Colchester churches
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Colchester in Essex, England, has a number of notable churches.
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[edit] Medieval Churches
[edit] St John's Abbey
The Benedictine abbey of St. John the Baptist, generally known as "St. John's Abbey," had a beautiful late 11th century church until the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the execution of its abbot in 1539. Now all that remains of it is its gate, which is still a tourist attraction on St. John's Green and the small church with a wooden tower (St. Leonard's) which was built for the layworkers on the site.
[edit] St Giles, St John's Green
Originally built on part of St John's Abbey cemetery around AD 1150, contains work from every century since. It was declared redundant in 1956 and then used as a St John Ambulance depot until 1975 when it was converted in to masonic centre.[1][2]
[edit] St Botolph's Priory
The Augustinian priory of St. Botolph, generally known as "St. Botolph's Priory", was also established in the 11th century. This adopted the Augustinian Order in around 1200 and became the mother church of the order in Britain. Today all that remains of the priory are ruins. The present church on the site is Victorian.
[edit] St Mary at the Walls
St. Mary at the Walls was built against the Roman Walls, overlooking the western suburbs of the town. The church has a notable history. It is the site at which Protestant martyrs were executed by burning during the reign of the Mary I ("Bloody Mary"). During the English Civil War the church tower was used as a gun emplacement by the Royalist army. The tower was destroyed by New Model Army siege batteries, and gave rise to the story of Humpty Dumpty. The tower of the Norman church remains, the rest was built of red brick around 1750. Today the church building is unconsecrated and is home to Colchester Arts Centre.
[edit] St. Martin's
St. Martin's church still survives in its original Norman state. The church is located on West Stockwell Street in the old Dutch Quarter. Its tower was damaged during the English Civil War and was never repaired. Today the church building is unconsecrated and was used as a community theatre before falling into disuse. The key is available from the Colchester Borough Council museum service.
[edit] St. Runwald's
St. Runwald's church is one of only three churches were ever dedicated to the Saint in Britain. The church in Colchester formerly stood as part of "middle row" in the High Street. It was demolished, along with other buildings in the row, during the 1860s. The church graveyard in located in West Stockwell Street, behind the Colchester Town Hall.
[edit] St. Nicholas
St Nicholas church formerly stood on the High Street. The original church was 12th Century and the church was rebuilt in the 14th Century, and restored again between 1875-76 by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The church had the highest spire in Colchester. The church was demolished in 1955 by the Church of England authorities and the site was sold for commercial redevelopment. The Colchester Co-operative Society built at department store ("St Nicholas House") on the site. The building is currently used by JJB Sports.
[edit] All Saints, High Street
Declared a redundant church in 1953, now used as a Natural History Museum. Situated opposite Colchester Castle at MapRef TL 999252. Pevsner[2] states that there is little of interest beyond the flint decorated west tower, the rest having undergone much Victorian rebuilding.
[edit] Holy Trinity
Holy Trinity is the oldest surviving church building in Colchester. The church is located on Trinity Street in the town centre. Parts of the church tower are believed to date to around 1050 (the Anglo-Saxon period) and an earlier church building may have existed on the site. In particular, there is a unique pointed Saxon doorway in the West side of the tower. Today the church building is unconsecrated and the key is held by the Colchester Borough Council museum service.
[edit] St James the Great
St. James the Great is a Church of England church located on East Hill in Colchester. The oldest part of the church dates to the 12th Century. The nave, tower, and two aisles were built between the 13th and 15th Centuries. The chancel and the Chapels of Our Lady and St. Peter and St. Paul were added around 1500. The radical priest John Ball, a leader of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 preached at the church. [1]
[edit] St Peter's
Also still a church with a surviving bell tower. The bells can be heard every Thursday in the town centre. The church is always open through the day and details of its history are available there.
[edit] Victorian Churches
[edit] All Saints, Shrub End
The parish church of Shrub End. MapRef TL 970232.
[edit] St Botolph's
The current church building was dedicated in 1837, built in the style of the old Norman building, with semicircular arches and Norman ornamentation. The Church was nearly destroyed by fire during the 1943 air raids. It had its own team of fire watchers which dealt with several incendiary bombs.
