Timeline

St. Mary & All Saints in Great Stambridge is thought to date partly back to Saxon times. Many others such as Holy Trinity in Rayleigh are a later church built where people had worshipped since Saxon times.

St. Andrews Minster in Ashingdon has a specific construction date recorded for its initial building. This was in 1020 by King Canute to commemorate those who had fallen at the decisive Battle of Assandun.

Many of the medieval churches have Norman origins, such as those in Barling (All Saints), Little Wakering (St. Mary the Virgin), Great Wakering (St. Nicholas), Paglesham (St. Peter), Sutton (All Saints) and Shopland (St. Mary Magdalen). Little Stambridge church (St. Mary) may also have had Norman origins but it is now demolished so its age is uncertain. The Normans also extended many of the churches. Shopland church is now also demolished.

Whilst a church was built here in 1220, it is very possible a church existed on the site in Saxon times. Mention is made in the Domesday Book of a priest so there was probably a building of some sort prior to 1086. The is also an unusual octagonal Portland stone font dated to 1160 which indicates a Norman past. In 1220, major building works took place with the construction of a Lady Chapel and colonnade to the north and the chancel, which forms the main body of the church today.

St. Mary's in Hawkwell, St. Nicholas in Canewdon and St. Nicholas in Rawreth are thought to have 12th/13th C origins.

Holy Trinity in Rayleigh and St. Andrews in Rochford both date back to 13th/14th C but were thought to be sites of Christian worship in Saxon times.

The churches on Foulness (St. Mary the Virgin) and in South Fambridge (All Saints) are Victorian, replacing medieval churches.