Hazeleigh

infobox UK place
country = England
static_

static_image_caption =
latitude = 51.702992
longitude = 0.634804
official_name = Hazeleigh
population =
civil_parish =
shire_district =
shire_county = Essex
region = East of England
constituency_westminster = Maldon and East Chelmsford
post_town = Maldon
postcode_district = CM13
postcode_area = CM
dial_code = 01245 & 01621
os_grid_reference = TL825035

Hazeleigh is a village and civil parish on the Dengie peninsula in the English county of Essex. It lies 2.6 miles south-west of Maldon.

Hazeleigh's churches

Hazeleigh’s original timber-framed Church, St. Nicholas’s, was located in an isolated part of the village, next to the Old Hall, but by 1900 had fallen into disuse. Due to its size and lack of windows it was known locally as "The meanest church in England". It was pulled down in about 1922, although the last service had been held several years earlier, in 1906. One of the reasons it fell into disuse was that an iron church was built in a more populous part of the village by the late-Victorian vicar, Rev. William Stuart (brother of Robert Stuart and father of William Horwood Stuart, both diplomats). This iron church was later demolished as well, though, and the parish of Hazeleigh is now incorporated into that of Woodham Mortimer.

List of Rectors

Rev. George Raynor, B.A. (1869-1889)
Rev. William Stuart, M.A. (1889-1896)
Rev. Gilbert Henry Raynor, M.A. (1896-1921)

External links

* [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/i.rose/hazeleigh.htm Photo of St. Nicholas's Church before demolition]

References

The collection of Short Stories 'The Night Chicago Died' ISBN 9781438900117 contains a story entitled
'The Meanest Church in England' which references Hazeleigh