Church Of St Anne And St Lawrence

Church of St Anne and St Lawrence

Parish church comprising a 12th-century nave, a chancel and south tower dating to circa 1310, and a south chapel of circa 1330–1340, with later repairs and restorations.

The church is constructed of plastered mixed rubble with some puddingstone and limestone dressings, with red plain tile and leaded roofs.

The chancel has an east wall buttressed at the angles with a band below the window. The east window, of 19th or 20th-century date, is set within an older chamfered two-centred arch with a moulded label and kneeling angel stops; the modern window comprises three ogee lights with tracery, a two-centred arch and stopped label, with a cross rising to the gable apex. The north wall contains two early 14th-century two-light windows with Y tracery, labels and head stops, and a band at cill level extending from the angles. A central buttress divides the wall. The south wall has two similar windows with labels and head stops, a central buttress, and a band below the cills. Small trefoiled low-light windows occupy the west wall, between which is a sunk chamfered two-centre arched doorway with a label and head stops, the western example much eroded.

The nave's north wall has three windows: the easternmost is 14th-century with two trefoiled ogee lights with tracery under a segmental pointed head and moulded label; a circa 1400 central window has three cinquefoil lights with vertical tracery under a two-centred head and moulded label; an early 16th-century west window contains three cinquefoiled lights in a four-centred head with moulded label. Between the central and western windows stands a 12th-century round-headed doorway with a Roman brick arch and stone surround; the original 12th-century north door, a rare example of its type in Essex (three others survive at Castle Hedingham church), has been replaced by a 20th-century copy of counter-rebated boards with ornate iron strapwork and is now displayed in the chancel. The west wall carries a small lean-to extension to the north, a west window similar to those in the chancel's north wall, and an 18th-century three-light square leaded hipped dormer to the south. A 14th-century south doorway with double chamfered jambs and two-centred arch opens into the nave; the double doors comprise two nailed boards each with filleted joints and five rear battens, retaining original ironmongery.

The south chapel has a buttress to its south-eastern angle and an east window of three chamfered lights with concrete lintel. The south wall contains two two-light windows similar to the nave's north-eastern window, with stops to the labels, each with a small low-set trefoiled ogee light below.

The south tower rises one and a half stages and is topped by a pyramidal roof, with buttresses to the south angles. The lower stage forms the south porch, which features a two-centred arched south doorway with two moulded orders and moulded capitals to attached jamb shafts. Small square-headed openings pierce the south and west first-floor walls. A sundial sits to the left of the doorway. The porch interior has a stone and brick floor and a seat to the eastern wall. The east, west and north walls contain blocked arches with chamfered jambs and two-centred heads. Eighteenth-century timber stairs with a moulded newel, located to the west, lead to the nave gallery. Horizontal boarding and a two-panelled door with moulded surround occupy the space below the stairs.

Interior: The chancel roof is plastered in three cants, supported by three tie beams. The sanctuary floor is raised and contains two floor slabs commemorating John Brooke and his widow Maria, circa 1847. Turned balusters rail the altar on three sides. Two painted creed and commandment boards flank the east window, while painted memorial boards below them commemorate William Martin (died 1664, north side) and Thomas Martin his son (died 1672, south side). The windows contain 19th-century coloured glass. A 14th-century piscina and sedilia of four bays line the east end; each bay has moulded jambs and cinquefoiled head with moulded labels and head stops, including carved representations of a king and bishop; the jambs of the third bay feature stag and male head stops. A trefoiled drain leads from the piscina. Moulded bands run along the south and north walls, the latter raised to the west, possibly over a blocked doorway. A square niche occupies the north wall, and a chamfered edge marks a former wall or doorway. The original 12th-century nave north door is displayed against the north wall. A chest with three iron straps at each angle stands nearby. A brass in the floor centre, dating to circa 1475, depicts two hands issuing from clouds and holding a heart inscribed "Credo" above a scroll reading "Videre Bona Domini". Fourteenth-century stained glass survives in the southern low windows. The 14th-century chancel arch is two-centred with two moulded orders; the chamfered responds have attached and filleted shafts, though the capitals are broken and the bases are restored or rebuilt. South of the arch is a squint with a sexfoiled circular chamfered opening. Brick floors extend throughout the church.

The nave has a plastered barrel-vaulted roof with moulded wall plates. A round-headed arch frames the north doorway, and a segmental pointed arch frames the south doorway. Panelled box pews, said to date to circa 1713 with incorporated 17th-century panelling, occupy the nave and south chapel; a side seat survives in the south chapel. An octagonal two-decker pulpit with sounding board, the latter inlaid with sun and star motifs and supported by a rough corbel to the north wall, stands in the nave. Painted boards of Ecclesiastes, comprising five on the upper south wall and three on the north wall, decorate the interior. A painted consecration cross marks the north wall, and royal arms dated GR 1749 hang above the south door. A rare carved oak recumbent effigy of a knight in armour, believed to represent Sir Roger De Tany (1301), lies in the nave; the figure wears mail with a pointed bascinet, short surcoat, knee and elbow cops, and rests his head on a lion with his feet against a figure of uncertain gender. This effigy was formerly positioned on the cill of the chapel's east window. A floor slab commemorates William Bendische, 1627. The western gallery and organ loft is supported by two slender columns with a panelled front; a moulded two-centre arched doorway connects it to the south tower stairway. A 20th-century circular font with moulded and ringed stem stands in the nave, alongside a circa 1800 wrought-iron hat rack attached to a south pew, of cruciform design with three receding pairs of arms supported by elaborate scrolls. A 14th-century south arcade of two bays comprises two-centred arches of two moulded orders supported by a quatrefoiled column with moulded capital and base; the responds have attached half columns.

The south chapel has a lean-to roof, partly restored, retaining some moulded common and principal rafters, with moulded wall plates. Fourteenth-century stained glass survives in two low windows, and stained glass fragments in the east window include a panel dated "16 IC 17" alongside 19th-century stained glass. A 14th-century piscina on the south wall has shafted jambs, a moulded trefoiled head, moulded label, sexfoiled drain, moulded cill and plain shelf. The south wall features a blocked arcade of two bays with moulded capitals and bases, four-centre arched heads and moulded labels with head stops.