Church Of St Gregory And St George

The Church of St Gregory and St George is a parish church dating from the 12th century, with alterations made in later periods including substantial restorations around 1886. It is one of only six round-towered churches in Essex.

The building is constructed of flint rubble with stone dressing. The north chapel was rebuilt in the late 16th century in rendered brick with crow-stepped gables. The 19th century saw the addition of a south porch. The chancel terminates in a semi-circular apse. A crenellated west tower dates from the early 14th century, with red plain tile roofs throughout.

The chancel contains a 19th or 20th century east window of two ogee lights with tracery above. A 14th century splayed window with rear arch sits below. The north wall features a late 16th century four-centred arch of double chamfered order with chamfered responds. The south wall has two restored 14th century two-light windows with pointed heads, separated by a 19th or 20th century doorway with chamfered jambs and a two-centred arch. The 15th century chancel arch is two-centred with two moulded orders, featuring attached moulded and crenellated shafts, a moulded label on the west face with a carved head at the apex, and 19th or 20th century stops.

The nave's north wall contains two windows matching those in the south wall of the chancel, with a 19th or 20th century doorway between them showing chamfered jambs and a two-centred arch, beneath which traces of the original Norman arch remain visible. Further east is a 19th or 20th century three-light window with a flat head. The south wall has two two-light windows in two-centred heads (one 19th or 20th century, one 14th century restored) and a three-light round-headed window with a flat label above. The south doorway matches the north doorway. The west wall contains a 12th century doorway of two orders, with the outer moulded and inner plain. At its apex is a stone carving of a muzzled bear. The jambs feature circular attached shafts with scalloped and carved capitals, a square carved abacus, and a moulded base. The north-east angle is splayed and may contain a staircase to the former rood loft.

The north chapel's east wall holds a 15th century window of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head. A circa 1600 north window contains three four-centred lights beneath a square head, with a corresponding doorway of moulded four-centred arch nearby.

The west tower's ground floor has small restored wind eyes and a 19th or 20th century restored two-light window in a two-centred head with label. The first floor contains three rectangular windows. The bell turret faces north, east and west with restored early 14th century windows of two lights in two-centred heads, and a restored 14th century window facing south of two cinquefoiled lights under a two-centred head.

The 19th century south porch has a four-centred doorway with moulded label and face stops, a cross below the apex, and two-light windows with pointed heads on the east and west walls.

Internally, the nave has a 19th century seven-cant roof with moulded wall plates and two crenellated tie beams. The chancel roof features a matching design with one tie beam and a king post. A south-west window was inserted as a memorial after the First World War.

A 14th century piscina with trefoiled head is present. Niches are found in the north chapel above the north doorway in the nave's north wall, with rounded backs and pointed heads, and two in the south wall with round and obtuse triangular heads respectively—all possibly 16th century. A plain stoup of uncertain date stands in the nave.

Monuments include a table tomb in the chancel with shields showing Edward Felton (died 1542) and his wife Frances. The north chapel contains a fine altar tomb with recumbent effigies of Judge George Kempe (1606), his son John Kempe (1609), and his wife Elinore (Drewe), the men shown in furred robes and the woman in ruff and elaborate head-dress. Ten kneeling daughters in dresses and ruffs and four kneeling sons in cloaks appear on the south side. The north chapel roof displays billet ornament to the wall plate and a fine barrel-vaulted moulded ceiling dating to circa 1600. A floor slab commemorates John and Katherine Kempe (1739).

A 17th century communion table features turned legs and moulded upper rails. Communion rails of 17th or 18th century date have twisted balusters and moulded rails, with similar balusters re-used in 19th or 20th century stalls.

The font dates from the early 12th century, with a square bowl featuring attached corner shafts, moulded bases and scalloped capitals. Three sides bear elaborately carved interlaced ornamentation; the fourth side is likely also carved but now against the wall, set on a square 19th or 20th century flint base. The font cover is spire-shaped with seven exposed sides, featuring traceried and crocketed panels divided by pinnacles and buttresses, with the three lower panels made to open. It has been restored and originally dates to the 15th century.

A plain iron-bound chest with a curved lid probably dates from the 16th century.

The chancel east window contains 14th century glass.

A pulpit dating to circa 1889 features ogee tracery.

Two hatchments hang in the nave and one in the south chapel.

The bells include one by John Thornton from 1711, two from 1665, one from 1635, and one from 1628. The four latter bells are by Miles Gray.