AN historic church that almost became a ruin is preparing to host its first wedding for half a century.
All Saints' Church in East Horndon was last used for regular worship in 1965 and its last wedding took place two years before that.
The Anglican church has been blighted with vandalism and a Grade-II listed Tudor stable in the grounds had to be moved after it became a favoured site for men who arranged to meet each other for sex.
For more than a decade, Angela Best has wanted to get married at the imposing 13th century church – and in the summer her dream will become a reality.
After two years of planning, she will wed her fiance Daniel Collins on August 3.
To get permission to wed at the building, the couple had to join the Friends of All Saints' Church committee, following which the Archbishop of Canterbury agreed to grant them a special licence.
Miss Best, 29, who met Mr Collins nine years ago at Jumping Jacks nightclub in Basildon, said: "I have wanted to get married here for years, ever since I worked at Palms Hotel which you can see the church from.
"But when I saw the inside of the church it was more than I could have dreamt.
The children's nursery manager continued: "It was perfect.
"I know exactly how the wedding is going to go.
"I don't want to do too much with the inside.
"Less is definitely more in a building like this.
"It has its own beauty."
The couple, who live in East Tilbury and have two children, Rylee, six, and Brooke, four, are even more pleased to have been granted a special licence as it means they can sign the marriage register at the church as well.
During the 19th and 20th centuries the church fell into a poor state of repair and with declining congregations it eventually closed in 1965.
Over the following five years it suffered vandalism, becoming a near ruin devoid of furnishings.
The building was saved only by the intervention of concerned locals who formed the All Saints Society in 1971 to ensure its survival.
The following year it passed into the hands of the Churches Conservation Trust.
In recent weeks, deep undergrowth and brambles have been cleared from the church's grounds to uncover two war graves – including one of a 22-year-old RAF pilot who died on September 26, 1941.
Mr Collins, 28, who has his own CCTV camera business, said: "It's been a lot of organising but it is going to be worth it.
"It's going to be a fantastic day.
"Apart from anything else the music is going to be great – the acoustics are brilliant."
He added: "We understand that the vicar wants to be able to hold more weddings here so that would be great."
A group of volunteers known as the Friends of All Saints' Church help to look after the building and raise funds for it.
On Sunday there will be a St George's Day celebration at the church featuring an appearance by the Blackmore Morris Men.
Then in September, the Friends will be hosting a service at the church to commemorate the deaths of 21 US airmen who died when two B17 bombers collided mid-air on September 26, 1943.
In 2014, the Friends are hoping to host a special wedding memories weekend and will be looking for photographs from people who have got married or who were perhaps a bridesmaid at the church.
For more information, visit www.all-saints-east-horndon.co.uk
