©Carol Moule

 THE CHURCH

by Ian L. Durham M.B.E.

Page 3
next page

Home Page

  The pulpit is modern, a beautiful piece of work with carvings of six apostles including St. Andrew in the centre, and some intricately carved columns and birds. It was Introduced in 1924 in memory of Prebendary A. E. Ommanney, Vicar of the parish 1841-78.

The Strachey Chapel, previously the St. Lo Chapel, lies at the east end of the north aisle and contains many memorials to the family which owned Sutton Court (until recently within this parish) from 1655 almost to the present day. The Stracheys have contributed much to literature and the arts, to the armed forces and particularly to administration in India, starting with Sir Henry Strachey who was Secretary to Lord Clive. The memorials are worthy of study, as is the Strachey window. This fine heraldic window depicting St George and St Elizabeth of Hungary, was designed in 1934 by the water-colour painter Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale. The descent of the Barons Strachie and 0' Hagan is shown in excellent armorial glass.

Previous owners of Sutton Court were the St Lo family, and the figure on the large tomb is of Sir John St Lo who died in 1447 and who is supposed to have been over 7 feet tall. The lady beside him may be his second wife Agnes or she may be another member of the St Lo family. Experts seem to think that these two effigies were not made as a pair. The effigy of Sir John wears the SS collar which was originally the indication of a supporter on the Lancastrian cause in the Wars of the Roses, but continued to be worn by some families into the 16th Century and beyond.

Behind the altar in the chancel, visible only since the altar was moved forward, is a stone slab.This is probably the top of the stone altar which would have been replaced by a wooden table at the time of the Reformation. It carries two complete incised consecration crosses and part of a third one.

A memorial of interest is that to Richard Jones on the north wall of the chancel. He died in 1692 and left £3000, a very large sum in those days, for charitable and educational purposes. As a result many young people in this and nearby villages receive grants to help with their education.

In the south-east corner of the church is another chapel, originally named after St Nicholas, later called the Baber Chapel and now known as the Lady Chapel after its re-dedication in 1930 in memory of Brig.-Gen. A. F. Ommanney. It contains the very large tomb, built in 1643, of Edward Baber (died 1578), his wife and other members of the family who lived in Chew Court and were Lords of the Manor from 1575 to 1662. This chapel at one time had a gallery in which was a private pew for the bishop. He could enter this gallery from his residence, which then extended westwards to much nearer the church, via a bridge over the path outside and through a door situated where the upper window is now. A squint in the northeast corner of the chapel allowed anyone in the gallery to see the elevation of the host at the altar. The opening was later a cupboard but has now been filled in. The gallery was removed in 1643 but the bridge remained long enough to be seen by a Mr. Strachey who described it in 1736.