History
1020
St. Michael and All Saints Church has been here for almost a thousand years, in one form or another. Originally a small wooden chapel, it catered for those working in the Berechurch area (Berechurch means “Church in the Cornfields”) to save them having to walk all the way to St John’s Abbey to worship.
1500
The Church is now a brick and stone building with an embattled West Tower. The original foundation is 14th Century, but it was rebuilt in 1500. The church and Berechurch Hall was owned by St. John’s Abbey. In 1536 it was given to Sir Thomas Audley, Lord Chancellor, by King Henry VIII. Members of the family built the little family church, where many of them are buried. The Audley Chapel was built at this time.
1537
Up to this year the church had been served by vicars of Holy Trinity Church. It now became a parochial church and the Audley family became their patrons. It is recorded that the Parish of Berechurch numbered 37 people.
1544
Thomas Audley had a very dark side to his character. It is said that after he died on 30th April, on his black marble gravestone, which is situated in Saffron Walden, it is written, ‘That the stone was no blacker nor harder than his heart’!
1624 |
1648 |
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| Robert Audley buried in the church. | Sir Henry Audley designed his own tomb before he died. |
1661
The church was held in plurality with Layer-de-la-Haye.
1872
The church was rebuilt using material from the old church.
The narrower 15th century brick can be seen below, mixed with the 19th century brick.
1912
The church was now held with St.Mary’s-at-the-walls.
1936
The church was held with All Saint’s, Shrub End.
1954
With the growth of Monkwick estate, the church was held singly.
1960
The post World War Two years saw a boom in building and the population of Colchester rapidly increased with the influx of people displaced from London. New estates sprang up to the South. The Monkwick Estate was fully within the ancient parish of Berechurch, swelling the population to several thousand. As part of the provision for the new community a dual-purpose Church Hall (St. Margaret’s) and Vicarage were built at the junction of Mersea Road and Stansted Road. This was used as a church on Sunday and a community hall in the week.
1966
The decision was made that a new church building should be built, but rather than hiring a construction company the congregation took on the bulk of the construction work themselves – yes, we built our own church!
Two years later the work was started. See here for more.
1973
After 6 years construction the new building was opened. It was dedicated on 11th December1973 by the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt. Rev John Trillo. The existing dual use building becoming simply St. Margaret’s Hall.
1975
The old St. Michael’s Church was now redundant and sold off, although old Audley Chapel was kept in its original state and can still be visited.
2023
The church was held with St. Stephen’s. This year was the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the new building. A celebration was held.
Rectors serving West Donyland.
1275 William Fraunk
1295 Robert
1324 Richard de Frinton
Thomas de Bathon
1329 Adam at Holme
1335 Thomas de Kenton
Richard Honey
1349 John Gosse
1373 Thomas Gowlther
John Bertlet
1382 John Mayn
1383 Richard Crawley
Richard Chamberlayne
1406 Richard Watton
1409 John Wiltoneshert
1410 John Mallyng
William Page
1428 William Stones
1431 Richard Sukley
1460 Robert Camell
Robert Cropping
1463 Thomas Banaster
1470 Thomas Kyrkham
1472 John Lokworth
1495 Henry Corkar
Richard Gildinwater
1505 Edward Squyre
1510 John Dyson
1511 Ralph Tylney
1518 John Swan BA
1526 Thomas Nichols
1530 Robert Dent MA
1536 William Jaye MA
c1567 William Nevard
1585 Thomas Holland
1590 Philip Blunt
1592 William Cole BA
1598 William Read
1612 William Nutter MA
1615 William Adams
1627 George Rush MA
1633 Theophilus Roberts MA
1650 Thomas Buxton
1661 Thomas Parker
1698 Richard Reynolds MA
1700 Thomas Ludkin MA
Christopher Gibbon
1755 Stephen Aldrich BA
1769 John Stevenson BA
1826 Edward Crosse MA
1835 Matthew Dawson Duffield BA
1842 John Richard Errington MA
1845 John Heyliger Dewhurst MA
1870 Thomas Oldmeadow Price BA
1912 Grenville Turner Brunwen Hales MA RD
1933 George Augustus Campbell MA RD
1936 Leonard Herbert Tennant MA
1938 William Henry Wiggins
1953 Henry Richard Darby BA
1954 Arthur Stuart James Holden ALCD
1961 Samuel John Tyler BA
1965 Christopher John Sly MA
1975 Christopher John Alfred Harvey
1994 Robert A. Wilkinson PhD
2007 Andrew Ian Fordyce MBE
2023 Lorraine Watts Bsc Bth
2024 Anna Davis
ALCD = Associate of the London College of Divinity.
RD = Rural Dean.