Church Of St Peter And St Paul

The Church of St Peter and St Paul is a Grade I listed building located on Orsett Road in Horndon-on-the-Hill. It dates back to the 13th century, with alterations made in the 14th and 15th centuries. The church is constructed from ragstone and flint rubble, incorporating some Roman and later brick, along with limestone dressings, and features tiled roofs.

The chancel, which is from the 13th century, includes a 15th-century east window with four cinquefoiled lights and vertical tracery set in a two-centred head. The north wall has a 13th-century lancet window with shafted splays. An early 13th-century arcade features two-centred arches supported by an octagonal column with a moulded capital and a "water holding" base. The south wall has two 15th-century windows. The chancel arch is two-centred with two hollow chamfered orders.

The nave, also from the 13th century, consists of four bays with two-centred arches on cylindrical columns, each with moulded capitals and bases. A 15th-century west window and doorway have moulded jambs and a two-centred arch in a square head. The north wall features two clerestorey windows from the 13th century. The north aisle has two 15th-century windows of two lights and a 13th-century lancet. A 15th-century north doorway is now blocked and has a two-centred hollow chamfered head with a moulded label. There is also a 15th-century window in the west wall.

The south aisle contains two 14th-century windows with trefoiled ogee lights and an early 13th-century lancet with moulded splays, carved imposts, and a restored head. The early 13th-century south doorway has a rounded arch formed by two moulded arches, with jambs featuring two attached columns with moulded capitals and bases. The 15th-century north chapel has one 15th-century window.

A late 15th-century timber belfry and spire are supported by multiple arch bracing and cambered tie beams. The chancel roof, dating from the 15th century, has seven cants on moulded wall plates. The nave roof is primarily composed of crown posts with soulaces and ashlar pieces. Dormer windows were inserted in the 16th and 17th centuries. The south aisle has a three-cant roof, and the south porch, from the 15th century, features arch braces to a collar roof with spur ties at the eaves.

Inside, there is a 14th-century font with a square bowl and a monument from 1634 dedicated to Daniel Caldwell and his wife, which includes figures of prophets. Additionally, there is a late 19th-century wooden lectern adorned with turquoise and copper inlay.