“That the Church of Saint Luke, Tiptree Heath should be appropriated and used as the Parish Church of the new district, and should be included in the Deanery of Witham, in the Archdeaconry of Colchester and the Diocese of Rochester”

In 1855 the first stone was laid on a twelve acre site donated by the Earl of Verulam and the church consecrated on Friday 17 October 1856 at 12 noon by the Bishop of Rochester.  It was built by Mr Wells of Bermondsey to a design by Mr Ewan Christian at a cost of £1,850.  It was designed to sit 500, the whole of the seats were open, four-fifths being free.  No incumbent was appointed until 1859 when the Rev’d Henry Frend, who had been nominated in 1857, took up the post and moved into the newly completed parsonage.

The new parish of Tiptree Heath was created mainly from parts of the parishes of Inworth, Messing  and Tolleshunt Knights. The incumbent of Tolleshunt Knights was of the opinion that too much of the population of  Tolleshunt Knights was included in the new parish.  However on 29 June 1858 the Ecclesiastical Commissioners were able to serve the formal notices on the Patrons and Incumbents of the parishes affected and on 11 November 1858 the new ‘Parish of Tiptree Heath, formally came into existence, being effective from 24 June 1858, the date of  the publication of the order in the London Gazette.

The order stated

Union with Tolleshunt Knights

In 1955, the year after he became incumbent, the Rev’d Christopher Temple Chandler was asked to hold the living of Tolleshunt Knights in plurality with Tiptree.  This meant that each parish would elect their own PCC and churchwardens, but that the incumbent would be Rector of both parishes, this arrangement existing until the incumbent changed.  In 1960 it was agreed that there would be a union of the parishes whereby only one set of wardens and one PCC would be elected, the arrangement to continue in perpetuity.  The formal order in Council was signed in February 1961.

Union with Great Braxted

In 1986 the Rev’d Anthony Bickersteth was approached by the Archdeacon to take on the Parish of Great Braxted, Great Braxted retaining its own PCC and churchwardens.  The scheme was formally confirmed by the Privy Council and took effect from 1 August 1987.