Thomas Crosse 1634
St. John the Baptist Church, Pebmarsh, Essex
The Church is situated on a mound on the east side of the valley through which flows the brook, known locally as 'The Peb'.
The parish boundaries follow no known right of way, stream or ancient field pattern; it appears to follow the line of the 'first horizon' viewed from the top of the tower
which is 50 feet high.
The Church is Grade 1 listed and this includes the Churchyard.
The oldest part of the Church is the Tower, the east side of which shows the roof line of an earlier building.
The Tower is built in 3 stages of flint rubble with limestone corners, the walls of the
lower stage being 1 foot thicker than the upper stages.
The main body of the Church including the aisles was built at the beginning of the
14th century again the construction is of flint rubble with the walls being 30 inches
thick.
The Church is built on a slope thus the North side is higher than the South and the East higher than the West.
The Window Sills appear to be the same height from the ground when viewed from the outside but the North Windows are considerably higher from the inside of the
Church.
The Porch over the South Door is of Tudor Brick, the un-weathered condition of the
carving around the door arch suggests this is a replacement of an earlier one.
The East Wall of the Chancel is not flint rubble, but of lath and plaster. The Sedilia has only two arched seats and the eastern most is partly within the wall. There is no Piscina and this all indicates that the Chancel has been shortened by at least 6 feet and the floor appears to have been lowered as it is impossible to sit in the Sedilia.
There is a gravestone immediately outside the East Wall dated 1748.
Extensive repairs and restoration were carried out to the North West corner of the Church in 1905 and at the same time the interior plaster was removed and the flints ribbon pointed.
The Chancel Door has two steps down to floor level and in front of the Altar is the Grade 1 Listed brass of Sir William Fitzralph Circa 1323.
The Window in the northwest of the Chancel has two Coats of Arms in mediaeval glass of the Fitzralph and Polsted families. Fragments can be seen in the window in
the centre of the north wall and the north window of the west wall. There is also a spire in the lower right hand corner of the north aisle east window.
The Font is recorded as being new in 1834.
The Chancel Arch Screen was dedicated on 16th June 1892 and is the work of a local
craftsman.
The Pulpit is Victorian with carving thought to have come from the Rood Screen.
The roof timbers in the Nave are thought to date from 1610, those in the aisles have been much repaired or replaced.
In the Tower there are 6 Bells, the only ancient Bell is the Tenor which is of early 15th century date.
Thomas Crosse 1634
St. John the Baptist Church, Pebmarsh, Essex
The Church is situated on a mound on the east side of the valley through which flows the brook, known locally as 'The Peb'.
The parish boundaries follow no known right of way, stream or ancient field pattern; it appears to follow the line of the 'first horizon' viewed from the top of the tower
which is 50 feet high.
The Church is Grade 1 listed and this includes the Churchyard.
The oldest part of the Church is the Tower, the east side of which shows the roof line of an earlier building.
The Tower is built in 3 stages of flint rubble with limestone corners, the walls of the
lower stage being 1 foot thicker than the upper stages.
The main body of the Church including the aisles was built at the beginning of the
14th century again the construction is of flint rubble with the walls being 30 inches
thick.
The Church is built on a slope thus the North side is higher than the South and the East higher than the West.
The Window Sills appear to be the same height from the ground when viewed from the outside but the North Windows are considerably higher from the inside of the
Church.
The Porch over the South Door is of Tudor Brick, the un-weathered condition of the
carving around the door arch suggests this is a replacement of an earlier one.
The East Wall of the Chancel is not flint rubble, but of lath and plaster. The Sedilia has only two arched seats and the eastern most is partly within the wall. There is no Piscina and this all indicates that the Chancel has been shortened by at least 6 feet and the floor appears to have been lowered as it is impossible to sit in the Sedilia.
There is a gravestone immediately outside the East Wall dated 1748.
Extensive repairs and restoration were carried out to the North West corner of the Church in 1905 and at the same time the interior plaster was removed and the flints ribbon pointed.
The Chancel Door has two steps down to floor level and in front of the Altar is the Grade 1 Listed brass of Sir William Fitzralph Circa 1323.
The Window in the northwest of the Chancel has two Coats of Arms in mediaeval glass of the Fitzralph and Polsted families. Fragments can be seen in the window in
the centre of the north wall and the north window of the west wall. There is also a spire in the lower right hand corner of the north aisle east window.
The Font is recorded as being new in 1834.
The Chancel Arch Screen was dedicated on 16th June 1892 and is the work of a local
craftsman.
The Pulpit is Victorian with carving thought to have come from the Rood Screen.
The roof timbers in the Nave are thought to date from 1610, those in the aisles have been much repaired or replaced.
In the Tower there are 6 Bells, the only ancient Bell is the Tenor which is of early 15th century date.