Eccles-by-the-Sea / Eccles on Sea / Eccles-on-Sea / Eccles juxta mare / Heccles

There is one entry for "Heccles" in the Domesday survey [fol. 220v] [www.domesdaybook.co.uk/norfolk2.html] [accessed 16 December 2013], but it mentions neither church nor cleric in it. The earliest reference to the church here in Blomefield (1805-1810) is related to a fine levied on the right to "the advowson of the church [...] In the 4th of Henry III" [i.e., 1220], which puts the foundation of the church here between 1086 and 1220 at the latest. Blomefield (ibid.) further notes: "The Church is dedicated to St. Mary, and is a rectory"; by 1605, though, much of the workable land had been "destroyed by the sea, together with the church". Chambers (1829) notes: "the most remarkable thing I observed in my walk, was the steeple of its church almost buried in the sands [...] It is within ten yards of the sea that the remains of the church mentioned, appears enclosed". White's Gazetteer of 1883 reported that Eccles was "so wasted by the incursions of the ocean, that the inhabitants, in their petition for a reduction of taxes, in 1605, complained that they had then only 14 houses, and 300 acres of land, 'the rest being all destroyed by the sea, together with the church.' [...] Eccles CHURCH (St. Mary) was destroyed about 300 years ago, as noticed above; but the tower and part of the walls are still standing. The tower is round at the base and octagonal above, and is about 9 feet in diameter. The remains of the walls of the church are about 6 feet high and 3 feet thick, but were entirely covered by the accumulated sand hills, which had been thrown up by the sea and served as barriers against the encroachments of the tides, till the great storm of November, 1862, swept the greater portion of them away." Hill (1895) reports: "After our visit a gale, in November 1893, bared the foundations of the church; plans were made, which have been preserved." Hill (ibid.) further notes that a furious storm arose on "Wednesday, January 23rd, 1895 [... At six p.m. were breaking furiously against the tower and their spray was flying over the summit. At seven it had fallen." The Norfolk County Council archives hold images of the ruins of this church [ref.: NP00000237] and its tower [ref.: NP00009525].