As a follow-up to part one, this post is focusing on some of Coggeshall’s religous buildings, past and present. The first of these is Christ Church (previously known as the Congregational Church). Built in 1710 by Independents, some of whom had been ejected from the Church of England, by 1989 it had combined with the Methodist and Baptist churches.
The next building is Christ Church, Wesley Hall which was originally opened as the Wesley Methodist Church in 1883. Now it is a Montessori nursery school.
Now the Coggeshall Library, this building was the Meeting House of the Society of Friends (the Quakers) since around 1878.
And finally is St Peter ad Vincula, a Grade I listed church which we only walked past in the evening when it was closed so didn’t get the opportunity to explore inside. Completed in the 15th century it is built on the site of previous Saxon and Norman churches. It has undergone much restoration over the years, not least of which occurred when it was bombed during the Second World War in 1940. It is one of the largest churches in Essex.
One interesting discovery I made about the church came about because the name Cassello Chilcott on the first grave stone you see on entering the grounds caught my eye. You can read about her in more detail here but essentially she appears to have been a young woman who died at the White Hart Inn whose funeral created quite a stir.
You can see more photos here.
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