NOTE FROM THE CHAIRMANFirst of all I would like to thank you all for supporting us by being members,taking part or sponsoring the Ride & Stride, and coming to our Study Daysand other events. It all helps us to continue to give grants.

I would also like to thank the committees for all their hard work. The GrantsCommittee, under David Lodge’s guidance, gives up a lot of time, visitingchurches which have applied for grants, advising them on what we can helpwith, and reporting back to the Committee. We help whenever we can.Churches do need our support, as many are facing declining congregationsand find it difficult to raise enough money, but do want to stay open.

In the summer I visited BardfieldSaling and Little Bardfieldchurches. Both are packed withhistory and well worth seeing, alongwith Great Bardfield, Great Saling,and Finchingfield.

This year we are trying a new formatfor the AGM, which will take placeat the end of the Study Day. So I dohope as many as possible of you willstay for the AGM and tea at NewHall.

Claire Cottrell

FRIENDSOF ESSEX

CHURCHESTRUST

FECT NEWS 2011incorporating the Accounts for 2010

Supporting Christian Churches & Chapels in Essex & East London

Bardfield Saling: one of Essex’s six round towers

1

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 1

RIDE & STRIDE 2010The weather forecast for the 2010 Ride & Stride promised a cool day withrain. Fortunately it was quite wrong and we actually enjoyed ‘a fine mildday with just a few spots of rain at noon followed by very pleasant sunshinefor the rest of the day’. At the time of FECT NEWS going to print, the 2010event has raised £99,268. This figure is down on last year, but nevertheless,and given the economic climate, it is still a great result. This year a number of our regular riders took advantage of the fact that theRide & Stride is a national event and branched out in search of pasturesnew. The twenty-three cyclists from Wanstead headed for Canterbury,enjoying the welcome and refreshments awaiting them at every stop. Afamily from Woodham Ferrers journeyed to Sudbury, with the youngestmember of the team (aged 4) visiting fifteen churches and enjoying severalbiscuits and a very nice cake with chocolate buttons on top.Back in Essex (to be precise, East London), in Stratford a team of sixteencarried African drums and instruments and sang an African song at each ofthe churches they visited. St John the Baptist, in Finchingfield, was visitedby a man on his penny-farthing. At St Andrew, Boreham, on the 60thanniversary of the Organists’ Association, the organ was played by fourvisiting organists. And the team of seven from Plaistow loaded their bikes onto the train to Shenfield and cycled well over thirty miles in a circuit toIngatestone and back; with thanks to the Roman Catholic church in Stockwho provided welcoming cups of tea and biscuits at 5.15 pm, just when theteam really needed them.2010 saw the launch of the Ride & Stride community page on the Friendsof Essex Churches website (www.foect.org.uk/rs/view_stories.php). This is agreat way for people to share their experiences of the event and to publicisethe fact that their church will be open on the day and serving refreshments.So, if anyone has a story they would like to share, or maybe a cycle route orwalk they would recommend, we would love to hear from you.Thank you to all who took part in the 2010 Ride & Stride. The 2011 Ride &Stride will be on Saturday 10 September.

Fiona Nelmes, County Organiser01245 380365, fionanelmes@lineone.netwww.justgiving.com

2

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 2

3

Thomas Fogg and ZanthiaLawrence at Southminster

Dinah MacMorland, Woodham Mortimer

Shola Ajose at Doddinghurst

Natalie Snow at Theydon Mount

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 3

GRANTSThe Grants Committee met on four occasions and offered twenty-two grantstotalling £129,822. Although this was higher than last year it still fell shortof the budget which had been set by the Executive Committee. All the grantswere for Anglican churches, although applications are welcomed fromchurches of all Christian denominations. The largest grant was to St Johnthe Baptist, Leytonstone, for a major roof repair, and the smallest was forequally important roof repairs at St Mary the Virgin, Buttsbury. These twoparishes, of vastly different size and character, were both faced withchallenges which the Committee recognised and was pleased to be able tohelp with. The ceiling at St Nicholas, Laindon, became unsafe during theyear and the building was filled with scaffolding to carry out the urgentrepairs. Despite the inconvenience the scaffolding was decorated and anumber of weddings went ahead; the grant made by the FECT enabled thework to be completed and the church restored to regular weekly use.

This year approximately half of the offers were for guttering and roof repairs,and while there was no bias towards such applications the Committeeappreciated how important it is to keep buildings watertight. The Committeecontinued to encourage parishes to seek publicity for the FECT and anumber of articles did appear in the local press, including a very good piecein the Clacton and Frinton Gazette showing the tower at All Saints, GreatHolland, covered in scaffolding during the masonry repairs.

During the year the Committee decided to revise its Terms of Reference,which have been approved by the Executive Committee and should provehelpful when considering future applications. There was great concern thatthe Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme would not continue beyondMarch 2011, but as the result of some excellent lobbying the scheme, underwhich churches can reclaim VAT on eligible repairs, will continue with someminor changes.

In 2011 the Committee will be working closely with the National ChurchesTrust, who are making available to the FECT (and some other county trusts)a sum of £20,000 to be used on small projects.

David Lodge, Grants Committee ChairmanApplication forms for grants available from John Bloomfield, 01708 745273,john.bloomfield@btinternet.com

4

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 4

5

GRANTS OFFERED IN 2010Abridge Holy Trinity Dry rot eradication £6,000Aldham St Margaret Spire masonry repairs £2,000Alphamstone St Barnabas Gutter and roof repairs £10,000Ashdon All Saints Roof repairs £3,500Becontree St Mary Asbestos removal £5,000Buttsbury St Mary the Virgin Roof repairs £1,500Danbury St John the Baptist Masonry repairs £5,000Fairstead St Mary the Virgin Roof repairs £5,000Farnham St Mary the Virgin Roof repairs £2,500Laindon St Nicholas Ceiling repairs £6,000Leaden Roding St Michael Roof repairs £7,000Leytonstone St John the Baptist Roof repairs £15,000Little Hallingbury St Mary the Virgin Gutter and roof repairs £4,000Little Ilford St Barnabas Structural repairs £10,000Little Sampford St Mary the Virgin Gutter and roof repairs £10,000Middleton All Saints Roof repairs £5,000North Fambridge Holy Trinity Replacement of

hard render £4,000North Fambridge Holy Trinity Additional floor repairs £1,000Ridgewell St Lawrence Tower masonry repairs £2,500Runwell St Mary Minor repairs £2,000Sheering St Mary the Virgin Fire-damage repairs £10,000Stisted All Saints Roof repairs £5,000Wicken Bonhunt St Margaret Emergency electrical

repairs £7,000

Sheering: fire damage, January 2010 Little Ilford

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 5

“... FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU DO ...”...for all the good work you do... These heartening words very oftenaccompany the donations and subscriptions that the Membership Secretary(that’s me) receives day by day. I do hope the Friends in general realise howmuch good work the Trust in fact does. Elsewhere in this FECT NEWS, the Grants Committee lists the grantsoffered to applicant churches and chapels in 2010. In the accounts, theTreasurer shows a single entry for the total grants actually paid in the twelvemonths. To supplement these, I have looked at the past thirteen years, forwhich figures are available. I am amazed to find that some 413 grants havebeen paid in this period. They exceed £2.2 million in total. Such is the goodwork achieved in this area as a result of your generosity.Again, looking back over a number of years, I see that membershipsubscriptions, gifts from congregations, and individual donations total morethan £320,000 in the nearly seven years since I took over from AlastairStewart. Subs alone account for £140,000, congregations for £81,000 and

individual donations for £74,000. Tothis must be added Gift Aid taxrefunds of £28,000. Magnificent.Taking 2010 alone, both subs andmembership numbers have held upwell, but we must be ever vigilant ifmomentum is to be maintained.Around 200 of the 1,000 Christiancongregations in Essex between theLea & the Sea support us throughdirect giving. Others do so throughRide & Stride. There ought to bemore.With these things in mind, we haveendeavoured to secure someone tovolunteer as a development officer,but without success. We need moremembers and more supportivecongregations. If you feel you couldassist by promoting the Trust in a

6Ridgewell

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 6

7

positive way, we would welcome youand work with you. If it might be foryou, may I ask that you contact me oranyone else involved in the running ofthe Trust.Every subscription and donation isvery welcome and much appreciated,but we are especially indebted this year,as last year, to the Augustine CourtauldTrust, the Essex Club, and Lodge &Sons (Builders), who have each sent ussubstantial amounts. The Southend Branch is always an essential element of our activities, andcontributed £2,000 to the Trust funds in 2010. I believe this is a record.On behalf of the Trust, I thank everyone ‘for all the good work you do’.

SUBSCRIPTION REMINDERInevitably I must look forward to 2011. Many of you will have committedyour contribution to us by Standing Order. Others will have already sent mea cheque. For everyone else, now is the best time to renew your subscription,while it is on your mind.

There is a separate sheet with FECT NEWS 2011 to help you to make yourrenewal quickly and easily by post to me, the Honorary MembershipSecretary. If you would like to set up a Standing Order or have not alreadyGift Aided the amount, there are sections to do this on the Renewal Form.Please remember that any new Standing Order will cancel an existing one.

To keep our overheads to a minimum, we do not acknowledge subscriptionsas a matter of course, so please accept our thanks now, in advance. But if youwould like a receipt, please indicate accordingly when you complete theRenewal Form and I will be happy to send one.

Thank you.

Keith Gardner, Honorary Membership Secretary01708 688576, keith@thegreenwood.me.uk

Somewhere in Essex…

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 7

8

TR

EA

SUR

ER

’S R

EP

OR

TI w

ould

like

to b

egin

my

first

rep

ort b

y th

anki

ng Ia

n D

udle

y fo

r hi

s co

oper

atio

n w

hen

I too

k ov

er fr

om h

im in

mid

-yea

r.G

iven

the

wid

er e

cono

mic

bac

kgro

und,

it is

enc

oura

ging

that

tota

l inc

ome

at £

136,

307

was

onl

y m

argi

nally

less

than

that

of 2

009.

Our

sha

re o

f the

pro

ceed

s of

the

Gre

atE

ssex

Fea

st, t

otal

ling

som

e £1

1,00

0, w

as a

hig

hlig

ht. I

ncom

e fr

om c

ash

depo

sits

fell

but a

ctio

n ha

s be

en ta

ken

to m

itig

ate

the

effe

ct o

f low

inte

rest

rat

es. O

ur c

ash

depo

sits

on c

all w

ere

rece

ivin

g a

very

low

ret

urn

but b

y de

posi

ting

£10

0,00

0 fo

r fix

ed p

erio

ds, t

he in

tere

st r

ate

has

been

incr

ease

d, th

e fu

ll be

nefit

of w

hich

will

be

appa

rent

in 2

011.

Gra

nts

allo

cate

d ca

me

to £

129,

822,

whi

ch w

as lo

wer

than

the

tota

l allo

cate

d at

the

begi

nnin

g of

the

year

of £

152,

000.

Tha

t was

mai

nly

beca

use

som

e ap

plic

atio

ns a

t the

Nov

embe

r m

eeti

ng w

ere

inco

mpl

ete

and

wer

e he

ld o

ver

unti

l the

cur

rent

yea

r, fo

r w

hich

a g

rant

allo

cati

on o

f £15

0,00

0 is

pla

nned

. It

is a

lso

plea

sing

to

note

tha

t ou

rfu

ndra

isin

g an

d su

ppor

t cos

ts w

ere

low

er th

an in

200

9; th

ank

you

to a

ll fo

r gi

ving

of y

our

tim

e.Lo

okin

g br

iefly

ahe

ad t

o th

e cu

rren

t ye

ar, t

he a

mou

nt t

hat

can

be r

ecla

imed

in

Gift

Aid

will

red

uce

from

28p

for

eve

ry p

ound

giv

en t

o 25

p fr

om 6

Apr

il. T

his

was

anno

unce

d by

the

Gov

ernm

ent s

ome

tim

e ag

o; th

e ef

fect

of t

his

will

be

to r

educ

e ou

r in

com

e fr

om th

at s

ourc

e by

abo

ut £

1,50

0. H

owev

er, w

ith

a hi

gh le

vel o

f cas

h re

serv

esan

d th

e in

crea

se in

inve

stm

ents

of 7

% in

201

0, w

e ca

n be

con

fiden

t th

at o

ur w

ork

to a

ssis

t in

rep

airi

ng a

nd r

esto

ring

the

fabr

ic o

f our

chu

rche

s ca

n pr

ocee

d as

it h

asdo

ne fo

r m

any

year

s.Ph

ilip

Smit

h, H

on. T

reas

urer

Res

tric

ted

Fund

sU

nres

tric

ted

Fund

sTo

tal 2

009

2010

2010

Tota

l 201

0£’

000

£’00

0£’

000

18.7

Subs

crip

tion

s0.

018

.018

.027

.9D

onat

ions

0.0

27.3

27.3

1.5

Lega

cies

0.0

0.0

0.0

61.3

Fund

rais

ing

- ri

de &

str

ide

0.0

55.8

55.8

16.5

Fund

rais

ing

- ot

her

even

ts0.

025

.025

.013

.2In

tere

st a

nd d

ivid

ends

0.0

10.2

10.2

0.1

Gaz

ette

ers

sold

0.0

0.0

0.0

139.

2To

tal I

ncom

e0.

013

6.3

136.

3

(0.9

)Su

ppor

t co

sts

0.0

(0.4

)(0

.4)

(1.8

)G

over

nanc

e co

sts

0.0

(2.0

)(2

.0)

(3.2

)Fu

ndra

isin

g/pu

blic

ity

cost

s0.

0(4

.1)

(4.1

)(3

.6)

Fund

rais

ing

expe

nses

- r

ide

& s

trid

e0.

0(3

.9)

(3.9

)(6

.8)

Fund

rais

ing

expe

nses

- o

ther

eve

nts

0.0

(5.3

)(5

.3)

(81.

6)G

rant

s pa

yabl

e(0

.8)

(115

.5)

(116

.3)

(97.

9)To

tal E

xpen

ditu

re(0

.8)

(131

.2)

(132

.0)

41.3

Net

inco

min

g/(o

utgo

ing)

res

ourc

es(0

.8)

5.1

4.3

183

Gi

/(l

)i

tt

00

152

152

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 8

9

18.3

Gai

ns/(

loss

es)

on in

vest

men

ts0.

015

.215

.2

59.6

Net

mov

emen

t in

Fun

ds(0

.8)

20.3

19.5

Sum

mar

y ba

lanc

e sh

eet a

s at

31s

t Dec

embe

r 20

1020

0920

10£’

000

£’00

022

0.3

Inve

stm

ents

- m

arke

t va

lue

235.

523

2.4

Cas

h an

d de

posi

ts26

5.3

10.4

Sund

ry d

ebto

rs13

.6

463.

1To

tal a

sset

s51

4.4

(82.

3)U

ndra

wn

gran

ts(1

12.0

)(1

.8)

Cre

dito

rs(3

.9)

379.

0N

et a

sset

s39

8.5

Rep

rese

nted

by

378.

2G

ener

al F

und

(unr

estr

icte

d)39

8.5

0.8

Land

fill T

ax C

redi

ts (

rest

rict

ed)

0.0

379.

039

8.5

Aud

itor

s St

atem

ent t

o th

e M

embe

rs o

f the

Fri

ends

of E

ssex

Chu

rche

s Tr

ust.

We

have

exa

min

ed t

he a

bove

sum

mar

ised

fina

ncia

l sta

tem

ents

.R

espe

ctiv

e R

espo

nsib

iliti

es o

f Tru

stee

s an

d A

udit

ors.

The

tru

stee

s ar

e re

spon

sibl

e fo

r pr

epar

ing

the

sum

mar

y fin

anci

al s

tate

men

ts in

acc

orda

nce

wit

h ap

plic

able

Uni

ted

Kin

gdom

law

and

the

rec

omm

enda

tion

s of

the

cha

riti

es S

OR

P. O

ur r

espo

nsib

ility

is t

o re

port

to

you

our

opin

ion

on t

he c

onsi

sten

cy o

f the

sum

mar

ised

finan

cial

sta

tem

ents

wit

h th

e fu

ll fin

anci

al s

tate

men

ts a

nd T

rust

ees’

Ann

ual R

epor

t.

We

also

rea

d ot

her

info

rmat

ion

cont

aine

d in

the

sum

mar

ised

ann

ual r

epor

t an

d co

nsid

er t

he im

plic

atio

ns fo

r ou

r re

port

if w

e be

cam

e aw

are

of a

ny a

ppar

ent

mis

stat

emen

ts o

r m

ater

ial i

ncon

sist

enci

es w

ith

the

sum

mar

ised

fina

ncia

l sta

tem

ents

.B

asis

of O

pini

onW

e co

nduc

ted

our

wor

k in

acc

orda

nce

wit

h B

ulle

tin

2008

/3 is

sued

by

the

Audi

ting

Pra

ctic

es B

oard

.O

pini

onIn

our

opi

nion

the

sum

mar

ised

fina

ncia

l sta

tem

ents

are

con

sist

ent

wit

h th

e fu

ll an

nual

fina

ncia

l sta

tem

ents

and

the

Tru

stee

s’ A

nnua

l Rep

ort

of T

heFr

iend

s of

Ess

ex C

hurc

hes

Trus

t fo

r th

e ye

ar e

nded

31s

t D

ecem

ber

2010

.E

dmun

d C

arr

LLP

Cha

rter

ed A

ccou

ntan

ts a

nd S

tatu

tory

Aud

itor

s 14

6 N

ew L

ondo

n R

oad

Che

lmsf

ord

Ess

ex C

M2

0AW

14 M

arch

201

1

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 9

STUDY DAYS 2010Our two Study Days this year took place as usual in May and October; onboth occasions we had reasonable weather and a good turnout from Friendsand guests.

In May the theme for the day was the history of the Tyrell family, and wevisited four churches with this connection. St Mary’s, Buttsbury, is a remotebut well-loved little church which stands close to the original home of theTyrells. St Mary Magdalene, Great Burstead, followed; this site was clearlyimportant to early Christians in Essex and is the supposed burial place ofKing Saeberht in 616 (as well as of a child of George IV). After lunch we metat St Mary the Virgin, Little Burstead, and saw the fine timberwork andexcellent series of monuments in the church. Some of us took theopportunity to ring the bells and we all enjoyed the refreshments kindlyprovided by the churchwardens. Our last church was All Saints, EastHorndon, a building constructed almost entirely of brick. It was declaredredundant in 1969 after a fire and serious damage by vandals, but it hassince been cared for by local volunteers and the Churches Conservation

Trust. We were delighted to be joinedby John Vigar from the Trust, whokindly unlocked the church for us andexplained the work of the CCT. Havingstudied the church from myschooldays I enjoyed relating thehistory of the building and the Tyrellfamily of Heron Hall, whosemausoleum it is.

Our October Study Day began at AllSaints, Terling, an unusual churchwhich has a close association with theStrutt family. Here we hadrefreshments and a look at the UnitedReformed Church across the greenbuilt in 1752. St Mary the Virgin,Fairstead, was our next church; this isone of the most isolated churches inthe county. It stands close to the site

10

White Notley: thirteenth-century glass

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 10

11

of a Roman villa and much of it was built before the Conquest. Here too aresome important early fourteenth-century wall paintings. At St Peter and StPaul, Black Notley, the small Norman church is best known for itsconnection with the world-famous botanist John Ray whose monument isclose by the porch. After lunch we reconvened at St Etheldreda, WhiteNotley, another church of pre-Conquest date, which may have been aminster in Anglo-Saxon times. Here we saw not only some early wallpaintings but one of the earliest pieces of stained glass in Essex. We endedour tour at St Germanus, Faulkbourne, which is situated within the park ofFaulkbourne Hall, many of whose former proprietors are buried in thechurch. The earliest surviving monument in the church is a rare coffin slabof c.1250 which retains the battered outline of a helmeted knight.

We are most grateful toincumbents andchurchwardens for theirassistance and hospitality.I would also particularlylike to thank Sarah Whitefor making theadministrativearrangements whichensured our smoothprogress from church tochurch.

Christopher StarrFor information aboutStudy Days, pleasecontact Sarah White01245 233363,sarahwhite279@aol.com

Black Notley: John Ray’s memorial

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 11

SOUTHEND BRANCHWe are delighted to record another successful year, 2010 being one of fullcoaches, fine weather, friendly company, a warm welcome at all of thevenues, and, a record donation to County funds of £2.000.

In April we visited St Nicholas, Tolleshunt D’Arcy, receiving a really lovelywelcome and enjoying a detailed talk on the history of the church andvillage. Afterwards, whilst many sat in warm sunshine outside having lightrefreshments or walking about the village, two members found themselvesinvited into adjacent D’Arcy Hall (much associated with St Nicholas) whenstrolling through the private garden… Then, to Colchester Mile End W.I. forthe usual nice welcome, first class tea, and pleasant tunes on the piano! TheBranch AGM followed when the Chairman, whilst thanking the presentofficers for their dedication, felt obliged to question the very future of theBranch without additional help on the Committee. (This was, thankfully,later forthcoming.)

At the County AGM in May we were again to enjoy the company of ourfriends ‘Up North’ and the delights of Waltham Abbey, its grounds, and tea.

26 June, a glorious day, found us inCambridgeshire at the HemingfordAbbots Flower Festival, including asuperb floral display in St Margaret’sChurch; Morris Dancers; craft stalls;a display of old bicycles, includingriders on penny-farthings, and, ofcourse, numerous grand gardens tovisit. The favourite for many was tohear the brass bands playing in theOld Rectory garden as we consumedtea and cakes, brought to us in theshade of the surrounding trees.

Our final outing, in September, was tothe delightful village of Stebbing andthe Church of St Mary. Such a nicewelcome was received at the door,followed by an informative andhumorous talk. Members later

12

Tolleshunt D’Arcy: porch window byJoseph Nuttgens, 1967

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 12

13

strolled around looking at thesplendid old houses in the villagebefore we moved on for a shortbut very worthwhile visit to TiltyChurch. Finally, there was tea ofthe usual high standard with ourold friends at Tilty & Great EastonW.I.

Don Woracker, Southend Branch 01702 203027, donworacker@hotmail.com

GIFT AIDWe are keeping our fingers crossed that, among all the dire threats of cutsto almost everything we hold dear, the powers that be will maintain GiftAid credits to charities in 2011 and beyond.In 2010, total Gift Aid refunds either actually received or pending which Ihave claimed for Ride & Stride and for our subscription income amountedto something between £15,000 and £20,000, the equivalent of two or moresubstantial grants for our churches and chapels.So if you are a tax-payer and are visiting a church either for a service or asa casual visitor, make sure that you donate in a Gift Aid envelope, and if

there are none available,make a fuss!They may tell you thatthere is no such thing as‘easy money’, but Gift Aidreally is just that. So let’smake the most of thissystem for the good of allour parishes.

Alastair Stewart, Gift Aid Secretary

Stebbing: model of the church by Henry Fitch, 1850

Tilty

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:43 Page 13

ST PETER’S, PAGLESHAM: SAVED BY OYSTERSThe tower of St Peter’s started shedding stone in the 1980s and fundraisingthen enabled the battlements and east face to be restored. Twenty-five yearslater the other three faces again needed to be fenced off, and large sums hadto be found to complete restoration of the 15th-century structure.

The west window had been installed in the restoration of 1883 in memoryof four of the young children of Zachary Pettitt, one of the churchwardensand a major benefactor of the village. Large chunks of masonry of windowmullions were now missing and the Kentish Rag stone elsewhere was verybadly eroded. The other churchwarden in 1883 was J. F. T. Wiseman andboth were oyster merchants. Records from both families survived and wedecided to write the story of the village using the hundreds of notebooks,ledgers, diaries and letters to which we had access. Paglesham Natives: 400Years of Lives, Loves and Labours in an Essex Marshland Village waspublished in 2006.

Wiseman’s grandfather, James Wiseman, had started buying oyster layingsin the 1770s, and married Susannah Ley, the daughter of the rector ofTolleshunt D’Arcy and Layer Marney. Their two sons formed separatebusinesses, with their lives and interfamily feuds making interesting subjectsfor the letters between Fred Wiseman and his brother Charles, who hadbecome a paddle-steamer captain in Australia. Fred accused his aunts of‘robbing the tin kettle’ to account for their new-found wealth!

Both families were regular churchgoers, and their numerous graves can stillbe found in the churchyard. Thechurch, which is normally kept open,shows its Norman origins despite theVictorian restoration, and othergravestones of 18th-centuryoystermen are now laid in thechancel floor.

The Friends of St Peter’s was formedand sales of Paglesham Nativesswelled the Tower Fund. This helpedattract grants from both English

14

Paglesham: work in progress, December 2010

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:44 Page 14

15

ST PETER’S, PAGLESHAM (contd.)Heritage (£49,000) and the FECT (£9,000), which allowed work to be startedin September 2009. Unfortunately the bad weather prevented its completionby November as planned, and at the time of writing we are waiting patientlyfor the end of the freezing weather and for the work to be finished.

Mark and Rosemary RobertsPaglesham Natives is available from the authors (01255 822310), as well astheir Zillah’s Village: a Family’s Record of War and Peace in Rural Essex(2009; profits to Cancer Research UK)

EVENTSThe Events Committee had a bumper year, resulting in a total of £20,300being transferred to the main FECT account.Our fundraising year began in February with the Great Essex Feast, a jointventure between the FECT and Essex Air Ambulance. Together we invitedfriends and supporters from every corner of Essex to host a lunch or dinnerparty over the weekend of 27-28 February, the objective being to raise vitalfunds for these two local charities. The event was both great fun and aresounding success, with the FECT’s share of the proceeds totalling anincredible £11,000!For the third year we held our annual Christmas Fair at Hylands House inOctober, and despite our fears of credit crunches and the economicdownturn, profits were well up on 2009. The fair at Hylands has nowbecome an established annual event on the shopping calendar and is muchenjoyed by both members and stallholders.In November we organised a bridge day, and were most grateful to Lordand Lady Rayleigh for allowing us to hold the event at Terling Place. Fifteentables played either Chicago or Rubber bridge, and the afternoon was ablycoordinated by the wonderful Pat O’Gorman. There was a delicious tea, andwith numerous raffle and bridge prizes handed out, everyone appeared veryhappy on departure.We have a number of exciting ideas for events in 2011 and much lookforward to your support over the next twelve months.Diana Thompson - 01371 872246, dianathompson113@btinternet.comKatie Griffith-Jones - 01245 222857, cmgriffithjones@aol.com

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:44 Page 15

CALENDAR FOR 2011Saturday 7 May SPRING MEETING

AND STUDY DAYIn 2011 we shall becombining the SpringMeeting and AGM withthe first of the year’stwo Study Days. Theday will begin withvisits to churches atGreat and LittleBaddow and Boreham, ending up at New Hall for atalk, the formal meeting, and tea. Study Day detailsfrom Sarah White (01245 233363,sarahwhite279@aol.com).

Saturday 10 September RIDE & STRIDETo raise funds for the Trust and participatingchurches. 10.00 am to 6.00 pm.

Saturday 8 October AUTUMN STUDY DAYTo include visits to Hatfield Broad Oak, High Laver,Little Laver, Magdalen Laver and Matching.Details later from Sarah White (01245 233363,sarahwhite279@aol.com).

Wednesday 12 October CHRISTMAS FAIRHylands House near Chelmsford, 10.00 am to 3.00pm. Many new stalls. Details later from RachelGrainger (dr.rockhills@lineone.net).

Other events are still being planned for 2011 – please visit our website,www.foect.org.uk, for up-to-date information.

FRIENDS OF ESSEX CHURCHES TRUST 2010-11Patrons: the Bishops of Brentwood and Chelmsford, H.M. Lord Lieutenant for EssexPresident: George CourtauldExecutive Council and Trustees: Claire Cottrell (Chairman), James Bettley (Vice-Chairman),Philip Smith (Hon. Treasurer), Keith Gardner (Hon. Secretary & Hon. MembershipSecretary), Katie Griffith-Jones, David Lodge, Ralph Meloy, Fiona Nelmes, ChristopherStarr, and Don WorackerAdvisory Council: John Bloomfield, Ray Clements, Ann Hilder, David Hoppit, SimonMynott, Neil Stedman, Sir Alastair Stewart, and Sarah WhiteRegistered Charity 236033 www.foect.org.uk

Photographs by Rex Berrecloth, James Bettley, Philippa King, Brian Longman, Fiona Nelmes and Christopher Starr

16

New Hall, Boreham

FEC Accounts A5 2011:- 16/3/11 07:44 Page 16