Churches play an essential part in the life of a rural parish, over and above their role as places of worship.
The village of Layer Marney no longer has a pub, nor a shop, nor post office and so the parish church has become the hub of our community.
Traditionally, Parochial Church Councils have looked after these buildings, but it is becoming increasingly hard for small congregations to pay for repairs and improvements to what are often large and fragile structures.
St Mary’s Church in Layer Marney is a Grade 1 listed building, Worshipped in by King Henry VIII in 1522, it has survived centuries of change, being maintained throughout its long history by people who loved and used it.
