Parish Church Of St Michael

This parish church dates mainly from the 12th to 16th centuries and was restored in the 19th century. The chancel and nave are of plastered rubble, while the west tower is built of exposed septaria, flint and pebble rubble, with repairs in red brick. The south porch is of red brick laid in Flemish bond. Dressings are mainly limestone, and the roofs are covered with handmade red clay tiles. The nave dates from the early 12th century, the chancel from the 13th century with the upper part rebuilt in the 15th century, the west tower from the early 15th century with repairs in the late 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, and the south porch from 1816.

The Chancel

The east window dates from the late 16th century and has three square-headed double-transomed lights. It is plastered with a timber lintel and retains 13th-century splays. In the north wall is a late 16th-century window of two square-headed transomed lights with a timber lintel and 13th-century splays, also plastered. Further west is a smaller 16th-century square-headed window, now blocked. East of the windows is a recess with a moulded cinquefoiled head, shafted jambs with moulded capitals and bases, dating from the 14th century and possibly serving as an Easter sepulchre.

The south wall contains a late 16th-century window similar to that opposite, but with the sill carried down to form a seat. West of it is a 15th-century doorway, partly restored, with double-ogee moulded jambs, a five-centred arch and timber lintel. Immediately west of this is part of the two-centred head of a blocked archway, probably 13th century. Further west is a blocked 16th-century window similar to that opposite.

The chancel arch dates from the late 14th century and is partly restored. It is two-centred and of two moulded orders, the outer continuous and the inner resting on attached semi-octagonal shafts. The moulded capitals are carved with half-angels, the bases are moulded, and below the north base is a mutilated plinth.

The chancel roof is of four bays, ceiled to the collars, with butt-purlins. The collars are moulded and carved with egg-and-dart ornament and running foliage. The middle collar is additionally carved with the date 1597 and the name Goldingham. The principal rafters and purlins are ovolo-moulded, and at the junction of the principals and collars are double consoles with carved spandrels. The wallplates are carved with running ornament.

The Nave

The north wall contains four windows. The easternmost is early 14th century, of two lights with Y-tracery in a two-centred head, with a chamfered rear-arch. The second window is late 14th century, of two trefoiled lights with tracery in a square head, with a moulded label and chamfered segmental rear-arch. The westernmost window is a 13th-century lancet with a chamfered two-centred rear-arch. Between the second and third windows is the early 12th-century north doorway, partly restored, with a semi-circular arch of one plain order. The imposts have diaper ornament and a chamfered under-edge with zigzag carving.

At the east end of this wall is a late 15th-century rood-loft stair. The lower doorway has double-chamfered jambs and a four-centred arch, rebated for a door, with one original hinge and an iron bolt-socket. The upper doorway has a square head. The stair is complete, with the lower steps of stone on brick and the remainder of brick, forming an external projection with one quatrefoil light. The sawn-off stub of the moulded rood-beam is embedded in the north wall.

In the south wall are four windows. The easternmost is late 16th century, partly restored, of two square-headed lights with a timber lintel. The second is mid-14th century, partly restored, of two two-centred lights with uncusped saltire tracery in a segmental head, with a moulded label and grotesque headstops (one decayed). The third window is early 14th century, partly restored, of two lights with Y-tracery in a two-centred head, with a moulded label and chamfered rear-arch. The westernmost window is similar to the third window in the north wall, but with narrower trefoils and the sill carried down to form a seat.

East of the westernmost window is the early 15th-century south doorway, with jambs and two-centred arch of two moulded orders, with a moulded label and grotesque headstops. The inner order is carved with moons, stars, crowned initials I and M, heads, leopards' heads and foliage. The outer order is carved with a Coronation of the Virgin, crowns, and foliage with hanging shields. The label is carved with shields, winged hearts and foliage. The door is original, with a moulded surround and three moulded fillets, and four attached shafts cut in the solid, with moulded bases and capitals formerly supporting detached figures, of which only the fixing holes remain. At the rear is a dovetailed and nailed portcullis frame. The scutcheon plate and plain drop-handle are of uncertain date.

The nave roof is in four bays, much restored, of crownpost construction, with ashlar-pieces and soulaces to every rafter couple, and octagonal crownposts with moulded caps and bases. Two tiebeams are plain. The east tiebeam is chamfered with lamb's tongue stops and is probably re-used.

The West Tower

The west tower is of three stages, with a moulded plinth and a 19th or 20th-century parapet. The upper part of the south wall, the south-east stair turret and the south-west buttress are of 18th-century brick. The 15th-century tower arch is two-centred, of two orders, the outer double-ogee moulded and continuous, the inner chamfered and resting on attached round shafts with moulded capitals and bases.

The early 16th-century west window, much restored, is of three ogee lights with plain vertical tracery in a four-centred head with a moulded label and chamfered rear-arch. The supporting arch is of alternate limestone and flint voussoirs. The early 16th-century west doorway of clunch, partly restored, has moulded jambs and a decayed two-centred arch in a square head with traceried spandrels, a moulded label and chamfered segmental-pointed rear-arch. The supporting arch is of alternate flint and red brick voussoirs.

The second stage has in the north, south and west walls a window of one trefoiled light in a square head with a moulded label. The bell-chamber has in the east, north and west walls a 15th-century window of two cinquefoiled lights with cusped tracery in a four-centred head, with a moulded label. The south window is 18th century.

The doorway to the bell-turret has double-ogee moulded jambs and a two-centred head. Above it, the sawn-off stubs of two moulded timbers are embedded in the south wall. The stair is lit by two quatrefoils and two plain lights in the brick upper part. The bell floor is original, of plain joists of horizontal section framed round a central bellway.

Fittings

There are two piscinae: one in the chancel, with a triangular head and round drain, of uncertain date; and one in the south wall of the nave, with chamfered jambs, a mutilated cinquefoiled head and repaired drain, 14th century. North of the chancel arch are two narrow niches with triangular heads, of uncertain date. In the south porch is a stoup with a chamfered two-centred head and jambs with broach stops, probably 15th century.

The font is partly 15th century, partly restored, with a recut octagonal bowl with a shield in each face and a moulded soffit, a panelled octagonal stem, and a moulded base with carved flowers.

The pulpit, dating from around 1600, is octagonal with the panels divided into three ranges with bolection moulding, enriched arcading and carved foliage respectively. The stem, base and stair are restored.

In the chancel is a floor-slab to Sophia Catherine (?) and Catherine Burr, 1747, which is mutilated. The presence of floor-slabs to William and Penelope Whitmore, reported by the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, could not be verified. Also in the chancel is a slab with an indent for an inscription plate.

On the south wall of the chancel is a memorial to Daniel Burr, 1782, and his widow Elizabeth, 1785, in white marble inlaid with grey marble, with an urn with guilloche border in full relief, a moulded head with paterae and inlaid arcading, inlaid strips at the sides, a painted shield of arms and foliate brackets. The inscription describes it as 'This unadorned Memorial'. Also on the south wall is a white marble tablet to Lieutenant-General Daniel Burr, 1828.

On the south wall of the nave is a royal arms of 1727, and a Commonwealth arms of 1651, painted on boards with a simple wooden frame. This was found with traces of canvas behind the royal arms, a rare or possibly unique survival. On the north wall of the nave is the hatchment of Lieutenant-General Daniel Burr, 1828, with the legend 'Virtus Verus Honos'.

There are five bells, three by Thomas Gardiner dated 1724, 1724 and 1745 respectively. The bells by Miles Graye, 1638, and John Darbie, 1676, reported by the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, were recast in 1967. A clock with foliot escapement was removed to Colchester Castle Museum in 1964.