CHESHAM : CHURCH OF ST MARY
Church Post Code HP5 1HY
Usually Closed to Visitors
Visited May 2024
It was May 2024, and a day out churchcrawling in, for the most part, Buckinghamshire; taking a look at some beautiful parish churches in the Chiltern Hills. I am going to cover four churches over two pages on this site; with this page taking a look at the churches at Chesham and Amersham. The second page will take a look at Great and Little Missenden.
This Saturday started off though with a visit to Berkhamstead in Hertfordshire in order to do what is a three or four times a year visit to the Saturday outdoor street market; and more specifically the Artisan Bakery stall that we fell in love with when first visiting the church there the previous year.
Armed with various typed of Italian bread, some sausage rolls and cheese straws and a chocolate fudge slice; which turned out to be a mistake and had deconstructed itself in my bag before we got to Great Missenden, we started out the day’s photography at the church of St Mary at Chesham.
Chesham is 83 miles south of Peterborough, 11 miles south east of Aylesbury and 26 miles North West of Central London; which recorded a population of around 23,800 at the census of 2021. According to Google maps, if I wanted to cycle it, which I don’t, the distance would go up to 93 miles (something to do with not being allowed to cycle along the A1(M)) which I should be able to cover in a little less than eight hours. This appears to be highly optimistic but will remain untested.
The church of St Mary sits off to the south of the town, on high ground, and is normally closed to visitors. This was a Saturday morning though there was a party working on the grounds, with the church being open. The kettle was on and a pleasant time was spent in the grounds with a cuppa chatting with the locals and was quietly pleased that a couple of their number knew the term ‘churchcrawler’.
Chesham has a rich history; with archaeological evidence of a settlement here as far back at 5000BC with part of a Bronze Age stone circle being incorporated in to the foundations of the present church.
The town has a history of religious dissent with and nonconformity; these being Protestants who had broken away from the Church of England. In 1532 James Harding was burned at the stake in the town for being a Lollard and there has been a strong Quaker, Baptist and Methodist presence in the town from the 17th century, with John Wesley preaching in the town in 1760.
There was no church or priest mentioned here at the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086; however archaeological evidence has suggested that there may have been a basic wooden church here during Saxon times. The oldest surviving part of the structure that we see today is a fragment of Romanesque window to the north which dates from the 12th century. There was mention of a church here back as far as 1153.
The church that we see today is cruciform, with central tower, nave with north and south aisles and clerestories, south porch, north and south transepts and chancel. The core of the present building dates back to the early 13th century, with the nave, aisles and transepts all dating from that time. The tower dates from the mid 14th century, with the top stage dating from the century after. The chancel was rebuilt around 1370 and the south porch was added during the 15th century, at which point the south aisle was rebuilt and the nave clerestories were added.
Moving inside, the attention of the visitor is immediately drawn to a painting over the chancel arch. My gut reaction from distance was that this was a remarkably preserved doom painting but moving a little closer it soon became evident that this was not the case. This painting is modern; dating from 1970 and covering the events of Holy Week with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane central. We also see depicted to the north of the chancel arch Jesus’ entry in to Jerusalem, the casting out of the money lenders, the cursing of the Fig Tree and the disciples sleeping. To the south of the arch we see the empty tomb, Judas’ kiss of betrayal, Jesus being arrested and then scourged. This is a fine piece of work but to be fair is not liable to be to everyone’s taste; being painted in a contemporary fashion, with the characters looking distinctly un-Jewish, which to be fair brings them in to line with most stained glass windows in the country, with characters dressed in modern western clothes.
This is probably the first time that I have seen the events of Holy Week portrayed without the crucifixion and there is normally a depiction of the risen Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene on Easter morning.
Moving in to the chancel itself the three light east window shows Faith Hope and Charity. Most modern translations of the Bible have replaced the word ‘Charity’ with ‘Love’. 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 verse 13 reads ‘And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. This is an important message but not one that is normally given pride of place in the east window. Still in the chancel, at the south wall and fitting in with the message of the east window, we see two of the works of mercy, clothe the poor and feed the hungry.
Against the north wall of the chancel is a memorial to Richard Woodcock, who was vicar here in the early 17th century. He looks out from within a semi circular arch, with impressive white beard and sporting a ruff; an open prayer book resting on a pillow before him.
Against the south wall of the chancel is a fine ogee headed piscina, complete with bottle of hand sanitiser as has been the case for thousands of these since covid!
Other stained glass includes a two light window, with glass on two levels. The larger higher panels show Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter and Lazarus from the dead, with smaller panels below showing the blind being healed and the lame being told to get up and walk.
A two light window shows things in a more traditional sense than is shown in the contemporary painting. Two angels of the Lord are shown; each dressed in ornate flowing gowns with long blue wings unfurled. One holds out the crown of thorns with the other pointing upwards towards Heaven whilst holding palm fronds, which were used to symbolise the victory of spirit over flash.. Below we see the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane on night of Jesus’ arrest. Disciples are asleep in the background as Jesus kneels before and angel of the Lord, accepting the cup from which he is to drink, head down with hands clenched. Alongside we see the Risen Christ appearing before a kneeling Peter.
One further two light window shows St Peter who is holding the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven with St Andrew alongside, holding a saltire cross on which he was martyred.
There is a great deal of graffiti to be found throughout the interior. There are a few examples of initials and dates being enclosed within a domed building which is flying a flag; with one of these noting WB in 1623. Perhaps we might have a date of their passing here in days before individual gravestones.
Close to the top half of a female torso with incredibly slim waist we see what look to be Marion Marks; in this case being found in the form of upside down interlocking letter ‘V’s’, carved as a prayer of protection to the Virgin Mary, the Virgin of Virgins.
Close by the name John Seare is carved in a very clear but quite crude fashion. There is a date over the top which is damaged but which I think reads 1666. If that date is correct then what an important year that was; the Bubonic Plague was easing after ravaging the country and London was in flames for a time.
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AMERSHAM : CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN
Church Post Code HP7 0DB
Open to Visitors
It was time to move on; making the journey of a little less than three miles to Amersham and the church of St Mary the Virgin; a pleasant market town which recorded a population of 15,189 at the time of the 2021 census.
Amersham is another to boast a rich history, owned in part by Queen Edith before her death in 1075. She was the wife of Edward the Confessor and the sister of King Harold. Upon her death, her lands were passed to William the Conqueror. There was no church or priest recorded here at the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086.
As with Chesham there was also a history of dissention from the established church here with seven Lollard dissenters being burned at the stake in 1521. Their crime being to pursue the freedom of religious liberty! These are known as the Amersham Martyrs with a memorial erected to them in 1531 on a hill overlooking the church. In 1553 Scottish Protestant reformer Jon Know preached his last sermon at Amersham before going in to exile to escape the wrath of Catholic Queen ‘Bloody’ Mary.
The church of St Mary the Virgin can be found to the south west of the town, in an area known as Old Amersham; the old historic part of the town, and dates back to the 13th century but it is thought that there has been a place of worship on this site since the mid 12th century. The church was restored and extended during the 14th and 15th centuries which included the floor of the church being raised to help stop what was regular flooding from the nearby River Misbourne.
The church here is normally open to visitors but there was an event on that afternoon, and a stage had been set up towards the west end of the nave. A large choir was practicing and I nipped it to take a few shots inside the chancel and no one seemed to mind. Having said that though I was limited to the eastern parts of the church, and I was in and out pretty quickly. Access was limited, but there was still enough of interest though to make it worthwhile uploading.
Part of the reason for wanting to visit here was to see the grave of Ruth Ellis, who in July 1955 was the last woman to be hung in this country. As a result we started off looking for Ellis’ grave, which we found in the cemetery, close to, and to the east of the church.
Ellis was originally buried elsewhere but her remains were exhumed and reburied here in the early 1980’s. The basic memorial in the shape of a cross that we see today has the name Ruth Ellis on it. This replaced an earlier stone marker which had on it the name Ruth Hornby, which was the surname of her father until he changed it to Neilson before Ruth was born. This previous stone was destroyed by Ruth’s son Andy who took his own life shortly afterwards.
The church that we see today consists of west tower, nave with north and south aisles and clerestories, south porch, south transept, north transept, north chapel and chancel. Taking a look at the church from the south, we see the substantial square tower is battlemented with pinnacles on three sides. The fourth side is to the south east, which has an impressive octagonal stair turret, which ends up in a spire which rises up above the level of the tower. I was interested to see a bricked in archway central on the east wall of the chancel, with a small doorway on either side, which I assume leads down in to the crypt.
Moving inside, I was slightly surprised to see the massed ranks of the choir ready to start their practice; but we pressed on and made the best of things. It was good to see the church being used and I have to say that many churches in the country would have been pleased to have had a congregation the size of this choir!
The east window is of five lights and is of great interest; detailing the 12 disciples. It was made by Abraham Van Linge of East Frisia in Germany and this one dates to around 1630. The glass itself is painted, with the design painted on to clear glass and then being fired, with the temperature and duration of the firing determining the final colour.
On the upper of two levels we see St James the Great with Pilgrims staff with St Peter, who holds the keys to the kingdom of Heaven alongside. Central we see three of the lesser known disciples James the Less, Thaddeus (also known as Judas, but not that Judas!) and Matthias, who became one of the 12 after Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot. We then see Andrew with Saltire cross which depicts the manner of his martyrdom and John with chalice.
Below we see Simon the Zealot and Bartholomew, each of whom again carry symbols associated with their martyrdom. Simon is shown carrying a sword, with Christian tradition saying that he was sawn in half in Persia, with Bartholomew, who was flayed, carrying a skinning knife. Central we see Matthew the tax collector with Philips and ‘doubting’ Thomas completing the bottom row; with the latter carrying a spear with this again denoting the manner of his death.
Up in the tracery we see the four Gospel writers hard at work, with angels at worship above and the Agnus Dei and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove above that.
The north window of the north chapel has a fine five light window from the Kempe workshop. Working from the left, the first two lights show a depiction of the wise man delivering their gifts. Central we have the Madonna and child; with Mary dressed in the traditional blue, holding the baby Jesus and flanked by lilies; a symbol of purity. Mary is attended by two golden haired angels at prayer, with the beautifully crafted angel wins of peacock feathers which is associated with this maker.
The two lights to the right hand side cover Jesus being presented by Mary and Joseph at the temple. Simeon holds Jesus with script from the Nunc Dimitis above him which reads ‘Nunc dimittis servum tuum’ which translates as ‘now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace’. Joseph holds a dove, which was the Temple offering for those of limited means.
Of interest in this design from Kempe is the traditional makers mark low down on the panel to the left. The owner of the business Charles Eamer Kempe’s mark was a wheatsheaf until his death in 1907. After that time the business was taken over by Walter Ernest Tower and his mark was the same wheatsheaf but with a black tower included. This window dates from 1908, and has the wheatsheaf with black tower accordingly. I have not included a photograph of this one as my attempts were shot from distance due to shooting restrictions on the day and the quality suffered as a result.
There was stained glass missed here due to restrictions mentioned above but other glass seen includes a three light window in the south transept from Ward and Hughes from the mid 1860’s which portrays the raising of Lazarus, the nativity with the shepherds and Jesus walking on water; with Jesus helping up Peter who had just attempted to do the same.
To the south east of the nave we see a three light window from the mid 1880’s which was made by Frederick Preedy. Here we see illustrated five of the six acts of mercy as stated in Matthew Chapter 25 verses 35 – 36, which reads in the New King James Version ‘for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me’. The sixth panel, top central show the Risen Christ with script underneath reading ‘ye have done it unto me’ which is part of verses 40 from the same chapter.
The same stained glass artist also produced my favourite stained glass seen here, also from the 1880’s. This is an exquisitely beautiful and clear two light window which depicts Jesus visiting Mary and Martha, informing them that their brother Lazarus would be raised from the dead, Jesus raising the son of the widow of Nain, the deposition; with Jesus taken down from the cross with his body being prepared for burial and an angel of the Lord appearing to the three Mary’s outside the tomb on Easter morning. Pointing upwards towards Heaven ‘He is not here He is risen’.
There are some fine memorials in the chancel, with several to the Drake family. There are also further memorials in the Drake chapel, to the north of the chancel, which was closed on the day. Against the north wall of the chancel is a memorial to Henry Curwen Esq, who died in 1636 ages 14 years. The monument takes the form of what I think is the three virtues, rather than the three fates, with the virtues being faith hope and love. A small deaths head at the top reminds the onlooker that Man is mortal and will died; with inscription below containing ‘he departed leaving his absent parents full of sorrow’.
Still on the north wall, but closer to the high altar is a monument to William Drake, the Blind Baronet, who passed away in 1669. He is portrayed with sightless eyes, draped in a funeral shroud, with one hand raised to his chest. An angel is portrayed above his image, with a crown of victory above the angel; this being a symbol of victory, with the victory here being over death. Two hour glasses flank him; reminding the onlooker as to the transitory nature of human life; ‘Tempus Fugit’ time flies. Two skulls further down each wear a laurel wreath, this again being a symbol of victory.
On the south wall a skull with black cavernous eye sockets is depicted with wings, symbolising the safe flight of the soul towards Heaven. Alongside this, a kneeling couple, curiously kneeling so that they face the onlooker rather than facing towards the east, make for a striking pair. She holds what is liable to be a prayer book whilst he wears a fabulous powdered wig. The inscription on this was one was lost behind some oak panelling and I haven't been able to trace any details on the internet.
Out in the church grounds there are around 40 curiously shaped tombstones called ‘Body Stones’, which date from around 1770 to 1860. These are only found here and one area in Kent and they reminded me of a pre covid trip to Burford; and the ‘Bale Tombs’ there which were memorials for rich wool merchants.
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As I mentioned earlier, a very much incomplete visit to this beautiful church but there was enough seen to have proved worthwhile and this is one that I hope to revisit one day when there are slightly fewer people around and there hasn’t been a stage erected! We moved on, heading west towards the Missendens, Great and Little, with each of these churches being open to visitors with a page detailing my visit there also being included on this site. An enjoyable churchcrawl in Buckinghamshire was about to get even better!
