more recent renovations are another east wall on the chancel which is where most of the subsidence problem appears to have been centred.
I was not able to get inside but I noted box pews which are said to be c1600 and I could see a handsome alabaster monument in the chancel for the Denner family. I also noted that a burglar had smashed the chancel window since my earlier visit but this is now boarded up and has some furniture resting against it. It seems our 'old boxer' is still rolling with the punches.
St. Peter's, Little Warley, Essex
I must have driven past St.Peter's Church, Little Warley, Essex more than 100 times in my life without really noticing it as it is just south of the Southend Arterial Road, tucked behind some trees and a petrol station. When I finally saw it close-up a couple of months ago I was instantly put in mind of an old boxer saying: "I could have been a contender, I could have been somebody". Truly this is the 'pugilist' of parish churches.
www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/sets/72157594499464845/ to see the full set.
This much battered building has the remains of stone 15th century nave walls on the north and south side, the northern nave wall featuring an arch which springs into nothing... and just turns into badly matched 18th century brickwork. The chancel has six buttresses, four of them on the same side and in four different styles and differing materials. Two chancel walls are in different styles of brick implying more than one re-build on the other two sides.
The chancel's meeting with the nave on the south side is more than a little casual and is not helped by the fact that the more recently built chancel wall is STILL clearly out of plumb to the rest of the building.
The red brick tower at the other end of the church proclaims it was rebuilt in the 18th century, now why doesn't that word 'rebuilt' surprise me? The Victoria County History [now available online for Essex] remarks: "Frequent rebuilding suggests an unstable site". No sh*t Sherlock! This church looks about as stable as the San Andreas Fault yet - to return to my old boxer theme - it is still on its feet and fighting. This is a working church despite needing some serious time in the blue corner with its trainer, its manager plus Wren, Hawkesmoor and Pevsner!
In 1066 the manor was held by Guert but it was given to the Bishop of London by William the Conqueror. In 1086 the priest Tascelin held 15 acres so presumbably his church was on this site. The manor house was later held by the Setmels family and then the Belmels family.
The Victoria County History notes that the church nave is a 15th century rebuild and the original west tower was probably added then. The chancel's first rebuild in brick was in the 16th century while the south porch is probably of the same date. The present brick west tower is from 1718 but is partially on the earlier footings. Among the more recent renovations are another east wall on the chancel which is where most of the subsidence problem appears to have been centred.
I was not able to get inside but I noted box pews which are said to be c1600 and I could see a handsome alabaster monument in the chancel for the Denner family. I also noted that a burglar had smashed the chancel window since my earlier visit but this is now boarded up and has some furniture resting against it. It seems our 'old boxer' is still rolling with the punches.