St Mary

Chancel and aisles C13.

Tower C14, and aisles also widened in this period.

Some work on the chancel in the C15.

Chancel chapels, clerestory and parapets early C16.

S porch early C17.

MATERIALS: Flint rubble with some Roman tile.

Lead, tile and slate roofs.

EXTERIOR: The exterior is particularly notable for its fine early C16 brickwork, although this was much restored in the C20.

The nave clerestory is C16 brick, and has two-light windows with cusped brick tracery and hood moulds

The N and S aisles have heavily restored early C14 windows with geometric tracery and brick buttresses

the early C16 chancel chapels continue the aisles, but in brick, and have C16 brick windows with cemented dressings.

The aisle and chapel parapets are continuous, and are of C16 brick in a pattern similar to that on the nave clerestory.

The brick S porch is early C17 and has a classicizing outer doorway of two orders, the inner with imposts and a pendant key block.

The S door is C13, reset in the C14.

The E gable edge is in C16 brick, as is the SE buttress.

In the chancel N wall is a C13 lancet,

another in the S wall was enlarged in the C15.

The chancel dormers, possibly C17 in origin, were rebuilt in 1892-1903 and again in the mid C20.

The late C19 NE vestry, also in brick, is lower than the N chancel chapel and has an embattled brick parapet and Tudor style windows.

The W tower and spire are C14, and may have been built in two phases, with the upper part and spire a little later than the lower part.

The 3-bay nave arcades are C13, that on the N being slightly earlier than that on the S, and have chamfered orders on cylindrical piers (except for the NW pier, which is polygonal) with moulded capitals.

The NW respond is carried on a good carved head corbel.

The N aisle N door is C13 or C14 and has a pointed head

The tower arch is C14 of three orders, the outer continuous, the inner two on polygonal shafts with moulded capitals.

The wide chancel arch is C15 and has a continuous outer order and an inner order on attached shafts.

The N and S chancel chapels open to the chancel and aisles through 4-centred, C16 brick arches of two chamfered orders, the inner order on moulded brick responds with moulded capitals and bases.

That on the S has C20 timber and glass screens, while the organ fills that on the N. There is a further glazed screen between the S chapel and S aisle, and a small, C19 N door from the chancel to the vestry.

The N aisle roof is C14, a lean-to design with three tie beams carrying posts and struts to a central purlin.

The S wall place is moulded of the C14

the N wall plate was replaced in the C17 and has the inscription 'HUMFRERI LOW ET HENRY STILEMAN CHURCHWARDENS ANO D 1639'.The nave roof is C16 and is divided into compartments.

The S chapel roof has C15 or C16 rafters, but has otherwise been rebuilt.

The S aisle roof has probably C17 square rafters.

The framing of the ringing chamber of the tower may be C14 or C15.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES: C13 piscina and sedilia in the chancel, the latter formed by carrying down the sill of the lancet window.

C14 piscina in the S aisle,

an early C16 piscina in the N chapel.

Early C20 wooden eagle lectern.

The outstanding pulpit, dated 1639, was called the 'best of its date in the county' by Pevsner.

The wider panels have upper panels carved with early Classical arches with columns and pediments shown in perspective.

It retains its heavily carved tester and backboard.

The backboard has strapwork and other ornament, and the tester has a carved frieze, a moulded cornice and a strapwork cresting.

Royal arms of 1660 in a frame with a broken pediment,

a probably C16 text panel found on the back of the Royal Arms, now displayed separately.

Stained glass: the E window by H Hughes (Ward and Hughes) of 1876.

Good monuments including a brass to Jane Paschall, d. 1614.

A marble wall tablet with pilasters supporting a cornice to Hellen Sydnor, d. 1651 and her sister Elizabeth Hubert, d. 1625.

An elaborate monument with an urn to the sisters, Amy and Margaret Gwyn, and to their friend Ann Hester Antrim, by Sir Henry Cheere, erected in 1753

Also a good collection of hatchments.

HISTORY: The double-square plan of the nave suggests it is C12 in origin.

The chancel had reached its present length by the early C13.

The aisles were also added in the C13.

The tower was built in the C14 and the aisles were also widened in this period.

There was some work on the chancel in the C15.

The church was considerably remodelled in the early C16, when the chancel chapels were built or rebuilt and the fine brick clerestory and parapets added.

There was further work in the early C17, probably in 1639, the date of the pulpit, and included repairs to the N aisle roof and the addition or rebuilding of the S porch.

SOURCES Lambeth Palace Library, ICBS 01430 and 13799 Bettley, J and Pevsner, N, Buildings of England: Essex , 386-7 RCHME Essex IV , 49-51 REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The Church of St Mary, Great Baddow, is designated at Grade I for the following principal reasons: * Parish church, probably C12 in origin, with C13 nave arcades

chancel, C14 aisles

tower, and C16 clerestory, parapets

chancel chapels, C17 S porch. * Restored in the C19 by C and W H Pertwee. * Very good medieval roofs. * Outstanding C17 pulpit. * Elaborate monument to Amy and Margaret Gwyn, and their friend Ann Hester Antrim, by Sir Henry Cheere, erected in 1753