St Mary's Church, Lawford

St Mary’s Church sits on Church Hill in the village of Lawford, Essex. It is an active Anglican parish church, part of the deanery of Harwich, the archdeaconry of Colchester, and the diocese of Chelmsford. The building is listed at Grade I on the National Heritage List for England. The oldest part of the church is the south wall of the nave, which dates from 1200 or earlier. The chancel, south porch, and first tower were added in 1340, while the tower was rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries. The church’s fabric includes flint, septaria, and brick, with limestone dressings and a tiled roof. Inside, the chancel features a 14th-century piscina and a triple sedilia. The octagonal pulpit dates from about 1906, and an electronic organ by Copeman Hart replaced a pipe organ in 2005. Three bells hang in the tower, dated 1667, 1714, and 1907. The churchyard holds the graves of war poet Robert Nichols, his father John Bowyer Buchanan Nichols, Canadian politician John Robertson, and three Second World War service personnel. The churchyard also provides a quiet place to walk among gravestones. The interior includes a restored nave and chancel, with work carried out in the 19th century by architect E. G. Paley. A vestry and meeting rooms were added in 1991, and the roof and tower were repaired in 2009. The church remains an active place of worship, with services and community events held regularly.