St Michael's Church, Berechurch

St Michael's Church in Berechurch is a Gothic structure with a brick facade banded with stone and topped by a tiled roof crowned with a 14th-century tower. The building's exterior shows the blend of materials and periods that evolved as additions were made over the centuries.

The building began as a chapel serving Holy Trinity Church in Colchester when the population in the area was expanding. Extensive rebuilding in 1872 under architect Charles Pertwee gave the structure much of its present form.

The Audley Chapel displays carvings of royal emblems at its ceiling structure that connect the space to Tudor history and noble patronage. Visitors walking through can observe how this family's status was physically embedded into the building's decoration.

The church sits on Berechurch Hall Road south of Colchester, accessible via the B1025 or B1026 roads in the surrounding area. The location is set in open countryside, so arriving by car is the most practical approach.

Inside, the building holds monuments to the Audley family, with Sir Henry Audley's burial marker from 1648 showing him in armor surrounded by his kneeling children in a scene rarely seen in parish churches. This sculptural arrangement reveals how wealthy families used burial monuments to show their status and family bonds.

Location: Colchester

Inception: 1878

Architectural style: English Gothic architecture

Website: http://visitchurches.org.uk/Ourchurches/Completelistofchurches/St-Michaels-Church-Berechurch-Essex

GPS coordinates: 51.86000,0.89267

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:14