St.Luke's Church was designed by Ewan Christian (1814-1895) in the English Decorated Style, built by Wells of Bermondsey, and was consecrated on 17th.October 1856 by the Lord Bishop of Rochester. The cost was £1890. It has minor later alterations, and an 1975 extension. Of red brick with blue brick banding, the red tile roof has blue tile banding and there are Caen stone dressings.
The west window was placed here to commemorate the life of William Frend who was the first incumbent of the newly created Tiptree Heath Parish, and his wife. The parish of Tiptree Heath came into being as an amalgamation of parts of surrounding parishes as the village grew, further changes have incorporated parts of the parishes of Inworth, Messing, Great and Little Wigborough, Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Tollesbury and all of the Parish of Tolleshunt Knights. It is now known as the Parish of Tiptree with Tolleshunt Knights. The window was partially destroyed during a German bombing attack in 1942 and was replaced by the present one in 1951.
The window is of Geometrical design of five lancets with a series of quatrefoils above. Here are the representations of five saints, from the left: St.Cedd, Bishop of the East Saxons shown as the Bishop of London with the arms of St.Albans below; Saint Paul, Apostle and Martyr with sword, the ship denoting his travels with the arms of London below; Saint Luke, Apostle and Martyr and Physician, the paint brush alluding to the legend of him having once painted a portrait of the Virgin Mary, beneath a Winged Ox and the arms of the See of Chelmsford; Saint Barnabas, Apostle and Martyr with a pilgrim's staff and the Gospel of St.Matthew, the mitre signifies the tradition that he was the first Bishop of Milan, below are the arms of Rochester; Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, the boy holding a model ship signifies his role as Patron Saint of Children and Sailors, below are the ancient arms of Colchester Abbey.
The quatrefoils above are from the original window, only the lower part was completely destroyed, here can be found the symbols of the four apostles; St.Matthew, an angel; St.Mark, a winged lion; St.Luke, an winged ox; St.John, an eagle. Further above are 'Alpha' 'IHS' 'Omega' then 'The Lamb' and 'a Dove' and finally the 'Star of David'. The partial quatrefoils at the edges are filled with floral decoration.
The original dedication is in the second left lancet and reads:-
In memory of William Frend,
First Incumbent of St.Luke's, new Parish,
TIPTREE
born March 1826--died May 1875
and his wife Emma B.Frend,
born September 1830--died June 1873.
At the foot of the fouth lancet is the wording:-
The original window was destroyed
by a German bombing attack
on the 19th of October 1942
and was replaced by
the present window in
1951.
The coordinates given are for the south porch.