Thaxted Parish Church
The Church of Saint John the Baptist with Our Lady and Saint Laurence is the parish church of the town of Thaxted in Essex, England. The present church was built over an extended period between c. 1380 and 1510 in the English Perpendicular style. Sitting on top of a hill with a slender spire reaching 181 feet (55 m) high, the church is one of the largest in the county, overlooking the town and the surrounding countryside. Its size is an indication of the former prosperity of the town, because of the medieval cutlery and wool trades that once flourished here. The church has earned the epithet "the Cathedral of Essex". The church is a Grade I Listed Building on the National Heritage List.
"The town of Thaxted is the queen of Essex and her crown is the church. The steeple stands out over the surrounding fields. The town streets all seem to bend in its direction over ancient cobbles and past timber framed houses."
— Simon Jenkins, Country Churches, Penguin English Journeys, 2009, p.36.
| Thaxted Parish Church | |
|---|---|
| Church of Saint John the Baptist with Our Lady and Saint Laurence | |
| "The Cathedral of Essex" | |
Thaxted Church, with its spire and south porch, viewed from the top of Stony Lane | |
| 51.954319°N 0.342295°E | |
| OS grid reference | TL 61044 31014 |
| Location | Thaxted, Essex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Catholicism |
| Website | www |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint John the Baptist; Our Lady; Saint Laurence |
| Associated people | Robert Wydow, Conrad Noel, Gustav Holst |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | English Perpendicular |
| Years built | c. 1340 to c. 1510 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 183 feet (56 m) |
| Width | 87 feet (27 m) |
| Spire height | 181 feet (55 m) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Diocese | Chelmsford |
| Archdeaconry | Stansted |
| Deanery | Saffron Walden |
| Benefice | Thaxted, The Sampfords, Radwinter and Hempstead |
| Parish | Thaxted |
| Clergy | |
| Rector | Reverend Philip Tarris |
Since 13 June 2017, the Benefice of Thaxted has been joined with that of the Sampfords, Radwinter and Hempstead. Since 1914, the church parish has formed part of the Diocese of Chelmsford, but previously it has been in the dioceses of London (foundation to 1846), Rochester (1846–77) and Saint Albans (1877–1914).