Chapel of St Helen, Wicken Bonhunt

The Chapel of St Helen stands beside Bonhunt Farm on the B1038 road in north-west Essex. Built in the 11th century from flint and pebble, it is one of the oldest surviving buildings in eastern England. The chapel has a nave and chancel with two original 12th-century windows on the south and west walls. It measures only 11 metres long and less than five metres wide at its broadest point. The building was restored in the 13th and 20th centuries after periods of neglect. The chapel’s history includes records of priests such as Miles in 1248 and a land gift in 1340 to support daily services. It was dissolved in 1543 and later used as a stable and then a shed. A 1916 survey described it as desecrated but in fair condition. Restoration around 1918 preserved its Norman features, and today it belongs to the Diocese of Chelmsford. Visitors can view the chapel’s exterior from the roadside or a nearby public footpath. An annual service is held by local volunteers, though the interior is usually open only on that day. Nearby, archaeologists found a middle Saxon settlement linked to the chapel, including a burial ground with over 200 human remains. The site shows traces of Bronze Age and Norman activity, adding to its historical significance.