St Mary the Virgin
Aythorpe Roding, Essex
A church in a field which has been here for at least 850 years.
The eight Rodings communities are deep in Essex, but within 20 miles of London. This is the largest group of villages in England to share a common name. ‘Leaden Roding’ is one of these villages and it is conjectured to have been so named, as the church was the first in the area to have a lead covered roof. This has been replaced with pegged tiles and this 16th century nave roof is supported by tie beams moulded and embattled wall plates.
The church is recorded as being part of an endowment in 1090 from the 2nd Earl Warren to Priory of Castle Acre in Norfolk. Opposite the Norman entry door is a 14th century doorway, now an entrance to the vestry and the windows on this north wall together with the piscina are also of this century. The octagonal font with moulded edge and two staples is also 14th century but the unusual octagonal pulpit was added in the 16th century. Three fragments of 14th century glass can be seen in the chancel south wall.
The special Holdich organ has several unusual features such as the various styles of lettering on the stops and the positioning of the dulciana stop, which indicate an organ constantly changed and worked on. This is evidence that this organ was kept by George Holdich for his personal use and was said to be his favourite. Apart from the addition of the electric motor and removal of the old blowing arm and pig the organ has changed very little from when it moved from Brighton to Fingringhoe in 1902 and to Leaden Roding in 1998.
