NORTH STIFFORD

St. Marys Church, North Stifford is one of the few Thurrock churches that is only Grade II listed. It is built of flint and ragstone with a shingle spire. The doorway is Norman whilst the door itself is 13th century, like the tower. The oldest part of the church is the nave and part of the north wall which both date from the 12th century. The chancel is 14th century and the pulpit dates from 1611 the adjacent hourglass is contemporary and was used to measure the length of sermons. The ancient parish chest has three locks each with a different key. The rector had one and the two churchwardens had one each.

The church has a brass to Radulph Perchehay the rector from 1366 to 1377 showing a swastika on his collar. It also has brasses to the Lathum family, John Ardalle and his wife and the shrouded priest brass circa 1500 - click here. The are the remains of a wall painting which can be seen on the south side of the nave. There are also several wall monuments to local people such as Herbert Brooks, the Buttons, the Freemans and the Silverlock families .

I suppose its most famous claim to fame is its former rector William :Palin who wrote “Stifford and its Neighbourhood” and “More About Stifford“.

The picture that previously appeared on this page was not St Mary's North Stifford. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused by this mistake; many thanks to the vicar for pointing this out.