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38. St Peter Ad Vincula, Wisborough Green
This beautiful thirteenth century church with its soaring spire stands on a small hilltop in the heart of the village. Its very thick walls - 4ft.6.ins. - give it a fortress appearance enhanced by two massive buttresses at the corners of the tower though these were only added in 1838. After entering by the ancient timbered North porch you find a church of considerable charm and interest. The high timbered crown post roof and the celestory windows give a marvellous feeling of space. To the right of the chancel arch is a medieval wall painting dating from the reign of King John in 1215. The upper picture is of St James the Great presenting a group of pilgrims to Christ. This may well relate to the famous St James's shrine at Compostella in Spain. The lower picture shows the Crucifixion with Christ hanging on a common crossbar with the two thieves and being offered vinegar by a Roman soldier. St John the Evangelist stands alongside. Above and to the right is a 17th century painting of a cherub. The most interesting feature of the Early English chancel is the original stone altar of pre-Reformation date. Hidden in the vicarage at Loxwood when Henry VIII ordered all stone altars to be destroyed it only returned to Wisborough when the vicarage was demolished in 1901 and was finally restored as the altar in 1938. The East Window, comprising of three lancets, has Victorian glass but the low oak choir pews are of 14th century origin. A memorial tablet on the floor commemorates John Eystone a yeoman who died in 1758 and his wife Sarah. He is described as 'A Good Master, a good neighbour, a kind friend and Good to the Poor,' whilst Sarah was 'a good wife, good neighbour, a loving friend and tender mother.' An earlier memorial relates to William Threele who died in 1667. On the south wall of the chancel is a poignant modern memorial to William Mainprice who was Vicar 1896-1919, and his two sons, both sadly killed in the Great War. One, Paul, aged 19, was lost when H.M.S.Bulwark blew up at Sheerness in November 1914, whilst Loxley, a Fleet Paymaster 'went down with the ship H.M.S.Invincible at the Battle of Jutland May 31 1916'. The Invincible, Admiral Hood's flagship blew up when a German shell hit the magazine. Of the crew of 1032 men only six survived.
In the Lady Chapel in the South Aisle is an attractive stained glass window in memory of two brothers Robert and Guy Helme, both killed in France in 1917. The window depicts three saints - St Louis, St George and St Martin. Above, the Regimental badges of the Royal Dragoons and Coldstream Guards are shown. At the west end of the South aisle is a small window containing fragments of old local glass from Elizabethan times. Presented by Mr Kenyon in 1968 it commemorates refugee Huguenot glassmakers from France who settled in the village between 1567 and 1615. The West End has a modern oak door to the tower, which contains six bells. This door was installed as a memorial to the men of the Second Canadian Division who fell in the Dieppe Raid of August 1942. The Division was stationed in the area and the raid was planned in the village. On the other side, steps lead up to a modern organ. A large clock commemorating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee of 1897 hangs on the wall. Note also the beautifully written baptismal rolls and list of incumbents on the adjacent wall. Last but not least the North Aisle contains one modern treasure. This is a large tapestry begun in 1977 in honour of the Queen's Silver Jubilee and completed 8 years later. The three panels each contain 20 roundels featuring all aspects of Wisborough village life, its history and buildings. The roundels are supported by natural vines such as honeysuckle, convolvulus and ivy and by a chestnut tree. Local flowers, birds and wild life can be seen in the borders. It is a great credit to all the local families involved in the project and adds much to the beauty and interest of a lovely old church. John Symonds |
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page last updated 5 MAY 2000 |
