St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex

St Mary at the Walls is basically a Victorian church tacked on to an old flint and brick tower - the tower was damaged in the civil war siege and repaired with brick. Another redundant church now used as an arts centre, it was inaccessible when I visited.

ST MARY-AT-THE-WALLS, just E of Balkeme Hill. Big Late Perp W tower with diagonal buttresses and at the base a frieze of shields. Upper parts brick, of 1729, with battlements and a higher embattled stair-turret. The rest of the church 1872 by Sir Arthur Blomfield. Long nave with circular piers with elaborately and naturalistically carved capitals and circular clerestory windows. Straight E end. - PLATE. Finely shaped and decorated Chalice of 1623; Cup and Paten of 1714. - MONUMENT. Sir Isaac Rebew d. 1699. Whole figure, seated, very well carved.

The church of St Mary-at-the-Walls was new last century except for its 15th century tower, damaged in the siege and restored with brick; in the tower sits John Rebow, a 17th century merchant in a great wig.

Flickr.