Chapel Of St Stephen

The Chapel of St Stephen, originally known as Chapel Barn, is a Grade I listed building located in Bures St Mary. It is believed to have been built by Abbot Sampson of Bury in the late 12th century or early 13th century, on the site of the King Church where Edmund was crowned King of the Angles in 855. The chapel is constructed of stone rubble and features heavy buttresses on the south and east sides. The east end has three tall lancet windows, while smaller lancet windows are present in the north and south walls. On the north side, there is a gabled two-storey entrance bay with exposed timber-framing and brick nogging on the first storey. Inside, the chapel houses three notable tombs of the De Vere family, which were moved from Colne Priory in Earls Colne, Essex. One tomb belongs to Robert de Vere, the 5th Earl of Oxford (died 1296), and features ogee arched niches on the sides. Another tomb is for Thomas de Vere, the 8th Earl of Oxford (died 1371), which also has ogee arched niches. The third tomb is for Richard de Vere (died 1417) and his wife Alice, made of alabaster, and all three tombs display recumbent figures.