Church of St Michael

The Church of St Michael is a Grade I listed building located on High Street in Aveley. It dates back to the 12th century, with alterations made in the 13th, 14th, and 19th centuries. The church is constructed from rough coursed flint and ragstone, with Roman and 16th-century brick, while the tower and dressings are made of limestone. The roofs are covered with lead, slates, and tiles.

The 12th-century nave features a 13th-century north arcade with two-centred arches supported by cylindrical columns with moulded bases and bell capitals. There is a round-headed opening leading to the roof loft. The south arcade, dating from the 12th century, has round arches, and the clerestory was added in the 15th century, featuring 19th-century windows. The 13th-century north aisle includes two 15th-century windows with two cinquefoiled lights each, and there is a 19th-century north doorway. The west window is from the 15th century, while the 14th-century south aisle retains its original east window. The south wall has two 14th-century windows that were rebuilt in the 19th century, along with a blocked 14th-century south doorway with a two-centred head.

The 13th-century chancel has a 19th-century east window. The north arcade is original and features two-centred arches with two chamfered arches. The south wall has three windows, two of which are 19th-century with 13th-century splays, and one is a 15th-century window with three cinquefoiled lights. There is a 15th-century doorway with a two-centred arch. The 13th-century chapel has a 19th-century east window, and the two windows in the north wall are 19th-century but incorporate materials from the 15th and 13th centuries.

The west tower, built in the 13th century, has two stages and an embattled parapet. The original tower arch is two-centred, and the 15th-century west window features three cinquefoiled lights. The west doorway, also from the 15th century, has moulded jambs and a two-centred head. The bell chamber contains four 15th-century windows, although they were largely rebuilt in the 19th century. A 15th-century north porch is present, and the nave roof showcases an arch-braced tie beam, with original timber roofing visible in the tower. Notable interior features include a pulpit from 1621, a brass memorial to Ralph de Knevington from 1370, and other brasses, monuments, and a 15th-century screen.