A HISTORY OF ESSEX 



this date. The doors and several of the shafts are 

 replacements. Above the screen the tie-beam of the 

 roof has mortice-holes for studs, suggesting that at one 

 time the opening was filled with timber-work. 



The westernmost window on the north side of the 

 nave evidently replaces a north doorway and may have 

 been inserted in the 15 th century. The stonework has 

 been replaced. The roof of the nave is also of the 1 5 th 

 century. It is of the trussed rafter type with moulded 

 wall plates and two tie-beams. The framing of the 

 westernmost bay suggests that at one time there was a 

 beO turret in this position. 



The chancel roof, which has been restored, has two 

 original tie-beams. On one of the ties is a nearly 

 illegible inscription 'it anno dom. 161 5 h. l.'s^ 



The addition of the timber bell tower beyond the 

 west wall of the nave may have been made in 1 567, a 

 date which occurs on one of the bells. 53 The lower 

 stage is surrounded on three sides by an aisle, while the 

 upper stage forms the belfry. The heavy timber frame 

 consists of four angle posts resting on a massive plate. 

 The westernmost posts have supporting struts. On the 

 east and west sides the posts carry queen-post trusses 

 with arched braces below the tie-beams and cross- 

 bracing between the queen posts. Externally the tower 

 is crowned with a boarded pyramidal roof which was 

 formerly leaded. ^i Halfway down there is a penthouse 

 roof to the aisle. In the lower stage there is a window 

 with two pointed lights and there are louvred openings 

 to the belfry. The exterior is weather-boarded. At a 

 vestry held in April 1 709 it was agreed that 'the north 

 side of the belfry shall be new boarded with oak 

 boards'. 55 The old boards were to be used for patching 

 the other sides,5* suggesting that some form of weather- 

 boarding was already of long standing by 1709. The 

 presence of holes and grooves for fitting laths between 

 the studs proves, however, that a plastered finish was 

 originally intended. 



In 1856 the church was repewed; the cost of this 

 and other repairs was £136.^'' In 1875 there was a 

 further restoration. 5 8 In 1883 the timberwork of the 

 tower was strengtheneds' and the boarded vestry inside 

 the tower may have been inserted at the same date. In 

 1887 the south porch was rebuilt;*" it is of timber 

 framing above a stone base and replaced a plastered 

 porch of uncertain date.*' In 1912 a second-hand pipe 

 organ was bought from Christ Church, Albany Street 

 (Lond.).62 



There are two bells.*3 One is inscribed to the honour 

 of St. John, and is probably of the early 14th century.*^ 

 The other is dated 1567.^5 In 1868 another bell was 

 added** but this must have been subsequently removed. 

 In 19 1 9 there were cages for three bells.*' 



A damaged 15th-century font, which stood for a 

 time in the rectory garden, was restored to the church 

 early in the 20th century .*8 It has an octagonal bowl 

 with quatrefoil panels and carved bosses. The stem 

 also has carved panels. 



Painted boards on the north wall of the nave have 

 round-headed panels inscribed with the Ten Com- 



mandments, the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer. These 

 are surrounded by decoration of 18th-century design. 



The plate includes a cup of 1665 with crest and 

 shield of arms, given by George Throckmorton, lord 

 of the manor, in 1666; a large flagon and a small paten, 

 similarly dated and engraved, a salver of 1683, similarly 

 inscribed; an almsdish presented in 1925 to com- 

 memorate the safe return from a tour abroad of (Sir) 

 Godfrey J. V. Thomas, then private secretary to 

 Edward, Prince of Wales. A large silver communion 

 cup which is mentioned in an inventory of church 

 property in 1678 as 'in hands of John King of Ashhns' 

 is not now among the church plate.*' 



On the south wall of the nave is a marble tablet in 

 the form of a cartouche shield to the William Cole, lord 

 of the manor, who died on 24 February 1730.'"' A 

 funeral helm with vizor hangs on the west wall of the 

 nave. Three brackets for other trophies are now empty. 

 The helm is probably of the i6th century: its crest, 

 possibly not in situ, appears to be that of Cole." On 

 the south wall of the nave is a tablet to John Cozens'^ 

 (1766) and members of his family. On the east wall 

 of the chancel is a marble tablet surmounted by a 

 segmental pediment. An oval panel enclosed by a 

 wreath carries a Latin inscription to George Kindleton 

 (1667), rector of the parish, who was dispossessed 

 during the Commonwealth. 



Outside the church immediately west of the south 

 porch is the marble altar tomb of the William Cole, 

 lord of the manor, who died on i February 17 30.'' 

 Cole had the tomb built before his death.74 The 

 inscription is on a central panel, flanked by the figures 

 of cherubs. The tomb is enclosed by a heavy iron rail- 

 ing, also ordered by Cole,75 and there is an achieve- 

 ment of arms on the wall above. 



In May 1709 Thomas Redington applied to have 



his house, called Hum- 



NONCONFORMITT phreys, licensed for a presby- 



terian minister to preach'* 



but there is no further evidence of dissent in the parish. 



The only parish book which survives for Magdalen 



Laver contains vestry 

 PARISH GOVERNMENT minutes and summar- 

 AND POOR RELIEF ized officers' accounts 



for the period 1667- 

 1764 and detailed churchwardens' accounts down to 

 1869." 



Until 1 69 1 vestry meetings seem to have been held 

 only at Easter in each year. From 1691 meetings were 

 held regularly at Easter to examine officers' accounts 

 and appoint or nominate fresh churchwardens, over- 

 seers, and constables, and at Christmas to nominate 

 fresh surveyors. Occasionally meetings were held in 

 September or October. Nearly every meeting was 

 attended, and its minutes recorded, by the rector or 

 his curate, who always signed first. Meetings were 

 seldom attended by more than six parishioners. 



The vestry minutes seldom recorded corporate 

 resolutions as distinct from mere approval of the actions 

 of officers. Two of the most notable resolutions were 



5^ Hist. Mon. Com. Essex, ii, i68. 



53 See below. 



5* T. Wright, Hist. Essex, ii, 349. 



55 E.R.O., D/P 62/5. 



5' Ibid. 



5' Ibid. 



5« Kelly's Dir. Essex (\i%6). 



50 Ibid. 



'» Kelly's Dir. Essex (1890). 



'• Shown in sketch of 1820: E.R.O., 



Prints, Magdalen Laver. 

 '2 Inf. from the Revd. W. D. Topping. 

 " Ch. Bells Essex, 317. 

 '* Ibid. 

 *5 Ibid. 



" E.R.O., D/P 62/5.- 

 " Hist. Mon. Com. Records. 

 68 Ibid. 



'9 E.R.O., D/P 62/5. 

 "> See above. Manor. 



108 



" See below. 



'^ See above. Manor. 



73 Ibid. 



'•• E.R.O., D/DA T199. 



'5 Ibid. 



" E.R.O., e/SBb 43. 



" E.R.O., D/P 62/5. Unless otherwise 

 stated all the following information is 

 derived from this book. 



