Description

BRIGHTLINGSEA CHURCH ROAD
TM 10 NE

6/30 Church of All Saints
18.7.49
- I

Parish Church. C13 Chancel, North and South Chapels, about this time the 3
eastern bays of the Nave and Aisles were rebuilt. In C15 the South Arcade was
rebuilt with old material and the aisle remodelled. C15 the West Tower was
built to west of the church, it was completed circa 1490-1500, the Nave was then
lengthened to join it. Circa 1518 South Vestry. Circa 1520 eastern extension
to North Chapel, this was then the Lady Chapel. Circa 1530-40 the North Aisle
was reconstructed up to the c.1500 west bay. Early C16 South Porch. Circa 1814
the roofs and clerestorey collapsed. C19 and C20 restorations. Flint rubble
walls, flint flushwork to east bay of North Chapel, South Vestry and West Tower.
Reigate, Barnack and other freestone dressings. Roofs mainly of grey slate with
some lead. Chancel, plastered east wall. East window C15 of 3 cinquefoiled
lights, vertical tracery, moulded 2 centred head and label. The crenellations
of the lean-to north and south chapels continue through the aisles, with moulded
band under. North Chapel east wall has a c.1520 window of 3 cinquefoiled
lights, vertical tracery, 2 centred head. The plinth and eastern buttress with
flint flushwork panels, also similar flushwork to crenellations and band under,
plinth motifs of shields one with the sacred monogram and the others with a
variety of the Beriffe family merchants' marks. North wall, buttressed between
the window bays. Two eastern c.1520 windows of 3 cinquefoiled ogee lights with
transoms and vertical tracery, segmental heads and moulded labels. 3 eastern
aisle windows c.1510 of 3 cinquefoiled lights, 4 centred heads, moulded labels.
Western window of 3 ogee cinquefoiled lights, vertical tracery, segmental
pointed head. Between the 2 central windows is the C14 north doorway, sunk
chamfered jambs, 2 centred arch, double doors each of 3 panels. South Chapel,
high up in the east wall an early C16 window of 3 cinquefoiled lights, cusped
spandrels, square head with moulded label. South wall window as those in north
wall of north Chapel. Further west is a C16 doorway with moulded jambs with
carved square flowers, 4 centred head. Nailed plank and muntin door. South
Aisle. The 2 eastern windows similar to those in South Chapel. The 2 western
windows similar to the western windows in the North Aisle. The C13 south
doorway is between the 2nd and 3rd windows. 2 centred arch of 2 chamfered
orders, moulded label with stops. Buttress between window bay. Early C16 South
Porch of flint flushwork. Moulded and ornamented plinth. Crenellated returns.
Horizontal ends to gable, band with Tudor roses and shields. 2 centred archway
of 2 moulded orders, the inner with capitals and bases to attached shafts, the
outer order, south side, with carved square flowers, diadems and shields, north
side with shields hanging from straps, some with scratches ?Masons' marks. The
double moulded label encloses a square outer head, carved with square flowers.
Foliated spandrels with shields one of St. Peter's Keys, the other St. Paul's
swords and each with a small ship. Above the arch and in each side buttress is
a niche with moulded pedestal, trefoiled, cusped and crocketted head, cresting
and flanking buttresses. The side walls each with a window of 3 depressed
trefoiled lights, crenellated tracery, segmental pointed head, moulded label.
West Tower. Circa 1500, flint flushwork, crenellated of 4 stages. Bands
between stages. Buttresses each with canopied niches with moulded pedestals and
crocketted canopies, ribbed vaults to the first 6 half stages. North east stair
turret has quatrefoiled lights pierced parapet has shield, star and rose motif.
Moulded and ornamented plinth. West doorway, moulded and double shafted jambs,
2 centred arch with square head, moulded, crocketted and finialed ogee label is
carried through the square head, carved oak foliage to spandrels, plank and
muntin door with remains of tracery. Second stage west window of 4 cinquefoiled
lights, vertical tracery over, 2 centred head, ogee label. Third stage, north,
south and west windows of 2 ogee lights, vertical tracery and transoms, 4
centred heads, labels over, similar window to east wall but no transom. Each
wall of bell chamber with a window of 3 transomed cinquefoiled ogee lights,
tracery over, moulded 2 centre heads, and labels. Interior. C19 Nave and
Chancel roofs, moulded wall plates, the tie beams supporting 9 graduated
trefoiied arches with central semi-circular arch. The bosses may be original.
Brick floor to Chancel. Red and black tiled Nave floor. Chancel. C19 panelled
reredos with effigies of 2 saints. C19 stained glass to some windows. South
wall, circa 1530 4 centred arch east of which is a doorway of similar date,
stop chamfered jambs, 4 centred arch in a square head, traceried spandrels with
rose and fleur-de-lis, further east is a C13 lancet. C16 4 centred shafted arch
to north wall and a c.1300 chamfered 2 centred arch of 2 orders, semi-octagonal
responds with moulded capitals and bases. Eastern C13 lancet window. C16
vestry door of moulded battens with strap hinges. C15 niche in south wall,
double cinquefoiled canopy with crockets finials and cresting. Cill of south
east window carried down to form a seat. North wall a large monument to Nicholas
Magens 1764, German born Lord of the Manor, by N. Read. Central globe with a
winged female to left holding a scroll, to right a putto seated on a large
cornucopia, the background of ships, cargo and an anchor, cherubs and cherub
heads over. North or Beriffe Chapel, brick floor, simple lean-to roof. C20
stained glass to east window by Caroline Swash. Niches, now cut back, to right
and left of this window, with remains of colour, ribbed canopies and remains of
crocketed heads. Hatchment to south wall. 2 painted wood cut-out "watcher"
figures. ?C13 coffin lid on floor. Not seen at time of re-survey are 7 brasses
to the Beriffe family, all C15/C16, 2 of which are in the north aisle. North
aisle, lean-to roof, moulded principles. C17 stained glass to northern window,
said to be Flemish. Chest with barrel lid. Carved wood coat of arms. Table
made from timber of a demolished house called Sayers, formerly of Victoria
Place, Brightlingsea. C20 wood carved figure, 'Celestial Mary' by John
Doubleday. Following through the Nave and South Aisle is a band of 211 square
memorial tiles. They date from 9 December 1872 to 18 May 1973. Each tile
records the name, age, cause of death by drowning or the sinking of a ship and
the name of the ship, place and time of death. The memorial was started by Rev.
A. Pertwee who intended to record with a tile each Brightlingsea mariner lost at
sea whilst in pursuit of his calling, in later years tiles have been added for
every Brightlingsea person whose death is attributed to the sea. South aisle.
Simple lean-to roof. Round headed arch west of south doorway. Stoup east of
south doorway, C15 chamfered 2 centred arch, round drain. South Chapel. Floor
slab to Francis Wheeler 1692, Susan his wife 1679 and Francis their son 1694.
C16 niche in south wall with image of a bishop, head gone. Niche in east wall,
cinquefoiled head, ribbed vault, carved crockets and cresting, head to one jamb,
remains of colour and a black letter inscription below. C16 niche in splay of
south window, double cinquefoiled head, crocketed and crested, canopy remains of
colour. Piscina, sunk chamfered jambs carved with flowers, cinquefoiled head,
carved drain. Vestry, square headed recess with elbow bend in south wall,
possibly C16 oven. Nave. 5 bay north arcade, the 3 eastern bays circa 1300, 2
centred arches of 2 chamfered orders, octagonal columns with moulded capitals
and bases. The 2 western bays C16 2 centred arches of 2 moulded orders, the
inner resting on shafted jambs. The south arcade is similar but the 3 eastern
bays have been rebuilt C15 using old material. There are C15 niches with ogee
heads in second pier of north arcade and second pier of south arcade, this pier
also with a C15 trefoiled niche. West tower, 2 centred tower arch of 3 orders,
2 outer continuous, the inner with attached shafts, moulded capitals and bases.
A timber stair turret of probably circa 1500 has interlocked vertically boarded
walls and leads to the circa 1500 first floor gallery with moulded joists to
floor. The front with moulded uprights and rail. An octagonal central opening
has been cut through the floor and has a C17/C18 balustrade which is repeated
around the top of staircase. Fine ceiling of moulded and chamfered beams to
third stage. Moulded wall posts, arched braces spring from moulded capitals.
Not seen at time of re-survey are 4 lockers rebated for doors, in the third
stage, also C16 wall painting, name ?Robert Cooe on west wall. Piscina, first
stage, round drain, date unknown. Circa 1500 staircase door of nail studded
battens with strap hinges. C15 font, octagonal, quatrefoil panels enclosing a
rose, soffit carved with flowers, coloured and gilded. Said to be 2 bells, one
by William Dawe circa 1400, inscribed Dulcis Sisto Melis Vocor Campana
Michaelis. Sanctus uninscribed. The tower was used as a guiding light, it is
recorded that Canon Arthur Pertwee, vicar 1872-1912 even in his old age climbed
the tower to give lantern light to the fishing fleet entering the harbour. A
chart dated 1590 gives Brightlingsea Church as a mark. It was also used as a
meeting chamber for the election of the Deputy of Brightlingsea, limb of the
Cinque Port of Sandwich. History of Brightlingsea E.P. Dickin 1913. RCHM 3.

Listing NGR: TM0771418732

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17538925

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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