All Saints, Maldon, Essex

The town of Maldon, of sea salt fame, has been a settlement on the Blackwater Estuary since Saxon times. The church of All Saints dates back to the 12th century. Its unique feature is a triangular tower.

While there is not a huge amount of graffiti in the church there is a distinct compass drawn cross near the south door (although it resembles a consecration cross, it is too small and in the wrong place to be one). There is also a design which resembles a bird.

Of protective marks, there are several Marian marks, pentagrams, crosses and a butterfly cross.

There are a few memorials (some of which are shown above due to their proximity to Marian marks) and a mason’s mark repeated in several places.

The rest of the graffiti is made up of initials. The only date is 1749.

Report by Anthea Hawdon

Search terms: Quatrefoil (compass drawn), cross (compass drawn), consecration cross, Unidentified mark, cross, possible bird, Butterfly cross, cross, memorials, W, D, S, MD, Marian mark, W, Marian mark, W (overlined), RF, W, PK, Memorial M, Marian mark, W, pentagram, mason’s mark, shield, TM, M, SD, IG, TN, TN, RI, D, RH