Key facts
- Denomination
- Church of England
- Address
- Saffron Walden
Essex - Built
- 1250
- Listed status
- Grade I listed
Sources: Historic England list entry 1196237, Wikipedia, Wikidata Q17539635
Before visiting Church of St Mary the Virgin
Service times are not recorded in this listing. We cannot confirm when the next service takes place or whether the building opens outside worship hours.
We do not have confirmed information here about step-free access, accessible toilets, hearing support or supervised children’s groups. If these matter for your visit, ask the church about the specific service you plan to attend.
No direct contact details are recorded. Use the linked sources above or the wider local directory to continue your search.
About Church of St Mary the Virgin
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the active Church of England parish church serving Saffron Walden in Essex. It holds Grade I listed status and is Essex’s largest church apart from its cathedral, measuring 56 metres in length. Its 59-metre spire is the tallest in the county.
A Norman building was documented in 1130, succeeding an earlier timber church. Most of the present structure emerged from extensive work carried out from 1250 to 1258. Another major phase began around 1450 in the Perpendicular Gothic style, with later stages overseen by John Wastell, master mason at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge. Lightning caused damage in 1769, and repairs during the 1790s preserved the deteriorating building while removing numerous medieval elements. In 1832, Thomas Rickman and Henry Hutchinson designed the present spire to replace an earlier lantern tower. Conservative politician Rab Butler, associated with the Education Act 1944, is buried in the churchyard.
Getting there
Frequently asked questions
What denomination is Church of St Mary the Virgin?⌄
Church of St Mary the Virgin in Saffron Walden belongs to the Church of England tradition.
How old is the Church of St Mary the Virgin building?⌄
The building dates from 1250. It is on the statutory register as a Grade I listed building.
Other Church of England churches in Saffron Walden
More churches in Saffron Walden
Nearby churches
About this listing
This listing was put together from publicly available information and has not passed through our submission review process. If you represent Church of St Mary the Virgin, you can claim and update the listing free of charge, and once reviewed we will mark the submission as reviewed.
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