St Andrew's Church, Willingale

St Andrew's Church, Willingale
St Andrew's Church, Willingale, from the south
St Andrew's Church, Willingale Location in Essex
Coordinates: 51°44′30″N 0°18′38″E / 51.7418°N 0.3106°E / 51.7418; 0.3106
OS grid reference	TL 596 073
Location	Willingale, Essex
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Churches Conservation Trust
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	20 February 1967
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Gothic
Specifications
Materials	Flint with some freestone and puddingstone Dressings in clunch and re-used Roman bricks Roofs tiled

St Andrew's Church is a redundant Anglican church in the village of Willingale, Essex, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building,^[1] and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.^[2] The church stands less than 50 yards (46 m) from the adjacent church of St Christopher, and shares its churchyard.^[2][3][4]

History

The nave dates from the 12th century, and the chancel from the 15th century. During the 19th century the church was restored, and a porch and a vestry were added.^[1]

Architecture

Exterior

The church is constructed in flint rubble, and contains some freestone and puddingstone. The dressings are in clunch and re-used Roman bricks. The roofs are tiled. The plan consists of a nave and chancel, with a south porch and a north vestry. At the west end is a wooden belfry and spire, both of which are weatherboarded. The east window dates from the 19th century and has three lights containing Decorated-style tracery. In the north wall of the chancel are two two-light windows from the 15th century, and between them is a blocked doorway. There are similar windows in the south wall, and a 15th-century doorway. In the north wall of the nave are two 12th-century windows with semicircular heads, and a doorway from the same period. The doorway contains a door with 12th-century scrolled ironwork. In the south wall are three windows in different styles; a 13th-century lancet window, a 14th-century two-light window, and a small window dating from the 12th century. The south porch is weatherboarded and it leads to a 12th-century doorway with a semicircular head and jambs in stone and Roman brick. The west window has a semicircular brick head, which probably dates from the 17th century.^[1]

Interior

The octagonal font dates from the late 14th century. It is decorated with quatrefoils in circles, and with panels containing carved roses and heads. In the chancel are 15th-century piscinae and an oolite altar slab with carved crosses.^[1] Also in the church are memorials dated 1614 in memory of the children of the rector.^[2] The organ was made in 1905 by Thomas S. Jones and Son, but had been removed by 1997.^[5] There are two bells in the tower, one of which has a 15th-century inscription.^[3]

See also

• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in the East of England

References

External links

• Media related to St Andrew's Church, Willingale at Wikimedia Commons
• Essex Churches, with photographs of the exterior and interior