Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul at Grays Thurrock c.1911 [Author's Collection]. Map extract from Ordnance Survey Sheet 161 London NE - OS One-Inch Map Depicted 1954, Published 1960. Crown Copyright. Reproduced with kind permission of the National Library of Scotland under the Creative Commons Attribution licence.

Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul at Grays Thurrock c.1911

The oldest parts of the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul are thought to date from around 1100. The church was rebuilt and enlarged on two occasions in the 19th century, during which the nave was extended and the north aisle added. The first restoration, practically a rebuild, took place in 1846. It was announced in June 1844 that the designs of the architectural practice of Messrs. Ecles and Co., of Langham Place, were selected unanimously out of a large number of plans submitted. They proposed to add a new roof, restore the windows, the north transept to be thrown once more into the church, along with the construction of a 120-feet spire to be added to the foundation of the earlier tower, the upper part of which was pronounced unsafe.¹ The church closed in the autumn of 1846 when the work was started. However, when the building re-opened in the spring of 1847 it was reported that the architect was Mr. Smith of 3 Bedford Row, the work being undertaken by the contractors, Messrs, Pullen and Bates. The work, in the Early English style, included a new choir. The old square deal pews were replaced by low oak sittings, increasing the accommodation from 273 to 430. A lofty open timber roof substituted the former low ceiling.²

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References
1. "Grays Church" : Essex Standard; June 14th, 1844, Page 2.
2. "Grays" : Essex Standard; April 23rd, 1847, Page 2.

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