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| Monument Name |
Church of St Mary the Virgin and St Peter, Fairstead |
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| SMR Number |
6091 |
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| Summary |
The church's walls are flint and pebble rubble. |
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| Media |
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| Associated Media |
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| Description |
The church's walls are flint and pebble rubble. The dressings mostly limestone and clunch with brick, part Roman (see 6089). Nave and chancel date from the late 11th century. The west tower was added in c1200. In c1230 the chancel was extended eastwards. The shortness of the original chancel implies that there was an apse here originally. The north porch was built in the 15th century. Features and fittings: windows and window details of c1100, 13th century, early 13th century, 15th century, doorways of c1100, early 13th century, 14th century, the north porch roof is 15th century, a bell dates from the 14th century, a chest is possibly 13th century, there are consecration crossesl, paintings of the 13th, 13th or 14th centuries, a piscina of c1290, a 13th century recess, reredos of the late 15th-early 16th centuries, 2 sediliae of c1240, early 16th century seating <1> Norman nave with original windows , chancel arch is Norman. Tower added in the 13th century, the chancel late in the 13th century. Fragmentary reredos. Part of a ribbed soffit of c1500 remains. A chest dates from the 13th or 14th centuries. 'The most valuable thing in the church is its wall-paintings above the chancel arch. They date from c1275 and were restored in 1936 by the late Professor Tristram'. They are in 4 tiers, rising in size upwards, including various scenes from the Passion. 'The artistic quality is not high' <2> Norman and later architectural features. 13th century wall paintings <3> 'A most interesting little church, generally assumed to be Norman, but equally possibly late Saxon'. Original nave and short chancel with Roman brick dressings throughout. Almost certainly an apsidal sanctuary originally, replaced in 13th century by an extension to the chancel. Fine 13th century west tower with medieval brick dressings. It is odd that the tower arch is semi-circular, like the chancel arch, not pointed like the tower's lancet windows. This could indicate that there was an earlier tower here. 'An important series of wall paintings adds further interest to Fairstead'. Has archaeological potential (see field 23). Graded AAIc by Rodwell <4> Roofed with handmade red clay tiles. Chancel roof probably 13th century. There is a rood-stair near the east end of the south wall with early 16th century brickwork. The lower doorway has brick jambs and a 4-centred arch. The upper doorway is blocked, plastered and painted over with a 17th century inscription. The 13th century paintings are in 4 tiers with scenes from the Passion, a Doom probably and, probably, Balaam with his ass. There is also a head of a capped man, 13th-14th century in date. There are 14 early 16th century benches. The bell chamber windows have Coggeshall brick jambs <5> <6>
Site Assessment = 'Certainly there is great archaeological potential here, both above and below ground. The site appears to be relatively undisturbed, apart from a narrow shingle-filled drain around the walls of the church. Unfortunately the graveyard was cleared long ago, which has left it looking very bare, headstones arranged around the boundary' <4>
AP <7> |
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| Monument Type(s) |
CHURCH (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
WALL PAINTING (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
WALL PAINTING (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
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| Monument Class(es) |
BRICK
CONJECTURAL EVIDENCE
EXTANT BUILDING
WOOD
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Period
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1066AD to 1539AD Medieval
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| Status |
Listed Building (EH) |
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| Administration Area |
FAIRSTEAD, BRAINTREE, ESSEX |
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National Grid Reference
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Square: TL71NE
Ref: 768168 |
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| Finds |
WOOD CHEST (Dated 1066AD To 1539AD)
WOOD FURNITURE (Dated 1066AD To 1539AD)
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| Events |
None listed
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Sources
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Desc Text : An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex (RCHME) Vol 2, pp66-67 Dated : 1921
Desc Text : The Buildings of England, Essex (Pevsner, N) pp159-160 Dated : 1954
Desc Text : SMR Form (unknown) Dated : 1960s to
Desc Text : CBA Research Report No. 19 Historic Churches - a wasting asset (Rodwell, Warwick J with Rodwell, KA) p106 Dated : 1977
Desc Text : Medieval Industry (Drury, PJ in Crossley, DW) No 40, pp126-127 Dated : 1983
Aerial Photo : Fairstead (Tyler, Sue) Dated : 1986
Desc Text : List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Braintree (unknown) pp4-5 Dated : 1986
Aerial Photo : CP/97/17/22 (Strachan, David) Dated : 1997
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