Stow Maries

91. STOW MARIES. (E.b.)

(O.S. 6 in. lxii. N.W.)

Stow Maries is a parish on the left bank of the Stour and 6 m. S. of Maldon.

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Mary (Plate, pp. xxxviii–ix) stands on the N. side of the parish. The walls are of rubble and brick with dressings of limestone; the roofs are tiled and lead-covered. The Chancel was built probably in the 14th century. The Nave was probably re-built in the 15th century. Early in the 16th century the walls of the nave were heightened in brick. The Bell-turret is of uncertain date. The church has been restored in modern times, when the North Vestry and South Porch were added and part of the S. wall of the nave re-built.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (24 ft. by 18¾ ft.) is probably of 14th-century date, but all the details are modern, including the chancel-arch.

The Nave (39½ ft. by 18 ft.) has an early 16th-century crow-stepped E. gable of brick. The N. wall has a brick parapet resting on a trefoiled corbel-table of early 16th-century date. In the N. wall is a 15th-century window, partly restored and of three cinque-foiled lights with vertical tracery in a four-centred head with a moulded label and stops carved with angels playing musical instruments; further W. is the 15th-century N. doorway, with moulded jambs and a re-set segmental-pointed head with a moulded label with head-stops; at the E. end of the wall is the rood-loft staircase, both doorways having two-centred heads of the 15th century. In the S. wall is a modern window; further W. is the blocked S. doorway. In the W. wall is a modern window.

Fittings—Bell: one by Miles Graye, 1686. Brass: In chancel—of Mary (Cammocke), wife of William Browne, 1602, figure of woman, three sons and four daughters and a shield-of-arms. Font: octagonal stem with trefoil-headed panels and moulded base, 15th-century. Niche: In nave—in N. wall, with cinque-foiled head and quatre-foiled spandrels, 15th-century, much defaced. Piscinae: In chancel—with trefoiled ogee head and septfoiled drain, 14th-century. In nave—in S. wall, with four-centred head and square drain, early 16th-century.

Condition—Good

Secular

(2). Stow Hall (Plate, p. 57), 200 yards N.N.W. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably early in the 17th century, and has a large modern addition on the S. side. The original central chimney-stack has a square base and grouped shafts, cruciform on plan. Inside the building are exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good.

Unclassified

(3). Mounds, near head of creek and within the sea-wall, about 1½ m. S.W. of the church. Several large mounds of irregular shape and apparently of tipped material, but without trace of red earth. Possibly connected with mediaeval salt-workings.

Condition—Good.