St Mary the Virgin, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex

The church of St Mary the Virgin at the north end of Burnham-on-Crouch dates back to the 12th century although the current building dates from the 14th century. It is unusual in having no differentiation between nave and chancel, with the north and south arcades stretching down to the east wall.

Starting, for once, outside the south chancel door (which dates to the 16th century) there are two clear, vertical merels of the three men’s morris type.

Inside the church the graffiti is confined to the south arcade. There are a couple of daisy wheels, a compass-drawn quatrefoil, two compass drawn concentric circles, some dot patterns, crosses, an anchor and a bird. There is also a faint scratch dial near the south chancel door.

The north door dates to the 15th century and the south door to the 16th. Both doors have burn marks on their inside faces.

The rest of the graffiti is made up of names and initials with a notable cluster around the south chancel door.

St Mary the Virgin

Church Road
Burnham-on-Crouch
Chelmsford
CM0 8QB

The church is usually open during daylight hours. Car parking is available.

Report by Anthea Hawdon

Search terms: IL, JP, CC, M, other marks, D Holt 11.4.79, RAmcd, Hale MAURICE 666, SJR heart DGW, T Ebbon 1938, 71, EC Harvey July 4 1811, JCT, JC, ER, MWW, THE, PL 1979, LREA, W Spurgeon, 17-11-27, AB, 29.8.1979, face wearing glasses, Tom Adams 2009, R Pettit is a thief, T Spurgeon, B Read 29.9.47, M Spurgeon 19.8.28, JK, 1947, Merel, 3 men’s morris, scratch dial, compass circles (concentric), Burn marks, south door, bird, Cross, other marks, X, CHAR, PRIVATE, Daisy wheel, compass drawn, RC, dot pattern, AM, other marks, Quatrefoil, compass drawn, CN, GN, 1900s, 1970s, 1930s, 1800s, 1810s, 1920s, 1940s,