St John the Baptist with Our Lady & St Laurence

Thaxted church is one of the grandest in the county of Essex, 183 feet long and 87 feet wide. 

The church as it appears today dates mainly from the 14th and 15th centuries, it is arguably one of the finest parish churches in the county and is the second biggest. Simon Jenkins, when chairman of the national trust, wrote 'Thaxted is the queen of Essex and her crown is the church'. Sir John Betjeman wrote in similar glowing terms.

The town's wealth was based on the cutlery trade in the medieval period. The church is often referred to as the cathedral of Essex. It's scale is impressive and it's spire is visible from every approach to the town. It is a well known landmark and much loved by the community , whether church goers or not. In the early 20th century the well known composer, Gustav Holst, was the church organist in Thaxted, and played the famous Lincoln organ, which is still in the church.