St Peter's Church, Bradwell-on-Sea

St Peter’s Way pilgrim path runs from this outpost of Celtic spirituality, 40 miles west to Chipping Ongar

Highlights

• Church founded by St Cedd
• Oldest English church building

This church stands out a mile. It is a Celtic foundation, but as far from Wales and Scotland as it is possible to be. It is dated to 654, making it the oldest church building in Britain. It sticks up above the flat, empty landscape of coastal Essex, a prominent landmark. And it’s also, quite literally, a mile from the nearest town.

It was originally a cathedral, founded by the great Celtic missionary St Cedd who served as bishop here. The church is simple inside, undressed stone mixed with Roman tile recycled from a fort that stood here.

It is not only incomparably old, but incomparably peaceful too, on the tip of the long, flat Dengie peninsula in coastal Essex. From the town of Bradwell it’s a drive or cycle out to the parking area and then a 10-minute walk to the chapel.

St Cedd’s church is the last and most far-flung outpost of Celtic Christianity within Britain. Just 10 years after it was built, Roman and Celtic church leaders met at the Synod of Whitby, and a decision was made to adopt Roman practice. The Celtic tradition went into a steady decline. It has undergone a partial revival in recent decades, although its theologically serious elements are often overlooked in favour of its mystical charms.

St Cedd attended the Synod of Whitby to defend Celtic practice, and after losing the argument faded from the scene himself. He accepted the decision, but died later the same year at his monastery in Lastingham, North Yorkshire. His veneration was eventually eclipsed by that of his more famous brother St Chad, and even their relics became mixed (see Birmingham’s Catholic cathedral). St Cedd is remembered on 26 October, the day of his death in 664.

Ronald Blythe, in his perceptive book Divine Landscapes, questions just how Celtic St Cedd really is. The saint trained at the Celtic centres of Iona and Lindisfarne, but his church at Bradwell is said to be Roman in style. It would perhaps feel Roman if it had retained its apse, since all that remains are the walls of the nave. They are unarguably tall, like a Roman building. But if they were any closer together this church would be pure Saxon: narrow and dimly lit. It feels to me like a unique Celtic-Saxon hybrid. It is also the only Celtic church still intact. The building was restored as a place of worship in 1920. It has been kept simple and unadorned apart from a wooden cross depicting Christ and St Cedd. Irrespective of its rustic architecture and furnishing, this church feels full of life, no doubt helped by the fact that the neighboring Othona Community holds two prayer services here every day. The community operates a retreat center, discreetly tucked away amidst pretty woodland near the church.

Local priests conduct services on Sunday evenings during the summer. The church has three rocks built into the front of its simple altar. This pleasing symbolism remembers not merely the church’s patron, St Peter the ‘rock’ of the church, but also its founder: the rocks come from St Cedd’s places, Iona, Lindisfarne, and Lastingham. St Peter and St Cedd are thus the cornerstone of this church. As seems obvious when contemplating the lonely shoreline, they were also men who worked the coast, fishermen of souls.

Directions

St Peter-on-the-Wall Church, East End Road, Bradwell-on-Sea CM0 7PN

www.bradwellchapel.org

W3W: implore.aboard.crop GPS: 51.7354N 0.9400E

Directions: The church is always open. Drive through the village of Bradwell, following signs until the road ends at a car park. St Peter’s is a further 10 minutes’ walk from here along a track. A short ecumenical pilgrimage is held from nearby Bradwell on the first Saturday in July, with services at the start and finish attended by hundreds of worshippers. Details are on the website or see: http://bradwellpilgrimage.co.uk.

The neighbouring Othona Community welcomes Christians of all traditions at its retreat and conference center: www.othonaessex.org.uk, tel: 01621 776564.