A Brief History of 25 Churches Within 9 Mile Radius of Leith Hill
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Visiting Local Churches A Brief History of 25 Churches Within 9 Mile Radius of Leith Hill Introduction & Acknowledgements This booklet is one of a pair; both feature a series of articles on the brief history of local churches that appeared in Abinger & Coldharbour Parish News from October 2001 to September 2006. The other booklet like this one features 25; this one covers those churches from 6 to 9 miles radius of Leith Hill, Surrey's highest point, whereas its companion booklet covers those situated up to 6 miles of the same point. National Grid References are given. I am indebted to numerous kind people who helped me when I visited their churches, and to those unknown authors of numerous church guides; without such help the work of searching for information would have been an enormous task and quite beyond my capability. Local literature, published books and other material on Surrey have proved invaluable cross-references in compiling these brief histories; I also acknowledge with gratitude the additional help from the following books: The Buildings of England - Surrey. Nairn & Pevsner (Penguin Books 1962 ; "A Picture of Surrey" (Robert Hale Ltd 1980); "Surrey Villages" Derek Pitt & Michael Shaw (Robert Hale Ltd 1971). The line drawings of the churches are my own, based on the photographs I took on my visits. These booklets could not have been printed and published without a sponsor; Abinger PCC and I wish to record our sincere thanks to Mr. Brian King, a resident of the parish, for his most generous support which has made it possible to put this booklet in your hands. Visiting churches is worthwhile, you will find peace and beauty amidst the whirl of life today. Most churches are open on days other than Sundays, but should you find one closed the notice board usually gives the address of a nearby key holder. I am sure your visits will be as rewarding and interesting as mine were and that you will be encouraged to buy the other booklet (same price); in that one are: Abinger Common, Albury, Betchworth, Brockham, Capel, Charlwood, Coldharbour, Cranleigh, Dorking, Ewhurst, Forest Green, Holmbury St. Mary, N. Holmwood, S. Holmwood, Newdigate, Okewood, Peaslake, Pixham, Ranmore, Rusper, Shere, Shamley Green, Westcott and Wotton. ERIC BURLETON Editor, Abinger & Coldharbour Parish News1. 01306 730533 e mail [email protected] 1 Transcribed from print by P Rawlings (2020). Some few typographical changes made. Notes in maroon by Philip Rawlings, 2020 A Brief History of 25 Churches – Eric Burleton St. Nicholas, Alfold2 The footpath approach to the church is past two picturesque tile-hung cottages - a perfect setting for a church, much of which structure dates from the 13th century. St. Nicholas has a solid appearance with its huge roof. Once inside the building its antiquity is more obvious; it is almost square with three aisles whose breadth together is nearly equal to the church's length; the Norman font (circa 1080) is one of the finest and best preserved in Surrey; the remarkable 14thC oak timbering and the spire and bell tower supported on massive pillars of wood hewn out of the great oaks of the Wealdon Forest - a vast forest between the North and South Downs. The three bells in the tower have for 90 years been chimed only, they have worn thin and are in danger of cracking. They date from 1625, 1631 and 1714 - an appeal was launched in 2003 for funds to refurbish the old bells and add three more. The first official record of the church is found in the reign of Henry Ill (1216 -1272). A charter of William Longespee, Earl of Salisbury, was granted to one John Fitz-Geffrey giving the right of presentation to the Living, he died in 1256 but it is known that the church was in existence long before then. The first Norman church, circa 1100, consisted of a nave and chancel; the South Aisle was added in 1200 and the North in 1280. Sadly this latter aisle was destroyed by fire in the 16th century and was not rebuilt until 1842. The Rector at that time, the Rev. John Sparkes, was the driving force behind the 1842 restoration which uncovered three ancient arches in a state of perfect preservation in the walled up area on the north side. John Sparkes had an eye for discoveries: he also located the old communion table top, a beautiful single slab of polished Sussex marble containing fossils of freshwater winkles and a small silver chalice hallmarked 1570 hidden in the earth under the chancel floor. 2 Surrey GU6 8EU, https://www.alflox.org/welcome.htm P a g e | 3 A Brief History of 25 Churches – Eric Burleton Even the pews are old; the most distinctive ones date from the 14th and 15th century and the Jacobean pulpit and sounding box are most beautifully carved. The arch over the chancel like most of the timbering dates from 1320, but the screen is C19th but with wood from a 15th century screen incorporated. The Royal Coat of Arms, (George IV) now hanging on the south wall of the nave, is believed to be at least 170 years old. It was carefully restored in 1995 and re-hung in its present position. The outline of the East window dates back to 1320, as do the window openings in the south aisle; the glasswork however was imported from Normandy and constructed about 1850. In the chancel wall is a perpendicular style window which dates back to 1450. Another example of superb craftsmanship in wood can be seen near the North door. It is a large box known as a Churchwardens' Chest designed to hold church records. It bears an inscription to the two wardens of 1687. Its original contents threw light on local and church history of the earlier years. Among the papers was an 1823 Act of Parliament, requiring marriages to be conducted only in churches or approved chapels between 8 and 12 noon, except by Special Licence from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Anyone "knowingly and wilfully so offending, and being lawfully convicted and adjudged guilty" was "transported for a space of Fourteen Years according to the laws for the Transportation of Felons". Pretty harsh treatment for civil marriages! More old woodwork can be seen in the doors of St. Nicholas' two porches, they date from around 1230, however restoration work has been needed over the years so some of the wood is newer. In the churchyard, is the grave of Jean Carre, the man who in 1567 introduced Lorraine glass for glazing to this country. Carre obtained a licence to manufacture the type of glazing glass being produced in France. Within 50 years this type of glass making died out as coal firing replaced wood as fuel for firing. The old village stocks, one of the very few complete sets in Surrey - another set can be seen outside St. James' Church, Abinger - are sited just below the churchyard. The name Alfold derives from the Saxon word Ald (or old) and Fold, meaning an enclosure for animals, in this case in the great Wealdon Forest. P a g e | 4 A Brief History of 25 Churches – Eric Burleton The village does not feature in the Domesday Survey, which took place about twenty years before the building of the Alfold church in 1100 In the 18th and early 19th centuries, many Alfold houses were used as hiding places for huge kegs of brandy and other contraband brought from France by smugglers. Those who helped these fearsome law breakers always received a present of spirits for their trouble. Few resisted the smugglers as nearly all the villagers were compliant. Holy Trinity, Bramley3 You enter Holy Trinity under a restored Norman arch, one of three arches which were part of the original church on this site within the Manor of Bramley. The presence of a church here is recorded in the Domesday Book. By the middle of the 19th century as the population of Bramley increased, due in no small part to the coming of the railway, the congregation for this small church grew and the medieval building was no longer large enough. The enlargement of the church unfortunately resulted in much of the original structure being replaced by modem work - a common occurrence when the Victorian architects and builders "restored" an ancient church. However the simple chancel is genuine 13th century and together with the tower, the oldest part of the church which remains apart from the remains of the Norman arch at the entrance. In 1850 a north aisle was added, this provided "free" seating for the poor of the parish, in 1875 the south aisle was built, incorporating the Ludlow family chapel. In the north aisle is a medieval font which came from a redundant church at St. Mary Coslaney, Norwich; close by the font is a fine reproduction of Fra Fillipo Lippi's The Annunciation, the original of which hangs in The National Gallery. In this aisle the two figures in the middle window depict St. David or Dewi, a 5th century Welsh Bishop, and St. Edmund, most probably the Saint Edmund who was the last Archbishop of Canterbury (1234) to be canonised. 3 Surrey GU5 0DH, https://www.holytrinitybramley.org.uk/whoswho.htm P a g e | 5 A Brief History of 25 Churches – Eric Burleton St. Edmund Hall, the Oxford College is named in honour of him. The less likely figure in the window, the other Saint Edmund, was the King of Anglia (841-70) who remains were buried at Bury St. Edmunds.