St Laurence and All Saints Church, Eastwood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Laurence and All Saints Church, Eastwood
St Laurence and All Saints' Church, Eastwood
51°34′3.5″N 0°41′5.3″E / 51.567639°N 0.684806°E / 51.567639; 0.684806
Location	Eastwood, Essex
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	pre-1100
Dedication	Lawrence of Rome
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Listed building – Grade I
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman
Specifications
Length	73 ft 0 in (22 m)
Width	36 ft 0 in (11 m)
Nave width	20 ft 0 in (6 m)
Materials	Rag-stone rubble
Administration
Parish	Eastwood
Deanery	Hadleigh
Archdeaconry	Southend
Diocese	Chelmsford
Province	Canterbury

St Laurence and All Saints is a very old church in Eastwood, Essex, England. It's considered a "Grade I listed" building, which means it's one of the most important historic buildings in the country. This medieval (Middle Ages) church is special because it's right next to London Southend Airport. Because of this, there have been plans to move or even demolish the church to make way for airport expansions.

People describe the church as one of the "finest and most important small medieval churches" in the area. It has unique features like its shape, old Norman doors, and medieval wooden parts, including a special room for a priest. The ground it stands on is also very important for finding out about the past.

Where is St Laurence Church?

The church is in Eastwood, which is now a part of Southend-on-Sea. It stands on Eastwoodbury Lane, close to the airport. This lane used to go right under the flight path of the main runway. But when the runway was made longer, a new road called St Laurence Way was built. Now, the churchyard is right next to the airport's fence, and you can often see planes landing very close by.

A Look at the Church's Past

Eastwood Village History

The village of Eastwood got its name because it was on the eastern side of large woods. It's mentioned in the Domesday Book from 1086, a famous survey of England. Back then, it was owned by a powerful family. Later, in 1163, the land was taken by the King.

In the 1200s, English Kings often visited the area to hunt. King Henry VIII was the last king known to hunt here. In 1536, during a time of big changes called the Reformation, the land was given to Lord Rich. Over time, the area changed from thick woodland to farmland, and now it's mostly built-up with houses.

The Church's Own Story

The first official mention of the church was around 1100 A.D. But it's clear there was a church here even before that, probably the part we now call the Norman nave. There's even an old stone, called a sarsen stone, built into the walls. Some people believe this stone is a sign that the site was used for pagan worship long ago.

The church grew over many years. The main part (the nave) is from the 1100s. A side section (the south aisle) was added in the 1200s, and another (the north aisle) in the 1300s. The chancel (the area around the altar) is from the 1200s, and its roof is from the 1300s. The nave's roof was built in the 1400s.

In the 1500s, a brick porch was added. In the 1870s, the church was greatly repaired and updated by an architect named William White. The pointed top of the tower, called a broach spire, was fixed in the late 1900s.

Outside the Church

The church is built from a type of stone called ragstone rubble, mixed with some flint and limestone. You can also see old Roman and Tudor bricks in its walls. For a long time, the outside was covered in plaster, but this was removed in 1971.

The church stands in a large churchyard with old tombs from the 1700s. There are also war graves from the 1900s. The churchyard is a lovely place with trees, grass, and wild flowers, managed to help local wildlife.

Interestingly, the church was popular with Gypsies and other travelling communities for special events like christenings and funerals. The person known as the "King of the Gypsies", Louis Boswell, was buried here in 1835.

The Church Tower

The church has a small tower, about 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) square. Its upper part is made of wood and covered with wooden tiles, topped with a pointed broach spire. It's unusual because it's located at the west end of the south side of the church. The lower part is from the early 1200s, but the top part is newer.

After World War II, the Canadian Government helped repair the spire. They did this as a way to remember the airmen who flew from Southend during the war.

The Church Bells

There are three original bells in the tower. Two are from the 1300s, and one is from the 1600s. For many years, the old wooden frame holding the bells was not safe for ringing. But in 1984, the tower was made stronger, and a new metal frame was put in. The three old bells were re-hung, and three new, lighter bells were added, making a total of six bells. One of the old bells, which was cracked, was fixed by welding during this work.

The old bells have Latin messages on them:

• The largest bell says: Sancta Gregori ora pro nobis (Saint Gregory, pray for us). It was made in 1380.
• The second largest says: Sancta Katerina ora pro nobis (Saint Katherine, pray for us). It was also made in 1380.
• The third old bell says: Charles Newman made me. It was made in 1693.

The three new bells were made in 1985 at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, a famous bell-making company.

Inside the Church

People say that the church's layout looks like a gridiron, which is a cooking grate. This is because St Laurence, to whom the church is dedicated, was said to have been martyred (killed) on a gridiron in 258 A.D. The chancel (altar area) is like the handle, and the nave and two side aisles are like the bars.

The inside walls are covered in thick plaster and painted white. You can still see small traces of old medieval paintings. The main part of the church has rows of simple wooden benches.

The Porch

The porch, which is the entrance area, was built in the 1500s using bricks. It has a special carved space above the door and a small basin for holy water near the entrance.

The Chancel

The chancel, where the altar is, measures about 29 ft 0 in (8.84 m) by 16 ft 0 in (4.88 m). It dates back to the 1200s, and its roof is from the 1300s. The arch leading into the chancel is from the 1300s.

The large window at the east end was restored in 1887. There are also windows on the north and south walls. One window on the south wall is a "low side window" from the late 1200s or early 1300s. It might have been used as a sanctus window, where a bell was rung during a special part of the church service.

Near the altar, there are tombs from the 1700s and a brass image of a person named Thomas Burroughs from 1600.

The Nave

The nave, the main part of the church where people sit, is about 44 ft 0 in (13.41 m) by 20 ft 0 in (6.10 m). It's the oldest part of the church, dating back to the 1100s. The nave's roof is from the 1400s and has very strong wooden beams.

You can see the original Norman windows in the north wall. In the 1200s, three arches were added to the south wall, and a south aisle (side section) was built. Later, in the 1300s, two wide arches were added to the north wall.

There's a small opening called a hagioscope or squint in the chancel wall. This allowed people in the south aisle to see the main altar.

The South Aisle

The south aisle is about 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) wide. It was added in the 1200s and changed in the 1400s. This aisle was once used as a side chapel, possibly a Lady Chapel, which is a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. You can still see signs of this, like a basin for washing (a piscina) and a small cupboard (an aumbry).

On the stone walls, you can find two scratched figures, like old graffiti: one of a knight in armor and another of a strange snake-like creature. An ancient chest is also kept in this aisle.

The Font

The font, used for baptisms, is very special. It's a great example of a late Norman or early English font from the late 1100s. It has unique carvings of arches around its base.

The North Aisle

The north aisle is about 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) wide and dates from the 1300s. It has a beautiful window in the east wall from the 1300s.

In the north wall, there's a doorway from the 1300s, with a door that is even older, from the 1100s.

At the west end of this aisle is a small, unusual room from the 1400s, called a priest's room. It's made of oak and has two levels. We don't know exactly what this room was used for. It might have been a sacristy (where church items are kept) or a room for a monk from Prittlewell Priory who served the church. The lower part is now used as the Vicar's vestry (changing room).

In this aisle, you can also find an old tombstone from 1666 and an oak table that some believe was used during the time of Cromwell.

The Church Doors

The south doorway, from the 1200s, has lost some of its original look. However, both the south and north doors are very interesting because of their old ironwork.

The south door has a metal strap with a Latin message that says: "Pax regat intrantes eadem regat egredientes" ("May peace rule those entering and also those leaving"). This ironwork is very old, possibly from the 1000s or 1100s, and shows amazing craftsmanship.

The south door also has a triangular knocker, which is thought to be a Sanctuary knocker. This means that in the past, if a criminal touched it, they could claim safety inside the church. Records show that King Edward I once pardoned a criminal at Eastwood who had stolen pigs and escaped to the church for sanctuary.

The north door was repaired and re-hung in 1966. Its ironwork might be even older than the south door's.

Stained Glass Windows

The east window, made by Cox, Sons, Buckley & Co., is from 1887. The west window has modern stained glass from 1978 by Francis Skeat. It shows the life of Samuel Purchas, a geographer and writer who was a famous person connected to Eastwood. The south wall window from 1964 shows St Laurence.

The Organ

The church organ is a small pipe organ made by Rushworth and Dreaper in 1925. It was moved to St Laurence in 1976 and restored in 2004.

Churchyard

The churchyard contains war graves for two service members from World War I and eight from World War II.

Airport Expansion Plans

London Southend Airport has a short runway, which limits the size of planes it can handle. Because the church is so close to the runway, it has caused problems for the airport. There have been several ideas to expand the airport, including moving the church or even tearing it down.

Plans from 2001

In 2001, the airport wanted to make the runway longer. Their plan was to move the church about 100 m (300 ft) closer to Aviation Way. They thought they could put a special "chassis" under the church and move it like a train carriage. This would help them meet new safety rules for the runway.

However, many people protested, including the local M.P. David Amess and English Heritage (a group that protects historic buildings). They worried about disturbing graves and the high cost. English Heritage said that no church this old had ever been moved before.

In January 2002, the church's historic status was upgraded to Grade I listed. This meant it was one of the most important buildings in the country, making it much harder to move or demolish. The airport director still insisted the church had to move for the airport to survive, but the church's vicar, Rev. Nigel Ransom, was very happy about the Grade I listing, saying it would make moving the church much harder.

In May 2002, the church leaders voted against moving the church. The airport then suggested partly demolishing the church, leaving it as a monument, and building a new church elsewhere. This idea was also rejected. Finally, in January 2003, the airport proposed to completely demolish the church.

MP David Amess continued to fight against these plans. In April 2003, the local council rejected the airport's application to demolish the church. The airport tried to appeal this decision, but in December 2003, a new landing system was approved for the airport. This meant traffic lights and barriers could be put on Eastwoodbury Lane to stop cars when planes landed, making the runway safer without needing to move the church. The appeal was finally dropped in November 2004, and all plans to move or demolish the church were cancelled.

Plans from 2008

In 2008, new plans for a big airport expansion were announced, including a new terminal and a longer runway that would go over Eastwoodbury Lane. This would mean moving the lane but would not seriously affect the church.

In December 2008, a new company, Stobart Air, bought the airport. They wanted to expand it and attract more passenger flights. In June 2009, they announced plans to move Eastwoodbury Lane to make the runway longer. This would involve removing a 38 m (125 ft) section of the church wall and replacing it with a hedge.

In October 2009, a formal plan was submitted. The airport said that while there would be more air traffic, the church building itself would not be directly affected. They also said that the new entrance and less traffic would make the area around the church more peaceful. The plan clearly stated that it did not involve demolishing St Laurence and All Saints Church.

In January 2010, the local council approved the runway extension plan. This decision was then reviewed by the Communities Secretary, John Denham, who approved the plans in March 2010 without needing a public inquiry.

A small group protested the expansion and tried to challenge the plan in court, but their challenge was dismissed. The new road for Eastwoodbury Lane opened in August 2011, allowing the runway extension work to begin.

Images for kids

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  This photo of St Laurence and All Saints' Church at Eastwood was taken from Southend Flying Club.

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  To the left can be seen the barriers that used to be lowered across the (now diverted) road for larger aircraft movements

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  St Laurence and All Saints, Eastwood

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  St Laurence graveyard

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  Aerial photo of runway at Southend Airport, looking north-east, showing the church in the lower left, taken in 2007

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  Frequent temporary closing of the barriers was required for larger aircraft movements prior to a new road being built that avoids this.