Details
GREAT OAKLEY THE AVENUE
TM 1827-1927 (east side)
7/21 Parish Church of All
Saints
GV I
Parish church. C12, C14 and C18, restored in Cl9. Chancel and Nave of pebble
and flint rubble with limestone dressings, W tower of septaria and red brick in
English bond, S porch of red brick in Flemish bond, roofs of handmade red clay
tiles. Nave C12, lengthened at unknown date, Chancel early C14, W tower late
C15, rebuilt in 1766, S porch c.1800. The Chancel has an early C15 E window of
4 cinquefoiled ogee lights with vertical tracery in a 4-centred head with a
moulded label and headstops, and a hollow-moulded rear-arch. High in the E
gable, above interior ceiling height, is a small opening with chamfered jambs
and 2-centred head. In the N wall are 2 windows. The eastern is C14, restored,
of one trefoiled light with hollow-chamfered jambs and 2-centred head, with a
chamfered segmental-pointed rear-arch. The western window is C14, of 2
trefoiled ogee lights with a segmental-pointed head with moulded label and
defaced headstops; the jambs, sill, mullions and rear-arch are hollow-moulded;
the sill is carried down to form a seat; it has an old wrought iron grill. E of
the windows is a blocked doorway, formerly to a vestry; it has hollow-moulded
jambs with broach stops and Tudor head, enriched with carved crowns, defaced
angels, heads in foliage and 2 shields of arms. Externally a fragment of C12
chevron ornament is embedded in the rubble; internally there are 2 small plain
rectangular recesses, respectively E of the doorway and between the windows. In
the S wall are 3 window. The eastern is C19, except for the C14 chamfered
segmental-pointed rear-arch and splays, which are cut back and mitred to form a
seat below; the stone seat has shallow indents, partly obscured by plaster. The
middle window is C14, of one trefoiled light with recessed spandrels, chamfered
jambs and 2-centred arch with moulded label, restored, and chamfered
segmental-pointed rear-arch. The western window is externally similar to the
window opposite, but internally is more richly moulded, and has a chamfered
segmental rear-arch; the plain-chamfered sill is carried down to form a seat;
the mullion is restored. Between the 2 western windows is a C14 doorway with
chamfered jambs and 2-centred head, with plain timber lintel. The late C14
chancel-arch is 2-centred, of 2 chamfered orders, the outer continuous, the
inner resting on semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals. The Nave has in a
the N wall 3 windows. The easternmost is C14, of 2 trefoiled ogee lights with a
segmental-pointed head and moulded label with defaced headstops, partly
restored. The middle window is C19 except for the C14 splays and chamfered
2-centred rear-arch. The western window is of C16 brick, of three 4-centred
lights in a 4-centred head, with recessed spandrels, moulded label, and shallow
pointed rear-arch; it is partly restored. Between the 2 western windows is a
blocked C12 window of one round-headed light; the E jamb of a similar window
remains, further E. Below the blocked window is the blocked C14 N doorway with
jambs and 2-centred head chamfered in 2 orders, and chamfered segmental
rear-arch. At the E end of the wall is the C15 rood-stair; the lower doorway
has hollow-moulded jambs and 2-centred head carved with square flowers; the
upper doorway is blocked with brick and plastered over. In the S wall are 3
windows. The 2 eastern are C19 except for the C14 splays and chamfered
segmental-pointed rear-arch. The western window is C14, restored, of 2
trefoiled lights with tracery in a segmental-pointed head with moulded label,
decayed headstops and chamfered segmental-pointed rear-arch. E of it is the
C14 S doorway, the jambs and 2-centred arch chamfered in 2 orders, with moulded
label and defaced headstops. At the SW comer is a diagonal buttress of late
C15 brick, with moulded offsets. The roofs of the Chancel and Nave are boarded
in 7 cants, and may have been rebuilt in the Cl9. The W tower has N and S walls
mainly of exposed septaria rubble, the E wall plastered, the W wall of red brick
in English bond, replacing a late C15 tower. The late C15 tower-arch is
2-centred, of 2 chamfered orders on the E side; the outer order is continuous,
terminating in broach stops; the inner order has moulded bases; the W side is of
5 chamfered orders. The NW and SW corners have plain pilaster strips. The
bell-chamber is timber framed and weatherboarded, with slatted round-headed
openings to the N, S and W. The roof is pyramidal. The S porch is plain, with
a semi-elliptical outer arch. (P. Morant, The History and Antiquities of the
County of Essex, 1768, I, 489). Fittings. There are 2 piscinae (1) in the
Chancel, double, with moulded jambs, mullion and 2-centred heads under an ogee
arch, the internal and external mouldings terminating in ball stops, with
octofoiled drain, C14, (2) in the S wall of the Nave, with wave-moulded jambs
and 2-centred head, and octofoiled drain, C14. In the S porch is a stoup with
C14 trefoiled head, the remainder blocked. The C12 font, of Purbeck marble, has
a tapering square bowl, each face with 5 round-headed panels, a moulded lower
edge, the stem and angle-shafts renewed. There are floor-slabs in the Chancel
(1) to Elizabeth (Cole) Drake, 1706, and to Rev. Richard Drake, 1738, (2) to
Rev. John Townson, 1802, both in black marble, and in the Nave (3) to Sara,
daughter of Thomas Savell, 1619, in white marble. There are indents in the
Chancel, partly covered by the altar-base, (1) of a figure of a woman under a
canopy, with 3 shields and marginal inscription, C15, (2) of a foliated cross,
enclosing a shield, and marginal inscription, late C14, and 2 others,
indistinct. In the SW window of the Chancel are fragments of late C14 glass,
mainly tabernacle work. RCHM 1.
Listing NGR: TM1878227318
