Essex Walks' photos with the keyword: C13

The west wall of the north transept of St Mary's, Newport, contains two 13th century windows. Above is 14th century stained glass depicting St Katherine holding a spiked chariot wheel.

The south transept of St Mary's Newport contains a late 13th century portable altar known as the Newport Chest. A false bottom conceals a secret compartment. The lid is raised to form a reredos and the panel depicts from left to right, St Peter, the Virgin Mary, the Crucifixion, St John and St Paul. These are some of the earliest known oil paintings on wood. The exterior decorations suggest a Byzantium influence - the chest may have served in the Crusades.

Built on the site of a former Saxon church, the present church was built in the early 13th century, with chancel, nave and transepts giving it a cruciform shape. The tower was completelt rebuilt in 1859, during a general refurbishment, as the former 15th century tower had been struck by lightning and was dangerously cracked. Newport Church, Essex

The church is not dedicated to any particular saint. The nave and north and south arcades date back to the 13th century; the chancel to the 1500s. The gleaming weatherboarded belfry is from the 1960s. The church was brutally restored in 1861. Rodwell in his 1977 survey "Historic Churches - A Wasting Asset " said: "In all, Quendon provides a good example of how mis-directed zeal for restoration and 'tidying' over the course of little more than a century has achieved a near-total destruction of the church's archaeological, architectural, historical and ecological heritage - although immaculate, it is but an historical sham." Quendon Church on Essex Views site