xxxvi
Journal of Proceedings.
supposed by some to be of Roman origin. In these details Mr. Unwin
thought they had sufficient evidence of the origin of the name of '' our
village."
The Church dedicated to St. Mary is of great age. But the first notice
of it the speaker could find was in the reign of Edward III., when from
1329 to 1400 the presentation was in the gift of the families of
Coldingham, Lords Bourchier and Dorwood.
In 1474, during the reign of Edward IV., the rectory was united to the
prebend of St. Pancras in St. Paul's. But prior to these dates, some
chapel, chantry, or monk's cell most likely existed. Morant, in his
' History of Essex,' dated 1768, says---" St. Mary's consists of a body and
a north aisle. Both church and chancel are leaded, and the aisle tyled.
The east end of this aisle is called the little chancel, being the burial place
of the ancient family of Scott. The belfry is of timber, with a spire
shingled, and in it are five bells.''
Looking at St. Mary's to-day, we are struck more by its picturesque
position, the rural charms surrounding it, and the unique avenues of yew
which lead up to its doors ; these groves of yew reminding us of the clays
long gone by, when custom planted them in the churchyards of our
villages so as to give a good supply of wood to the yeomen to make their
bows to serve them in warfare or chase. In the records searched Mr.
Unwin had found no mention of these avenues, but in a picture he had
seen, dated 1769, they were represented as full-grown trees, forming an
avenue. The general appearance of the building reminded them of many
of their Essex churches, such as Lambourne and Ongar. The most
interesting architectural feature is the fine south door, with the zigzag or
chevron mouldings of the Norman period. The church is rich in monu-
ments and hatchments, to the memory of many of the old residents,
Lords of Manors and Donors of Bequests. One of the quaintest is to the
memory of Thomas Coleshill, who died 1595, and it tells us he was
servant to Edward VI. and Queens Mary and Elizabeth ; it depicts him
kneeling at a stand with books, the lady with her two daughters behind
her in the same attitude, dressed with large ruffs and lappeted head-
dresses, with two Latin inscriptions. The magnificent brass to the
memory of Bishop Harsnett, now in the aisle, is most interesting. Till
about fifty years ago it was fixed against the north side of the chancel;
originally, no doubt, it would have been placed on the floor. We read
that he was buried at Chigwell, by his own desire, at the foot of Thomazine
his wife. The inscription in Latin is as follows:—"Here lieth Samuel
Harsnett, formerly vicar of this church. First the unworthy Bishop of
Chichester, then the more unworthy Bishop of Norwich, at last the very
unworthy Archbishop of York, who died on the 25th day of May, in the
year of our Lord, 1631. Which very epitaph that most reverend prelate,
out of his excessive humility, ordered by his will to be inscribed to his
memory.'' The monument represents him in a mitre, rich cope, rochet
and chimera, holding a pastoral staff; and Mr. Unwin believed it to