Waltham Abbey, Essex - East Window stained glass - Pitkin postcard c.1970s

Postcard
• Picture / Image:  The East Window, Waltham Abbey, Essex
• Publisher:  Pitkin Pictorial (Walt 5)
• Postally used:  no
• Stamp:  n/a
• Postmark(s):  n/a
• Sent to:  n/a
• Notes / condition: 

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information (internal links may not  work) :

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The Abbey Church of Waltham Holy Cross and St Lawrence is the parish church of the town of Waltham Abbey, Essex in England. It has been a place of worship since the 7th century. The present building dates mainly from the early 12th century and is a fine example of Norman architecture. To the east of the existing church are traces of an enormous eastward enlargement of the building, begun following the re-foundation of the abbey in 1177. In the late middle ages, Waltham was one of the largest church buildings in England and a major site of pilgrimage; in 1540 was the last religious community to be closed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It is still an active parish church for the town.

The monastic buildings and those parts of the church east of the crossing were demolished at the dissolution, and the Norman crossing tower and transepts collapsed in 1553. The present-day church consists of the nave of the Norman abbey church, the 14th-century Lady Chapel and west wall, and a 16th-century west tower, added after the dissolution.^[1]

Harold Godwinson is said to be buried in the present churchyard.

Archaeological investigations between 1984 and 1991 have revealed a much earlier origin of the site than had previously been believed. There is evidence for five distinct churches at Waltham.^[2]

Traces of the flint rubble foundations of a 7th-century wooden church have been found under the choir of the present building; an associated burial has been radiocarbon dated to between 590 and 690. A proposed date of circa 610 would place its construction in the reign of King Saebert of Essex who was noted for his church building activities.^[3] Other finds included a 7th-century Kentish jewellery book-clasp depicting eagles grasping a fish.^[4]

During the reign of King Offa of Mercia, whose rule extended to Essex in the late 8th century, a building of Barnack stone was constructed around the earlier wooden church. It was half the length of the present building, and was a porticus-type church with chambers along each side of the nave.^[5] It was intended as a minster serving several communities in the area.^[6]

At the beginning of the 11th century, the church and manor of Waltham were held by an Anglo-Danish Thegn called Tovi the Proud. A legend, recorded in the 12th century De Inventione Sanctœ Crucis Nostrœ (""The Discovery of our Holy Cross"") or ""Waltham Chronicle"", relates that, in about 1016, the blacksmith at another estate belonging to Tovi, at Montacute near Glastonbury, found a large black flint (or marble) crucifix buried at the top of a hill, after a dream. Tovi had the cross loaded onto an ox-cart, but the oxen would only go in one direction and continued every day until they reached Waltham, a journey of some 150 miles.^[7] This Holy Rood or Cross was installed at the church and soon became the subject of pilgrimage.^[8] Tovi is said to have rebuilt the church, but modern evidence suggests that he probably retained the 8th century fabric of the building.

type=printed

city/ region=waltham abbey

period=post-war (1945-present)

postage condition=unposted

number of items=single

size=continental/ modern (150x100 mm)