phase one: church

• what do physical features reveal about the site's use as a church?

  -the foundations of an Anglo-Saxon nave suggest the site was a long and narrow building.

  -the archway located inside the tower provides evidence that the site was a tall building.

  these two features helped historians to identify that the site was a typical Anglo-Saxon church - long, narrow and tall.
• who were the cannons?

  Cannons = like monks e.g. lived celibate lives committed to God, yet allowed to leave and help the sick/community.
• how did cannons change the site?

  1180- Lord of the Manor gave land for cannons to build Beeleigh Abbey. By 1189, these 'white cannons' were granted control of the site by royal charter from Richard I.
• how did the royal charter impact the community?

  the Abbot of Beeleigh was effectively now the Lord, this gave him economical and religious power e.g. collecting tithes from those living in Maldon. Tithe = church taxes - 10% of all income given to the church.
• how was the physical features of the church impacted by the cannons and the Abbot of Beeleigh?

  the semi-circular apse (sacred area where the priest stands to perform mass) was replaced with a larger chancel to accommodate the cannons and the Abbot as they began to take services at the church.
• does the larger chancel link to any other physical features in the surrounding community?


  All Saints Church, down the road from the site, had a chancel that was the same size - historians suggest a Masons workshop came to Maldon around 1200 to build them both - could be seen through Mason markings in the stonework
• when did phase one end?

  1244 - Bishop of London granted permission for amalgamation of the parishes of both St Peter's (the site) and All Saints Church. People had to option to chose between both to worship - All Saints Church was favoured for being wealthier and more splendid (located near to wealthy merchants). After 1244, the site (St Peters) was made redundant as a church for regular services - few marriages continued.

  Phase One: Church - 653 -> 1244.
• how far was the site at the center of medieval people's religious, social and culture life?

  -people believed acts of charity were important for salvation (getting into heaven) -> began to confess their sins more often and help those in community
• how were people in community helped during medieval times?

  church ales - raised funds for the church for repairs and upkeeps and alms for the poor.

  help ales - communal drinking session to raise funds for people who had fallen on hard times -> people paid more money than required for drinks in order to create profit for the person in need

  bride ales - money was raised to be given to those women too poor to get married / did not have a dowry

  These events all took place at the church - it was central to the lives of the community.