Greensted-juxta-Ongar Church, Essex
The church of St.Andrew, Greensted-Juxta-Ongar, is about a mile and a half from Ongar in Essex and has several claims to fame. For many years it has been regarded as one of the oldest timber buildings in Europe and is certainly the only wooden Saxon church to survive in England. Wikipedia claims it is the oldest wooden church in the world.
It is also a shrine to the first Saxon saint, Saint Edmund, whose body reputedly rested on this site on its way to reburial at Bury St.Edmunds in 1013.
www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/sets/72157600011551306/ to see the full set of photos on this fascinating building.
The nave was originally dated to 845AD but more recent techniques now date it to around 1060 or 1063AD, or maybe little later, so it could have been standing at the time of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. There were certainly two earlier buildings on this site and these have been traced by archaeologists. The first may date to soon after St.Cedd's arrival in Essex in 654AD.
The walls of the nave are of split logs and at one time these were simply stuck into the ground like a stockade or palisade. The walls were probably plastered over and the roof was thatched. Given the fire risk it is a wonder the building has survived this long. Possible scorch marks from lamps or candles have been identified on the interior timbers. An early Victorian restoration cut off the rotten nave timbers near ground level and substituted a brick damp-proof course. Other timbers were patched and repaired.
A 'lepers' squint' has been identified in the north wall - possibly for lepers to receive communion without entering the church. However it may also be a stoup for Holy Water as it is adjacent to the former north door.
Surviving flint footings show a chancel was added in Norman times but the present one is Tudor and later Victorian brickwork. The white wooden tower was a later addition of the 17th century and a bell dated 1618 may confirm this. The nave roof was probably tiled in Tudor times. A grave beside the present south door is the coffin lid of an alleged 'Crusader' dated to the 12th century.
The interior is fairly dark but is lit by some dormer windows installed in Victorian times and some interesting glass - mainly Victorian as well. As befits a wooden church, Greensted also has a wooden font!
Although situated in Essex, the church has a connection with the Tolpuddle Martyrs of Dorset. These farm labourers were transported to Australia in 1834 for organising the first trade union but were later re-patriated back to Britain but were refused permission to return to Dorset. They settled for a time around Ongar and one, James Brine, married the daughter of another, Elizabeth Standfield, at this church in June 1839. Still unpopular with local farmers, the Tolpuddle Martyrs eventually emigrated to Canada.
Church staff told me last year that when an adjacent building caught fire a few years ago Essex Fire Brigade were at pains to keep one hose playing on the church itself to prevent fire spreading to such an old and historic timber building. The adjacent fire was successfully contained.
The church is open most reasonable times and is well worth a visit being situated in a country lane and its own attractive churchyard. Surrounding trees make photography challenging so I recommend a spring visit to see this building at its best before the trees bud and come into leaf.
Greensted-juxta-Ongar Church, Essex
The church of St.Andrew, Greensted-Juxta-Ongar, is about a mile and a half from Ongar in Essex and has several claims to fame. For many years it has been regarded as one of the oldest timber buildings in Europe and is certainly the only wooden Saxon church to survive in England. Wikipedia claims it is the oldest wooden church in the world.
It is also a shrine to the first Saxon saint, Saint Edmund, whose body reputedly rested on this site on its way to reburial at Bury St.Edmunds in 1013.
www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/sets/72157600011551306/ to see the full set of photos on this fascinating building.
The nave was originally dated to 845AD but more recent techniques now date it to around 1060 or 1063AD, or maybe little later, so it could have been standing at the time of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. There were certainly two earlier buildings on this site and these have been traced by archaeologists. The first may date to soon after St.Cedd's arrival in Essex in 654AD.
The walls of the nave are of split logs and at one time these were simply stuck into the ground like a stockade or palisade. The walls were probably plastered over and the roof was thatched. Given the fire risk it is a wonder the building has survived this long. Possible scorch marks from lamps or candles have been identified on the interior timbers. An early Victorian restoration cut off the rotten nave timbers near ground level and substituted a brick damp-proof course. Other timbers were patched and repaired.
A 'lepers' squint' has been identified in the north wall - possibly for lepers to receive communion without entering the church. However it may also be a stoup for Holy Water as it is adjacent to the former north door.
Surviving flint footings show a chancel was added in Norman times but the present one is Tudor and later Victorian brickwork. The white wooden tower was a later addition of the 17th century and a bell dated 1618 may confirm this. The nave roof was probably tiled in Tudor times. A grave beside the present south door is the coffin lid of an alleged 'Crusader' dated to the 12th century.
The interior is fairly dark but is lit by some dormer windows installed in Victorian times and some interesting glass - mainly Victorian as well. As befits a wooden church, Greensted also has a wooden font!
Although situated in Essex, the church has a connection with the Tolpuddle Martyrs of Dorset. These farm labourers were transported to Australia in 1834 for organising the first trade union but were later re-patriated back to Britain but were refused permission to return to Dorset. They settled for a time around Ongar and one, James Brine, married the daughter of another, Elizabeth Standfield, at this church in June 1839. Still unpopular with local farmers, the Tolpuddle Martyrs eventually emigrated to Canada.
Church staff told me last year that when an adjacent building caught fire a few years ago Essex Fire Brigade were at pains to keep one hose playing on the church itself to prevent fire spreading to such an old and historic timber building. The adjacent fire was successfully contained.
The church is open most reasonable times and is well worth a visit being situated in a country lane and its own attractive churchyard. Surrounding trees make photography challenging so I recommend a spring visit to see this building at its best before the trees bud and come into leaf.