Lamarsh, Holy Innocents

The Church of the Holy Innocents at Lamarsh is one of only six round towers in Essex and one of only three known to have been built by the Normans in around 1140. It is also one of only five old churches in the country to be dedicated to the Holy Innocents. In 1797 the round tower was struck by lightening and the north side was damaged, it was restored in 1865 when the typical timber and red tile Essex spire was added.

The church is built using the typical flint and rubble mixture although this has been largely rendered over in order to weather proof and preserve the structure. The brick porch sheltering the door and the door itself are Elizabethan and features a trap door to a tiny room where visiting priests would sleep.

The interior of the church is pleasingly light and simple, at the east end there is a large triple stained glass window by arts and crafts artist Mary Lowndes installed in 1895.