The Church

The first record of a church in Limpsfield is in the Domesday Survey in 1086.

Although no part of the original church survives today, the oldest part of the present Church building is the tower which is thought to have been built around 1180, near the end of a century of tremendous religious activity.

The church is set above the road to the north of Limpsfield village and would have been a focal point when it was originally built .

The twelth century church constructed of ironstone and sandstone rubble consisted of a nave, chancel and a tower unusually placed to the south of the Chancel. The nave has never been completely rebuilt but all four walls are pierced by later work and nothing of its original character remains. During the 13th century the Chancel was extended to its present length and a North Chapel - now the Gresham Chapel was built towards the middle of the century. Also from this century are the narrow South Aisle, with its arcade of arches to complement those between the Chancel and the Gresham Chapel. Seen on the wall of the Tower within the South Aisle is the steep 13th Century roof line. The roof was raised in the 15th Century to its present height to accomodate the higher window. After completion of the South Aisle, an arch was cut through into the Tower and the ground floor made into a Chapel to St Katherine.

The roofs of the Chancel and Gresham Chapel are trussed rafter roofs and the Nave roof of a lower pitch is a good example of a cradle form of roof. The roof on the South Aisle is a plain 15th century lean to roof. Outside the Chancel and Gresham Chapel are tiled, the Nave and South Aisle continuously roofed in Horsham slate and the Tower has a pyramidal wooden shingled spire.

Very little structural alteration took place over the next 300 years. The South door and porch also roofed in Horsham slate, are both 16th century . It was probably at the time of the Reformation that the Rood Screen was removed and the doors leading to it filled in.

The minutes of the Vestry meetings record that in August 1823 it was agreed to build a vestry room to the east side of the tower. This was built by John Brasier (carpenter ) and William Loveland (builder). The window in the east wall of the Tower was moved to the east wall of the vestry The entrance door was in the chancel wall (prints below are from the surrey archeological society's record of the church at that time). Then in 1845 further alterations and improvements were made and Mr Levenson-Gower, allowed the removal of the gallery pews and the gallery was also refitted - it is not clear what this entailed but reference is made to a brass plaque recording these changes being placed in the church.

In 1851 (as recorded by his son in his biography of his father), the Rector James Haldane Stewart, contemplated the enlargement of the church which he considered was not large enough for all the parishioners after complaints had been made by some that they could not find seats when they came to church. The plans for this were drawn up by James Lockyer. It cost £840 and was completed in less than nine months. This added an entire new aisle to the north side of the Nave and the arcade of arches to the Nave designed to match those on the other side between the Nave and South Aisle. A new window was also installed at the west end of the Nave by Henry Cox of Trevereux, one of the Churchwardens. The aisle was opened on 30.10.1851 "when a sermon was preached by the Lord Bishop of Winchester." The floor plans in the picture gallery show the church before and after.

It is interesting to note that a design for a new door is shown on the plans on the south wall but it is not known if the door was installed as part of this project.

In 1870's the victorian restoration under the aegis of the then squire Mr Levenson Gower and supervised by Mr J. L. Pearson F.S.M. resulted in significant reconstruction to the both the interior and exterior of the church. This included the removal of the Gallery at the west end of the Nave and the Jacobite pews were replaced by the present oak benches. The pulpit was cut down to its present height and placed on a stone base and the sounding board and the clerk's seat removed. The font was also moved to its present location and placed on a new stone base with new supporting shafts. The two lancet windows on the south side of the chancel were opened and the vestry built in 1823 was taken down and the door way filled in. The north and west arches under the tower were opened and the brickwork removed. The plaster covering the whole of the tower external walls was removed and the stonework repointed.

The Chancel Arch was raised and the perpendicular East Window changed to the present copy of the original medieval Triple Lancet. The stained glass in these windows is by the well known Victorian glass makers, Clayton and Bell and was a gift of Mr Charles Morris Wilde of Hookwood..

In 1872 a new organ, made by Messrs Hill of London and presented by Arthur Levenson Gower, was opened and set in the south side of the Chancel.

 

On Friday 29 June1900 (St Peter's Day) two new stained glass windows were placed in the south wall of the chancel in memory of the late Rector, Canon E. Rhys Jones.

In 1901 the present vestry was constructed, long needed after the removal of the old one in 1870. After much discussion it was agreed to lift the organ some eight feet to allow space for the vestry and at the same time the organ was enlarged

In 1963 a new organ was installed sited on the wall above the North Aisle connection to the Gresham Chapel. In 1993 a carpet was laid in the Gresham Chapel and the oak benches replaced by chairs.

The newest part of the church is the "millennium room" which is on the north side of the church and was built in 2000 to provide room for the Choir, children and church meetings.

THE BELLS

In 1946 George Elphick surveyed the bells and tower fixings. He confirmed that the third bell was made by Thomas Harris and determined that it was made before 1478 as he apparentlydied in 1479. He carried out detailed measuring of the frames from which he he estimated that the old B frame in the spire was from the 13th Century - based on the south pit which formerly contained the "great bell" or tenor (the probable diameter of the bell's mouth was about 3 feet and just under 3 feet tall. He determined that the size of the bell indicated that it was a long waisted bell and at least 13th century in date as it was not until the late 13th century that bells were altered to present day standards.

On the north side of the spire the south beam was the housing probably of the sanctus bell about 13 inches high and from and from locations of other mountings he thought that there would have been at one time 4 bells in the spire plus the sanctus bell. He thought it was likely that the bells chimed by levers.

There was evidence that the masonry on the north and south wall had been reduced which was likely to have been in the 15th century to allow for the four bells to be set in a row.

The Paschal Candlestick

This was designed and carved by Charles Gurrey of York in 1997. It is made of French Oak and iron worked to forge finish.

The cruciform base with nail like feet rises to wild flowers carved as emblems: the dandelion for the

passion ; the violet for humility and Incarnation; the daffodil for Easter "EARTH".

Above this sits a corona with flowing forms. This alludes to the crown of thorns and is designed to be interwoven and be-decked with flowers at Easter "WATER".

The birds too are emblemetic; swallows for Incarnationand Ressurection; the skylark for transendence; the Eagle not least as the symbol of St John the Evangelist. "AIR".

The candles above: the Paschal candle and in Advent, the four candles preceding the light of the Incarnation "FIRE".