Conservation work on the ruins of The Chapel of St Thomas a Becket is due to start on Monday 25 September.

The work is expected to take 8 weeks and will be carried out by Universal Stone Ltd and The Morton Partnership will manage the contract in conjunction with Historic England.

The ruins of The Chapel of St Thomas a Becket, a scheduled ancient monument, dates from the thirteenth century, when it was built as an ancillary chapel to South Weald Church. The lower part of the north west tower and small section of the west end of the nave has survived, along with archaeological remains below ground.

Formal consent from Historic England for the proposed works was gained in 2022, while formal consent from the Chelmsford Diocese was gained in July 2023. The proposed works is limited to the removal of vegetation growing on the ruins and will include repairs of stone masonry, pointing/repointing, rubble facework, and crack repairs.

Councillor David Kendall, Brentwood Borough Council’s Chair of Finance, Assets, Investment & Recovery Committee said, “The Chapel plays a very special role in making Brentwood Town Centre unique and a pleasant environment in which to live, work and shop. I am delighted that this conservation work will help to preserve the Chapel. We are committed to protecting important heritage assets in the borough for future generations and making them more accessible to both local people and visitors. We hope the ruins remain a prominent feature for many more years to come, helping bring history to life.”