Church Of St Nicholas

CHURCH HILL 1. 5209 LAINDON Church of St Nicholas (Formerly listed under Church Road) TQ 68 NE 5/72 24.3.50.

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2. An interesting church built of ragstone rubble and pudding stone with some old brick and tile incorporated. It is conspicuously situated on the top of a steep hill overlooking the new town. Built mainly in the C14 on the site of a Norman Church but some of the earlier work remains inside. The weatherboarded vest tower is a fine example of an Essex timber- framed tower, built in the first half of the C14. Inside there is heavy framing with braces. The tower braces resemble cruck blades in their use. The tower is weatherboarded and corwned by a shingled spire. On the west side of the tower there is a C17 annex known as the Priests House. Timber-framed with brick and flint, of 2 storeys. Much restored. Originally used as the village school. The nave, south chapel and chancel are of the C14 and the nave ard chancel roofs are fine C15 work. The timber of the south porch is C15, mostly rebuilt, but has the original archways, one carved With a dragon and a scallop shell in one spandrel and a beast transfixed by a cross in the other. The nail studded door is of the C15. The interior has 2 brasses of priests who served the church at the end of the C15 and the beginning of the C16, one of John Kekilpenny end the other of Richard Bladwell. The front is of the C13, The roof has C20 tiled. (RCHM1)

Listing NGR: TQ6879289515