St Nicholas' Church Child Okeford

Dorset

Visitors' Guide A look round our Church

C G Giles

If you have any information to help improve these booklets, please advise the Churchwardens.

#1 St Nicholas Church; A Short History #2 St Nicholas Church; Visitors’ Guide #3 St Nicholas Church; Memorials #4 St Nicholas Church; The Windows #5 St Nicholas Church; The ’ #6 St Nicholas Church; Church Music and the Church Organ #7 St Nicholas Church; The Church Bells St Nicholas Church, Child Okeford Visitors’ Guide

This booklet is one of a series of seven written in 1998 by Chris Giles.

After a career in teaching, Chris took early retirement and began to devote himself to the local Church. He became a Churchwarden, the first Benefice Secretary and a member of General Synod. Chris was always interested in history, and especially local history. It was never a nostalgic pursuit for him, but just one of the ways in which he sought to unite the past and the future, those who had lived in the village for a long time and those who had arrived more recently.

In 1999, after these booklets were written, he played a key role in the establishment of the Okeford Benefice. This Pastoral Measure brought the Parishes of Child Okeford. Okeford Fitzpaine, Manston and Hammoon into one Benefice with the Parish of Shillingstone. As Benefice Secretary, Chris worked tirelessly to ensure that what we could best do together was done together, not only within the Benefice, but beyond, with the other Parishes of the Southern Blackmore Vale. He delighted in being able to assist in the training of our first Stipendiary Curate, Rev'd Michael Brierley, and in helping to foster other vocations to Ordained and Reader Ministry.

Whenever he could, he also delighted in combining his devotion to the Church with his devotion to his family - his wife Jean, son Tim, with his computing skills, and twin daughters Kate and Melanie, gifted in history and archaeology.

Chris never took Holy Orders but was, in the true sense of the word, a Deacon, utterly unstinting in his service and an exceptional guide and companion to the first Rector of the Okeford Benefice. He was tragically killed in a road traffic accident on 19th September 2002, at the age of sixty five years.

It was Chris' hope and prayer that these booklets would help you, the reader, better to understand the past of this place, that you may serve the Lord better in the future and know His presence and peace with you today. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Rev'd Philip Rahilly Rector of the Okeford Benefice Lent 2003 (1995 – 2006)

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The Church building

There may have been an earlier building but we know that a church was built here about 1250- 70. The record of Rectors of Child Okeford Superior and of Child Okeford Inferior, which begins in 1297, is to be found on the wall of the South Aisle. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book (see also “Short History” booklet about the name ‘Child Okeford’).

The oldest remaining part of the church building is the Tower, possibly dating from the late 15th Century or early 16th Century. Older still is the 13th Century Font, made of coarsely tooled Purbeck stone, which is now situated in the South West Corner. It had previously been placed in the tower when the rest of the church was rebuilt in 1878/9 and was moved to its present position during the re-ordering of the South West Corner in 1999. Almost all the rest is a Victorian building.

The outside of the Tower is built of greensand ashlar - blocks of cut greensand rock. The inside is chalk clunch. Upstairs, inside the Tower, is a fine clock, built by John Smith of Derby. This clock drives the hands on the large Clock Face on the west side of the Tower. On the door of its case is a pencilled record of its cleaning; this dates from 1907 but the clock mechanism dates from 1887. Originally it was wound by hand every week, but in 1978 this mechanism was replaced by an electric motor.

On the tower roof is a plaque which notes the dates of re-roofing of the tower with the names of the Church Wardens and the Rector of 1910:

I.CROWCH T.ARNOLD CW 1729 H.S.BOWER

N.J.NEWBOVLD

CW

C.H.S.BOWER

R

1910

Changes to the building

Records indicate that an upstairs gallery had been added to the original South Aisle in 1816. A North Aisle had been built in 1835 and the South Aisle was further extended in 1860 (when the earlier gallery was taken down). There was also a gallery in the Tower used by the Sunday School, which, on the 1877 plans, had room for 95 Scholars and their Sunday School teacher. The gallery projected out over the west end of the Nave.

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The Victorian Church The plans of the previous Church are dated January and February 1877. The re-building plans are dated 1878. These plans are in the County Record Office at Trowbridge, which houses many of the Ecclesiastical (Church) records for Salisbury diocese. The Rev John Brymer was Rector and Henry Syndercombe Bower was one of the Church Wardens at the time. (see the item about the earlier Rectories below).

A legal document from the Diocese which gave permission for the alterations (called a Faculty), and dated 1878, lists details of the rebuilding, including the re-roofing of the South Aisle and rebuilding the Nave and Chancel. The interior of the church was re-paved and re- floored. The St Lo(e) Vault was removed from the South Aisle. New seats made of pine and other furnishings were designed by the architect - and are the ones still in use. The architect was J D Wyatt of London.

The seating plans are of interest:

1877 plans 1878 plans Adults Children Adults Children Nave 72 Nave & Aisles 256 North Aisle 95 N. Chancel Aisle 2 52 South Aisle 107 S. Chancel Aisle 30 Chancel 28 Chancel 33 28 Gallery 95 Total 321 80 = 401 Total 302 95 = 397

The North Chancel Aisle, originally designed for the Sunday School, was in fact occupied by the Organ. The Vestry, which had been in the Tower, was moved to the new North Chancel Aisle, where it remains.

In 1995, the Parochial Church Council (PCC), with the Rector’s Support, gained Diocesan Advisory Committee approval to develop the South West corner.

The Font, moved from the Bell Tower in the late nineteenth century, was repositioned to become a central feature of the South west corner. The action of moving the Font from the tower caused the floor of the tower to collapse exposing a vault beneath.

The coffins of the Rossiter family were damaged but the remains reinterred by the Rector. The vault was resealed and the floor repaired.

Pews were removed and nine church chairs for daily worship, PCC and other meetings now encircle the Font. Library shelves, notice boards and cupboard space were built in.

In 2007, the church lighting was reappraised and new fittings made. The church and chancel have been effectively brightened and special lights show up the character of the roof.

The vestry was also reordered to include a lavatory and enable disabled access.

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The Steps to the Altar As you go up to the Chancel to start this part of your visit, you will go up two steps from the Nave to the Choir. On the riser of the top step are the words:

“O Lord open thou our lips” on the bottom step: “and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise”

At the first step at the east end of the Choir to the Sanctuary are the words:

“O come all ye faithful” At the Sanctuary step:

“ I will wash my hands in innocency O Lord and so will I go to thine Altar”

The 1879 newspaper report also refers to a fifth set, but I cannot yet find them:

“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts”

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The Window Glass

Most of the glass is Victorian, dating from 1879. A separate and more detailed set of notes is available about the windows and the images.

The Chancel

1. The East Window depicts the Ascension of Christ. The centre panel (light) shows Jesus with the Apostles Peter, James and John. On the left and the right are two groups of 4 Apostles.

2. The Sanctuary, south window, shows Jesus with Martha and Mary at the time of the raising of Lazarus (Luke 10: 38-42).

3. The Choir window, south wall, is in two parts (lights). On the left, Joseph is shown as a prisoner of his brothers being sold to the slave traders (Genesis 37). One of his brothers is holding his “coat of many colours”. On the right, St Peter, (or possibly St Paul), is being held prisoner (in Rome), restrained by leg irons (Acts 12). [The leg irons are an English design, and were still being exported to Africa and the Middle East in the 1970’s!]

The South Aisle South east side - Lady Chapel

4. The East Window, above the Lady Chapel altar, shows Jesus with Martha and Mary (of Bethany) in Lazarus’ house. Martha has a wine goblet, Mary is listening.

5. The South Window of the Lady Chapel (the Magnificat window) is again in two parts. On the left is the Old Testament model for the Magnificat - the text on the Scroll is the song of Hannah. The picture is of Hannah and the child Samuel. (1 Samuel 2:1-2) On the right is the New Testament - showing Mary and the Christ Child; the text is the song of Mary - “My soul doth magnify the Lord … ” (ie the Magnificat) (Luke 1:46-47).

6. The South Window, centre of the South aisle, is the Annunciation window. It is a more modern window and is dated 1920.

7. The St Nicholas Window is just west of the Church door. Dated 1890, this shows the Patron of the Church, with three bags of gold and the prow of a ship. These symbols refer to stories of his life.

8. The West Window of the South Aisle illustrates the Song of Simeon - the Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2:22-38), “Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace …”. It is sometimes called the Candlemas Window.

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The Tower

9. The West Window in the Tower is a “Christian Soldiers” window. It depicts Archangels and Christian soldiers:

St Oswald, St Michael (an Archangel), Archangel Gabriel, St Edmund, and, beneath them, Knights in situations of Duty (Pietas), Obedience (Obientia), Magnanimity (Magnanimitas) and Love (Caritas).

This large window was given in memory of Lt Henry Raymond Bower, who was killed in action in the First World War (1914-1918), aged 20 years.

The North Aisle

10. North window; a second window of Christian soldiers showing St George (with Dragon), King David and St Maurice. It was given in memory of Maurice Syndercombe Bower, who was killed at Sofia, in Bulgaria, in January 1919 - after the first World War officially ended. He may have been engaged in post-war relief work.

The window was reinstalled in August 2006 by Salisbury Cathedral Glass Workshop after restoration work by Henry Haig, ARCA, stained glass artist, and John Shepherd, stonemason.

St Nicholas Window (7)

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Fittings and Furnishings

The Wooden Chest, which may have been the old Parish Chest, stands in the north side of the centre transept. It dates from the mid-17th Century. It is panelled with guilloche and fluted ornament.

Icon of St. Nicholas Presented and decicated in 2006, the Icon is in the North Aisle

The Pulpit, built of stone, is very ornate. It is decorated with marble, and was donated in 1889 as part of the rebuilding. This church has its pulpit is on the north side of the Nave, though some churches have theirs on the south side.

The Bishops’ Bible (The Bible was stolen in January 2009 and has not been recovered) This copy of the Bishops’ Bible is housed in a wooden case just to the north side of the pulpit. This copy is now over 400 years old. It is a first edition of a text prepared by a Committee of Bishops, which included Archbishop Parker (of Canterbury) and Archbishop Sandys (of York) and was published by Richard Jugge in 1568.

The Bishops’ Bible was the official translation of the Bible before the “Authorised King James’ ” version. This copy was used in this Church during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. William Kethe (see “Music” below) was certain to have used it, since he was Rector at the time.

Within this copy are the names of the Church Wardens of 1600, presumably those in office when it was first brought to the church; Thomas Gy (Guy) and Philip Burbidge.

At the front, this bible contains pictures of Lord Leicester and Lord Burleigh; but the picture of Queen Elizabeth (the First) is “missing”, as are several pages of Introduction and the first two chapters of the Book of Genesis.

At some time in the past the Bishops’ Bible was removed from Child Okeford. By chance, it was found in a book shop in Bath in 1891. Subsequently it was presented to the church and was reinstated at Advent 1926. (see separate Note placed on top of the glass case)

Altar Candlesticks and Cross The Candlesticks were given in memory of Percy Robert Rowland, a member of the choir. A margin note in the Burials Register says “killed April 1st by falling under a roller on the road”; this was a horse-drawn ‘ring-roller’. He was sitting on the shafts, the horse shied, and he fell under the roller. Buried April 5th 1916, aged 9.

The Cross was presented by Nathaniel Fletcher Barton for Christmas 1889. The inscription also notes the names of John George Brymer, Rector, and his Church Wardens - H(enry) Syndercombe Bower and John H Rossiter. All three were parties to the establishing of the Child Okeford Co-Operative Society and Coffee Shop (part of the Temperance Movement). It was not a traditional Co-Op of the kind founded by the Rochdale Pioneers. The Rev John G Brymer built a new Rectory.

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Music

St Nicholas Church Choir, Child Okeford, was the first church choir to be affiliated to The School of English Church Music; renamed in 1945 as the Royal School of Church Music. The line of medallions worn by the Choir and Junior Choir testify to the continuing tradition of good music as part of our worship.

William Kethe (Rector of this parish, 1561-1608) is particularly remembered for his hymn All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice; (Hymns A&M Revised, Hymn 166)

This was based on Psalm 100 and was included in Day’s Psalter of 1561; (ie three years after Queen Elizabeth I came to the throne).

Sir R.Grant based his hymn O worship the king, all glorious above; O gratefully sing his power and his love; (Hymns A&M Revised, Hymn 167) on work by Kethe, which was in turn based on Psalm 104.

Sir Arthur Sullivan, so well known for good tunes in operetta, composed the music for “Onward Christian soldiers!”

The words were by S Baring-Gould. The first performance was in St Michael’s Chapel, Hanford, where Sir Arthur was a frequent guest of Henry Ker-Seymer. The first public performance is thought to have been here at St Nicholas Church, Child Okeford.

The Organ

This was built by Henry Jones, 136 Fulham Road, London SW, to the specifications set by Sir Arthur Sullivan.

This is our current instrument, played every Sunday and often during the week.

More detailed notes about "Music and the Organ" are in a separate booklet.

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The Bells

At the same time as the Church was being rebuilt, a new Jubilee Peal, of six bells, was hung in 1887. The Jubilee Peal of bells consists of:

Tenor 17cwt 2qtrs 4lbs note A v 12 2 0 note F# iv 10 3 25 note G iii 8 3 8 note A ii 6 3 18 note B Treble 6 1 4 note C#

[old Imperial weights: 16 ounces (oz.) = 1 pound weight* (avoir du poids) (lb.) 28 pounds (lbs.) = 1 quarter (of a Hundredweight) (qtr.) 4 quarters (qtr.) = 1 hundredweight (cwt.) = 112 lbs. 20 hundredweight (cwt) = 1 ton (t) = 2240lbs.

A modern metric tonne = 2000 lbs. [2 ¼ lbs of jam is just about a kilogram!]

The Carillon on the second floor of the Tower of St Nicholas, Child Okeford [1997]

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The Churchyard

The old churchyard lies round the church to north and south. In 1872 it was decided to extend the churchyard and enclose it with a brick wall. The extra land was given by Dillon- Trenchard and H E Clay-Ker-Seymer.

All the walls were repointed with lime mortar by a volunteer in 2000/2001.

The wrought iron gates were also erected.

A new wrought iron gate, presented by the Tuffin family, was erected and blessed in 2008 to remember Geoff Tuffin (1954 – 2006) who had been invalided from the Army and was much loved in the village. He roamed the area on a special bicycle – as the memorial plate records, he was a “Tricyclist Extraordinaire”

In 1955 a further extension was necessary. This is on the east side of the 1872 extension. It is bounded by a beech hedge. Mr J H L Glasbrook of Child Okeford Manor gave the land. This was further extended in the 1970’s and consecrated by the of Sherborne, Rt Rev John Kirkham.

In 1997 a further extension was completed, the land being the gift of Mr & Mrs R Buckland of Church Farm. This extension was consecrated by the Bishop of Sherborne on 9th December 1997.

Grave plans, showing surnames, have been made for the 1872 Extension and the 1955 Extension; to see these, please make requests, in advance, to the Churchwardens.

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The Rectory

The Church also has a photograph of the old Rectory, Child Okeford. It was taken a year or so before 1879 by W.N.Ridout, The Studio, [town name is missing]

Handwritten on the reverse of the old photograph are these words:

A photograph of the old Child Okeford Rectory standing on the site of the present Rectory. The right hand portion was slightly burnt, and in 1879 the Rev.John Brymer pulled it down & built the present house.I remember it very well, it was a beautiful and comfortable old house. There was of course another Rectory as well as the one on this site. The site of the other seems uncertain.It may have been just below the Village Hall, or where Hambledon House now stands. The man in the photograph seated in the corner with a dog is the Rev.John Brymer, I think the old gardener on the left is an old man named Forward. The other man on the right and the two women standing at the window I do not recognise. I obtained this copy & put it in the parishchest March 21, 1934 Charles Bower

[Canon Charles Bower served as Rector at Child Okeford, 1909 - 1938] The “present house” to which Canon Bower refers, is now called “Malabar”. The remains of the foundations of the old Rectory in the photograph are under the lawn to the rear of Malabar (west side).

About 1966 Malabar was in turn replaced by a modern Rectory on the west side of Rectory Lane, next to the glebe land (held by Salisbury Diocese).

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LIST OF RECTORS

1297 - 1305 GALFRID de STOCKS 1305 - 1317 WALTER de KYLHAMPTON 1317 - 1331 PHILIP de BRADENECK 1331 - 1362 JOHN de BARES

SUPERIOR INFERIOR

Jan 1362 - Mar 1362 JOHN WANESYNGE 1350 - ? JOHN AMYEL 1362 - 1376 THOMAS TYNDALE ? - 1364 ROBERT ? 1376 - 1397 WILLIAM HANFORD 1364 - 1385 WILLIAM LARDNER 1397 - 1418 THOMAS SEYGNESBURY 1385 - 1394 JOHN or WILLIAM SEWARD 1418 - 1433 JAMES GRENEY (or GRENE) 1394 - 1401 JOHN OVERALL and 1433 - 1457 ROBERT WHITTOCK JOHN WYLTONESHURST 1457 - 1469 THOMAS POLE 1401 - 1406 JOHN FYSHER 1469 - 1486 JOHN LLOYD 1406 - 1419 PHILIP HOLMAN 1486 - 1507 GILBERT WYLKYNS 1419 - 1422 JOHN, son of RANDOLPH 1507 - 1530 WILLIAM POKESWELL 1422 - 1455 ROBERT KEBY 1530 - 1544 JOHN SAMWAYS, 1455 - 1461 ROBERT WARD HENRY SAMWAYS 1461 - 1465 WILLIAM or Walter RANTE and WILLIAM WILLCOX 1465 - 1476 ROBERT WALDEBY 1561 - 1608 WILLIAM KETHE 1476 - ? ROBERT WALDEBY 1608 - 1642 GERARD WOOD ? - 1515 THOMAS ROXLEY and ADAM WILSON 1515 - ? WILLIAM POXWELL 1642 - 1670 WILLIAM CRABB 1593 - 1642 WILLIAM WATKINSON 1673 - 1679 SAMUEL CONANT 1642 - 1674 WILLIAM CRABB 1679 - 1687 JOHN VIVERS 1674 - 1687 JOHN VIVERS 1687 - 1747 WILLIAM CRABB 1687 - 1747 WILLIAM CRABB 1747 - 1758 JOHN CRABB 1747 - 1763 MONK CRABB 1758 - 1815 HENRY HALL 1763 - 1815 HENRY HALL

SUPERIOR AND INFERIOR

1815 - 1863 CHARLES EDWARD NORTH 1863 - 1867 DANIEL WARREN EVANS 1868 - 1873 ROBERT CHOLMELEY PRICE 1873 - 1909 JOHN GEORGE BRYMER 1909 - 1938 CHARLES BOWER 1938 - 1946 WILLIAM DELAHAY 1946 - 1950 MELLIS STUART DOUGLAS 1950 - 1966 RICHARD MARTIN TAYLOR 1966 - 1970 WILLIAM R. de C. M. TAYLOR 1971 - 1980 REGINALD FRANK YORK 1980 - 1982 DEREK H.A. WILSON 1982 - 1989 STANLEY GILL 1990 - 1994 DAVID BOX 1995 - 2006 PHILIP RAHILLY

OKEFORD BENEFICE

2008 - 2011 SHIRLEY SMITH 2012 - DARREN A’COURT

Non Stipendiary Ministers

2006 - 2012 DAVID MARL 2006 - SARAH MUFFETT

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Acknowledgements: This booklet started as part of the updating a simple guide, which I wrote over a decade ago. Some Australian visitors, whose forebears had come from Child Okeford and Hammoon, wanted something to take home. We had nothing available. The outcome is a series of booklets, of which this is No 2.

I started with a copy of the booklet produced by Rev R F York in 1973. In that volume he gives credit to: Taylor, Rev, R. 1969. Child Okeford. A Parish Panorama. (Hand published pamphlet). Hutchins, J. 1870. The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. (3rd Edition). Vol. IV. London, John Bowyer Nichols and Son. Diocesan Records Office, Salisbury Dorset County Archivist Royal Commission on Historical Monuments Notes left by Canon C H S Bower

Among additional sources to which I have referred are:

The Domesday Book. Fraser, A. (ed). 1975. The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England. London, Book Club Associates. Giles, M. C. 1996. Between Down and Vale. A Social Archaeology of the Parish of Child Okeford, North Dorset. Unpublished M.A. research, Sheffield University. Hutchins, J. 1870. The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. (3rd Edition). Vol. IV. London, John Bowyer Nichols and Son. Lawrence, A. 1899. Sir Arthur Sullivan; Life Story Letters and Reminiscences. London, James Bowden. Marshall, M. D. 1959. Church Bells in England. Unpublished thesis.

Wiltshire County Records Office, Trowbridge, who allowed key records to be photographed. Dorset County Records Office, Dorchester.

The windows and memorials within St Nicholas Church, with interpretative assistance from Rev D Box, AKC and Rev R M Giles. Materials in the care of St Nicholas Church. Graveyard maps made about 10 years ago.

Many individuals who live in the Parish and beyond, whose local knowledge is a vital resource, have been kind enough to allow access to Deeds of local properties. I am sure more amendments will be made as this resource is further explored.

C G Giles

This series of books was the inspiration of Chris Giles who devoted an enormous amount of time and effort to research, write and produce the first editions. In memory of a dear friend, I am proud to continue his work and, with the considerable help of the churchwardens and the support of the PCC, the books have been reviewed, updated and now reprinted.

David Pope

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Page 15 2nd Edition 2008 (Updated April 2012) SOUTH PORCH

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SOUTH WEST CORNER

St Nicholas Church, Child Okeford Visitors’ Guide

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