to make sure they did not forget the enormity of their crime, all twelve were obliged to spend the anniversary date of the King's execution in the Tower of London. The Great Sword of Creeksea Place, now in safekeeping, had rested for nearly three hundred years on a platform at the head of the oak spiral staircase which led up to the attics of the old house. It a court sword of the early 17th century, its hilt and pommel being covered with chased silver in various designs, the Tudor rose being the most prominent. It is said that one man alone, with the sword in his hand, could have held the stairs against all comers, and protected the women and children of the house from assailants. Although the story of a 'Great Sword' has a certain romantic appeal it is far more likely that the sword was one of a job lot bought during the 1960s from an antique shop near Marble Arch, London, by the previous owner of Creeksea Place. A short distance from Creeksea Place at is the parish church of All Saints, entirely rebuilt in 1878, but retaining features from the original church built on the site, such as the 14th century South doorway, cinquefoiled ogee lights on either side of the archway and various artifacts within the church. The square stone bowl of the original font, believed to date from the year 1125, was found on the Cricksea glebe being used as a step to the barn. The church stands behind the building known as Creeksea Hall (), another building of considerable vintage, and all to be found in the area of Essex known as the Dengie Hundred. Following brief occupation by Lindisfarne College, Creeksea Place was used by British military units during World War II but, since that time, the main building has been uninhabited. It is only in recent times that a concerted effort has begun to restore the house to its former elegance by creating a variety of useful purposes for the buildings. The funds deriving from these activities will, it is hoped, allow a gradual, but complete, restoration of Creeksea Place and its surroundings for the public to appreciate. References Houses completed in 1569 Country houses in Essex Elizabethan architecture Grade II* listed buildings in Essex Burnham-on-Crouch 1569 establishments in England