St. Etheldreda's Church, Horley
The existing chancel, though remodelled in the 14th century, appears to date substantially from c. 1200 and was probably built at approximately the same date as the tower. Internally it retains an aumbry with dog-tooth ornament and a heavy roll-moulding running beneath the windows in the north and south walls: externally the south doorway and the lower parts of the south wall are of the same date. Of the nave as it existed in the 12th century there is no trace except the outline of a steep-pitched roof on the west face of the tower. It may, however, be presumed that it was aisleless, as is still the case at Bucknell, a church of similar date and plan. During the earlier 13th century it was rebuilt with a higher roof and narrow lean-to aisles. The principal surviving portion of this 13th-century nave is the west wall, in which the line of the original roof can still be traced externally. Two cusped niches and a doorway ornamented with attached shafts are features of the 13th-century west front. Early in the 14th century the church was enlarged and remodelled. Both arcades were rebuilt with more lofty arches, and the south aisle at least was widened and re-windowed, though the original 13th-century south doorway was re-used in a new position. At the same time the chancel was largely rebuilt on its original foundations, though retaining much of the 13th-century masonry internally. Both in the chancel and in the south aisle the 14thcentury masons conformed closely to the pattern of the 13th-century plinth still existing in the west wall of the nave. At the same time a clerestory was constructed in order to light the nave and a south porch was built. The buttressing of the tower probably took place at the same time as the general remodelling of the church. Like the relieving-arch already noted it may indicate some failure of the masonry in the east wall of the tower. A staircase turret formerly rose about 3 ft. above the parapet of the tower; it was removed early in the 19th century. In the early 15th century the north wall of the north aisle was rebuilt, both the fenestration and the external plinth being of that date. The original 13th-century north doorway was, however, retained and reset in the new masonry. The large square-headed west window of 3 lights with a transom dates from c. 1600, and no doubt replaces a medieval window that had fallen into decay. As at Hanwell, there is a fire-place and chimney in the south-west corner of the south aisle. The tubshaped font (restored in 1855) may date from the late 12th or early 13th century. The exposed position of the church no doubt helped to account for its early decay, though there seems to have been much neglect. The lay rector was constantly presented in the early 17th century for a dilapidated chancel. On one occasion some of the timber and one beam were said to have fallen down and in 1621 it was described as 'ruinous and much decayed' so that the rain came in. In 1632 the church itself was said to be 'ready to fall'. In 1690 the roof of the 'north side' was ordered to be repaired with lead, and in 1701, 1706, and 1714 repairs to the 'leads', generally, were again necessary. Some time in the 18th century, perhaps about 1760, the upper part of the east window of the chancel was rebuilt and new tracery was inserted in the westernmost of the 2 windows in the north wall of the chancel. In 1785 over £39 was paid for work on the tower and work in 1838–9 included new roofing and slating (not leading) the nave and the south aisle, repairing the north aisle, and reflooring and re-pewing the church. The work was paid for by subscription and was done as cheaply as possible, deal being used. The roof of the north aisle was not thoroughly repaired until 1855. The pulpit and reading desk had been provided in 1836. By 1879 a thorough restoration was required. In a private letter the vicar wrote that the tower might fall any day. In 1883 and 1884 the churchwardens examined the tower and found that it was necessary to do repairs at once to prevent the roof from falling in. Nothing was done, however, until 1915. The tower was then repaired and the fabric put in good order. The deal pews were replaced by chairs, and Persian carpets were given by the vicar. Later, under the supervision of the architect, Mr. L. Dale, the rood, rood-loft, and rood-screen were erected; the pulpit was painted with scenes from the life of St. Etheldreda, and 2 new altars were installed in the north and south aisles. The church is lit by clusters of candles. Several coffin lids of the 12th or 13th century survive. A carved stone with cusped panelling at the east end of the south aisle appears to be part of a tomb of 15th-century date. There is also a brass indent of c. 1500 in the tower representing a civilian and lady with six daughters and several sons. Only parts of the brass itself remain. There is some ancient glass of the earlier 15th century: in a window in the north aisle is the kneeling figure of Henry Roworthe, rector until 1420 and Archdeacon of Canterbury. In the next window is the figure of Master Robert Gilbert, another rector, who became Bishop of London in 1436. There are fragments of the Beauchamp arms in the east window of the south aisle and in the westernmost window of the north aisle. The church is remarkable for its wall-paintings: the gigantic St. Christopher, dated c. 1450, is one of the largest and most perfect representations of the saint in this country. Other scenes, the Annunciation, St. Michael weighing souls, St. George and the Dragon, and a representation of the Seven Deadly Sins, were uncovered by the vicar in 1853, but none could be preserved. A figure, probably of St. Etheldreda, remains on the western pier of the north arcade; on the north wall of the nave, near the tower, are some designs consisting of circles enclosing a character resembling the letter T. Some postReformation texts also remain on the south wall. The painted Commandments in the chancel were put up in 1822, and the 18th-century organ and organ-case, said to have once belonged to Handel, was acquired in the late 18th or early 19th century. The church plate includes a pair of silver chalices of 1690, a silver paten of 1702 and a silver flagon of 1855. There were also a pair of pewter plates and a pair of tankard flagons, all of the 18th century. There is a ring of 4 bells by William and Henry Bagley dated 1706. The registers are complete from 1538. Historical information about St. Etheldreda's Church is provided by 'Parishes: Horley and Hornton', in A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 9, Bloxham Hundred, ed. Mary D Lobel and Alan Crossley (London, 1969), pp. 123-139. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol9/pp123-139 [accessed 1 February 2023]. St. Etheldreda's Church is a Grade I listed building. For more information about the listing see St Etheldredas Church, Horley - 1216504 | Historic England For more information about St. Etheldreda's Church see Parishes: Horley and Hornton | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk). |
