St Laurence's Churchyard, Upminster (also known as Upminster Parish Church)⁷⁴²²

Brief Description

The churchyard is enclosed by 19th-century railings and a 20th-century brick wall and is densely planted with mature trees, including two avenues of yew and more recent flowering species, long grass and shrubs. The oldest remaining memorials in the churchyard are four headstones against the outer walls to the north, one of 1695, the others early-18th century. There are also several good examples of 18th- and 19th-century table tombs and a War Memorial.

History

Upminster was one of the parishes in the Chafford Hundred, a series of small parishes of isolated farms and hamlets. St Laurence’s Church was built in the 11th or 12th century on a site where a church had probably existed since the 7th century. The 12th-century base of the tower survives from the original church, which was altered in the 1770s, largely rebuilt in 1863 and later extended in 1928-35.

Visitor Facilities