Marks Tey

69. MARKS TEY. (C.c.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)xxvi. S.E. ^(b)xxvii. S.W.)

Marks Tey is a parish and small village 5½ m. W.S.W. of Colchester. The church is interesting.

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Andrew stands at the N. end of the parish. The walls are of mixed rubble, coursed and including septaria and iron pudding-stone in the nave, and random in the chancel and tower. The upper part of the tower and the S. porch are of timber and the roofs are tiled. The Nave was built c. 1100. The Chancel was rebuilt c. 1330 and there was possibly a late 14th-century West Tower, which was rebuilt early in the 16th century; the South Porch was added in the 16th century. The church was restored in the 19th century.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (30 ft. by 16½ ft.) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall are two uniform windows, but the western is set lower in the wall; each is of two trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label, all of c. 1330; the mullions have been restored. In the S. wall are two windows uniform with those on the N. but partly restored externally; between the windows is a 14th-century doorway with wave-moulded jambs and two-centred arch. The chancel-arch is of mid to late 14th-century date and is two-centred and of two hollow-chamfered orders dying into plain chamfered orders in the responds.

The Nave (38 ft. by 19 ft.) has quoins of Roman brick and pudding-stone. In the N. wall are two windows; the eastern is all modern except the W. splay and the segmental-pointed rear-arch, which is probably of the 14th century; the western is entirely modern; between the windows is the N. doorway of c. 1100 with Roman-brick jambs and round arch with an oak lintel at the springing level, supporting a rubble tympanum; E. of the eastern window is the lower doorway to the rood-loft staircase with a two-centred head of late 14th or early 15th-century date; In the S. wall are three windows, the easternmost is all modern except the splays which are possibly of the 15th century; the second window is of c. 1100 and of one round-headed light in Roman brick; the westernmost window is of mid 14th-century date, partly restored and of two cinquefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head with a moulded label and angelhead stops; between the two western windows is the S. doorway uniform with the N. doorway.

The West Tower (10 ft. square) is of three stages, the lowest of rubble below and brick above, the two upper of timber with a small spire. The tower-arch is two-centred and modern but the chamfered responds are possibly of late 14th-century date. The W. window is of early 15th-century date, probably reset, and is of two cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label and head-stops; it is partly restored externally; the W. doorway is of late 14th or early 15th-century date reset and has hollow-chamfered jambs and two-centred arch with a moulded label and head-stops; S. of the doorway externally is a cross of bricks on a calvary of two steps, let into the wall. The second stage has cross-braces to the timber-framing and the bell-chamber has in each wall a 16th-century window of oak and two four-centred lights in a square head. The spirelet has a square-framed base resting on two tie-beams with curved braces running E. and W., and the spire itself has a central post with struts, all of the 16th century.

The South Porch is timber-framed and of 16th-century date, and stands on dwarf brick walls, partly old. It has chamfered main posts and modern intermediate ones.

The Roofs of the chancel and nave are of the trussed-rafter type, of uncertain date. The porch has two king-post trusses, one at each end and with struts to a central purlin, all of the 16th century.

Fittings—Chair: In chancel—modern incorporating two panels carved with lozenge and other ornament, early 17th-century. Chest: In chancel— of hutch type with carved lid and front, early 17th-century. Font (Plate, p. xxxiv): of oak, octagonal bowl, panelled sides divided by buttresses, each panel formerly enclosing a carved figure—probably a seated figure—on a throne and an evangelistic symbol alternately, but now mostly cut away, modern traceried heads to panels; moulded underside of bowl carved with roses, panelled and traceried stem with carved roses and moulded base, 15th-century. Cover of octagonal pyramid form with moulded fillets, early 17th-century. Niche: In chancel—N. of E. window, recess with plastered back, moulded jambs removed to stoup in S. porch and replaced by modern work, possibly 15th-century. Piscina: In chancel—with moulded jambs and trefoiled head, cinquefoiled drain, 14th-century. Plate: includes Elizabethan cup and cover-paten, 1567. Sedile: In chancel—sill of S.E. window carried down to form seat. Stoup: In S. porch—recess with damaged head, date uncertain.

Condition—Good.

Secular

(2). Marks Tey Hall, house and moat, ½ m. S.E. of the church. The House is of two storeys with attics; the walls are timber-framed and plastered, and the roofs are tiled. It was built probably in the 17th century with projecting cross-wings at the E. and W. ends. On the N. front the main block has a gabled and two-storeyed porch and a projecting staircase wing.

The Moat is fragmentary.

Mersea, see East Mersea and West Mersea.