Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary

Parish church with building phases spanning from the early 12th century to the 20th century. The early 12th-century nave is the oldest element. The chancel was rebuilt in the 14th century. The lower stages of the west tower date to the early 15th century, with the upper stage rebuilt in the 16th century. The south porch is 16th century. The church underwent restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The exterior is built of puddingstone rubble, partly plastered, with stone dressings. The upper stages of the west tower are of red brick. The roof is red plain tiles.

The chancel features a plastered plinth and splayed angle buttress. A stepped chimney stack stands to the west of the north wall. A memorial plaque on the east wall commemorates John Risbie (died 1761), Elizabeth Risbie (died 1773), and seven of his children. The east window contains three pointed lights with intersecting tracery and a two-centred arched head. The north wall has windows of one trefoiled light. The south wall has an eastern window of one cinquefoiled light and a low-set western window of the same design. Between these windows is a moulded two-centred arched doorway with a plank and muntin door.

The nave's north wall contains an eastern window of three cinquefoil lights with a moulded segmental head, and a 12th-century round-headed western window. To the west of this is a blocked 14th-century north doorway with a chamfered two-centred arch. The south wall has a 15th-century window of three cinquefoiled lights in a four-centred head, with a 12th-century round-headed window to the west and another to the east (blocked). Below the western window is a memorial dated 1775. The south doorway is 14th century, with a moulded two-centred arch and label with headstops; graffiti marks the jambs. The doors are 16th-century nailed plank and muntin double doors with strap hinges. Above the door are the Royal Arms of Hanover, said to be cast by Wallis and Coleman, who owned the first Colchester Iron Foundry.

The south porch is 16th century, timber-framed and plastered, featuring arched braces to tie beams and an arch-braced roof structure with side lights to the returns.

The west tower has three stages, the upper stage crenellated and of 16th-century red brick. It has stepped angle buttresses, a plinth, and bands to the parapet and second stage. The bell chamber windows are early 16th century, two-light cinquefoiled windows with tracery over and two-centred heads, with stopped labels on each face. A rectangular stair turret with small lights is set into the second stage of the south wall. The north wall has a round-headed light to the second stage, dating to the 15th century. The west window is cinquefoiled with three lights and vertical tracery above, with a segmental pointed head, label with headstops. The west doorway, 15th century, has moulded jambs, a two-centred arch, a square head, label with headstops and sunk spandrels. The doors are double and vertically boarded with upper lights.

Interior

The nave and chancel have probably 19th-century boarded barrel vaults with moulded octagonal king posts and crenellated wall plates; the original wall plates survive in the nave.

The chancel has a red tiled floor in the sanctuary and stone slabs elsewhere. A 14th-century piscina with moulded jambs, a two-centred arched head and quatrefoil drain is present. A stone shelf with moulded soffit decorates the north wall. Altar rails, dating to circa 1700, have turned balusters and moulded rails. The reredos, panelled, dates to circa 1926. A war memorial dates to circa 1914-18. 20th-century stained glass to the north and south windows depicts Archbishop Laud and King Charles, with the inscription "Remember Charles Stuart, King and Martyr 1649". There is no chancel arch.

The nave contains a panelled oak pulpit and 20th-century stained glass to the windows. A charity board, dated 1806, relates to a bequest of ten pounds from Mr John Barton to the poor of Little Bromley. Chamfered segmental rear arches decorate the north and south doorways.

The west tower has a chamfered two-centred arch of uncertain date. The font is 15th to 16th century, octagonal, with sides carved alternately with roses and symbols of the Evangelists. The soffit features four angels holding hearts or shields. Four buttresses support the stem, which has a chamfered base. A two-centred stair turret doorway is nailed and edged with a scutcheon plate and handle. The lower stairs to the turret have solid treads. The west doorway has a round-headed rear arch.

An organ loft with five shields of arms to the front of the gallery contains a hand-pumped organ said to date to circa 1820.

The church contains four bells. The two oldest are said to be the work of Robert Burford of London, dating to circa 1392-1418. Their legends read "Sancta Katerina Ora Pro Nobis" and "Sit Nomen Domini Benedictom". The other two were cast circa 1898 by Bowell and Son of Ipswich to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria.