Foulness

Due to other commitments and poor weather I didn't get out until Friday last week which turned out to be a very good thing. I was visiting Rochford District (which I finished off) and three churches in Southend (which I hope to complete this week; so far as I can tell most of the churches I visited are normally locked with no keyholders but because it was the Friday before Harvest Festival several were open whilst decoration was being prepared so I got to see them.

St Mary the Virgin wasn't one of them. It's located at the far end of Foulness Island on the MOD artillery range and is thus inaccessible; furthermore I was informed that it is now in such perilous condition that it's kept behind wire mesh fencing and permanently locked.

I've included it because it's still extant but to all intents and purposes it belongs with the Lost Churches of Essex - to be fair, since it's a rather poor new build we wont miss it much.

Foulness Island at the time of writing was a prohibited area. No personal report is possible.

ST MARY THE VIRGIN. 1850 by William Hambley. Tower with spire, nave with aisles, and chancel, in the E.E. style. The island had been a parish since 1550. - PLATE. Cup of 1612; Cup and Paten of 1712.

Since I couldn't access it I offer http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/299181 as compensation (see what I mean about not missing it).

Mee didn't bother.