ALL SAINTS CHURCHFORDHAM

A GUIDE

PATRICIA LEWIS

ALL SAINTS CHURCHFORDHAM

A GUIDE

PATRICIA LEWIS

A Word of IntroductionFrom the Rector

Welcome to All Saints’, Fordham.We hope this little guide will be of interest you you whether you are aresident of the parish, or if you are just visiting.Our Church has been here a long time. In a sense it grew as ChristianEngland grew through the centuries. There are Roman bricks in thewalls, Tudor builders enlarged it, and the conflicts of Loyalists andRoundheads made their marks during the Civil War of the 17th Century.Yes, this House of God has stood in the village marking the passingages. Families have celebrated Baptisms and Weddings with joy, andmourned the passing of loved ones. Many have worshipped here, andsaid their prayers. Week by week the Sacrament of Holy Communionhas been celebrated, and the voices of many people have sung hymnsof praise to God.The older registers and documents are now with the Essex Record Officeat Chelmsford, but many have left their mark on history down thecenturies within their pages. Perhaps you are part of that continuingrecord. There are copies of these Parish Registers in the church.May I wish you all joy and blessing in the Name of The Lord. Anthony G. Smith, RectorTo obtain the key to the ChurchContact The Rector, The Rectory, Wood Lane Fordham Heath, Colchester, Essex CO3 5TRTelephone No. Colchester 240221

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All Saints ChurchFORDHAM

A GUIDE

PATRICIA LEWISIllustrated by John Kay

PUBLISHED BY THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

JULY 1984

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI wish to express my thanks to the following for their help with preparingthis guide:—Thora BroughtonEssex Record OfficeClayton LewisThe London Borough of Barking and Dagenham — Valence ReferenceLibraryW.N. Paul, F.InstL.Ex.Further reading:—May Gunary, The Story of Fordham, 1954.Fordham,W.I., Village History Competition — Fordham(Colchester)1957.

ISBN 0-9509595-0-2

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This is a guide to All Saints’ Church, Fordham, not a history.Walk round the outside of the Church first, enter by the South Porchand then follow the guide.I do hope that this guide will help to make your visit an interesting one. Patricia Lewis, May 1984

Plan of All Saints’ Church, Fordham, Essex.

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GLOSSARYARCADE Series of arches.ARCH BRACED Curved support.BARNACK Limestone composed of particles of sand, (oolite).CAMBER Horizontal beam slightly curved, supporting structure above it.CAPITAL Carved or moulded head of column.CHALICE Goblet used at Holy Communion.CHAMFER Cut away edge of stone or wood.CLERESTORY Windows above the Nave to provide more light.CREDENCE SHELF Shelf to hold sacred items.DIAGONAL BUTTRESS Support to wall usually to outside corner.DRESSINGS Smooth finish to stonework.FINIAL Decorative feature at top of tower corner, bench end etc.FOIL Petal like shapes used to form circle,

(tre./cinque./sex./octo./denote number of petals).INCUMBENT Rector, Vicar, Parson or Minister.JAMBS Upright side-post of doorway or window.LABEL STOP Carved end to moulding.LAUDIAN Appertaining to Archbishop Laud in the 17th century.LEAD FLATS Strips of lead covering roof.MOULDED Ornamental projections of carvings.MULLION Upright which separates lights of windows.PIER Vertical support.PRINCIPAL Main rafter taking weight of roof.PURLIN Horizontal beam which transmits weight of roof from rafters

to principal.RESPOND Half pillar against wall at end of arcade.ROOD The Cross of Christ.ROOD BEAM Horizontal beam supporting the Rood.ROOD LOFT Gallery on top of Rood beam.ROOD SCREEN Screen under Rood separating Nave from Chancel.SESSIONS ROLL Munutes of courts.SPLAYS Shape of masonry sloping towards windows.STOP See label stop.TERRIER Record in which possessions are described.TIE BEAM Horizontal beam between two walls supporting the rafters.TWO CENTRED Geometric method used to determine shape of arch.WALL PLATE Timber on top of wall to which rafters are fixed.

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All Saints’ Church

The Church of All Saints’, Fordham, Essex, is a Rectory under theDiocese of Chelmsford. The Patrons are Balliol College, Oxford, andthe Trinitarian Bible Society, alternately. The date of the Consecrationhas not yet been traced, but we know from an early Essex Charter thatthere was a Church at Fordham in 1087, a gift from King William I tothe Abbey of Bee in Normandy. The Church stands to the South of thevillage and overlooks the valley of the Colne. Fordham is six miles tothe North-West of Colchester and its name means “farm of the dwellersby the ford”.

Label Stop W.Window S.Aisle

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THE OUTSIDEThe walls are mainly of flint and rubble construction with some Romantiles and 14th century, and Tudor, bricks. Does the use of Roman tilesin the walls suggest a Roman building near the site of the presentChurch? Nothing is known archaeologically of this area but Fordhamis only six miles away from Roman Colchester and has a commandingview of the valley of the River Colne. The dressings are of Barnackand soft limestone. The main part of the Church was built as theDecorated style, (1272-1350) was evolving into the Perpendicular style,(1350-1539). There are label stops of carved heads on several of thewindows, the best of these being on the West window of the SouthAisle, which, unfortunately, suffered frost damage during the severewinter of 1981-1982. The North label stop is a fine carving of a manin a Canterbury Cap. Is it possible that this is the Rector of the Churchwhen the Aisle windows were rebuilt cl500?

Label Stop W.Window S. Aisle Label Stop S.Window S.Aisle

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THE ROOFThe roofs of the Aisles and Tower are covered, behind the parapets, bylead flats. The roofs of the Chancel, Nave and Porch are tiled, althoughwe are led to believe that prior to the Siege of Colchester in 1648,during the Civil War, they were leaded. Historians (including Morantand Norden) state that the lead of the roofs was stolen and convertedinto bullets. However, it is unlikely that the roof would have beencovered with lead because it would not have been a suitable materialto use on a roof of so steep a pitch. The lead would have “crept”downwards towards the eaves because of its weight and would haveneeded frequent attention and expensive replacement. The lead wouldhave been taken from the flatter Aisle roofs. It is known that the Royalistswere very short of ammunition. They used rough hand-made lead bulletswhich caused injuries which would normally have been minor, to befatal. It is interesting to note that in 1913 in Fordham Hall, which liesjust to the South-West of the Church, some Tudor decorative wallpaintings were found. A small fragment of one is in Colchester CastleMuseum. In many places the wall paintings were pierced by shot holesmade by irregularly shaped pieces of lead and marked with great splashesof blood. Could it be that a fight took place here between the Royalistsand the people of Fordham who were trying to save their Church frombeing damaged? At this time Fordham Hall belonged to Sir John Lucas,whose brother Sir Charles Lucas, one of the Royalist leaders at thesiege of Colchester, was shot after the surrender on the 28th August1648. Sir Charles rode, with the Royalist Army, through Ford Street

Fordham Hall

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in the pouring rain, on his way to Colchester during the afternoon ofthe 12th June 1648.SOUTH PORCHThis was built cl330 and altered during the 15th century. The doorwayis 15th century and has a two centred arch and label. The windows are14th century. The roof incorporates two 14th century cambered tie-beamsand moulded wall plates with an arch braced roof. The South doorway,of the Church, which has 14th century stop-moulded jambs, leads intothe South Aisle. As you enter the Church notice the Graffiti on thejambs. On the West jamb is a well cut Mason’s mark between the initialsW.S.

South Door

Stone built into base of Tower

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DOORSAll the doors in the Church are modern.THE TOWEROn your left is the 14th century tower arch, leading into the Tower,which has been made in the original Normal wall of the Church. Thereis a stone built into this wall on the South side of the tower arch. Itsorigin is unknown but there are two similar stones on a nearby farm,one of which is about 4 feet high. There is no outcropping buildingstone in Essex.It has been suggested that these are Sarsen stones, (a sandstone rockof extreme hardness), similar to the standing stones at Avebury, Wiltshire.These stones suggest that there could have been a pagan site somewherenear. Sites were known to have favoured rises overlooking river valleys,e.g. the River Colne. Stones like these could have come, by sea, fromthe Prescelly Mountains in Wales.There are similar stones, and puddingstones in the fabric of ColneEngaine Church.If you have any information or ideas on these stones please inform theLocal History Recorder whose address is at the Essex Record Office.The Tower is 10 feet square and is supported externally by diagonalbuttresses. It is of three stages which do not show from the outside.The lower part was built in 1340 and the upper finished later in thesame century. Originally it was topped by a lofty shingled spire whichwas used as a landmark that helped to guide vessels up the reaches ofthe River Colne. The West side of the Tower was severely damagedby the fall of the spire during a great storm in 1796. In the early 1800’smost of the bell chamber was rebuilt in brick and supported by twobrick buttresses, but the spire was not rebuilt. The parapet is modern.Except for minor parts the West window is modern as are windows inthe South and West walls. In the second stage of the South wall is asingle trefoiled light on the 14th century and in the North wall of the

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bell chamber there is a 14th century bell opening, formerly of twocinque foiled lights in a two-centred head, with its mullion missing.

CHESTThe Parish Registers are kept in an iron bound chest in the Tower.BELLSAn inventory of Church goods dated 20th September 1552 states thatthere were three bells in the steeple. In 1909 we know that there weretwo bells, one of which was dated 1637 and cast by the famous Essexbell founders, the Miles Graye family of Colchester. It is said that therewas no founder in the 17th century equal to Miles Graye, the “Princeof Bell Founders”, also known as “Colchester Graye”.A report in 1955 under the “Inspection of Churches Measure 1955”states that there were two bells, one by Miles Graye, 1637 and theother by John Damion, 1723, both hung in a wooden frame with thewheels in a rotted condition.

ORIGINALROOF LINE

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Access to the belfry is very difficult and we have been unable to checkthe number of bells in the bell chamber, but only one bell is now used.FONTThe font is of carved stone and is Victorian.THE NAVEThe Nave has North and South Arcades of three bays which are cl340.It is possible that these Arcades are in the original Norman walls of theChurch. If you look up you will see evidence of the roof having beenraised to make clerestories to provide more light. The clerestory hason each side three trefoiled windows of the mid-fourteenth century.The roof is ceiled. The columns have octangonal piers and doublechamfered arches. These arches show some evidence of having beenrepaired.COMMUNION TABLEThe wooden table standing inside the South door, which by its size andstyle was considered by the late Canon Hugh Barber (Rector of Fordham1963-1982) to be the Reformation Communion Table placed in theChurch during the reign of Edward VI when Altars were commandedto be replaced by “an honest, decently covered table” in the Choir orChancel. You will notice that at some time the top has been raised.THE ORGANThe organ was provided in 1884 and replaced by a larger instrumentin 1893 which was made by Henry Willis of London. Henry Willis,

“Father Willis”, was born in 1821 and died in 1901. He built manyfine organs incorporating mechanical and tonal refinements. Theseinclude Alexander Palace, The Albert Hall, several cathedrals includingSt. Pauls, Windsor Castle and many colleges, churches and concerthalls in Britain and abroad. There are other examples of his work inEssex including one at St. Andrews’ at Halstead.

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Lectern

Pulpit

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THE PULPITThe Pulpit is modern incorporating early 17th century carved panels.In the Parish Registers is a note written by Robert Cotton, who wasRector from 1617-1633, stating that in March 1628 John Potter andhis adherents climbed through a window in the tower, removed thePulpit and it was found the next morning at the foot of the tower. WHY?We can only guess at the reason. There was obviously some differenceof opinion between John Potter and the Rector. We don’t know RobertCotton’s religious persuasion but it is probable that he was a Puritan.He came from a Puritan family and his brother Thomas, a Puritan, wasmarried to Jane, sister of John Bastwick of Colchester, who had hisears cut off for non-conformity. It is interesting that William Lynne ofLittle Horkseley complained to Archbishop Laud that Thomas Cottonwas “a great deprver of government”. It seems that some action wastaken as in January 1635 Mr. Lynne complained that Mr. Cotton “hasbeen set at liberty and is vowing vengence, and he (Lynne) fears thathe will be assaulted by John Barnish, a professed ruffian that keepsmost at his house (Cotton’s) and who carried a pocket pistol”.It is difficult to present a full picture of the exact Potter/Cotton religiousdifferences. The Session Roll at the Essex Record Office ^states thatin 1621 men from West Bergholt were ordered to keep the peacetowards John Potter of Fordham. The Rector, Robert Cotton, camefrom West Bergholt. All this emphasizes that feelings ran very high inWest Bergholt, Fordham and Colchester at that time. In all probabilityJohn Potter was an Anglican and removing the Pulpit was his protestagainst the lengthy preachings of Robert Cotton. Are the 17th centurycarved panels incorporated in the present Pulpit from the one dismantledby John Potter?

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COAT OF ARMS

The Royal Coat of Arms hangs over the North door. It is Hanoverian,1816-1837, and was made of cast iron at the foundry of Joseph Wallisin High Street, Colchester, where Williams & Griffiths store now stands.It was refurbished more than twenty years ago by Edgar Walker R.A.who then lived at Valley Cottage, Fordham.

THE AISLES

Both Aisles were built cl340 and rebuilt or re faced cl500. The SouthAisle has an East window which is modern except for parts of the jambs,splays and rear arch, which are probably 15th century. The recess iscarried down below the cill. There is a niche on each side of the Eastwindow and a niche on each side of the East window of the South wall.In the South and West walls are windows uniform with those in theNorth Aisles. The-15th century South doorway has stop moulded jambsand a two centered arch. The roof is of oak, flat patched, open timberedand boarded with four principals braced at the ends and supporting aheavy purlin at the centres.

The North Aisle has an East window which is modern externally butwith splay and rear arch of the 15th century, as has the West window.In the North wall are two windows, the Eastern of the mid-14th century,the Western matching the window in the East wall. The North doorwaywas probably reset in the 14th century from the original Norman wallof the Nave. The roof is uniform with the South Aisle roof. Under theEast window is an oak carved Vestment Chest with the initials I.H.and E.H. 1706 carved on the middle of the front. Against the Westwindow is a modern carved enclosed area used as a vestry.

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Niche in E.Wall of S.Aisle

E.Wall of North Aisle

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The Priest’s Door

Piscina N.Aisle

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PISCINAE IN THE AISLESA Piscina is a niche containing a drain, usually built into the wall, forholy water to be emptied on to the consecrated ground outside theChurch. A Piscina always proves that there was an altar nearby. ThePiscina in the South Aisle on the South wall is 14th century with amoulded label and a sexfoiled drain.The Piscina in the North Aisle in the East wall is 15th century with amoulded label and an octofoiled drain.The Piscinae indicate that there were side altars in the North and SouthAisles and there is evidence of screens, from the respond at the Eastend, on North and South Aisles.A Certificate of Church Goods was ordered in 1552 to ascertain if therehad been any alterations in the Church since the survey in 1548. Itmentions that money belonging to the late Guild of the Holy Trinitywas in the hands of four men. It is possible that one of these Aisles wasthe Guild Chapel.THE CHANCELThe Chancel was built cl330. The East window is of three lights undera pointed head. In the North wall are two cl340 windows partly restored.In the South wall are three windows the Eastern being uniform withthose in the North wall and the westernmost is a single trefoiled lightcl340. In the South wall is a mid-fourteenth century Priest’s Door withchamfered jambs and label. The Chancel Arch is of two chamferedorders. The responds are semi-octangonal with moulded capitals andbases partly cut away. In 1547 The Royal Visitors Injunctions, (underEdward VI), gave instructions to every Church regarding its conduct.Among other things candlesticks and images were to be destroyed. Weknow that candlesticks from the Rood Loft were sold to William Teylecot,a pewterer of Colchester, and in common with most other Churchesthe Rood Loft, supporting the figures of Christ on the Cross, St. Johnand The Virgin Mary, must have been destroyed. The sawn end of theRood Beam can be seen in the South wall to the West of the Chancel

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Fixing for Rood Screen

The Pulley Memorial

Fixing for Rood Screen

Piscina, S.Wall of Chancel

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Arch, and the loft beam, in the North wall to the East of the ChancelArch, to which the flooring of the Rood Loft would have been attached.On the North and South pillars of the Chancel Arch are signs of wherethe Rood Screen was fixed. As there is no sign of a staircase, access tothe Rood Loft would have been by ladder.The roof is ceiled.There is a Piscina of the 14th century containing a credence shelf, witha cinque-foiled head and a sex-foiled drain, in the South wall.THE HIGH ALTARThis was given in memory of George Pitt, late of the Imperial IndianArmy, who died on the 25th January 1905. The adjacent panelling wasgiven in memory of Isabella Gurney who died on the 19th May 1935.THE ALTAR RAILSIt is suggested that these are not high enough to be Laudian but areGeorgian of the 18th century.THE MEMORIALSThere are Memorials including one to the Rev. Moses Dodd, Rector ofthis Church from 1804 to 1839, who is buried in a vault nearby. Thereis now no sign of the vault as the floor was recovered by the VictorianRestoration. There is a fine marble Monument to John Pulley, son ofthe Rev. John Pulley, Rector from 1689 to 1730, a Captain in the RoyalNavy who died of smallpox at Port Mahone. There is a bust of himabove the Memorial and below is a carving in low relief of Men-of-Warin full sail.

End of Loft Beam

End of Rood Beam

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The Nave and Chancel

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THE GLASSAll the glass in the Church is modern but we know that before theVictorian Restoration 1861/62 there were inscriptions to the Creffieldfamily in the North and South Aisle windows. In 1543 Robert Wynterwas paid for re-glazing the windows. At this time incumbents wereinstructed “to utterly extinct and destroy” all monuments of superstitionin the windows of Churches. It is possible that there was stained glassin the Church before this date.THE CHURCH PLATE

The Communion Vessels at the present time are electro-plated and thereis a silver box for bread or wafer. The Royal Visitors Injunction andthe Certificates of Church Goods, as previously described, give a pictureof the Church Goods which were sold or removed and those whichremained in the Church in 1552. The will of Alice Creffield 1522stated that she wished to be buried in the South Aisle of FordhamChurch and that a Chalice was to be made of her girdle (belt). This wasprobably the Chalice “Parcel Gilte” (silverware), weighing 16 ouncesand left in the Church in 1552 and mentioned again in 1684. This mayalso be the “Old Chalice exchanged” in the Terrier of 1810, in the ParishRegisters, which recorded that the Rev. Charles Onley, (Rector 1763-1804),gave solid silver Communion Plate to the Church. There is no recordof why these silver vessels were parted with and the present platesubstituted.

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The Organ, S.Aisle

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THE PARISH REGISTERSThese date from 1563, the volumes for Baptisms 1589-1892, Burials1563-1880 and Marriages 1564-1839 are in the Essex Record Office.Later volumes, up to the present date, together with photo-copies ofthe volumes deposited at the E.R.O. are in the chest in the Tower. Thereare many entries of interest in the Registers and one wonders about theeffect on the Parish of such varied events. For example:—1628 John Potter and the removal of the Pulpit1632 The Rector, Robert Cotton, and eleven Parishionerssubscribed to Archbishop Laud’s appeal for funds to repair old St.Paul’s Cathedral which was subsequently destroyed by the Fire ofLondon in 1666. 1666 Thirteen people died of the Plague in May andJune.

“Goodwife Cowell died in May of the Plague” together with eight otherswho “died of the infection taken from her”.1707 Several hundreds of men, women and children were confirmedin Fordham Church.THE RESTORATION OF THE CHURCHThe Church was restored in 1861-2 when among other alterations thefloor was tiled, the roof timbers plastered over and new choir stallssubstituted for the old ones, some of which had poppy head finials. Apost card showing the Church before restoration hangs on the Northdoor.THE CHURCHYARDThe Churchyard has been tidied and in the Essex Record Office thereis a microfilm, T/D232/4, compiled by Dr. Laver, which gives detailsof Church and Churchyard monumental inscriptions and includes anindex. One interesting stone records Henry Johnston who served in the2nd Battallion of the 3rd Regiment of Guards and fought at the greatbattle of Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815, after which he lived inthis his native village for 41 years.

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LIST OF RECTORSThis list hangs on the West wall of the Nave near the opening to theTower. The earliest Rector we know by name is Henry, c 1198, but wehave confirmation that there was a Church in Fordham in 1087, a giftfrom William I to the Abbey of Bee in Normandy. The list records menwho gave great service to the Church and in their service many nationalevents are reflected. 1391 Roger Walden. Archbishop of Canterbury1398, was deposed for political reasons and later became Bishop ofLondon 1405. 1451 Robert Kyrkham. Later became Master of theRolls which was the head of the Civil Service of that time. 1544 SimonBaghett, (Baghot). He arrived in Fordham during the reign of HenryVIII, was present when, under Edward VI, many changes were madein Fordham Church. After Queen Mary ascended the Throne he wasimprisoned in Colchester for heresy. He recanted and avoided beingburnt at the stake. He returned to Fordham and died in July 1558 justbefore Queen Elizabeth succeeded in November 1558.1561 Thomas Upsher, (Upcher). A Calvinist weaver from Bockingnear Braintree. He was imprisoned with others for his religious opinions.He fled to Aarau in Switzerland to escape the persecution of Protestantsunder Queen Mary I. He returned to England after the accession ofQueen Elizabeth in 1558, was ordained and appointed to Fordhamwhere he remained for 35 years.1633 John Alsop. Chaplain to Archbishop Laud. He was deposed byParliament, and fled to France where he died.

Mason’s Mark S.Door

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1643 John Owen. The famous Puritan Divine and writer. Chaplain toOliver Cromwell and General Thomas Fairfax. There is a framedsummary of his life hanging on the South wall of the South aisle. 1649John Bulkley. A Puritan from New England, America, ejected fromFordham at the Restoration in 1660. There is a strange note in theParish Registers. “John Bulkley Parson of the Church of All Saints atFordham” has been altered to “John Bulkley hireling of the Church ofSeyton at Fordham”. 1763 Charles Onley. A non-resident incumbentwho lived at Stisted Hall and was an authority on the theory and practiceof farming. During his incumbency, in 1789, a Calvinistic MethodistChapel of the Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion was establishedin Plummers Road, Fordham.1763 Thomas Twining. Grandson of the founder of the tea firm wasCurate under Charles Onley. He was one of England’s scholars of theperiod and some of his published works were written at Fordham.He was known to the family of Fanny Burney, the authoress, as scholarly,charming and good humoured.Further details of the above Rectors, and others, have appeared in theParish magazine in recent years.The list of Rectors has been revised recently, in the light of currentresearch, and could be revised again with further research.

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ISBN 0-9-9509595