All Saints' Church, Maldon

 Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.  Author unknown

A GUIDE TO OUR CHURCH 

The purpose of this page is to give you a brief overview of the history of All Saints.   From this you will see that there is much of interest and we hope we have whetted your appetite enough for you to want to come along and look for yourself.   Bring your camera - we have no objection to photographs being taken (other than during services, of course).

If you would like a copy of our comprehensive, illustrated guide to this fascinating and beautiful building, these can be purchased at the church.   If you are unable to go there personally, please contact the Editor of this website who will be pleased to send a copy to you.

Past Vicars of All Saints with St. Peter, Maldon
So often the question is asked, "What is the difference between a Rector and a Vicar?"   St. Mary's in Maldon has a Rector and so does St. Andrew's in nearby Heybridge so why does All Saints have a Vicar?   As it is so often, the answer lies in history for in the present day there is no difference.   The Rector is the person who received all the endowments, tithes and gifts of a parish - it was truly a "living".   Some had more than one living, indeed some had many.   In order to maintain the services in the parishes providing the revenue, a priest was installed to act on behalf of the Rector.   The Latin word to describe such a person was a Vicarius - one who stands in place of - and that's just what the vicar did.   At All Saints the Rector was the Abbot of Beeleigh Abbey for nerly 300 years and the canons came as Vicarius.   Details of vicars of All Saints with St. Peter's as far as we know are shown below.   Inevitably there are gaps, uncertainties and, perhaps, some inaccuracies but such as we have may be of passing interest.
Prior to 1244 one name only has as yet been traced - that of Geoffrey, a Chaplain or Capellanus apparently of All Saints only, who seems to have been deputed by Beeleigh Abbey to conduct services in the church.
What is a Canon?
Many people ask why some parish priests are titled 'Canon'.   This title is still given in many
dioceses to senior parish priests as a largely honorary one.   It is usually awarded in recognition of long and dedicated service to the diocese.  Canons receive no additional emolument and can have a role in the administration of the cathedral. 

 Past Vicars of All Saints

A GUIDE TO THE CHURCH AND ITS SURROUNDINGS 

For many people the church in any town is an important place - even if they never actually use it for its intended purpose, for it speaks of community and continuity.   If you question that, see the public reaction in many places if someone has the temerity to suggest that "their" church should be made redundant.  

Why should this be?  Often it has to do with the age, for the church is frequently the oldest building in the neighbourhood.   It was the major meeting place for all sorts of different purposes, a place of sanctuary and early warning of invasions, a market place and community hall as well as a place of worship.   So often the church was the only imposing stone edifice in a locality when even the Lord of the Manor lived in a wattle and daub construction.   So even if the present building on the site does not owe a great deal to the original, because all churches have evolved throughout their history, it still remains a "special place."

Historically it is a special place, but it will also have personal associations as generations have marked the significant events in their family lives here.   There is seldom a time in any week, winter or summer, when someone is not to be seen wandering around.   This church very much belongs to Maldon - her citizens in home-spun leather doublet, crinolines and tweeds, top hats and feather boas, double breasted suits and donkey jackets have knelt before its altars, slept through sermons, moaned at the choice of hymns and hymn tunes as well as beautified its fabric.   Happiness, thanksgiving, sadness and tragedy have been shared here and you may wish to think about that as you wander around and consider some of the events behind the memorials.

You will see here some fine art and architecture, but above all we welcome you to a place of worship and the gathering place of God's people.   It is a place of witness to the Christian Faith and all that it stands for.   You will find this presented in many different ways as many generations have added to, taken away from it, repositioned or redeployed parts of its structure as the needs or tastes of the day demanded.   It was their place in their time and the church has always been more about people than buildings;  it is a place of refurbishment, where spiritual batteries may be recharged.   It is a place of peace in the midst of many conflicts.   It is the home of the people of God - as well as God's house.

So welcome to this place, let it speak to you and the particular needs you have at this time.   Come again - for it may be that your needs then will be different from what they are now.

In 1215 the Lateran Council decreed that Monastic Foundations which had "appropriated" benefices, should provide resident, perpetual Vicars and assign adequate provision for their maintenance.   It was soon evident that the endowments of the two parishes were insufficient to make this provision and in 1244 the parishes were united and have remained so ever since despite all the dramatic changes in ecclesiastical structure that the following centuries were to bring.   And we think that the uniting of parishes under one Vicar is a modern thing!   Under the terms of the union All Saints was decreed to be the "mother church."

Until the 17th century services were held in both churches, when the nave and chancel of St. Peter's fell down and All Saints then provided for the needs of both parishes.   St. Peter's Tower survived and remaind the responsibility of All Saints Church Council until quite recently;  what seems to be the church attached to it is in fact a building commissioned by Archdeacon Plume of Rochester in 1704 to provide accommodation for his library, which he had bequeathed to the town of his birth, on the upper floor and Maldon Grammar School below.   The collection of books is one of the finest of its period and the Vicar of All Saints along with the rector of St. Mary's and the Head Teacher of the Grammar School (now the Plume School) continue to serve on the Library's Board of Trustees.

The Registers of both Parishes, St. Peter's dating from 1556 and All Saints from 1558 are in the custody of the Essex Record Office in Chelmsford.   The Parishes were part of the Diocese of London until 1846, then Rochester until 1877, then St. Albans until 1914 and currently in the Diocese of Chelmsford.   Having been in the gift of the Bishop of London, the Abbot of Beeleigh and a host of private individuals, the living has been in the gift of the Diocesan Bishop since 1903.

THE PARISH 

The name Maldon is believed to come from the Saxon word "dun" meaning the "cross on the hill" and the word "mael" meaning a place of meeting."   So it seems likely that although the oldest part of the present church (the tower) is 13th century, this probably replaced a place of worship from earlier times.   But from speculation to reality!   We know that in 1189, by a charter of Richard 1, both the churches of All Saints and St. Peter's were conveyed by Robert Mansell to the Abbot and Canons of Beeleigh Abbey, a monastic foundation he had established a few years earlier, a mile to the west of Maldon.   The two parishes were very different in nature.   All Saints was small in area and cared for the centre of the town, providing for the merchants and guilds with chantry priests for the chantry chapels, while St. Peter's covered the edge of the town and large areas of the surrounding countryside.

THE VICARAGE 

 The Vicarage as it is today

The Vicarage as it was in 1860.   In the foreground can be seen the Rev. Edward Russell Horwood and his family.   Rev. Horwood served as Incumbent at All Saints for 51 years until his death in 1901.   He is also pictured below.

The Reverend Edward Russell Horwood, M.A. was, as far as we know, the longest serving Incumbent of All Saints and The Reverend Isaac Lothian Seymour M.A. (below) was another long server from 1917 to his death in 1947.   Records show that both men were very much loved and respected by their parishioners. 

The vicarage must merit a mention as it is, after the three churches, the oldest building in Maldon.   It was built as a vicarage in about 1350 and it has always been the vicarage of the parish except for a short period in the 18th century when the then vicar thought it was not grand enough and moved himself into Friary House (at the bottom end of the public car park across the High Street) and housed his curate in the vicarage.   The original house was raised to a second storey in 1450 when Mr D'Arcy's bequest installed two chantry priests with a house and an acre of ground adjacent to the church.   The substantial walled garden still exists within 50 metres of Maldon High Street.   The most recent addition, the east wing, was added in 1670.   For 200 years the half timbered fascia was covered with rendering until in 1902 it was stripped away and the porch restored to reveal the frontage in its full glory.   From the rear it is much easier to see just how this house evolved.   Inside there are some wall paintings dating from the 15th century and timbers reputed to have been trees at the time of the Norman Conquest.

 THE ORGAN

Organ pipes showing the Lion and Unicorn Royal Crest above 

We are justifiably proud of our historic organ which has passed through many stages of history.   The original part of it, by Gray and Davison, was obtained second hand from the Hanover Rooms, London, about the year 1838.   As the Hanover Rooms were under royal patronage the organ was embellished with the Lion and Unicorn which still remain in the centre to this day.   When it first came to Maldon it was placed at the west end in the gallery of the church.   In 1867 it was moved to its present position in the north-east chapel.   In 1886 it was rebuilt and enlarged by Martin.   In 1904 it was again thoroughly restored with the addition of a third manual by Bishop and Son of London and Ipswich.   This year the organ was totally dismantled and is currently in the workshops of Bishops being thoroughly restored and improved.   We are hoping that it will be back in its new position (location still under discussion) by Easter of 2010.

Our organist, Dr. Stuart Pegler at work 

THE WASHINGTON WINDOW 

Special mention must be made of the Washington Window which is located in the D'Arcy Chapel.   Full descriptive leaflets are available at the church.

The Washington Window was given to All Saints' Church by the citizens of Malden, Massachusetts in memory of the life of the Rev. Laurence Washington, formerly Rector of Purleigh, Essex and Great-great-grandfather of George Washington, the first President of the United States of America.   Laurence Washington was a loyalist clergyman, ejected from his living and buried somewhere in the churchyard in 1652.   A record of his entry in the burial register may be found on the adjacent wall.   A book listing the donors is on the window ledge.

The window was dedicated in All Saints on 5th July 1928 in the presence of the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Bishop of New Jersey, the Lord Lieutenant of Essex and the American Ambassador.

Afte 77 years the ravages of time had taken their toll on the window and it was completely refurbished in 2005 and rededicated on 31st July of that year, looking much as it did when originally installed.

AND NOW FOR SOME MORE PICTURES 

Whenever you come into our church you will see flowers everywhere, thanks to Betty and her team of dedicated helpers.

                                                                             The Chancel

                                                                            The D'Arcy Chapel

The Pulpit

The Lectern

South-west doorway (early 14th century)

The Bell Tower - Oldest part of the church

EDWARD BRIGHT

Tombstone of Edward Bright and his family, who are interred at All Saints' Church.   Various sources state that Edward Bright, the famed 'Fat Man of Maldon' died in 1756 but he did, without a question of doubt, pass on to greater things in 1750 as evidenced by parish records and clearly marked on the tombstone.

Entry from parish records detailing his burial on November 12th, two days after his death.   It reads as follows:

Edward, a Tallow chandler & Grocer of this Town was buried the 12th of November in the parish Church of All Saints near the Belfry door.   He weighed upwards of forty two stone, Horseman's Weight, his coffin was three feet six inches over the shoulders, six feet seven inches long and three feet deep.   A way was cut through the wall and stair case to let it down into the shop;  it was drawn upon a carriage to the church, slid upon rollers to the vault made of brickwork & interred by the help of a Triangle and Pulleys.   He was 29 years of age the first of March last;  has left a widow now big with her sixth child.   He was a very honest Tradesman, a facetious companion, comely in his person, affable in his temper, a kind husband, a tender Father & valuable Friend.   William Benson, Vicar.

It will be seen that the above says 'he weighed upwards of forty two stone' (588 pounds) but the more popular belief is that his weigh exceeded 44 stones (616 pounds).   Edward died of typhoid and Mary, his wife, outlived him by 36 years.

The story is told of a joker in a local pub who tempted an invetarate gambler with a bet that seven hundred men would fit into Edward Bright's waistcoat ('vest' in the U.S.A.).   The bet was accepted but the gambler lost because seven men from the Dengie Hundred (a local area) fitted into the waistcoat.

Edward Bright