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Worplesdon Parish
church is dedicated to St Mary and mentioned in 1086, in the Surrey
Survey of the Domesday Book. The oldest part, the Chantry Chapel
(where the organ currently stands), is not later than the 11th
century. Nothing Norman now remains above ground unless it be the very
rough masonry visible at the west end of both aisles. It is probable
that a round apse is hidden under the foundations of the 13th century
Chancel; it is not on the same axis as the Nave, which suggests a
re-building at an early date, when the Chancel was also lengthened.
The NAVE is
14th century, and the aisles were heightened by about eighteen inches
in the late 15th century.
The GLASS in
the Nave is 14th century, and was collected in 1802 in the East
window, and then redistributed around the four Nave windows in 1887,
to make room for the present EAST WINDOW. The East window we
see today was the work of Messrs Clayton and Bell, with the exception
of the leaf and grisaille tracery glass, which is practically all 14th
century.
The glass is
described by Dr Peatling and Francis C Eeles in "Stained Glass in
Surrey Churches" (Surrey Archaeological collections) as follows: "In
the west most window, south side of the South Aisle is an oval
medallion of white glass containing the shield of the arms of Robert
Bennet, Bishop of Hereford, 1602-1617. In the middle of the right
light a shield very largely in enamel paint, of the arms of Henry VIII
impaling the augmented arms of Anne Boleyn, granted on her marriage."
Amongst the armorial
bearings in the windows in the south aisle are the red roses of
Jasper, Earl of Pembroke, who at one time held the Lordship over the
manor of Worplesdon.
In the north aisle
west most window "Near the base of left light, a small kneeling figure
8 inch high with hands in prayer, upturned face and tonsured head, in
blue under garment, red cloak, and large brown hood, kneeling on a
floor of small black and white squares, with a yellow border, the head
and face are beautifully painted. Late 15th century".
And of the north
aisle, eastmost window "This window contains considerable remains of
two rich 14th century canopies with a small figure beneath each. Both
lights have been largely reconstructed. Both figures are more or less
made up fragments, though of the same period. That on the right has
the head of a female saint and carries a book in the left hand, the
right raised up to her chin: she has a yellow robe, the following
parts of the inscription can be identified: Sa Celi(lia) (S)a
Eth(eldreda)."
These figures with
those of "praying monk and bishop" were at one time in the East window
of the Chancel.
The FONT is
from Eton and replaces the early square Norman one of black marble,
removed in 1866 and shown in sketches previous to that date.
The PULPIT is
Jacobean and from Eton College. The choir and clergy seats and the
Vestry Screen were installed in 1932 in memory of the Reverend J C
Bruce (Rector). The ALTAR RAILS are a skilful adaptation of the
old rails, from Eton Chapel, removed from the College Chapel in the
middle of the last century when the Pulpit was sent to Worplesdon.
These rails were recovered and installed in Worplesdon when the Choir
Stalls were renewed.
The LECTERN
dates from 1915 and is in memory of Lieutenant H U Hays, killed in
action in France.
The ORGAN came
from Critchell Down Park, in Dorset, when that Church was pulled down.
It was rebuilt here in Worplesdon in 1961 through the generosity of a
few anonymous donors.
The REREDOS, OAK
PANELLING and CREDENCE TABLE were designed by Mr
Goodhart-Rendel, and made by Messrs Dart and Francis of Crediton,
Devon. They were given in 1951 by Mr Negretti, and were dedicated on
Easter Day 1951.
The NORTH CHAPEL
has two 14th century tombs on the north wall. The Purbeck marble slab
outside the west door may have been the covering for one of the tombs,
as it was found to have no altar crosses marked on it. This North
Aisle Chapel was originally a Chapel of Our Lady, and is mentioned in
the will of William Hoon of Pirbright, in 1488. The Chapel was
lengthened by 10 feet in 1866.
The SOUTH CHAPEL
was added at the 1866 restoration, and was contained pews until 1976,
when the pews were removed and this area partitioned off, and a
kitchen added at its East End. The choir vestry was divided off in
1979.
The TOWER is
built of heath stone, and was built before 1487, as told in the Will
of Richard Exfold. Richard Exfold built fourteen feet of the Tower,
according to the inscription on its inner face.
The BELLS are
eight in number. Worplesdon is one of the few churches in Surrey at
the time of the great Church Inventory, taken in the reign of Edward
VI, that had a ring of five bells, and it continued to have this
number until 1826. The Church accounts show that at some time between
these dates the third bell became cracked and had to be re-cast. The
work was done at Reading, where from 1560 to 1710 at least six
generations of the well known family of bellfounders, the Knights,
carried on their business. All were recast in 1726, for of the present
ring, numbers 2,4 and 5 bear the inscription "R Phelps Fecit 1726".
Richard Phelps was for many years the proprietor of the famous
Whitechapel Foundry, which has been carried on without a break since
the year 1570. In 1804 Thomas Mears, also of the Whitechapel Foundry
re-cast the third bell, and in 1826 he re-cast the tenor and put in
the new treble bell, which brought the number up to 6 for the first
time. The inscription on the latter tells us that it was "added by
subscription". The tenor bell records the fact that at that date
Reverend W Roberts was Rector and William Collins and John King where
Churchwardens. The two new treble bells were dedicated by the
Archdeacon of Dorking on Sunday December 19th 1948 in memory of Sir
Laurence Halsey KBE of Gooserye, and of the sisters Evelyn, Gertrude,
and Winifred Thompson of Perry, and these completed the ring of eight
bells.
Dr Burton, Rector in
1766, and Provost of Eton, writes in 1766 of his gift of a "Turrett"
and bell, which he took from the stables of the Old Rectory (now
Maryland) and had placed on the Church Tower. The rather incongruous
turret still remains. This bell was rung at the end of the sermon, to
warn the coachmen and footmen, who stabled their horses at the New
Inn, to prepare for their masters' and mistresses' departure. Now it
is used as part of the Church clock.
This CLOCK
dates from 1874, and was given by Mr Baxendale of Worplesdon Place,
who built the big house of Worplesdon St Mary's for his son.
The CHURCH ARCH
was enlarged in height and width when the Church was restored in 1866.
Frescoes of Moses and Aaron over the old arch, and one of St
Christopher over the south door, were obliterated at this time. It is
thought that these alterations were completed under the direction of
Henry Woodyar, the architect, who was also responsible for Burpham
Church.
The INSIDE PORCH
and Swing Doors were given in 1958, and in the same year as the new
WEST
DOOR.
The SOUTH PORCH
has the date 1591 carved in the tie beam over the entrance, with the
faintly visible royal initials E R.
There is a deep,
ANCIENT WELL lined with small bricks on the north side of the
Church in the Churchyard. It is of unknown early origin, and is 60
feet deep.
There was a
SEMAPHORE TOWER belonging to the Admiralty. This stood on the
north side of the Church in the yard. It was octagonal, and built of
brick, and was higher than the Church. Messages were signalled between
London and Portsmouth, including the Time Signal from Greenwich at 1
o'clock each day. The last message was passed in 1847, after which it
was pulled down.
The CHURCH PLATE
which is Pre-Cromwellian is as follows:
(1) Silver Gilt
Flagon of English workmanship, dated 1598, and given to Worplesdon in
1800 by Eton, having been given to them by Lady Margaret Savile,
together with its pair, which is now at Maple Durham Church in
Berkshire. It has the arms both of Savile and Dacre (pricked). Dacre
was Lady Margaret's maiden name and Sir Henry Savile was her second
husband and Provost of Eton, 1596. He taught Queen Elizabeth I Greek
and mathematics, and was knighted by James I on his coronation day. He
was one of the translators of the Authorised Version of the Bible. He
died in 1621.
(2) Silver Gilt
Paten, dated 1572, and presented to Eton Chapel in 1617 by John
Clavering, a Fellow of Eton College. Also brought from Eton in 1800.
(3) A smaller Silver
Gilt Paten of unknown origin. It might have been brought from Eton
with the rest of the plate, or it might be the only piece surviving of
the plate used in Worplesdon before 1800.
(4) Silver Gilt
Chalice with lid, dated 1616 and also brought from Eton in 1800.
Originally family plate. London work. Nearly a century later it was
used as a Communion Cup at Eton College Chapel and brought from there
to St Mary's, Worplesdon in 1800 during the incumbency of Thomas
Chamberlayne. It has the inscription "The gift of Mrs Sarah Barlow of
Lockerly in Hants 1710", and on the foot "Worplesdon in Surrey 1800".
For safety this is
kept by the patrons of the living, Eton College.
The earliest
REGISTERS are dated 1539, and all except the most recent are
stored in the Muniment Room of Guildford Museum. Queen Elizabeth II
and other members of the Royal Family have signed the registers on a
number of occasions when they have been present at services connected
with the family of the late Reverend the Honourable Andrew Elphinstone
(Rector 1953-62).
 (Click
on the board for Rectors at St Mary's since 1282)
RECORDS. The
following give certain Church goods in Worplesdon Church from 1388 to
the reign of Edward VI 1547-1553.
(1) Register of
William of Wykeham. Bishop 1367-1404.
Excommunication
denounced at the relation of Roger Crowere and John Martyn, against
persons unknown, who stole from Worplesdon Church a chalice and books,
to wit a portiphery, a missal, an ordinal and a Psalter. Farnham, 20
Jan: 1388-9.
(2) The Resydew of
the Church goodes ther were stolen by theves when the Church was
robbyd -
an alter clothe, the
corporax with the case, 2 frontes of silke payned, a surplice, a
towell, an old silke coope, an alter cloth, a pixe of latten or copper
parcell gilte, a chalice, a vestyment with the appurtenaunces, a
surplice, a communion booke
Examyned by the
Commissioners and found to be trewe. Date unknown.
(3) Worplesdon Parish
Church (inventory)
Imprimis A Coope of
red velatt, Item a Vestyment of the same, Item iiij other old
vestments, Item iiij albes, Item a surplice, Item ij towells (2), Item
an alter cloth of lynnen, Item an old latten crosse, Item a croscloth
of silke, Item a stremar, Item a banner cloth, item v bells in the
steple.
The OLD RECTORY
was sold with the glebe land in 1913, and later was bought by Lord
Elphinstone in about 1918. The present Rectory on the south-west side
of the hill was bought with the money from the sale.
PATRONAGE.
After the Church is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, two
hundred years of silence follow until "Ladereyne de Valoynes" releases
the advowson of Worplesdon Church to Sir John de Cobham in 1292 -
though we know that James de Cobham was already Rector of Worplesdon
in 1282, when he was granted license to study in Paris. He was
presented by John de Cobham. The advowson remained with the Cobham
family, and his descendants (with the exception of the King in 1398)
until the attainder of Henry, Lord Cobham in 1603. After that the
advowson passed into the possession of the Crown, which retained the
patronage until 1693, when it was exchanged for Petworth, which
belonged to Eton College. Worplesdon thus became vested in Eton, and
remains so still.
The PARISH was
at one time part of Windsor Great Forest, in King John's reign, which
at one time extended as far as the Guildford boundaries. |
