St Erkenwald's

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The Annunciation, Marble Arch

Walter Tapper's other great church in the UK, that of the Annunciation, Bryanston Street, now has a website. Many of the most significant features of St Erkenwald's live on in this church. Pay the website a visit, and perhaps afterwards, visit the church itself. You won't be disappointed!

Image provided by St. John's Church, Southend.

What's It All About?

St Erkenwald's church used to scare the living daylights out of me as a child. This famous building that once stood in Southend has been described as both ugly and beautiful. Whatever you thought of it, it was bound to make an impression of some kind. Gradually, as I grew older, I became enchanted by it's uniqueness.

The church was eventually demolished in 1995, and I have created this site, in order to preserve it somehow in cyberspace. The site already contains a host of pictures, stories and history. As time goes by, I will be posting much of the other information that I possess on the church. From the time of building, to the time of demolition.

Highlights Amongst other things, this site contains many items that you may not have seen or realised about St Erkenwald's. For instance, did you know: - that a tower, which was proposed, but never built, would have doubled the height of the church? ... See a Victorian artist's impression in the Archives - Miscellaneous section. - that an impromptu Acid House party was staged in the church during it's dereliction? ... See History - Dereliction. - that this site contains many more pictures of the church being demolished than the one shown to the right? ... See Archives - Exterior Views.
Essex Churches Is this site too limited? I also run a site focused on Essex Churches as a whole. It is growing all the time. Please take a look here, and see what you think.
What's New? As part of the site overhaul, this area has now been removed from the front page of the site. All of the information is still available, in reverse chronological order, by clicking here.
Key Dates As part of the site overhaul, this area has now been removed from the front page of the site. All of the information is still available, in chronological order, by clicking here.