| Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall | |
| 51°44′07″N0°56′24″E / 51.73536°N 0.93994°E /51.73536; 0.93994 | |
| Location | Essex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | www |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Chapel |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Designated | 30 December 1959 |
| Specifications | |
| Other dimensions | wall thickness 2.5 feet (0.76 m)[1] |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Chelmsford |
| Parish | looked after by the parish church of St Thomas Bradwell-on-Sea |
TheChapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall,Bradwell-on-Sea, is aChristian church dating from the years 660–662 and among the oldest largely intact churches in England. It is in regular use by the nearby Othona Community, in addition toChurch of England services. It is a Grade Ilisted building.
According toBede (who wrote his history in the early 8th century), a 'city' namedYthanceaster existed on the RiverPenta.[2] The Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall was almost certainly originally built by BishopCedd in 654.[1] It was anAnglo-Celtic church for theEast Saxons, set astride the ruins of the abandonedRoman fort ofOthona. The current structure was most likely built around 654–662, incorporating the Roman bricks and stones. In 653, Cedd travelled south fromLindisfarne to spread Christianity at the behest ofSigeberht the Good, then King of the East Saxons, and, having been ordained as a bishop, returned the next year in order to build the chapel, and probably others, too. Following the death of Cedd in October 664 fromplague, the chapel became part of the Diocese of London.[3]
No further record exists of the chapel being used until 1442, when the local clergy reported to the Bishop of London that it had been expanded slightly, with a small tower above the porch with a bell in it. However they did not know of its origins and it was unusable, having been burnt. It was repaired and returned to regular use alongside the parish church inBradwell-on-Sea until at least theTudor period (16th century) before falling into disuse as a church again and being used as a barn—the position of the wide barn doorway, now filled in, can be seen on the south side of the nave.
In 1920, it was restored and reconsecrated as a chapel. It was designated as a Grade Ilisted building in 1959.[1]
In May 2023, a book entitledSt Peter-on-the Wall Landscape and Heritage on the Essex Coast was published. It reflected concerns over the plannedBradwell B nuclear power station, which it was feared would damage the local environment and the setting of the Chapel.[4]
The chapel belongs toChelmsford Cathedral and is looked after by the Chaplain, the Revd Steven Poss, Rector of the parish church of St ThomasBradwell-on-Sea, and members of the church. Regular public services are held in the chapel each week with a Thursday morning Communion service at 9 am. Special services are held at Christmas and Easter. In the summer evening services are held each Sunday in July and August at 6:30 pm.
The chapel and adjacent field are the destination of the Bradwell Pilgrimage, held annually on the first Saturday in July. The procession starts at the Parish Church of St Thomas and the pilgrims walk approximately two miles to the Chapel, where services and events are held.
The chapel is also used by the nearbyOthona Community. Founded in 1946 by Norman Motley, rector ofSt Michael, Cornhill, 1956–1980, this Christian-based community is open to people of all faiths and none.[5]
In 2018, the chapel was the location for twomusic videos by the boys' choirLibera.[6]
The chapel is the end point ofSt Peter's Way, a 45-mile (72 km) footpath starting atChipping Ongar.[7]
