England
Essex

Essex Travel Guide - Historic Churches

Audley Chapel, Berechurch    This delightful early Tudor chapel was built to serve as a mortuary chapel for the Audley family. The chapel features a marvellous hammerbeam roof, with carved and intricately decorated timbers, and numerous fine memorials to members of the Audley and Walden families. St Michael's Church, Off Berechurch Hall Road Berechurch, Essex, England, CO2 9NU Attraction Type: Church Heritage Rating:   ? Location: 1 mile south of Colchester, between the B1025 and the B1026 Website: Audley Chapel, Berechurch Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TL993217 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Brentwood Cathedral    Brentwood is a modern cathedral designed by architect Quinlan Terry in the style of the early Italian Renaissance, tempered by the English Baroque influence of Chriustopher Wren. The structure also retains part of the 1861 Gothic revival church originally on this spot. Ingrave Road, Brentwood, Essex, England, CM15 8AT Attraction Type: Cathedral Heritage Rating:   ? Location: in town centre Website: Brentwood Cathedral Email: cathedral@dioceseofbrentwood.org Phone: 01277 265 235 Location map OS TQ597 939 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Chelmsford Cathedral    The Cathedral Church of St Mary, St Peter and St Cedd is housed in a 15th century building which became a cathedral in 1914. Splendid new organs. New Street, Chelmsford, Essex, England, CM1 1AT Attraction Type: Cathedral Heritage Rating:   ? Website: Chelmsford Cathedral Location map OS TL709069 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Chickney, St Mary's Church    A wonderful Saxon church set near the site of the manor of Chickney Hall, and mentioned in the Domesday Book. The nave and chancel are pre-Conquest, while the three stage tower is a 14th century addition, topped with a steep-sided pyramidal shingle roof. Several of the windows are Saxon, though some have been blocked up. Chickney, Essex, England, CM6 2BY Attraction Type: Church Heritage Rating:   ? Location: 4 miles south west of Thaxted off the B1051 Website: Chickney, St Mary's Church Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TL571279 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Colchester, St Leonard at the Hythe    A 13th century church with major 15th century remodelling, St Leonard's is graced with a striking tower. It stands on a site once occupied by a Saxon church, and is entered by way of a two-storey south porch, where the medieval door shows bullet holes from the Civil War. Church of St Leonard-at-the-Hythe, Hythe Hill Colchester, Essex, England, CO1 2NP Attraction Type: Church Heritage Rating:   ? Location: 1 mile east of the town centre, on Hythe Hill Website: Colchester, St Leonard at the Hythe Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TM013247 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Colchester, St Martin's Church    An ancient church in the centre of Colchester, now used as an art centre. The walls incorporate Roman bricks, but the earliest evidence of construction dates to the 11th century. The bulk of the church is 14th century, including the nave arcades and the chancel roof. West Stockwell Street, Colchester, Essex, England, CO1 1HN Attraction Type: Church Heritage Rating:   ? Location: The nearest parking available is at Nunn's Road Car Park off North Hill at post code CO1 1EJ Website: Colchester, St Martin's Church Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TL995253 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

East Horndon, All Saints Church    A fabulous historic church in an isolated location looking out towards the River Thames. There was a Norman church here, but that was rebuilt by the Tyrell family of nearby Heron Hall in the 15th century to create a lovely building of golden brick. East Horndon, Essex, England, CM13 3LL Attraction Type: Church Heritage Highlight: 15th century tomb of Alice Tyrell Heritage Rating:   ? Location: 4 miles south of Brentwood, near the junction of the A127 and A128 Website: East Horndon, All Saints Church Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TQ633894 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Halstead, Holy Trinity Church    One of the first Gothic Revival churches in England to be built in the Early English style that became so popular in the mid to late Victorian period. Holy Trinity was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1843-1844. Trinity Street, Halstead, Essex, England, CO9 1JH Attraction Type: Church Heritage Rating:   ? Location: Just south west of town centre, near the A131. Parking in residential streets nearby Website: Halstead, Holy Trinity Church Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TL808305 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Little Bromley, St Mary's Church    A delicious Norman country church built of puddingstone rubble and limestone, set in a rural landscape. The church was begun in the 11th century, but the nave is 12th century, while the chancel dates to the early 14th century and the timber porch to Elizabethan times. Barlon Road, Little Bromley, Essex, England, CO11 2PP Attraction Type: Church Heritage Rating:   ? Location: 3 miles south west of Manningtree off the A137 Website: Little Bromley, St Mary's Church Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TM094277 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Mount Bures, St John's Church   The intriguing little parish church of St John in Mount Bures stands beside the ruined Norman castle mound that gave its name to the villlage. The church dates to the early 12th century, and is built of coursed flint rubble dressed with limestone and clunch. Look closely and you will see bits of Roman brick quoins embedded in the walls. Hall Road, Mount Bures, Essex, England Attraction Type: Church Heritage Highlight: Reused Roman bricks in the walls Heritage Rating:   ? Location: Beside Mount Bures Castle Motte, on the road to Wakes Colne - Photos of Mount Bures, St John's Church OS TL904324 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Stansted Mountfitchet, St Mary's Church    Though only a short distance from the bustle of Stanstead Airport, the ancient church of St Mary's at Stansted Mountfichet stands in an isolated position near Stansted Hall and well away from the village it was built to serve. Off Church Road, Burton End Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, England, CM24 8UB Attraction Type: Church Heritage Rating:   ? Website: Stansted Mountfitchet, St Mary's Church Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TL520241 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Vange, All Saints Church    Now encroached upon by the ever-widening sprawl of urban Basildon, the simple country church of Vange dates to the Norman period. London Road, Vange, Essex, England, SS16 4PX Attraction Type: Church Heritage Rating:   ? Location: On the southern outskirts of Basildon off the A13 Website: Vange, All Saints Church Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TQ711866 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

West Bergholt, St Mary's Church    A Saxon church set apart from its village, beside a Georgian manor house. The oldest part of the church is the north door, now blocked up, which predates the Norman Conquest. The door has a carved tympanum that may date to an even earlier building on the site. The north wall itself has been dated to around 1000 AD. Hall Road, West Bergholt, Essex, England, CO6 3DU Attraction Type: Church Heritage Rating:   ? Location: 3 miles north west of Colchester off the B1508 Website: West Bergholt, St Mary's Church Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TL955282 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Willingale Spain, St Andrew's Church    St Andrew's is one of a pair of churches sharing the same churchyard in Willingale village. It was built to serve the parish of Willingale Spain, while the later church of St Christopher was built to serve Willingale Doe. St Andrew's is by far the older, dating to the Norman period, and it incorporates Roman bricks throughout. The Street, Willingale, Essex, England, CM5 0SJ Attraction Type: Church Heritage Rating:   ? Location: 4 miles north east of Chipping Ongar off the B184 Website: Willingale Spain, St Andrew's Church Churches Conservation Trust Location map OS TL596073 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts