The church of St Nicholas

Our thanks to Nigel Bell for permission to reproduce this history
from his booklet -"Newnham A short History of the Parish and its Church"

The Building’s History
There is no e whether or not the present church was preceded by an earlier building. The first reference, as mentioned above, is in a Charter of Henryde Port to the Priory of West Sherborne, now Monk Sherborne, dated about 1130; in this he provided income for the priory to enable the monks to support the village’s church. The chance! arch, which stands where it has done for centuries, is in the Norman style with dog-tooth decoration typical of its period and has been dated to about 1125. The charter would seem to coincide with the building of the church.

Over the subsequent centuries there is no information about how the church may have been modified, but it may not have changed much, if at all.

By 1846 major restoration work was necessary and was completed by early 1848, when the Rector, the Reverend George Wylie, stated the building was almost a new one. In fact major changes to the structure had been introduced : a totally new tower, a brand new staircase and vestry, new buttresses at every corner, re-designed windows and a new interior layout. Nevertheless, it must be stressed he had an interest in trying to impress on the Incorporated Church Building Society, from whom he had sought funds, that a major ‘improvement’ had been achieved.

In fact the nave’s dimensions before the modifications only differ modestly from those visible today. It seems probable that the nave walls stand where the Norman builders placed them, and that they look broadly similar to those constructed in the twelfth century, and that the chancel walls are exactly as before; also all the north and south windows may well be positioned as they were previously, although they have been enlarged. The west window may be an innovation, but there was perhaps a window to illumine the gallery. The east window is probably entirely new and enlarged, and it certainly has new glass, because the previous stained glass, given by the Reverend Dr. Hutchinson in 1733, showed Christ on the road to Emmaus.

The Font		The Lectern and Pulpit

It is certain the church was tiled, rather than slated or thatched, before 1846, and also there was once a porch. The exact positioning of this porch is unknown; both south and north porches have been postulated, but neither is possible because of the positions of graves which predate 1846. The author believes it was a west porch, and that the old shafts and capitals which stand either side of the tower doorway may have been part of the outer doorway to the original porch.

The church is reached from The Green via Church Path. At the entrance to the graveyard there is an oak, flint and stone, and tile lichgate dated 1910, and a footpath leads along the south-side of the building to the west door. The church comprises a north-west tower, the nave and the chancel; the vestry is below the tower with theentrance from the nave, and there is a gallery or organ loft over thewest end of the nave but reached via thetower entrance.

The tower dates from 1846/48. Its roof has been described by Pevsner as “a sort of Rhenish helm (cf Sompting, Sussex)”.It is surmounted by a weather-vane showing a cockerel in full crow above the points of the compass. Like the remainder of the church, its walls are of flint with limestone quoins, and there are buttresses at the lower levels at all corners. The tower entrance is 12th century work, flanked by undecorated shafts, and it leads up slate stairs to the bell ringing platform, also of slate, and to the gallery.

There are three bells: the oldest dates from 1494-1509, when William Hasylwood was bellfounder at Reading; the second was by Henry Knight 1, 1602; and the third by Henry Knight II, 1662.

The church’s west door is flanked by twelfth century shafts and capitals: “the north capital is carved with three early volutes, and the other has a small human head with long ears...from which issue two knotted and twisted tails”. The rest of the doorway is modern.

The interior of the nave is dominated by the chancel arch, almost 7ft. 6ins. inches wide and l0ft. 8ins. to the top of the arch set in a massive wall. The arch itself is emphasised by the concentric outer curves and the 4 inch wide band of dog-tooth Norman carving, and by the high roof above. Either side of the arch are detached shafts (or columns) resting on two rolls and with cushion capitals.
Long ago, features on both sides of the arch were deliberately destroyed. There is no record of what has gone, nor when, nor why; perhaps the destruction recalls more than one incident of anti-church feeling. Interestingly, the damage above the left shaft was subsequently painted over, and the red colour resembles that used in the faded mediaeval scroll paintwork on both sides of the arch. This same red may also be seen on some of the re-used stones around the nave’s south-facing windows; this suggests red may have been used extensively in earlier times.

In loving memory of the Right Honourable SIR FREDERIC JOHN WROTTESLEY Kt. Born March 1880 Died November 1948. He was called to the Bar in 1907, In 1915 he joined the 3rd North Midland Brigade Royal Artillery. Fought in France and was mentioned in despatches. Appointed Kings Counsel in 1926. Judge of the High Court 1937, and Lord Justice of Appeal and Privy Councillor in 1947. He served his country faithfully in Peace & War

Besides the chancel arch, the visitor also gains a sense of the building’s solidness from looking at the entrance and the windows. The nave’s west wall is 40 inches thick, and the south and north walls are about the same thickness.
The chancel also conveys this sense of strength. The north, east and south walls of the chancel are almost the equals of the nave. The roof is substantially lower than that of the nave, and the walls closer together. Within this setting, the old style undistinguished pews - the former choir stalls, and the chequer board black and white marble floor, give a sense of intimacy. This is stressed on winter mornings at early service, when the velvet curtains are drawn to reduce the draught.

The furnishings of the church are ‘modern’. A plate on the pulpit records that the refurbishment of the interior, including the pulpit, prayer-desk and pews, also the east window, were completed by Christmas 1892. The reading lectern was given at Easter 1910. The altar was given in 1920 (in memory of Capt. G.A.Maconchy, 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, k.i.a. Waziristan, 1920). In subsequent years further gifts and some changes have been made. The kneelers were made by members of the parish during 1986-91.

The vestry, under the tower, is reached by a door of 12th century work. As there was no vestry before the rebuilding in 1846/48 it is possible that this door - in modified form - was formerly in the ‘lost’ porch. Unfortunately, no written record has survived.

The Windows
All the north windows, and the single south window of the chance!, and the west windows in the gallery and the tower, are of clear glass, which allows maximum light into the building. The east window was given by Mrs. Helen Wylie, widow of the Reverend George Wylie, in 1892. It replaced one dated 1733 which had shown Christ on the road to Emmaus. The present window represents the Ascension of Christ into Heaven, with two angels holding a scroll bearing the words, Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven. The scene is of a stylised Jerusalem with the eleven disciples in two groups looking upward at Christ; there are nine other angels in white, and a further eleven angel faces depicted in red glass.

In the nave, on the south side, the easterly window is composed of a frame enclosing individual glass lozenges with four motifs: fleur de lys, vine leaves, oak leaves and a cruciform flower (possibly inspired by the bedstraw family ?).

The central window shows Christ with a scroll above and the words, Come unto me all ye that labour. It was given, “In loving memory of William and Ann Maria Goring, late of Sheldons, Hook. The westerly window depicts Christ holding a small child with four others crowding around; underneath are the words, Suffer the little children to come unto me. It was given by a former rector, the Reverend Andrew Wallace Milroy to record the baptisms of his family. By local tradition the children’s faces in the window are likenesses of his five offspring.

Memorials
There are several memorials on the nave’s walls. The first on the north side is to the Reverend George Wylie and his wife Helen. During his 34 years as rector he masterminded the rebuilding of the church in 1846/48. Some may feel his Victorian zeal might have been excessive and we may have lost forever many features of historic interest, for example earlier memorials.

Next is a plaque to the Reverend Charles Henry Coryndon Baker DD, for 15 years rector. Then above the prayer-desk is the 19 14-1921 memorial to those who died in the Great War, 19 names in all.

In the Chancel, on the north wall, a tablet commemorates Jane Richmond wife of the rector who died in 1781 aged 38, and also of the Reverend Joseph Richmond DD who died in 1816 aged 97, and who was the incumbent for an astonishing 54 years. On the chancel floor a flagstone records them as ‘JR 1781 JRDD 1816’.

Next, on the north wall of the sanctuary, is a feature which may be unique in Hampshire. It is part of an early 14th century gravestone ‘incised with the head and shoulders of a tonsured and bearded priest, apparelled in aib and chasuble, under a trefoiled canopy”. The only part of the inscription remaining is ‘+ Hic jacet’ (= Here lies), but the identity of the person is unknown. It was brought to Newnham from Andwell Priory Farm and used to reside on the west wall of the chancel.

On the south wall is a black metal memorial erected by the Reverend Paul Daniel Eyre to his father the Reverend Charles James Phipps Eyre MA for many years rector of St. Marylebone, and also his brother Ernest Eyre who died in 1882, aged 22, while still at Christchurch, Oxford.

Then to the right of the south window, the Reverend Richard Hunter AM (sic) who died in 1844, and his wife Mary who died in 1840, are recalled.

On the south wall of the nave are further memorials: a pulpit light to Fanny Vernon Harrop, and there are tablets to the Righi Honourable Sir Frederick John Wrottesley Kt who lived at Manor Farm and died in 1948; Georgiana Pechell (flee Harrop) and two of her infant grandchildren, Aimee and Estelle Pechell; and William Mortimer Charles Pechell of Newnham Hill, and his wife Emily Louisa Pechell.

There is also a coffin stool inscribed “Louis and Rosemary”. This was given in memory of the Simmonds’, husband and wife, who lived at Tithe Barn on Newnham Green and who died in 1947 and 1940, respectively.

Whether royal coats of arms are memorials may be arguable, nevertheless the church owns those of George 1, painted on wood.

Outside the church there are two benches given in memory of Miss Kathleen Close, 1960, one by the west door the other by the lichgate. She lived at Rookswood on London Road, Hook, where Rookswood Close is today.

The Gallery
The only feature of importance is the organ. This is inscribed as, Presented to St. Nicholas Church Newnham on January 13 1952 by Mrs F.E.W.Bell of Newnham Green Farm. A document, now in the vestry, prepared by the person who renovated it in December 1951 says, inter alia, “It was made almost 100 years ago...it has 268 organ pipes, some wood but mostly metal. The largest is 10 feet long and almost 20 inches in girth, while the tiniest is not as long as a new pencil and less than half as thick.”

The Crypt
There is understood to be a small crypt under the chancel. The entrance is under the choir stalls on the north side and was formerly covered by a wooden ‘door’. This used to deteriorate because of the damp, and in about 1935 it was replaced by a concrete slab. No recent entry has been made and the present status of the crypt is unknown.

The Church Yard
On leaving the church it is worth looking firstly at the gravestones immediately adjacent to the west end. To the north of the tower are those of Rogers and Rowlands, and to the south of the church are many Webbs, all were local farming families. On returning down the path to the lichgate the oldest extant tombstone may be inspected beside the south east buttress of the nave. It is of very weathered stone and legible with the very greatest difficulty. It records the last resting place of Mary daughter of Peter Justice, who died 14 August 1728, aged four months; her father may have lived at Lyde Mill.

The next oldest gravestone is that of Mary wife of James North. She died on 13 May 1745 aged 37 years, and she lies under the yews to the south of the path. The stone is carved with two pierced hearts on either side of an hour-glass, a symbol of the transience of human life.

Further along the path is the grave of John Callaway who died 24 June 1831; his headstone bears this poem,

“Pray look at me as you pass by,
As you are now so once was I.
As I am now so you must be,
Prepare yourself to follow me.”
 

Just beyond this grave there is a yew on the north side of the path which marks the old entrance to the church yard. A clear earth bank can be seen running in a westerly direction, north and a south from this point, towards the Manor Farm farmyard. This was the original boundary of the church yard until added to: first on the south side by, it is believed, the Reverend Joseph Richmond in the late 18th century. The second extension, to the north, was the gift of Major Sir H. R. Cayzer in 1923 and was consecrated in 1924.