When Augustine arrived in Canterbury in 597 A.D., the Celtic Church was flourishing in a huge arc alongside Anglo-Saxondom. From 397 A.D., the church in Britain had developed on the monastic pattern, which meant that as these centres spread, the land become the fertile soil which absorbed new cultures, hostile or friendly, to the continuous enrichment of the developing community. Hence the Anglo-Saxon churches combine echoes of the Roman colonial style with a fusion of the Celtic tall, aisleless nave leading to a square-ended chancel, and the Basilican plan introduced to Kent by Augustine.
St Mary's Church, Birchanger, is one of the 250 Anglo-Saxon or part Anglo-Saxon churches that survive in Britain. It is built of flint rubble with dressings of limestone and clunch and dates from the Saxo-Norman period (1000 to 1199). Birchanger, like Henham, may have had some kind of pre-conquest church. Owing, however, to the Normal habit of making a clean sweep and starting afresh with a different variant to of continental Romanesque, what preceded St Mary's at Birchanger must be left to modern archaeology to surmise.
NORMAN PERIOD - 12TH CENTURY SOUTH DOORWAY discovered about 1930, this door is now blocked. Its internal arch has been raised in order to create room for the staircase to the organ gallery. Though similar in decoration to the West doorway, it has in addition foliage scrolls along the arch. This door also has a quite unique feature for Essex, a small carving high up in the tympanum depicting The Lamb of God, with cross and flag of victory.
TWENTIETH CENTURY WROUGHT-IRON GATE - The gate to the organ gallery was designed and made by Laurence Love of Bishop's Stortford in 1972.
LYCH-GATE - Built by Frank Levey of Birchanger, and dedicated by the Bishop of Colchester on 2nd September 1956.
GOODS AND ORNAMENTS
PLATE included a very fine Elizabethan chalice cup of 1567 described as a silver parcel-gilt chalice. It measures 7.5" in height, 4.5" in diameter (bowl) and weights 12 ozs. It was first mentioned in the church records in August 1686 and is lodged in the bank. More details can be supplied on request.
A LIST OF RECTORS hangs on the North wall above the font and begins with John de Halinade in 1349. Note the French names until after the time of Edward the First, evidence of connections with France. (See leaflet "Birchanger in Antiquity").
A modern BRASS on the South wall is interesting as being the first brass to depict a soldier in modern khaki uniform. It is to Jack Watney, a lad of 19 who fell in South Africa in 1901. Recently some interest has been shown in this memorial and research has brought to light the circumstances of Jack Watney's death. For more information, please contact the Rector.
The REREDOS and HOLY TABLE are in carved oak, and were installed during 1901.
The ORGAN is a French 3-manual built by Auguste Gern for a special West gallery built during the restorations in 1898. This work was carried out under the direction of Mr. Harrison of Birchanger Place (the area now renamed Harrisons), who was also organist and in charge of the Choir. Gern was a foreman of the Paris firm of Aristide Cavaille Coll (1815-1899) and whilst superintending many of the firm's organs in England he undertook a number for private patrons. The organ at Birchanger is possibly unique in that its mechanism and parts have not been replaced since it was installed in 1898.
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