Church of St Mary the Virgin, Layer Marney, Essex. CO5 9UR. - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

Rebuilding was started in 1515 by Henry Marney, 1st Baron Marney, KG (c. 1447 – 4 May 1523) and Lord Privy Seal to Henry VIII, but he died before completion. His son, John, 2nd Lord Marney, continued the building work but died just two years later, leaving no male heirs to continue the family line or the construction. This church is dedicated to St.Mary the Virgin and is Grade I listed. Restorations were carried out in 1870 and 1911.

The church is of a straightforward layout, chancel, nave, and a tower at the western end, with a full-length north chapel/arcade which may be all that remains of the earlier church. The chancel, nave and tower were largely rebuilt in red brick (1515 and on), with diapering (decoration in a diamond-shaped pattern) in flared headers on the tower which has diagonal stone dressed buttresses, embattled parapets and a polygonal tower staircase with small windows on the south face. Of three stages with a moulded string course at each, the tower's third stage holds the two bells and has a three center headed louvred window on each face. The west window at the ground floor has a four-centred head with intersecting tracery and looks onto a large open space with the church font.

In the embattled south aisle, south porch and south chancel the windows are all of four centred heads built in brick. The east window in the chancel is in stone, of five trefoiled, ogee, and transomed lights with vertical tracery in a four centred head, and the east gable has a crow stepped parapet.

The nave has a north arcade of two bays with four centred arches of three moulded orders, labels and shield stops. The upper door to the rood loft remains with a four centred head. At the west end of the north aisle is a priests chamber, with the remains of a fireplace and an octagonal chimney stack. The east window has been restored, 1978, and contains early C16th glass in four escutcheons and one painted panel, the escutcheons are all Marney related and the panel is of St.Peter, said to be foreign glass also C16th.

The south porch to the nave has a moulded and four centred outer arch of brick, with double chamfered responds, having moulded capitals and bases. There is a niche with coved soffit over the door. The side walls have windows of three transomed and four centred lights with moulded jowls and label, and the roof is in five cants. The original south door is of nailed cross boards.

The nave roof is of seven cants with four commons per bay, the principal frames are heavily moulded and there are heavy tie beams. The chancel roof is in seven cants with inclined ashlars, side purlins above the common collars and compassed wind braces that rise to the apexes of principal rafters.

Many good internal features include a C15th rood screen with ogee arches; a C14th alabaster tomb with effigy in armour, with bascinet, Sir William Marney c.1360; the tomb to Henry Lord Marney, 1523, with recumbent effigy; the tomb to John, 2nd lord Marney also with recumbent effigy; the north wall of nave has a large painted figure of St Christopher bearing Christ and holding a ragged staff. With its landscape background it is presumed to date from c.1520 and was uncovered during the 1870 restoration.

Much of this comes from the Listed Buildings web site and further pictures can be seen by following the link in the primary web site field.

Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1515 Age of Church building determined by?: Other reliable source If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Anglican If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Sunday Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: 9:00 AM Street address of Church: St Mary the Virgin Roundbush Road Layer Marney, Essex UK CO5 9UR Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: Not listed

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