The village of Salcott-cum-Virley in Essex, England, is home to two churches, one of which was destroyed in the great Essex earthquake of April 1884. While the former Virley parish church remains as a picturesque ruin in someone’s garden, the St Mary church was repaired and has become an attractive destination for visitors.
The St Mary church is a High Anglo-catholic rustic church that is reminiscent of the Calthorpe church in Norfolk. It is an attractive building that boasts statues, candles, simple woodwork, and brick flooring. Visitors can make their way to the Coffee Point setup in the building, an initiative that allows anyone out for a walk or break to make themselves a cup of coffee or tea and sit down for a rest. The millennium window in the church depicts the Roman Catholic symbol of the millennium, attesting to the High nature of the church still.
Despite the proximity of both churches, only St Mary has an entry in the BoE due to the century-old merger of the two parishes.
Posted by Simon Knott on 2012-11-03 11:38:03