User:Dumelow/Church of St Peter and St Paul, Birch



Built of flint with dressing stones in limestone, roof is red tile with crested ridges. Comprises a nave, chancel and two aisles with the tower lying at the west end of the north aisle and a porch at the southern entrance of the south aisle. The aisles, nave and chancel have gable ends. Windows throughout have two main arches and are traceried. Tower is 110 ft tall and has a broach spire. Grade II listed 27 January 1982.

https://hbap.org.uk/casework/church-of-st-peter-st-paul-birch-essex/

https://www.colchester.gov.uk/info/cbc-article/?catid=look-up-planning&id=KA-02452

https://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/news/st-peter-and-st-paul-birch-essex

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21263313.church-set-demolition-despite-nine-year-campaign-save/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-66359081

https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/historic-173-year-old-listed-8666247

https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/20035757.birchs-st-peter-st-pauls-church-faces-demolition/

https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/23638083.colchester-birch-church-replaced-memorial-garden/

https://www.chelmsford.anglican.org/birch-memorial-garden?fbclid=IwAR3roW-ENnTz9ztYxLWlpPNq3PdM0bPGLyxiMvYRrx-57eKIle430eQgMEc

A builder had offered to purchase the church by 2014 to convert it into a house. This was refused by the Church of England commissioners as "harmful to the mission of the church". He had the backing of local organisation North Essex Heritage and secured listed building planning permission from the council. The builder remained interested until 2023 when, following an inspection they he claimed that deterioration of the structure had rendered conversion uneconomic. Built 1850 to a design by Samueal Sanders Teulon and is a landmark for miles around, due to its tall spire. Historic Buildings and Places has called for a planned dismantling with reatures of interest, such as the reredos, preserved.