Edlesborough Connections
St Mary’s Church
The Brownlows held the advowson of St Mary’s ie they had the right to recommend or appoint a member of the Anglican clergy for a vacant position. Lady Marian was a generous Patron to the church.
1868 Lady Marian presented these embroideries to the church, embroiderers unknown.
Embroideries in place for a Heritage Open Day Display in 2018.
The label on the box made to hold the embroideries says “This box contains two pieces of embroidery designed and worked as hanging for the pulpit of the church of St Mary the Virgin, Eddlesborough. Given by Lady Marian Alford 1868”
Photo of the hangings in use about 1910
Label on the back of the larger embroidery
1874 – Lady Marian, together with the Vicar, Rev AF Birch, paid for the large mural painting over the chancel arch.
Education
1849 Lady Marian opened the village school that she had endowed, with her was Viscount Alford, the future Earl Brownlow, who presented the school with £1 to mark the occasion. It had one room and a gallery with benches for the children to sit on. The first school master was appointed on a temporary basis with a salary of £40 per annum, paid by the Ashridge Estate.
She was also later involved in the design for its enlargement, as can be seen from this sketch, from her Scrap book.
Here is her sketch for some chandeliers at Dagnall school.
Sources
- Church Recorders – Alford embroidery pages 1 and 2
- TheRomance of Edlesborough by Carrie Lovell
- Edlesborough Life, 1816 -1845
- From booklet ‘Ashridge’
- From book ‘Ashridge, A living History, by Kay Sanecki
- The Library of Nineteenth-Century Photography
- website www.madeira-web.com
- Lady Marian Alford’s scrapbook, by kind permission of Ashridge College