Hainault Forest Website

Social History - Forest of Essex Churches

Churches founded before disafforestation of Hainault Forest in 1851

HOME PAGE   JOHN DICK   OLIVE GALPIN   CHARLOTTE HARVEY   JOHN LEBEAU   DEREK MORTON  MIKE DENNIS  LAMBOURNE CHURCH  STAPLEFORD ABBOTS CHURCH  CENSUS 1861 - 1911

St. Mary and All Saints, Lambourne

St. Mary and All Saints stands in the middle of the parish of Lambourne which has the largest area of all the parishes in Ongar Hundred. The parish was in existence at the time of Edward the Confessor when in 1050 the lands belonged to a Saxon, Leffi. The Church was rebuilt in the 12th Century and the chancel in the 13th Century incorporating part of the original 12C. building. The bell turret was added in the 18th Century. The bell turret and west gallery are weather-boarded.

A reset doorway, now blocked on the north wall  is of mid 12th Century origin. The outer arch has a chevron pattern.

In the east window above the altar depicts the baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph and represents the adoration of the shepherds. It is the County Memorial to Lord Lambourne, Lieutenant of Essex who died in 1928.

In 1951 during repairs wall paintings were discovered behind the plaster. They are of 14th century origin, and were repainted in around 1500. Above is the painting of Saint Christopher and the Holy Child on the south wall. St. Christopher has a curly beard and holds a tau cross in his right hand and carries the Holy Child on his left shoulder.

On the south wall above the altar are five motifs two of which are shown here.

Above: The Sermon on the Mount.

Right: The death of Christ.

Two wall ferns on a brick tomb in the churchyard.

Above: Maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes

and below: Wall rue Asplenium ruta-muraria

Redbridge Healthy Walk group at Lambourne Church.

Information from the booklet "Saint Mary and All Saints, Lambourne, Essex. History by Ralph Stevens, M.A.