Repairs Completed

   St. Nicholas Church, Little Wigborough, closed until recently for repairs, is now open again to the public and is well worth a visit. 

   The walls are adorned with items of local information, such as an article in Punch from 1934, an account of a crash of a German Zeppelin plane in 1916. There are notes on the architecture of the church and a list (with heraldry) of previous rectors and diocese history. 

   The Church is at the end of a long narrow road leading from the B1026 to the North of Great Wigborough. The road also leads to the Copt Hall National Trust Site, which is part of a conservation jigsaw to link together over 25 km of the Essex coast from Tollesbury Wick in the south to Fingringhoe Wick in the North. 

   Abbots Hall has recently successfully been purchased by the Essex wildlife Trust and is now open to the public, but by appointment only. 

   This church consisting of a chancel, nave and West Tower was built in the 15th Century. It was much restored in 1888 following the severe earthquake damage of 1884, the upper part of the Tower being rebuilt in 1886. In 1903 the chancel was underpinned and strengthened with steel girders and in 1964 the church was repaired and redecorated. The fittings include a charming silver gilt communion cup and a paten (shallow dish used for eucharist) of 1887. The one bell dates from 1820 and the oak screen from 1895.

   The church stands on the west side of the parish. Walls are of stone rubble intercourse with dressings of limestone. In recent times the whole building was built or rebuilt late in the 15th century  and restored in the 19th century when the walls of the nave were heightened and the upper part of the tower rebuilt. The chancel is of late 15th century date and has an East window, partly restored, with three cinque-foiled lights. 

   The nave is of late 15th century date. The roof of nave has original 15th century work in it. The West Tower is of three stages. The lower is of late 15th century date and the two upper were rebuilt in 1888 following the 1884 earthquake. The tower arch is two centred - and of two chamfered orders - the outer continuous and the inner lying on to the side walls. The West window is modern except for the stays and the rear arch. 

   Altar, credence (small side table for the eucharistic elements before consecration), chancel screen  and font cover cover all are of about 1895. 
   There is one bell dating from 1820. 
   Registers date from 1586.  The roof of the nave has original 15th Century work in it. 

The Villages of England have a little tale to tell; 
Through boom or slump they work their pump, their inns do fairly well. 
The ploughmen plough, the delvers dig, their rectors wax and wane; 
The Great Wig-Wig and Little Wig-Wig they are a noble twain. 

They lie remote from traffic, the railway knows them not; 
The lengthy coach does not encroach on either spot; 
Arterial motors little twig they could have a sight 
Of Little Wig-Wig or Great Wig-Wig by switching left or right. 

Yet to the high strung poet in love with lovely words; 
Such names as these have powers to please beyond the song of birds. 
A thrush can set the heart a-jig when sunrise wakes the vale 
But Little Wig-Wig and Great Wig-Wig knockout the Nightingale. 

When I am growing ancient I will desert the town, 
And in that goodly neighbourhood settle in quiet down. 
And there with poultry and a pig my evening shall be passed, 
Till Little Wig-Wig and Great Wig-Wig inter my bones at last.
 

   During the great European War which began in August 1914, a German Zeppelin L33, one of the latest and largest built by the enemy, in consequence of being damaged by british gunfire, was brought down in the Parish of Little Wigborough between the hours of one and two a.m. on Sunday 24th September 1916. 
 

L33 Zeppelin commanded by Aloys Bocker, was damaged by an anti-aircraft shell, and force landed due to loss of gas at New Hall Farm, Little Wigborough in Essex, on the 24th September 1916 .     She was studied in detail and used as the blueprint for the post war British Airship R34.    Note the size of the wreck compared to the size of the house at the left! Zeppelins

   It fell not many yards from New Hall cottages entirely blocking the road to Little Wigborough Church and stretched across the two fields known as Knapp's Field and Five Acre Glebe Field. 
 

Zeppelin L33 wrecked gondola Zeppelins

   On reaching terra firma the enemy crew walked up the road from their airship to Lower Farm, Peldon where Constable Edgar Nicholas who was on his bicycle met them. They asked their way to Colchester, and he then took them in charge. 
   This leviathan of the air aroused keenest  interest and it is estimated that over one quarter of a million persons came from all parts to see it, including many distinguished visitors, prominent statesman and eminent naval and military officers visited Little Wigborough for the first time in history. 
   The portion of the Zeppelin given to the Church by the Lords of the Admiralty is fixed to the Tower on the Tower Arch. A picture frame enclosing a record of the event, from which the above data was taken, was made of material from the German Airship. 

   St. Nicholas Church, Great Wigborough, reopened shortly before Christmas 2001, as reported at the time. This church is also at the end of a narrow lane. 

Another view of the church