The church of St. Giles and All Saints is the parish church for Orsett and part of the Parish of Horndon, Orsett and Bulphan.
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ORSETT CHURCH: A BRIEF HISTORY
The Church of St Giles and All Saints stands in the middle of Orsett.
The walls are of flint and ragstone-rubble with some Barnack and pudding-stone; the North West tower is mainly of brick. The dressings are of Reigate and other limestone; the roofs are tiled and the spire weather-boarded. The Nave is of mid 12thcentury date and incorporates the original 12th century chancel. A North aisle of three bays was added c. 1230, and about the same time a North chapel was added to the 12th-century chancel, which may then have been lengthened. About 1330–1340 the present Chancel was built beyond the former chancel, which was then thrown into the nave, a connecting bay being inserted between the nave arcade and the 13th century arch North of the original chancel; at the same time the 13th century chapel was abolished and the whole of the North Aisle re-built and widened. In the 15th century the North-West Tower was added, encroaching on the aisle, the West wall of the nave was re-built and the South Porch added. About 1500 the North Chapel was added. In 1610 much of the tower was re-built, and extensive repairs or additions to it were made in 1674. The Organ Chamber, South Transept and North Vestry are modern, and the South porch has been mostly re-built.
The church suffered from a fire in July 1926 which required a major restoration of the roofs. Ironically the roofs were being re-built at the time of the fire.