JF
By
the middle of the 19th Century many of the old religious controversies had
subsided. The Catholic Emancipation Act of 1848 and others relating to the rights
of non-conformists had resulted from and helped to foster a new view of the
Church of England. No longer was it seen as the sole legitimate church, rather
as one among many, albeit the only established church and the most dominant.
Gone were the pressures to make everyone conform. This change coincided with an
unprecedented increase in prosperity in
The
energies and resources released by these processes were lavished on the
churches throughout the country. The 19th Century worshipper could no longer
tolerate the cramped and old fashioned buildings, often devoid of decoration
and still bearing the scars of the Civil War and Cromwell’s depredations.
Churches like everything else had to be modernised to be more fitting places
for the worship of God. The antiquarian movement had not yet reached maturity
and could not provide a restraint to enthusiasm for change or do much to
preserve the past. Thus given half a chance the rebuilders would sweep away all
before them regardless of merit or historical interest. Whatever the Victorian
may have been, he was by no means sentimental about the past.
The
architects were naturally delighted at all this work and the scope it gave
them. Their journals propagated many ideas for debate and discussion. By around
1840 the
This
uniformity of style was reinforced by the architectural profession themselves
as they established concepts of good design which conformed to the trend; and
bad design which didn’t. The Victorian churchmen were induced to look
critically at their own churches to see how they measured up against these new
standards and any that were classified as ‘bad’ became obvious candidates for
rebuilding at the slightest pretext. Naturally the architects they turned to
were asked to produce ‘good’? designs conforming to the trend. By the time
Purley’s church came to be rebuilt, the newness had worn off somewhat and by
the turn of the century the gothic revival had all but died out.
In
the early part of the nineteenth Century all the old buildings of the manor of
Purley Magna had been swept away east of Mapledurham Drive save only for the church
which was reached by a narrow tree lined track. It was surrounded by trees and
very isolated.
The
church itself consisted of only a small chancel, a nave and the brick tower,
there was no vestry. The chancel was almost square and lit by two tudor style
windows in the east and south walls and by two early English lancets in the
north wall. The lancets were set in a romanesque surround. The two tudor style
windows were very similar to the one remaining in the west wall of the tower.
The east window had two lights depicting the figures of Saints John the Baptist
and Mark although the heads of the saints had been replaced by coats of arms.
The roof was a simple pitch with a central apex about twice the height of the
walls. It was described as ‘compassed and ceilinged’. There was a large reading
desk which dominated the chancel.
The
chancel was connected to the nave by a rounded arch surviving from the Norman
church. This had cushioned pillars with a distinctive nail stub frieze.
The
nave was dominated by a ponderous pulpit and high pews seating 90 people. At
the west end was a crudely constructed gallery which was connected to the
second stage of the tower by an arched door. It is not known whether the access
to the gallery was via the tower or whether the steps leading up to it came
from the nave and the door merely gave access to the bellringers chamber. The
walls and roof were plastered and whitewashed. In the south wall there was a
three light perpendicular style window dating from the mid 14th century and a
small lancet window dating possibly much earlier. The south door led into a
small porch and a north door had been blocked up by 1849. The gallery was lit
by a small dormer window. In the north wall were two recessed norman windows
probably similar to the lancets in the chancel. The roof was of a similar style
to that of the chancel although much higher.
The
tower was virtually the same as it remains today although of course there was
no clock or memorials on the walls and the font was not there. The roof of both
nave and chancel were covered with hand
made red clay peg tiles and the external walls were covered by what was
described as ‘?a bad imitation of stonework’. Fortuitously a photograph of the
church in this condition has survived and an earlier line drawing dating from
the 1790s had been included in the book ‘Views of Reading Abbey’
In
1868 the rector, the Reverend Richard Palmer, the Churchwardens and other
parishioners resolved to thoroughly restore the church to make it ‘more worthy
of the service of God’. Although the church was not in a positive state of
delapidation or decay the work of restoration was said to be much needed. They
launched an appeal for funds and engaged G E Street, the diocesan architect, to
produce a new design.
Carter
was widely travelled and enjoyed sketching and archaeology which soon also became
passions of his pupil In 1844 Street went to
Now
his career blossomed. He undertook rebuilding of churches all over the country,
including that of Purley in 1870. His interest in archaeology made him
particularly sensitive to mediaeval design and wherever possible he retained
original features. Where that was not possible he tried at least to preserve
the designs.
He
was not confined to churches however and among his other major works were
He
moved his office back to
The
Royal Courts of Justice were still being built in 1881 and running into all
kinds of troubles. His wife died and, burdened by worry and overwork, Street
had a paralytic stroke and died in December 1881. He was one of the greatest of
the Victorian architects and while Purley church was not one of his best
examples it does exhibit many of his sensitive touches and his feeling for
mediaeval architecture. Regrettably most of his working and personal papers
were destroyed in the bombing in
Before
work could begin it was required to obtain a faculty from the bishop. Before
this could be issued it was necessary to confirm the need for expansion, check
that the design and project plans were satisfactory and that there were
sufficient funds to complete the project.
The
need was becoming pressing as visitation reports had given the average size of
the congregation as 78 in 1857, 65 in 1866 and 78 in 1869. The accommodation
was stated to be 90 in official returns however the rector had pointed out on
several occasions that 80 was a more reasonable maximum.
Major
Storer had guaranteed the funds even though only £860 of the estimated £1400
had been promised and as Street was the diocesan architect, he was hardly
likely to recommend against his own plans.. Finally on
It
was ‘To enlarge the church’ by:-
l Building a new north aisle
l Extending the chancel to
the east over part of the churchyard
l Taking down and dispensing
with the gallery
l Removing all the present
pews and sittings and substituting new and open seating.
l Building a new vestry
l Thoroughly repairing the
roof
l And generally to do and
perform all such other works and operations as may be fairly implioed by the
plans and specifications.
The
builders were instructed to
l Take down and remove any
tablets, tombs, tombstones, hatchments, monuments, graves vaults, monumental
inscriptions or other records of the departed.
l Take due care to re-inter
any coffins or human remains they uncovered.
l Preserve all records of
the departed and replace them somewhere convenient either in the church or
churchyard.
A
second faculty was issued on the 9th April 1869 for services to be held in the
schoolroom, but only if the services were strictly in accord with the Prayer
Book of the united churches of England and Ireland.
The
new design provided a slightly lengthened nave and a much larger chancel,
together with a vestry. The Norman arch was replaced by a large pointed arch
and itself was re-sited between chancel and vestry. The new arch was inscribed
in red and blue letters with the text ’Enter into His gate with thanksgiving
and into His courts with praise’.
The
north wall of the nave was demolished and replaced by a fine three arch arcade
of
It
had been Street’s intention to retain the original roof but it was found to be
in such a poor state of repair that he removed all the tiles and provided a new
waggon roof of similar design, but slightly lower pitch, omitting the dormer
window. Over both the chancel and the nave the roof was open and made of
polished oak. The main beams of the nave were partly closed by a partitioning
pierced by two trefoil apertures.
The
roof he designed for the north aisle had a slate roof, but Street had
difficulty with the pitch. It had to be a much shallower pitch than the nave
roof and could not therefore take clay tiles. It was really too shallow for
slates and proved a continual source of problem as water seeped in regularly
over the years.
The
tower was left almost intact although it was used to accommodate many of the
memorials which had to be removed before the old walls could be demolished.
Further memorials were accommodated in the new vestry.
The
14th Century window that formerly sat in the south wall was rebuilt to form the
east window of the new vestry. One of the two lancet windows became the north
window of the sanctuary and the other the north window of the vestry. The new
east window was paid for by Mrs Storer, wife of the Lord of the Manor, in
memory of her sister. The south windows of the chancel were a set of three
lancets, to a similar design as the older ones, which were donated by Mrs
Sherwood in memory of Richard Sherwood who had died in 1857.
Below
the new east window was a fine reredos made of alabaster with Italian marble
inset in six short alcoves which extended from altar level to window level.
Flanking this were four full length alcoves of natural grained marble. A new
sedilla, piscina and credence table were provided. The sedilla had a carving of
a lady’s head in mediaeval dress inset into the back. This was believed to be a
depiction of the Virgin Mary. All the new stone made objects were of early
English design and it seems likely that Street copied the designs from similar
objects in the old church.
The
old pews, gallery, pulpit and reading desk were removed and replaced by pine
pews seating 190 and a new modern oak pulpit, although people in the north
aisle had great difficulty in seeing what was going on in the chancel.
It
appears that after construction started it was decided to acquire an organ and
this required an extension to the vestry, moving the north wall some six feet
further north The organ which was eventually installed in 1873 was a single
manual instrument made by Holditch and was paid for by F Wilder Esq. It was
presented on St Peter’s day (June 29th)
The
floor, especially in the chancel, had been pierced by black marble gravestones
(probably similar in appearance to those that can be seen in St Mary’s
Whitchurch) and the rest was probably paved with medieval tiles. Street paved
the new church with tiles from Godwin’s of
The
exterior of the new building was faced with split flints, except where there
were quoins. The tower was left alone.
A
new lych gate was provided by another of the Sherwood family in memory of her
parents. It was tiled with clay tiles similar to those on the roof of the
church and was provided with a wooden gate.
On March
20th 1873 a new oak belfry screen was erected which entailed incising the inner
pillars of the tower arch. It was the gift of Cecily Storer who had also given
the east window.
The
new east window has three cusped and pointed lights each surmounted by a
trefoil light. Surrounding the trefoils are nine small lights with the image of
a rose in stained glass and there is also a larger light in the centre with a
decorated motif.
The
left hand light has a male figure in a circular frame holding a pen and a
scroll upon which are the words ”Quo Piam” This has been identified as Saint
Luke. In the main section are two female figures. The one standing on the right
has a halo and a blue cloak and is identified as the Virgin Mary. The second
figure also has a halo and is kneeling with a lamb. This was originally thought
to represent Saint Mary Magdalene but the lamb tends to indicate Saint Agnes
who is the patroness of children. In the lower frame is another female figure
wearing a crown and holding a cross and a lily.
The
Centre light has in the circular frame a male torso and head carrying a scroll
with the words ”Libera me Dominum” This has tentatively been identified with
The
right hand light has in the circular frame a male figure holding a pen and
inscribed with “San.... Ioannes” on a scroll behind it. This is therefore taken
to be
The
window was paid for by Cecily Barr Storer as a memorial to her sister Agnes
Willoughby. (Hence Saint Agnes). There is an inscription along the bottom which
reads “This window dedicated to the Glory of God and in memory of her
beloved sister Agnes Willoughby by Cicely B Storer. Born
The
cost of rebuilding scheme was estimated at œ1400 when the appeal was launched
in 1868. By the time the work actually started the cost estimate had risen to
£1700 and the final bill was around £2000. An appeal for funds was made and in
addition a parish rate was proposed to be levied to raise a further £70.
At
the time building started the following promises were made:-
£
The Reverend Richard
Palmer 300
Major and Mrs Storer 300
Mrs Storer (in memory of
her sister) * 100
Philip Powys-Lybbe 50
The Reverend John Wilder
10
The Bishop of
The Hon R F Boyle 10
The Hon Mrs R F Boyle 5
L G Stewart Esq. 10
Guy Thompson Esq 5
Miss Hopkins 10
------
860
* To pay for the east
window
** to be paid on the day
of reopening
The contract was let to
Messrs Wheeler of
The foundations of the
vestry had been laid to the original plan before the decision was made to
extend it to contain the new organ. The join in the foundations to accommodate
the extra six feet were discovered during excavations in 1982.
The north wall was
supported on a base made of six bonded layers of bricks gradually tapering to
the width of the walls. Beneath where the pew ends were to go, a wall was built
to provide additional support for the floor.
The interior walls were
rendered with plaster, but in later years the outline of the underlying
brickwork was often visible, especially in the chancel.
The church was
ready for the reopening on
The service started at
JF