Great Wakering

Preconceptions of Rochford's churches were instantly dispelled by St Nicholas - I should have learnt from Maldon District, I know, but I didn't. A unique, in my experience, west double storeyed porch with an almost mirror mirage south extension attached (not sure how else to describe it), some good headstones, corbels, nave roof and chancel window lifts the church out of the ordinary - as I said not what I was expecting.

ST NICHOLAS. The most singular feature of this church is the two-storeyed C15 W porch added to the Norman W tower.  This is an early Saxon motif, and one wonders what can have been the reason for introducing it here? Older foundations, or simply some obstacle in the way of a two-storeyed S porch? The nave of the church is Early Norman, as is shown by one blocked N window and the more interesting blocked W window. This proves that the W tower, though in its lower stage with the flat broad pilaster buttresses also clearly Early  Norman, must be later than the nave. It has a tower arch into the nave with the simplest imposts and a one-stepped arch. The upper parts of the tower are later Norman, and the neat shingled broach spire is C15 or later. In the chancel S wall two C13 lancets, in the nave N wall one two-light window with Y-tracery, cusped, of a type characteristic of c. 1300. Nave roof with tie-beams, octagonal king-posts with moulded capitals and four-way struts.

The church is reached by a pretty village street which just avoids being absolutely straight (although why this is of interest escapes me).

GREAT WAKERING. It has a rough common and the wide stretch of the Maplin Sands; and the long street has a small church of the Peculiar People as well as the parish church, which is remarkable for its age and for having a two-storey building which in the 15th century was attached to the Norman tower. It was added to shelter the priest who came to minister here from Beeleigh Priory. A projecting wing holds the stairway to the upper room. The nave has Norman windows and the chancel has lancets 700 years old, restored in olden times with Roman cement from some building of the time of the Caesars.

I have to say that I think both boys under rated this church, I think it's a possible contender for a top ten in Essex and certainly in the top twenty.

Flickr.