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| Monument Name |
Church of St John the Baptist, Little Maplestead |
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| SMR Number |
9410 |
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| Summary |
Walls are flint and pebble rubble with limestone dressings and tiled roofs.. |
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| Description |
Walls are flint and pebble rubble with limestone dressings and tiled roofs. Built as the church of a commandry of the Knights Hospitallers c.1340, and consisted of a chancel and hexagonal nave with a circular aisle. It became ruinous in the C19 and was largely rebuilt in 1849-50. RCHM has plate of interior. The font is probably C11. The chancel has a semi-circular apse with traces of the blocking of a former east window. <1> The preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers at Little Maplestead was probably founded by 1186. All that remains is the church which was rebuilt in 1340 and heavily restored 1849-50. <2> Built as late as c.1345. <3> There has been much controversy over the subject of the first church. Presumably there was one in late Saxon times - a priest is mentioned in Domesday. It has been suggested that the original church lay c.1 mile to the SE. No documentary evidence and no archaeological evidence for the site of the other church either: needs elucidating. The present church is probably on the site of the original Hospitallers church but whether upstanding fabric is C12 is problematical. Rodwell suggests that the date c.1335 is too late for a round nave and apsidal chancel and suggests that the arcade and windows were added then. A Norman window high in the apse is shown in one of Wallen's engravings and on his longitudinal section of the church (see source 5). Graded CIc by Rodwell. <4> <5> <6> Largely rebuilt 1849-55. West doorway possibly C14, restored C19. <7> Four photos in SMR. <8> This source suggests the round church is C14, from the lack of signs of earlier work. The plan may have been influenced by an earlier round church but no foundations of such a building were found during the C19 restoration when the walls were underpinned. A frame hanging in the aisle contains two engravings and a plan, dated 1765, showing the original layout including the screens that originally shut off the chancel. The apse was also screened off. One of the 1765 engravings shows a timber-framed porch against the west doorway. The Minute Book of the Restoration Committee records the discovery of a piscina and sedilia when the chancel walls were stripped but no trace is now visible. The west doorway is largely C14 according to the guide book font probably c.1080 - the bowl was originally square but was converted to an octagon, perhaps in the C15. <9> <10> <14> <15> Other refs. <11> <12> <13> The Preceptory lies nearby, probably under Little Maplestead Hall - see 9412
Site Assessment: Though practically rebuilt it is of great interest on account of the plan. It has one of the five remaining circular or polygonal naves in England. <1> The latest of the five. <3> One of four round churches which survive in use in England. Remains of several others are known, including one in Essex, at West Thurrock. The church suffered one of the most brutal restorations in Essex. Rodwell thinks it unlikely that the church was ruinous (as contemporary engravings show) and was merely restoration for the sake of it. It is far from clear how much predates 1851-7 (see also source 6). Walls were totally refaced externally if not rebuilt. The foundations were underpinned; early windows were |
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| Monument Type(s) |
CHURCH (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
CHURCH (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
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| Monument Class(es) |
CONJECTURAL EVIDENCE
EXTANT BUILDING
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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 |
LITTLE MAPLESTEAD, BRAINTREE, ESSEX |
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National Grid Reference
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Square: TL83SW
Ref: 823340 |
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| Finds |
None listed
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| Events |
None listed
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Sources
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Desc Text : DESC TEXT (unknown) Minute book of Restoration Committee
Graphic material : ILLUSTRATION by (unknown) Dated : 1765
Mention : PLAN-MEASURED by (unknown) Dated : 1765
Desc Text : History and Antiquities of the Round Church at Little Maplestead (Waller, W) Dated : 1836
Desc Text : The People's History of Essex (Coller, DW) Dated : 1861
Desc Text : Essex (unknown) Vol 2, pp178-9 Dated : 1907
Desc Text : An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex, Vol 1 (RCHME) Vol 1, p184 Dated : 1916
Desc Text : J Brit Archaeol Ass (British Archaeology Association) Third Series, Vol 2, p227 Dated : 1937
Desc Text : The Buildings of England, Essex (Pevsner, N) p256 Dated : 1954
Desc Text : SMR Form (unknown) Dated : 1960s to
GUIDE BOOK : The Church of Saint Giles Gt Maplestead and the Round Church Lt Maplestead (Dickinson, PGM) Dated : 1967
Desc Text : Medieval Religous Houses (Knowles, D and Hadcock, RN) p300 Dated : 1971
Desc Text : CBA Research Report No. 19 Historic Churches - a wasting asset (Rodwell, Warwick J with Rodwell, KA) p113 Dated : 1977
Photograph : TL83-055 (unknown) 4 frames Dated : 1981
Desc Text : List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest:Braintree (unknown) p36 Dated : 1984
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