St Clement's Church, West Thurrock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Clement's Church
St Clement's Church
Religion
Affiliation	Church of England
Province	Province of Canterbury
Status	Preserved
Location
Location	West Thurrock, Essex, England
Architecture
Groundbreaking	Early 13th century
Completed	Late 15th century
Specifications
Direction of façade	West
Length	74 feet 6 inches (22.71 m)
Width	41 feet 3 inches (12.57 m)
Width (nave)	16 feet 9 inches (5.11 m)
Materials	Knapped flint Reigate Stone

St Clement's Church is a very old and important church building in West Thurrock, Essex, England. It's so special that it has a "Grade I listed building" status. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in the country. The church is part of the Church of England and has been a place of worship for a long time. You might even recognize it from the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral!

The Church's Long History

St Clement's Church has stood in West Thurrock for many, many years. People were worshipping here even before the Norman Conquest in 1066! The first church was built on a strip of gravel near the river. Back then, there were no sea walls like today.

Early Beginnings and Changes

Around the early 1100s, the church had a round tower that served as its main part, called the nave. In the early 1200s, the church got bigger. New sections, called north and south aisles, were added. These ran along the sides of the rectangular chancel, which is the area near the altar.

By the late 1200s, the church grew even more. A brand new chancel was built, and the old chancel became the nave. Two new chapels were also added, one on the north side and one on the south. Later, the eastern wall of the chancel was moved to its current spot.

Big Changes Over Time

In the late 1400s, the round nave was taken down and replaced with a large, strong tower. The north and south walls of the chancel were also removed and replaced with arches. This made the church look much more open inside.

Over the centuries, the church needed many repairs.

• In 1628, the east wall of the chancel was rebuilt.
• The tower was repaired in 1640.
• The south aisle was fixed in 1711.
• In the early 1800s, the south chapel was rebuilt and made a bit shorter.

Modern Repairs and Challenges

Major repairs happened in 1906, including a new roof for the chancels and aisles. Four years later, the east wall of the chancel was rebuilt again. In 1935, iron ties were put in to make the walls stronger because the ground was sinking a bit.

In 1940, a company called Procter & Gamble built a factory next to the church. This company would later play a big role in saving the church. In the 1950s, the church's flat roofs needed fixing after their lead lining was stolen. More roof work was done three years later when the tiles were replaced. The tower and north chapel were also repaired around this time.

Recent Life of St Clement's

In 1960, St Clement's Church was officially given its "Grade I listed building" status. This recognized its huge historical importance.

Challenges and Rescue

However, by 1977, regular church services had to stop. The church became very cold and damp in winter, making it hard to use. For a few years, it was used for a project to help young people. During this time, the inside of the church was changed a lot. Sadly, the project didn't last, and the building started to fall apart and was damaged by vandals.

Luckily, in 1987, Procter & Gamble stepped in. Their factory was right next to the churchyard. As they celebrated their 150th anniversary, they offered to take care of the church and its grounds. Three years later, in 1990, the church was fully restored and looked beautiful again!

A Star on Screen

The church became famous when it was used in the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral. Both the inside and outside of the church were shown. It was the setting for the funeral of a character played by Simon Callow.

The Churchyard and Visitors

The churchyard around St Clement's has been left to nature in recent years. Even though it's a natural space now, it's still considered holy ground. There are many memorials here, including one for 16 boys from the reformatory ship Cornwall. These boys and their training officer died in the River Thames in 1915 when their boat was hit by a tug.

The church was open every day during the London Olympics in 2012. It also had special opening days in August 2013. Today, you can visit St Clement's Church on the first weekend of every month from April to September, between 11 AM and 3 PM.

Special Memorials

St Clement's Church has two old memorial brasses. These are special metal plates with engravings, made to remember members of the Heies family. These brasses were stolen in the 1970s. Luckily, they were later returned to the church by someone who had bought them without knowing they were stolen.