A FASCINATING chapter in the history of Dovercourt and Harwich has been uncovered by a determined historian.

John Ashdown-Hill will be presenting a story of religion, royalty, intrigue and executions in a talk at All Saint's Church, Dovercourt, on Thursday, November 8.

During his PhD studies at the University of Essex on the life of John Howard, the first Duke of Norfolk, he was gripped by a mention in his accounts of the shrine of the Holy Rood of Dovercourt.

As admiral of the northern seas, John Howard was commissioned by Edward IV to fit out ships and build up the English navy in Harwich.

From the Duke's records he discovered the shrine in the Dovercourt Church brought pilgrims flocking in the 15th century.

Mr Hill said: "The shrine included a great wooden crucifix, which stood on top of the rood screen in the church. It acquired a miraculous reputation and was said to have spoken on some occasions.

"Howard's accounts record his own donations to the shrine, including clothing in 1482 used to dress the image of Christ on the rood."

During his investigations he discovered that the pilgrimages came to an end on a frosty night in February 1532.

He said: "Three young men from Dedham and one from East Bergholt, possibly martyrs for the protestant cause, took down the Holy Rood and burnt it."

In John Foxe's Book of Martyrs, it mentions that the men were intrigued by its miraculous reputation and wanted to see whether it could defend itself.

Three of the men were later hanged - one in Dovercourt, one in Dedham and one in Cattawade.

The illustrated talk covering the history of the rood will start at 7.45pm.