St Mary Magdalene

The parish church is mainly 12th century to early 15th century. Beginning as a smallish, ill lit, Anglo Saxon church, probably just a nave and chancel, it was augmented about the year 1200 by a massive low rise tower stretching the full width of the nave. The tower survives largely intact from that time. Complete with its original window openings, doorway and door. The wall of the nave was later pierced to form an arcade, and a south aisle was constructed at the same time.

Around one hundred years later the same thing happened on the north side; and the south aisle was also lengthened. It is likely that the construction of the two aisles coincided with peaks in population growth. The chancel was rebuilt around 1340, a few years before the Black Death (1348) reduced the population by at least a third, perhaps as much as half.

In around 1400 the south aisle was rebuilt and the south porch was added to it, fifty years later a porch was added to the north aisle of the church. The nave was probably as dark as the chancel until a clerestory was added in the C16. Little further structural change occurred until 1750 when the north porch was rebuilt. Between 1872 and 1877 the church was restored and an organ chamber and vestry were built on the south side of the church. Ewan Christian, a nationally known church architect oversaw the restoration.

The tower, at ground level has a feature that may be unique in Essex, this is the so called ‘Samson post’, a massive timber post, probably of the 17th century which supports the floor above and the wooden frame of the spire. Such posts were more commonly used in the construction of wooden ships. The 14th century north door is original.

Two Wethersfield 'worthies' are commemorated in the church. The first is a Patrick Punty, born a Gaelic speaking Catholic in County Down, he transformed himself into Patrick Bronte, a Church of England clergyman who was curate here from 1806 to 1809. He was father of the Bronte sisters. The Bronte Society unveiled a plaque in his memory by the south door some years ago. The second worthy is Captain Charles Clerke, son of a Wethersfield farmer, who accompanied Captain James Cook on four expeditions. Having witnessed Captain Cook’s murder in Hawaii, Clerke took command of the expedition but died of TB on his way home to England.