A Study of the Strood by W.E. Duane. Chapter 5. Page 22.

The Church and Priory of West Mersea contd.

... building material and this could have been supplemented if required, from the Roman fort Othona at Bradwell.

There is verification of this in the will of AEthelflaed wife of King Edmund of England. [Note 1] Mr Bennett, quotes from the "Early Charters of Essex. Saxon and Norman Periods, by Cyril Hart" and the Saxon wills cited by Mr Hart allude to West Mesea.

In 946-951 AElfgar, Ealdorman of Essex willed the reversion of a property at Peldon and West Mersea to a religious foundation at Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk. His daughter AEthelflaed married King Edmund of England who reigned 944-946.

AEthelflaed inherited property from the King, which may have included property at Fingringhoe which consisted of [Note 1] "a church and 6 hides" which she subsequently left to St. Peter's Church at West Mersea in her will dated 962-991.

West Mersea Church like its' opposite, St. Peter's on-the-Wall, across the Blackwater at Bradwell, was built over a Roman site and it was probably contemporary with St. Cedd's foundation at Bradwell. It possibly suffered at the hands of the Danes in 894 when they encamped on the Island. If so it was restored ...

Note 1 Page 29. A Short History of the Parish Churches of East and West Mersea. J.B. Bennett. 1974. [MBK_HMC_1974_030 ]

Date: 1965