JM4
For
a church to function effectively it must employ a number of objects. Some of these
will be very specific to use in a church, others will be everyday items which
could serve in many locations. Many of these objects have been gifts of
parishioners to commemorate a loved one, to mark an occasion or merely to
respond to a need. Often items wear out, have been stolen or are mislaid but
frequently fashions change and objects in regular use get put aside and
something new comes into use.
Inventories
for many churches survive, usually from the Restoration or Reformation period when
they were made as a prelude to confiscation. The nearest we have for Purley is
a brief list in a churchwardens presentment in 1677 when it was recorded that
Purley had:-
One great Bible
Two copies of the Book of Common Prayer, one for the Minister and one
for the Clerk
A register book in parchment (which survives)
All other books convenient for the church
A Stone Font (which survives)
A Communion Table
A Communion cloth and cushion
In
1297 Bishop Quinnell of
Chalice of Silver or silver-gilt
Ciborium of silver or pewter
Pyx of silver or ivory for the reserved sacrament
Pyx for unconsecrated bread
Chrismatory of pewter for holy oils
Censer
Incense boat
Pax brede (a tablet, usually of wood and decorated) for the kiss of
peace)
Three cruets
Vessel for holy water
Altar Stone (fixed and immovable)
Altar cloth
Altar canopy
Altar frontal
Font of stone (kept locked to prevent superstitious use of baptismal
water).
Image of the patron saint
Image of the Virgin Mary
Tenebrae (a multiple candlestick for holy week)
Pascal candlestick
Two processional tapers
Two great crosses, one portable
Nuptial veil
Pall to spread over coffin
Lantern and handbell to carry before the priest when visiting the sick
and dying
Two sets of vestments, one festal and one ordinary
Rochet
Two surplices
In
addition they were to have the following books:-
Good manual for occasional services (eg Baptism, Marriage and Burials)
Ordinal (for the yearly offices)
Missal (for words and ceremonial of the Mass)
Collect book (for prayers)
Legenda (lessons from scripture and the lives of saints)
Gradual (Hymns for the Mass)
Troper (Hymns for other services)
Venitory (Psalms for Mattins)
Antiphoner (Music for the canonical hours)
Psaltar
Hymnal
Copy of the Statutes of Synod
All
books and vestments to be stored in a great chest.
The
inventories of many churches were sold off, confiscated or destroyed at various
times between the Reformation and the Restoration and it would seem that Purley
was no exception. However objects were re-acquired as they could be afforded if
they were still needed and now Purley has almost all the items on Bishop
Quinnell’s list or their modern equivalent.
We
have no knowledge of the musical arrangements before 1870, but soon after
building work commenced it was decided to amend the design slightly and provide
accommodation for a new organ. This was ordered from Mr Holditch and installed
in 1873. It was a single manual instrument. most of whose sound was locked into
the organ chamber which occupied most of the old vestry. In 1935 it was
reported as being full of dust and Nelson Cooper the organist was instructed to
get a quote for having it cleaned and repaired. It was cleaned and rebuilt
several times and electrical pumping arrangements were provided in the 1950s.
It
had the following stops:-
16 ft bourdon (pedals)
8 ft viola da gamba
8 ft open diapason
8 ft clarabella
4 ft principal
4 ft flute
2 ft 15th
In 1965 there
was a proposal to turn it into a two manual instrument and add
8 ft cor oboe
4 ft geigan octave
2 ft super octave
also to add a
new bass octave to the 8 ft viola da gamba.
It
was removed to provide more space in 1982 and sold to St Peter’s Church,
Quarrendon, who also paid the costs of dismantling and removal.
A
Crane upright piano was also purchased from a bequest by Mrs LaHive in 1976 but
it is very difficult to tune and is now almost never used. An interim 2 manual
A
few tambourines were obtained for the choruses which became very popular in the
1980s and have been used occasionally. The odd appearance of a guitar has been
made, but on the whole Purley has been very conservative with its musical
instruments.
At
one time there used to be a piece of Elizabethan embroidery in the church. It
was first noted as being in the church in the Churchwarden’s presentment of
1550. It had been used as an altar
covering but after the 1870 rebuilding it was hung in the vestry. The Reverend
John Dudley-Matthews did not approve as he considered the subject matter to be
unsuitable for a church. In 1904 he sold it to the
The
embroidery consists of two panels 2165mm by 57mm. It is petit point on canvas
embroidered with coloured wools and silks with parts raised by padding. It is
dated from the late 16th Century. The panels depict scenes from Ovid’s
‘Metamorphoses’, although the figures are costumed in Elizabethan style.
The
first panel tells the story of Venus and Adonis (Metamorphoses x and xii). It
shows a wooded landscape with two scens in the foreground. On the left Adonis
lies is attacking a wild boar with a spear beneath an apple tree. On the right
Adonis lies dead mourned by Venus and three nymphs. In the top right Venus is
seen departing through the clouds in a chariot drawn by birds. In the middle
distance is a winding stream and a fountain with hounds pursuing the boar. In
the background can be seen a temple and other buildings and undulating hills.
The
second panel tells the story of Myrrha, the mother of Adonis (From
Metamorphoses x, ix to xl). The panel has four separate scenes. On the extreme
left Myrrha attempts to hang herself in an arcade surrounded by vines and is
prevented from doing so by the nurse. In the centre left she tells the nurse of
her love while sitting in an ornamental garden. In centre right the nurse leads
her to the bed of Cinryas, under which is an owl. On the extreme right she is
pursued by Cinryas and turned into a myrtle tree.
It
is thought that the two panels once formed a valence which hung in the old
manor house and that it was acquired by the church sometime in the 18th
century. The two pieces were then sewn together to be used as an altar
covering.
The
church has several pictures but all are reproductions excepting an original oil
painting by Ray Herring which hangs in the foyer of the new vestry. In is
entitled ‘Purley People through the Ages’ and depicts parishioners dressed in
costumes from mediaeval to modern times grouped around the 12th century font.
A
small item of sculpture can be found behind the sedilla in the Chancel. It is a
carved lady’s head, supposed by some to depict the Virgin Mary.
One
could also classify the five gargoyles on the tower as minor works of art.
A
commemorative embroidery in cross stitch was produced by parishioners for the
millennium. It was designed by Jackie Benstead and her small committee and
consists of 6 inch by 6 inch panels which join together to form a grid of 5 by
10. Panels are numbered from 1 to 50 starting
at top left and working left to right and then down. The plan is as follows:-
|
Panel
no. |
Topic |
Stitcher |
note |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Football |
|
|
|
2 |
Tennis |
|
|
|
3 |
Sports & Social Club |
|
|
|
4 |
Cricket |
|
|
|
5 |
Bucknells Meadow |
|
|
|
6 |
Social Club |
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
|
8 |
Concorde |
|
|
|
9 |
Jasmine Cottages |
|
|
|
10 |
Post Office |
|
|
|
11 |
Bus |
|
|
|
12 |
Motor car |
|
|
|
13 |
Church |
|
Part of Cross |
|
14 |
125 Train |
|
|
|
15 |
Hot Air Balloon |
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
|
|
17 |
Chalice and Paten |
|
Arms of Cross |
|
18 |
Church |
|
Arms of Cross |
|
19 |
Church |
|
Arms of Cross |
|
20 |
Purley Pathfinders |
|
|
|
21 |
Allotments |
|
|
|
22 |
|
|
|
|
23 |
Font |
|
Part of Cross |
|
24 |
River |
|
|
|
25 |
Bowls |
|
|
|
26 |
Lace Circle |
|
|
|
27 |
Hand of Friendship |
|
|
|
28 |
Bells |
|
Part of cross |
|
29 |
Purley Tots |
|
|
|
30 |
Health visitor clinic |
|
|
|
31 |
Parish Council |
|
|
|
32 |
Farm |
|
|
|
33 |
Wedding |
|
Part of cross |
|
34 |
Lock |
|
|
|
35 |
Police |
|
|
|
36 |
Scouts |
|
|
|
37 |
2 plus flora and fauna |
|
|
|
38 |
0 plus flora and fauna |
|
|
|
39 |
00 plus flora and fauna |
|
|
|
40 |
Playgroup |
|
|
|
41 |
The Barn |
John Chapman |
|
|
42 |
|
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
|
|
44 |
|
|
|
|
45 |
Memorial Hall |
|
|
|
46 |
Project Purley |
John Chapman |
Map of Purley |
|
47 |
Women’s Institute |
|
|
|
48 |
Brownies/Guides |
|
|
|
49 |
|
|
|
|
50 |
Horticultural Society |
|
|
Before
the Reformation we can assume that priests wore full vestments (alb, chasuble etc)
to celebrate the Mass and had at least one cope for ceremonial occasions. By
Coloured
stoles have replaced the preaching scarves for sacramental services with the
colour reflecting the season. Many of the stoles in use belong to the church
but some have been the property of the clergy as have been cassocks and
surplices.
In
recent years we have seen lay-readers officiating and assisting at services
wearing cassock and surplice with a blue preaching scarf.
Choir
robes consisting of ruff, black cassock and surplice were in use after the
Second World War and probably date from much earlier. These had disappeared by
the early 1970s and the choir wore street clothes. Soon after David Evans’
arrival he introduced a unisex robe of bright scarlet modelled on a monks habit
and girded with a white cord.
Up
to Victorian days the congregation were expected to provide their own hymn and
prayer books. Certainly by the end of the 19th century most churches provided
these for the congregation and expected the people to come equipped with their
own bible.
As
far back as can be remembered St Mary’s used Hymns Ancient and Modern and
updated to the Revised Edition around the late 1950s. David Evans introduced a
new style in hymn singing and acquired a variety of modern Hymn and Chorus books,
including ‘100 Hymns for Today’ ‘Fresh Sounds’ and ‘Living Waters’. Most of
these were replaced when the new edition of Ancient and Modern came out in
1986. In 1987 a specially produced book of choruses entitled ‘Purley Praise’
was produced by Jackie Paynter and this supplemented the new edition of Ancient
and Modern, especially at the 09:30 First Worship service and the 18:30
new-look Evensong. A second edition was produced in 1990 slightly shorter and
containing several new choruses. David also introduced ‘Psalm Praise’
containing metrical versions of many of the psalms.
The
1662 Prayer Book was still in use, having gone through several new editions
until the 08.00 Communion Service
switched to Rite B. In the 1960s and 1970s the Church of England introduced a
number of experimental texts for the Holy Communion Service known as series 1
to 3. These were introduced as they were issued at St Mary’s. When the new
Alternative Services Book was approved in 1980, Rite A was adopted as the
version for the
The
Church of England agonized over service books around the turn of the
millennium. The 1980 Alternative Services Book had not proved very popular
being too modern for some and too staid for others. After considerable
deliberation a new Prayer Book was approved in 2000 which restored many of the
old forms of prayers but which also provided a wider range of alternatives.
Extracts from this book, specially reproduced for St Marys’ services is in use
in 2001.
In
1985 and 1986 pew copies of the Good News Bible were acquired. Later a lectern
copy was produced and this is now the version read most often except at the
10:45 Eucharist where the readings are prescribed in the Alternative Services
Book and are taken mainly from the New English Bible and the Jerusalem Bible
with a few from the Revised Standard Version.
Many
other objects have been acquired for use both within the church and in the
churchyard. In the furniture line there is an oak cabinet for altar frontals,
two bookcases for hymn books etc, one of which was given in memory of William
Telfer in 1934. A number of folding tables of plastic and aluminium purchased
in 1981 and a wooden lectern given in memory of Horace Rabone in 1959.
Other
items for use during services are:- an altar cross of brass, two brass altar
candlesticks and a processional cross; two identical church wardens staves
surmounted by a brass maltese cross; A tubular brass communion rail and a set
of three portable wooden communion rails and kneelers, acquired 1983.
A
large steel safe by Cyrus Price of
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JM4
G7118JM4 7/10/02