Surrounded by fields and just meters away from the C2C railway line, St Margaret’s Church has been standing for some 670 years, having been founded in 1350. Prior to this, in 1080, the Doomsday Book describes Bowers Gifford as having a wooden Saxon church. When the land in Bowers Gifford was gifted to the Giffard family in 1242, they decided to build a church. William Giffard was a direct descendant of William the Conquer and he and his heirs became Lords of Essex Marshes.
St Margaret is built in the Perpendicular style consisting of Kentish Ragstone rubble, with flint and roman brick, complimented with a slate roof. The west tower was built in the early 16th century and is home to some of the oldest bells in Essex. One dates back to 1380, with another dating back to 1400.
Set within the church along the north wall of the Chancel lays a 7′ stone slab and damaged monumental brass effigy of Sir John Giffard who died in 1348, two years before the church was built. It’s the earliest monumental brasses known in the whole of England apart from one.
The church is still in use today and can be booked for weddings.
Source: Wikipedia
