The scene on 17th September 1940. The bomb which fell in the night, exploded deep under the tower. The roof of the nave fell in and much of the north side of the church collapsed.
The following is taken from the diaries of Eric J Rudsdale from Colchester;
'Papers still talk of invasion. This morning I took the bus to Coggeshall to see how true was the report about the church, and I was glad to find it very largely untrue by the sight of the building standing as it has always done, when it came into view from Stone Street. On looking more carefully I could barely distinguish with my weak eyes that one or two battlements were missing near the tower, but it was not until I reached the churchyard that I could see that serious damage had been done.
To say that only the tower remains is absurd, but great damage has been done to the nave and the N. aisle. Two heavy bombs were dropped by a plane flying home, one of which fell only a few feet from the N. aisle and the tower, while the other dropped harmlessly on some waste land near some cottages, doing no damage. The explosion of the first blew in part of the wall of the N. aisle and destroyed part of the nave arcade. This brought down the roofs of both aisle and nave, completely destroying all pews etc. By some freak, the patriotic touch which these occasions never lack was supplied by the fact that the Union Jack hung over the War Memorial Tablet was untouched – a fact frequently commented on by sight-seers – “Good old flag still flying” etc. etc.
The chancel and the two chapels, together with the S. aisle appear untouched, except for a few broken windows. The tower is cracked from top to bottom, and, most curious, both the westerly buttresses have been blown off. The opinion seemed to be (expressed by one of the churchwardens, a builder) that the whole tower will either fall or have to be demolished, but I think very strongly that it ought to be shored up at once, and said so.'
Date: September 1940
Ref: 46/01
The following is taken from the diaries of Eric J Rudsdale from Colchester;
'Papers still talk of invasion. This morning I took the bus to Coggeshall to see how true was the report about the church, and I was glad to find it very largely untrue by the sight of the building standing as it has always done, when it came into view from Stone Street. On looking more carefully I could barely distinguish with my weak eyes that one or two battlements were missing near the tower, but it was not until I reached the churchyard that I could see that serious damage had been done.
To say that only the tower remains is absurd, but great damage has been done to the nave and the N. aisle. Two heavy bombs were dropped by a plane flying home, one of which fell only a few feet from the N. aisle and the tower, while the other dropped harmlessly on some waste land near some cottages, doing no damage. The explosion of the first blew in part of the wall of the N. aisle and destroyed part of the nave arcade. This brought down the roofs of both aisle and nave, completely destroying all pews etc. By some freak, the patriotic touch which these occasions never lack was supplied by the fact that the Union Jack hung over the War Memorial Tablet was untouched – a fact frequently commented on by sight-seers – “Good old flag still flying” etc. etc.
The chancel and the two chapels, together with the S. aisle appear untouched, except for a few broken windows. The tower is cracked from top to bottom, and, most curious, both the westerly buttresses have been blown off. The opinion seemed to be (expressed by one of the churchwardens, a builder) that the whole tower will either fall or have to be demolished, but I think very strongly that it ought to be shored up at once, and said so.'
Date: September 1940
Ref: 46/01
Also in: Church Street
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