Church Micro 3638…Chevening Letterbox Hybrid

There has been a place of worship on the Church site for nearly 900 years, and a consecrated churchyard existed before that. As befits a Saxon parish, the church is one of 68 churches in England dedicated to St Botolph, the patron saint of travellers along the ancient route which today is called The Pilgrims' Way. St Botolph's church was first mentioned in a document which recorded the payment of Easter dues to the Diocese of Rochester. The Textus Roffensis [1122-23] refers to the parish of Civilinga — the Anglo-Saxon name for the parish now known as Chevening.

The earliest remaining portion of the church is the south wall of the south aisle. Built mainly of local flint rubble [gathered from the fields] — mixed with Kent ragstone to strengthen the corners, and at window and door openings. There are also a few fragments of Roman material which may have been gleaned from a ruined villa nearby to the east of the site.

The external face of this south wall bears traces of original lime-plaster and lime-wash which protected the flint rubble from the elements. We now know that most of the church exterior was also lime-washed.

That early church was probably a plain, small barn-like structure comprising two "cells", having a simple roof of reed thatch and low eaves. The drawing on the left is a conjectural sketch showing how the early church may have appeared.

At the west end of the south aisle on the outside, there are traces of a blocked-up simple low-arched doorway (18) [ Between the tower and the south aisle gable can be seen another blocked opening [beneath the lancet window]. This is believed to be what is known as a masons' hole (17). This would have been made to allow removal of wooden scaffolding and builders' rubble, following the construction of the tower and tower arch, both of which would have been built from the inside; separately from the rest of the church, which would have remained in use. At Chevening there is evidence that the tower was built from the inside as there are "put-log" holes to be seen in the upper parts. It should be remembered that the masons' hole was never meant to be seen since the exterior of the church was covered in layers of lime-wash, which has since worn away through the passage of time.

Elsewhere outside, the lychgate was erected on 14 March 1857 at a cost of thirty four pounds, sixteen shillings and sixpence. Built of chestnut, it is believed to replace an ancient one, possibly from the 14th century when lychgates were first introduced.

Internally there are two piscinae (1) — apparent remains of that earlier church, set into the south wall. Each has a finely carved ogee arched head, with a cruet-shelf inset, and a stone bowl with drain [see sketch] for washing communion vessels. This clearly indicates the position of a former altar at each location.

Also set into the south wall alongside each piscina are two arched tomb-recesses (2) [so called]. There is no real evidence that these recesses were ever used. However, one recess contains the massive lid of a mediaeval stone coffin bearing a cross carved in bas-relief upon it. This stone was moved there from its original place in front of the altar in the sanctuary "because the Revd Sykes [circa 1890] fell over it"!

The church steadily grew in importance, and we have a date for the first recorded Rector, Reginald, who held office in 1262. During the 13th and 14th centuries, the wall formerly separating the two parts of the south aisle was removed, the church was enlarged by the addition of the nave and nave arcade (3), and the south entrance door archway (4) and enlarged windows were added together with a chapel on the north side.

In the north wall of the north aisle there is a finely proportioned arch of the 13th century, leading to what is now the vestry. [Formerly a side chapel, it contains floor-slab memorials to the Wyndham-Strode family.] Sir Nicholas Strode [d.1683] bought Chipstead Place in 1665. His memorial states that "He rendered eminent and faithful service to His Late Majesty King Charles 1st". Previously, it must have been a chapel of some importance, as there are still faint traces of original mediaeval decoration to be seen on the voussoirs of the arch on the north side. For several years before the organ chamber was built, this chapel was known as the "Children's Chantry." It then became the choir vestry as it is today.

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The Chantry [described later] was added some time during the 14th century, when the chancel was built onto the east end of the nave. After that no major building work was done until the present tower was added in about 1518. Built in the then fashionable Perpendicular style, with half-octagonal stair turret (5) at the north-east corner, it is a typically Kentish tower. The massive buttresses at each corner and the string courses which occur at intervals both conceal the fact that the tower reduces in size at each storey level as it rises.

The original six bells were cast by Richard Phelps of Whitechapel in 1715 to mark the accession of George 1^st. However, by 1887 only two were still in the tower. What happened to the others remains a mystery, but in 1938 the heavier of the two was recast by Gillett and Johnston of Croydon. The two were rehung on a pair of RSJs, the work being funded by Sir Edward Meyerstein in memory of his daughter. The table which stands inside the south door was made by the Chevening Estate carpenter using oak from the original bell-frame.

In December 1999 a full ring of six bells, the gift of a long-time resident of the parish, Harold Hosgood Jones, was installed at St Botolph's to commemorate the new Millennium. A modern steel frame carries the original two bells together with four new bells, cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. They were dedicated by the Bishop of Tonbridge on 20 February 2000.

In December 2007 a further two bells were added to make up a full ring of eight. These were gifted by two members of the ringing team and a parishioner in memory of departed loved ones. The one remaining Phelps bell is now the fourth of the ring and the 1938 bell is now the tenor.

Internally there is a very lofty arch (6) between the nave and the tower, the stone jambs of which bear some interesting masons' marks (7) and deep grooves in the stonework. The latter show where there was an earlier screen supporting a gallery. The tower gallery was built in the early 18th century. At first it was probably used by a small band of singers and musicians. Church records mention this and the use of a small barrel-organ to accompany the singers. Later on a modest pipe-organ was installed, and there was a vestry underneath the gallery.

Bequest board on the south wall of the tower

The line of the gallery floor can be seen around the walls above the two bequest boards (8) in the ground-stage of the tower. Also in the ground-stage of the tower stands the font (9). Octagonal, and made from Kent limestone in the Perpendicular style, and contemporary with the building of the tower, it was re-located from its original position near the south door during the extensive re-ordering of 1901-02. The stone rim around the font bowl bears marks where once there was an iron hasp and staple for a padlock to secure the original font lid. This was because the baptismal water — once consecrated — was kept in the font for 12 months, when it was replaced and newly-consecrated at Easter. It was necessary to protect the Holy water from theft and misuse in witchcraft and black magic, so the font lid was kept locked until needed for baptism.

The present font cover was made from an oak tree at Chevening which blew down in the great hurricane of 1987, and commemorates the Westacott family connection with the church, and as farmers on the Chevening estate for over 100 years.

The south porch (10) was remodelled in 1858. Originally the porch was of framed oak [possibly similar to the timber porch at Shoreham church]. Traces of the former porch can be seen where old mortises have been left on the underside of the tie-beam, with socket holes in each wall plate. These indicate the position of earlier wall-posts and curved braces. The original 16th century roof timbers remain intact complete with their king-post roof truss. Prior to the building of a porch, the low-arched south doorway would have been exposed to the elements, and there are traces of erosion to be seen in the two carved heads at the base of the outer arch.

The Stanhope Chantry [so called today] was built circa the late l4th century — but the Lennards owned Chevening Estate before the Stanhopes. Interestingly, although the separate low arch to the priest's door (22) in the south wall is of the 14th century, the actual door is a fine surviving example of Saxon carpentry. There is an account dated 1585 for re-roofing the Chantry — possibly when the original thatch was replaced by clay tiles.

On the north wall of the Chantry at high level can be seen copies of original items of funerary armour: a helmet, gauntlets and spurs together with a gilt Earl's coronet. The originals were stolen on the night of 11/12 October 1983. Those articles were carried in the funeral procession of the first Earl Stanhope on 17 February 1721. An official report stated "King George 1st and the Prince of Wales drove in the procession and two battalions of Foot Guards marched as far as Southwark and thereafter 400 Horse Grenadiers and Life Guards escorted the body to Chevening where it lies in the vault below the Chantry".

On the south wall opposite, can be seen the seventh [and last] Earl's personal banner (23) hanging above his memorial over the priest's door. This banner is a replica of the original banner, also stolen in October 1983, which hung formerly above the Earl's private stall in St George's Chapel at Windsor. It was brought to Chevening on his death where it was laid up in the Chantry.

Possibly the most poignant monument is the white marble effigy (21) [below] of Lady Frederica Stanhope who died in childbirth in 1823. This is considered to be one of the finest examples of work by the famous 19th century sculptor Sir Francis Chantrey.

On the south side of the Chantry are the tomb and fine alabaster effigies (20) [below] of John Lennard who died in 1590, and his wife Elizabeth who died in 1585.

On the north side is the large canopied tomb (19) [below] of Sampson Lennard who died in 1615, and his wife Margaret Fiennes who became Baroness Dacre in her own right [d. 1611]. On each side of this tomb are smaller effigies of their sons and daughters.

Three views of the Sampson Lennard tomb

Around the walls are monuments to various other members of the Stanhope family, most of whom are buried in the vaults beneath the Chantry floor. An exception is the Hon Richard Philip Stanhope [d. 1916] killed in action at the battle of the Somme: his body was never found. The finely carved oval cartouche memorial to this youngest son of the sixth Earl Stanhope can be seen on the wall in the south east corner of the Chantry. He was squire of Revesby Abbey in Lincolnshire 1907-16.

The east window is in memory of Eileen Countess Stanhope [d. 1940] wife of the seventh and last Earl. This window by Moira Forsyth portrays St Peter, Mary, Martha, and St Michael representing: Faith; Love; Work or Service; and Courage. The south window — also by Moira Forsyth — depicts the arms of all seven generations of Stanhopes who resided at Chevening House. The hatchments (11) in the Chantry depict the arms of Stanhope, Mansfield and Pitt. Hatchments were originally hung at the entrance to the deceased's house at the time of death, then carried at the funeral to be laid up finally in the church.

The last major phase in the history of St Botolph's occurred between 1900 and 1902, following an outbreak of dry rot. Lord Stanhope enlisted the eminent architect William Douglas Caröe. Born in 1857, he was the son of the Danish Consul in Liverpool. W D Caröe became the first official architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners [later to become the Church Commissioners] where he served from 1895 until his death in 1938. Under Caröe's direction, extensive repair, re-ordering and re-furnishing was carried out at the church. The floor was lowered almost two feet to its original level, and in 1901 new oak pews installed to replace the earlier "horse-box" pews. A great deal of care and attention was paid to materials and craftsmanship, so much that Caröe used the same woodcarvers throughout. Cornish and Gaymer also carved the oak screen and door to the vestry, pulpit and the half-glazed parclose screen (12) to the Stanhope Chantry.

The pulpit (13) is an interesting combination using original Jacobean oak panelling with a modern pedestal, stairs and handrail. This successful reconstruction is believed to contain original panels from either the old two-decker pulpit or the old "horse-box" pews. This theory is borne out by the shadow outline left by earlier wrought-iron hinges where they have stained the surface of the oak.

The oak parclose screen (12) to the Stanhope Chantry is rich and lively with its carved frieze of fruit and flowers. The supporting panel on the left-hand side of the Chantry door incorporates the Earl's coronet surmounting a letter "S" for Stanhope, and the opposite side panel has the date 1902 cleverly worked into the carving. The wrought ironwork is pure Arts and Crafts yet unmistakably Nordic in design, no doubt reflecting Caröe's Danish ancestry.

The chancel south wall contains a monument to Robert Cranmer [d. 1619] of Chipstead Place [nephew of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer]. He was a Yeoman to the Jewel House of the Tower of London during the reign of James 1st. On the north wall opposite is a memorial to his daughter Ann Lady Herries [d. 1613]; the style of this monument is thought to be the earliest of its kind.

Of special interest is the reredos (14) [above] to the altar. Based on Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting of the Last Supper, it was carved in Caen stone by Farmer and Brindley in 1890. However, we now know that it was carved originally for Durham Cathedral, but was — for reasons unknown — not accepted by the Dean and Chapter! Fortuitously, the architect at Durham, and the architect at Chevening were one and the same — William Douglas Caröe. The sculpture was offered to St Botolph's church, and the sixth Earl Stanhope arranged for it to be installed in the chancel of St Botolph's. This magnificent reredos was purchased for the sum of £l70!

There used to be some 16th century brasses (15) set in the floor in front of the altar rail. The brasses had become so badly worn that they were removed for repair and conservation. They depict the Rev Griffin Floyd [d. 1596], his wife and their children all in period costume. Their eldest son William married Susannah Cranmer, the great-niece of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Newly mounted on a large slab of Lepine limestone on the wall to the left of the organ, the restored brasses are part of a memorial to Henry Weavers, a churchwarden who died on Easter Day 1993.

The organ (16) was built by Bishop & Co of London, and installed in 1890. It is a "tracker" type organ, and apart from the addition of two new stops is in original condition. The fine oak organ case was carved by Cornish and Gaymer who later carved all the pews and other furnishings for the major re-ordering of 1901-1902.

The stained glass windows are all 20th century except for the window in the south aisle. This window depicting St Martin of Tours was painted and stained in 1872, but was not placed in the church until 28 years later. It is in memory of the Rector's son who was killed in action in 1900 during the South African War.

The chancel east window depicting the Nativity was designed and executed in 1949 by Moira Forsyth, [who also designed windows in Guildford Cathedral]. Note the angels in the very top arch of this window, shown playing various musical instruments. The chancel north window installed in 1992 is the newest window. A memorial to Ronald Holland, chorister and church treasurer for 25 years. It is the work of local artists Keith and Judy Hill. All the modern windows replace Victorian stained glass destroyed by enemy bombing in 1942 and 1943 during World War Two.

The story of this church is infinite, always moving to meet the needs of the times, and now facing the challenge of a new Millennium. In 2008 all the lath and plaster to the sloping ceiling between the rafters had to be replaced at the enormous cost of £90,000. This serves to show the very high cost of maintaining this beautiful historic parish church.
 

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