The Parish Church of St Thomas Bradwell-on-Sea

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle describes abundant rain and a great ‘sea-flood’ in the Years 1098 and 1099 AD. There was much destruction and inundation of farmland with salt water rendering it infertile for many years. The following century was also to see much bad and unseasonable weather.

It may have been at this point that the inhabitants of the Saxon Settlement (named by Bede as Ythancaestir), sited around St Cedd’s  original church – the Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall – decided to move their settlement a couple of miles inland to this site. Eventually the people settled here and at some point built themselves another church. 

The experts tell us that the Chancel (37½’ long by 19’ wide) is the oldest part of the present building and probably dates from the early 14^th Century. The Nave of the church (65¼’ long by 25’ wide) is much later – dated about 1706 – though there are existing traces of 16^th Century brickwork in the East Gable.

High above the Chancel Arch a piece of ancient exposed plaster still contains some traces of the Pre-Reformation wall painting, thought the work is too faded in modern times to give any clue of the original subject.

At the West end there is a red brick Bell Tower (10¼’ square) of three stages, with an embattled parapet built entirely about the year 1706. This ‘new’ Tower apparently replaced a stone tower with a high steeple.

Victorian photographs show the tower almost completely covered in ivy but in modern times wise councils have prevailed and the ivy – picturesque but very destructive to brickwork – has been removed and the mellow brick can be seen to its best advantage in the evening sun.

The Tower currently contains six bells which are rung regularly by our team of local and enthusiastic bell ringers. The bells are often rung for weddings and quarter-peals are rung to celebrate notable occasions. The Clock has marked the passage of time here in Bradwell-on-Sea since the middle of the 18^th Century, certainly by 1786 the Sexton was being paid 12/- a year for winding it!

The Porch covering the entrance to the South Door is not original to this building but was brought from Shopland Church near Rochford, when it was declared redundant in the 1950’s.

The Churchyard, in which burials have probably been taking place since the 14^th Century, was declared full in the 1880’s – 1890’s and a Churchyard extension was created a couple of hundred yards up East End Road on a patch of Glebe land adjacent to the Rectory of that time.

There are some interesting Memorials and some good examples of Table Tombs. A custom local to the area of having inscriptions on the side of the Headstone facing the path can be observed. On the East side of the path to the South Door of the Church a weathered Headstone features fine sets of Skulls and Crossbones – not Pirates but a common ‘memento mori’  motif of the period!

Just South of the door at the West End of the Tower there is an obelisk Memorial which records the names of all the Parishioners who served in the 1914-1918 War. Originally it seems that different coloured lettering denoted the Killed, Wounded and Served but the years have taken their toll of these distinctions. A Memorial Tablet inside the Church records the Fatalities from both the 1914-1918 and the 1939-1945 Wars. 

Inside the Church a sympathetic and extensive re-ordering was carried out as a Millennium Project. The Font was moved from the old Baptistery at the West End of the building and was re-sited in the South side of the Nave in front of the East Gable.

The Balcony was moved forward and in the space a Meeting Room (The Chapman Room) with modern Toilet and Refreshment Facilities was created with a further room (The Upper Room) above, with access to the Balcony and Bell Tower.

There are a number of interesting Memorial Tablets in the Chancel including one recording a tragedy - in Memory of ‘Cuthbert Macky Schreiber who in consequence of injuries caused by the accidental discharge of a fowling-piece, died January 11^th 1845, aged 12.’ And of William Spurgin or Orpland, Feb 23, 1839, aged 70. of whom it records ‘His life was useful.’

A variety of Memorials to the Owen Clerical Dynasty can also be seen. Son followed father into the living at Bradwell-on-Sea for three generations from 1870 through to the 1920’s.

A curious story surrounds the first Revd Owen and the present Font. It seems that the Font was removed from the Church in 1865 and buried at the North-east corner of the Churchyard by order of the then Rector and Churchwardens. (Perhaps they didn’t like the faces.) But later in the records is the entry ‘The beautiful and interesting old Font was dug up and restored by me, Edward Owen, Rector of Bradwell-on-Sea. It was placed in its right position.’ The new Font was presented to the neighbouring Parish Church of St Lawrence Newland where it can be seen to this day.

Quite recently the Nativity window, which was somewhat obscured by the Millennium work, was moved to a more sympathetic location on the North side of the Nave where it can be better seen in relation to the other windows. At the time this work was done it was realised that the windows all have different traceries above them and modern traceries had to be made for the window being moved. The old ones were left and now mark where the window once was.

We hope you will enjoy your visit to our Church:

And so go from this place refreshed in mind and spirit to Love and Serve the Lord. In the Name of Christ:  Amen 

Sources:        Herbert Brown, History of Bradwell-on-Sea J&H Clarke & Co. Chelmsford 1929

       Bede, History of the English Church & People Penguin 1968

       Unknown, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Hard Press  

© Revd’s Margaret & Laurence Whitford Rectors of Bradwell & St Lawrence 2009