St Mary's Church.
The magnificent parish church of Saffron Walden, and the largest non-cathedral church in Essex. Admire its soaring spire, stained glass and medieval carvings, open to visitors every day.
A little about St Mary's Church.
St Mary the Virgin stands proudly on a hill above the market town, and it's one of the finest parish churches in the country. It is the largest non-cathedral church in Essex, 183 feet long, with a 193-foot spire that is the tallest in the county. The church is Grade I listed for its outstanding architectural importance.
The Christian faith has been celebrated on this site for over 800 years. The earliest parts of the present church date from around 1250, while most of the building was rebuilt between 1470 and 1525, during the town's medieval heyday, when wealth from the saffron and wool trades flowed into Saffron Walden. The spire was added later, in 1832. Fittingly, the church has adopted the saffron crocus as its emblem.
Inside, the bright and spacious interior rewards a closer look. Highlights include colourful stained glass, intricately carved 13th-century blind arcades with a series of memorial brasses dating back to 1430, and a Garter Banner that once hung in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The church also has a strong musical tradition, with a large robed choir and a fine organ, and hosts regular concerts.
St Mary's remains a lively, welcoming church at the heart of the community, and it's just a short walk from the Market Square, Bridge End Gardens and the museum.