St Clement's Church, Leigh-on-Sea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Clement’s Church, Leigh-on-Sea |
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| Location | Leigh-on-Sea, Essex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 23 November 1951 |
| Architect(s) | C. F. Haywood, Ernest Geldart, Sir Charles Nicholson |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Leigh-on-Sea |
| Deanery | Hadleigh |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Southend |
| Diocese | Diocese of Chelmsford |
St Clement's Church is a special Church of England building in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. It's known as a parish church, which means it serves the local community. The church is named after Saint Clement of Rome, who was an important leader in the early Christian church and is often thought of as a protector of sailors. This church is so important that it's been given a "Grade II* listed" status, meaning it's a very old and historically significant building.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
St Clement's Church stands tall on a hilltop, with its 80-foot tower looking out over the town's harbour. For a long time, it was an important landmark for ships sailing along the Thames Estuary. The church you see today was mostly built in the late 1400s or early 1500s. It was made from strong local stones called Kentish ragstone and flint. This new church was built on the same spot where an even older church might have stood, possibly from the 1200s.
Some parts of the older church might still be there, like the chancel (the area near the altar) from the 1300s. There's also a special stone basin called a piscina near the altar, which was used before the Protestant Reformation (a big change in the church's history). Later, during the Tudor period, a brick porch was added to the church.
Over the years, the church has been changed and made bigger many times. A big project happened between 1837 and 1840 when Rev. Robert Eden was in charge. In 1872, the chancel was made longer by an architect named C. F. Haywood. As Leigh-on-Sea grew, more space was needed, so Ernest Geldart added the south aisle in 1897.
A special part of the church, the lady chapel, was added in 1913. It was designed by Sir Charles Nicholson as a way to remember Rt. Rev. Edward King, who used to be a Bishop of Lincoln. He was also the uncle of the rector at the time, Rev. Canon Robert Stuart King. The King family served as rectors of this church for over 90 years!
Inside the church, you can see beautiful stained glass windows made by artists like Frederick Preedy and Franz Mayer & Co.. The fancy screen in the lady chapel and the decorative piece behind the altar (called a reredos) were designed by Geldart. The war memorial was designed by Nicholson. The church's font, which is used for baptisms, is very old, from the 1400s, and originally came from a church in Norwich.
St Clement's Today
St Clement's Church is part of the Diocese of Chelmsford and is in the Archdeaconry of Southend. It follows the Anglo-Catholic style of worship within the Church of England, which means it has a rich tradition of services and ceremonies. The church holds several services every week for its community.
The Old Rectory Building
The Leigh Rectory was the home for the church's rector. It was built in 1838 for Rev. Robert Eden, replacing an even older house. This new rectory was quite grand, with gardens on a large piece of land. The building project also created a new public path called Rectory Grove.
Today, this historic building is no longer a home for the rector. It now serves as the town's library! However, it's much smaller than it used to be. Most of the original building was taken down after the Southend Corporation bought it.
Who Were the Rectors?
The church has a long list of rectors, going all the way back to 1248! One interesting early rector was Rev. John Sym, who lived from about 1581 to 1638. He was from Scotland and wrote a book called Lifes Preservative Against Self-Killing.
Here are some of the rectors who have served St Clement's Church since 1661:
- 1661: Rev. John Fflower
- 1667: Rev. William Secker
- 1681: Rev. William Thompson
- 1699: Rev. Dr. Alexander Leask
- 1701: Rev. Francis Fordyce
- 1726: Rev. Roger Price
- 1762: Rev. Dr. William Parker
- 1763: Rev. Henry Willes
- 1777: Rev. Matthew Hodge
- 1793: Rev. John Davey Hodge
- 1808: Rev. Edward Newton Walter
- 1837: Rev. Robert Eden
- 1852: Rev. Christopher Robert Harrison
- 1855: Rev. Frederick William Murray
- 1859: Rev. Canon Walker King
- 1892: Rev. Canon Robert Stuart King
- 1950: Rev. John Head
- 1973: Rev. Raymond Smith
- 1986: Rev. Stephen Jones
- 2001: Rev. Kenneth Harvey
- 2014–present: Rev. Clive Hillman (priest-in-charge)
