Rich in history, All Saints Church, Cranham is recorded from as early as 1254, and although the building has changed several times it remains on the same site.
From 1254 the advowson of Cranham Rectory passed with the lordship of the manor of Cranham Hall until 1830 when it was sold to St John’s College, Oxford, where it has remained ever since. The last resident landowner and leaders of parish life on the site were the famous General James Oglethorpe (founder of the state of Georgia, USA) and Mrs. Elizabeth Oglethorpe.
The first recorded Rector of the parish was John de Wokydon in 1310 and since has been transferred through many people in accordance with the lord of the manor. The church at this time comprised of a nave, chancel, south porch and short porch and short weather boarded west tower. There were three narrow lancets on each side of the chancel with the easternmost window on the south wall being shorter to make room for a rounded headed doorway.
In 1638 the high pew was ordered to be removed from the chancel, and in 1702-3 the north side of the church was ‘ripped up and newly piled’. However by 1871 the church was said to be ‘in a miserable state of dirt and dilapidation’ and was thus rebuilt between 1873-5 in its present form.
The present All Saints building was designed by Richard Armstrong and was funded by the then owner of Cranham Hall, Richard Benyon, to the cost of £5,114. It was built of stone in the early English style and consists of chancel, nave, south porch and north tower.
Of the monuments that were retained from the old church, the marble tablet to General Oglethorpe (d. 1785) was replaced on the south chancel wall. In the chancel floor were set a brass inscription to Nathan Wright (manor owner 1647-1743) dated 1658 and a floor slab to his daughter Susannah (d.1664), successively the wife of Charles Potts and Francis Drake.
The three bells (dated 1640) were re-hung for chiming only and the church plate includes an undated silver cup of the period (1696-1729) which was presented by the rector John Woodroffe in 1745 whose tomb stands just to the left of the church path.
The cache has a log book but no pen so please bring one with you.
You are looking for a 35mm film case.
PLEASE REPLACE THE LOGBOOK IN THE ZIPLOCK BAG AS THIS KEEPS IT DRY !!
If any body would like to expand to this series please do, could you please let sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication.