STAGE 1 - LOOK AROUND THE GZ FOR CLUES TO THE FINAL.
(01440) ABCD85
STAGE 2 FINAL - NC2 0D.16B E000 32.A69
The church is of 12th century origin and situated in an area of outstanding beauty on the Essex Suffolk border. It has an interesting history with some distinguished Rectors, the most notable being Matthew Parker. He was rector from 1542 until 1544. He was appointed chaplain to Anne Boleyn in 1533 and after her execution, to King Henry VIII. He was made Dean of the College of Stoke by Clare in 1535, a post he retained until 1547. He was Master of Corpus Christi from 1544 to 1553. He was appointed Arch Bishop of Canterbury by Elizabeth I in 1559.
The porch of this beautiful Church was built circa 1610 and has seen the entrance of countless numbers of members of the congregation over the past centuries. Inside the porch the oak entrance door to the Church is of considerable interest, having been installed circa 1380. The strap hinges on the outside of the door with their much worn foliated leaf shaped ends suggest that the door may date from 1320. The door is held together with wooden pegs. Note the enormous wooden stock lock, date circa 1610, which has been recently restored and three new keys made. Until 1927 the outside of this door was used as a notice board, hence the nails that are in it. Many have been extracted.
The inside of the door had received many coats of limewash, it took three months to remove these and expose the oak again. Inside the Church on the left of the Nave towards the tower are four of the original oak cow pews installed circa 1410. Until 1795 probably all the Church was similarly benched, at that time new deal horse box pews were installed and an unventilated floor was laid. Dry rot set in and the pews and floor became so unsafe that in 1927 a new ventilated floor was laid and new oak pews installed as existing. The window above the old cow pews dates from 1390, as does the window on the north side of the Nave towards the oak pulpit. The walls of the Nave appear to lean and are known as Batter walls. The Nave roof dates from circa 1390. The tower arch leading from the Nave also dates from 1390.
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