NHER 8346 (Monument record) - Ruins of St Mary's Church, Eccles-next-the-Sea, Lessingham

16 March 1947. Southwest of church tower.
Scouring exposed foundations of St Mary's church and graveyard and were seen by R. R. Clarke (NCM).
A few sherds were picked up on the old land surface. (S1).
Burial with heads to west in blue-black clay.
Mentioned in(S1) and (S2).
1329. 35 taxpayers, 1449 none.
1605. 'Church and most of houses lost to sea'. Church had been dismantled 1603 after a gale.
(S3) mentions ledger stone of 1541 (see diagram in file).
1836. Tower west of dunes but east of wall exposed on east.
1894. West gable blown down.
Sand dunes on east of tower until foundations exposed storm on 1862.
Tower fell in storm 1895.
Base visible 1933. R. R. Clarke (NCM).

Yearly service held in tower even when permanently surrounded by water in order to claim tithes.
Church had Early English nave, chancel, south aisle, round tower with octagonal top, south porch.
E. Rose (NAU).

On beach by church. December 1912. A denarius of Constantine.
Seen by R. R. Clarke (NCM).

Also before 1890, bronze key, escutcheon. 1890 coins, leather bag, spur, dagger etc.
E. Rose (NAU).

1990. Field Observation.
Investigation of foreshore following tidal scour.
See interim report (S4) for further details.

1991. Field Observation.
Investigation of church after exposed by scour.
Square feature, well? Attached to churchyard wall found, containing fishbone counter, spoon, architectural fragments, etc. Four phases of church building now evidenced. Coffins found, and area of graveyard restricted to children. Medieval sherds from churchyard.
See second interim report (S23) for further details.
E. Rose (NLA), 13 May 1993.

1992. Human bones exposed on site by tidal scour were reburied in Hempstead churchyard.
E. Rose (NLA), 5 January 1993.

See file for full details, bibliography (S5), extract from (S6), photographs (S7) and press cuttings (S8) to (S20). Hand written monologue of 1909 (S21) also in file.

See (S22).