Thurrock Nub News is delighted to publish the latest article by Thurrock Historical Society chair Susan Yates, who looks at the story of a Thurrock church that has served its community for 900 years.

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LOCKDOWN has now been eased a little but already weddings have been postponed and birthday celebrations put off or restricted. One birthday that will still be celebrated, hopefully, is that of St Michael's Church, Aveley, which is 900 years old this year.

The name St Michael's is normally given to a church situated on the crest of a hill and while this church is not on a hill as such, Aveley is the highest point around.

I have often said if you want to know the history of a village look at the church. As the village grows so does the church. St Michael's is no exception. While not spectacular from the exterior its interior tells a very interesting history.

Built from rough coursed flint, ragstone, and Roman brick this Norman church was built circa 1120 but consisted only of a Nave and a Chancel. Parts of this still survive today. In 1160 the South Aisle was added, and when you enter the church today you cannot fail to notice the arcade (arches supported by pillars) between the Nave and South Aisle, these are round Norman arches.

The pointed arches between the North Aisle and Nave are Early English (12th century). The Norman font of circa 1170 is made of Purbeck marble and square in shape. It was replaced by a five sided font due to the damage it had sustained over the years but this font is no longer in the possession of the church and so children in the 21st century are baptised in the same font that would have served the children of the Magna Carta.

1250 saw the erection of the North Chapel, Chancel and West Tower. 1311 saw the first known rector, Galfridus de Friscobaldis, and in 1327 Thomas Graunger became the first vicar. In 1320 the South Aisle was altered.

St Michael Church is well known for its Radulphus de Knevynton brass of circa 1370 which shows the long bodied Flemish knight. The brass is only 62cms.in length. I always thought it would be bigger from what I had heard of it. Where Radulphus lived or in fact anything about his life is not known at this time and may never be.

The brass, which is of fine Flemish workmanship, lies on the south side of the Chancel. The inscription beneath is in Latin and almost certainly engraved in England. It reads, 'Here lies Radulphus de Knevynton, who died on Thursday before the feast of St Nicholas, Bishop, in the year of the Lord 1370. Dominical letter F.'

Dominical letters are the first seven letters of the alphabet used in church calendars denoting Sundays in any year. These are very rare on brasses as is the exact record of the day of the knight's death.

There is another brass to Nathaniell and Elizabeth, infant children of Edward Bacon who died 1588 within nine days of each other.

In 1400 most of the windows were replaced and in 1430 the North Aisle was extended by one bay and the North Porch was built. Twenty years later the clerestory (an upper level of windows) was inserted between the Nave arcades and the roof. This was rebuilt in 1550 and the Nave roof renewed.

In 1341 the advowson of St. Michaels was with Lesnes Abbey in Erith (the advowson is the right to recommend a member of the Anglican clergy for a vacant benefice, or to make such an appointment). In 1441 this was with Eton College and in 1526 it passed to Cardinal Wolsey who gave it to Cardinal College, Oxford. The Cardinal fell out of favour with the King and in 1536 he granted it to the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's.

The local Lord of the Manor was Barrett of Belhus and in 1620 the family gave a Chancel Chair to the church. It was in the following year that the present pulpit with its hexagonal sounding board was installed.

Storm destroyed spire

We often refer back to the great storm or hurricane of 1987. In 1703 there was an equally bad storm which totally destroyed the tall spire on the church tower and this was replaced by the dwarf spire we see now.

Just a few short years later in 1712 the two bells by John Waylett were hung in the church tower to accompany the William Culverden 15th century bell, James Bartlett bell and the 1618 bell of Thomas Bartlett. The two John Waylett bells were sold in 1979.

During 1759 the Parish paid £4 7s. 6d. to pave the North Porch by which you enter the church today. In 1830 a report was issued to say the church was in such a bad state of repair that it should be pulled down.

The people of Aveley disagreed and raised the money to effect the necessary repairs. 1846 saw the church transferred to the Diocese of Rochester where it remained for a few years before being moved in to the Diocese of St Alban's in 1877 under the vicar Bixby Garnham Luard and the responsibility for the building passed to the Church Commissioners in 1880.

This was the year when the pipe organ built by Bishop and Son was installed.

It was in 1888 that the West Gallery was removed and an iron lectern was purchased from Winchester Cathedral. In 1910 the church tower was restored and in 1934 the roof was restored.

There was further work done in 1947 and 1955. The tower was renovated again in 1973. The new facilities block south of the tower was added in 1995.

In the North Chapel there is a brass with a join down the middle. This brass was to Charles Barett son and heir of Edward Barett. In 1856 a man visiting the church to do a brass rubbing noticed half of the brass was missing.

Fast forward twenty years a workshop was being built in Romford and the lost piece of the brass was dug up during the process. It was entrusted to a Mr Kennedy who discovered that the piece came from Aveley.

Two clergymen then took the portion to St Michael's where they discovered the other half and tore it up. Mr. Kennedy was furious at the vandalism and passed his section to Colchester Museum on condition that it remained there until such time as it could be reunited with the other part and replaced in the chapel floor.

The other piece came to the Vicar of Aveley in 1907 and both parts were replaced in the Chapel floor but if you look very carefully the break is still visible.

Interestingly there is part of a Low German inscription on the reverse of this brass from about 1425. Before you leave this church you should look up at the medieval painted angel on the beams above the east end of the Nave.

There are a number of memorials to the various members of the Barrett-Lennard family, Lords of the Manor of Belhus which takes its name from Nicholas de Belhus who lies buried in the church.

As you enter the churchyard from the High Street on your right is the Barrett-Lennard memorial although most of the family are now buried at Horsford in Norfolk.

Like a lot of churches St Michael's is very cool inside and peaceful and I have often wondered what stories it could tell if only it could talk.

Maybe it would tell us who broke the Charles Barett brass or who in the 20th century stole the painting of the crucifixion, reputed to be by a 17th century pupil of Rubens, once a centrepiece of the wooden Reredos and given to the church by Baroness Dacre.

More importantly it could tell the life stories of many of Aveley's residents from baptism through marriage to burial over 900 years.