History​

Archaeological discoveries have proven that a substantial building pre-existed on the current site. It is highly likely that, along with many other churches, St. Mary’s church was built on a pagan site. The history of the church and the Manor of Priors Hall, shows that there was originally a rectory, annexed to the chief lordship in Stebbing, which for many centuries was held by the de Ferrers family. In the time of King Henry II (1154-1189), William de Ferrers 3rd Earl of Derby, gave Stebbing church and its lands to the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem in 1181 ⁽⁶⁾. This fact was noted in Norman Scarfe’s Shell Guide of Essex 1975: ‘From the 12th century to the Dissolution, the church belonged, like Little Maplestead, to the Knights Hospitallers of St. John.’(p.165) The fact that the Order of the Knights Hospitallers were patrons to Stebbing church for nearly 400 years, helps to explain why, even today, the symbol of the Knights Hospitallers remains not only on the church board of past vicars, but is also displayed on the ornamental village sign itself. The substantial re-building of the church of St Mary the Virgin in the era of Edward III (1327-1377) and onwards, is well documented ⁽¹⁾. Its architectural splendours record the ebb and flow of centuries of accumulated or alternating religious styles – including the tumultuous Reformation in the 16th century; and the results of Cromwell’s destructive forces during the Commonwealth period of the 17th century. During church restorations in 1883 a number of arrow heads and bullets were found embedded in its beams ⁽⁷⁾. The partial restoration continued into 1884, during which time whilst trenching up the nave, the foundations of a former church anterior to the aisles were visible ^{(8 & 9)}. It would take another century before some of the uncertainty surrounding the historical dating of Stebbing church would be revealed. In September 1993 work began on laying a new floor in the vestry ⁽³⁾. Unexpectedly, the accompanying archaeological report confirmed that the most altered part of the church was the vestry (which was originally refurbished as a vestry in the later 17th century) (p.8 Andrews). The floor was found to contain at least four graves (p. 5 Andrews), and along with the masonry tomb (possibly for William Ferrers who died in Stebbing in 1371), it suggested the vestry was originally built as a mortuary or chantry chapel (p.6&31 Andrews). Also, the initial earthy fill in the tomb covering the coffin, contained a residual ‘sherd’ (a broken piece of ceramic material, especially one found on an archaeological site) of 12th to 13th century pottery, possibly early medieval ware (p.6 Andrews). Then, the discovery of a poorly stratified layer close to a hearth, between the early foundation and the east wall of the vestry, was found to contain fragments of medieval and post-medieval stained glass – so showing that before the 14th century rebuild, Stebbing church was in fact already a large building with a north aisle and an annex on the north side of the chancel; the ‘annex’ had been a chapel (p.9&28 Andrews/9), probably for the de Ferrers family, lords of the Manor; confirmed by the discovery of a piscina – the double piscina first became fashionable during the 13th century; one side was used for rinsing the chalice, the other for the priest’s hands ⁽⁹⁾. The 1993 excavation, together with more recently unearthed information linking Stebbing church to the Knights Hospitaller, makes the ancient chest in this church also highly significant. It had been dated as sixteenth century, but is now thought to be earlier – the manufacture of this chest style was decreed by Henry II in 1166 for offerings to the Holy Land, an order repeated by Papal decree in 1199 ⁽⁹⁾. In addition, the finding of coins from Henry II’s reign (1154-1189) ⁽⁹⁾, as well as the fact that St Mary’s Church board of past vicars commences with Richard Gyffard in 1245, finally settled the fact that a previous church was on the site which it still occupies. Since then, further evidence has come to light confirming Stebbing church’s pre-1300 existence. Evidence from historical and cartulary ⁽¹⁰⁾ research, has now helped to shape our understanding of the c 400 year period during which Stebbing church was taken over by the Knights Hospitallers who, rightly or wrongly, governed its way of life for this period ⁽¹¹⁾. To comprehend Stebbing’s inclusion within The Knights of St. John (the Hospitallers), a brief summary of the Order is helpful.