Church Tour Notes

St Mary The Virgin Church, Edlesborough

Introduction

· Managed by Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) since 1975

· Friends formed about 10 years ago to increase usage of the building by the local and wider community and raise funds for the continuing care and upkeep of the building

· Risks

• trip hazards font,  chancel altar steps, step into and out of chancel, lady chapel plinth
• slightly raised grille in floor of chancel
• grilles in floor of church – high heel risk

Overall history

· Edlesborough church stands on a mound with views to Ivinghoe Beacon and the chalk downs.

• Would the ground have been bare or tree covered when it was built, ie were there any views then?

· Place name probably derives from the Old English ‘Eadwulf’s beorg’, or hill.

· Church in Edlesborough since 1199, when first rector appointed, this building dates from mid 1200s.

· Gilbert of Ghent (nephew of William the Conqueror) gave the right to appoint its priest to the monks at Bardney, Lincolnshire; this right passed in 1392 to the Carthusian monks at the London Charterhouse.

· After the monasteries were dissolved in the 1530s the patronage passed through various hands to the Brownlows of Ashridge, some 5 miles to the south-east.

· Edlesborough was of such importance in the reign of Edward III that the assizes for the county were held here in 1332.

· Church built of Totternhoe clunch, type of limestone. Soft stone, easy to mine and carve then hardens upon exposure to air. But easily corroded by rainwater

• stained paintings and damaged pillars

· Current building dates from mid-13^th century – comprised 3 eastern bays of nave and aisles, and the chancel. There would have been no windows in the nave, though 2 in chancel.  Windows were installed in the aisles later in the century.

· Glass throughout the church was replaced during the Victorian restoration 1867 and 1875 (with the exception of the Pilgrim window - see north aisle).

Nave - Tower End

· Originally steep pitched roof, line of which can be seen on wall to tower.

· Walls were raised and Clerestory added in 15^th century.

· Pitch of roof was lowered and made shallower, the massive tie-beams rest on moulded stone corbels. Same throughout the church except those in south aisle and porch which were renewed in 19^th century

· the three eastern bays have octagonal columns and semi-octagonal responds

· the westernmost column is formed by two responds, back to back, and possibly indicates the position of the original West wall, before it was extended in the late 13^th century

· It seems (from the abrupt ending of the arcades where they join the tower) that the nave and aisles extended further west, but were shortened by the building of the tower, which required the small amount of available space on the hill-top. 

• Note traces of graffiti - some of considerable age - scratched at random into some of the surfaces of the piers (not easy to find). 

· The pine pews were installed as part of the Victorian restoration 1867 and 1975, replacing the old box pews that had been installed in 17^th or 18^th century – which

• The restorers described them as ugly and unsightly

Font

· 15^th century.

· Stone Totternhoe clunch – no wear because not exposed to water.

· Font cover Victorian – note oak finial, 15th-century, possibly the finial of pulpit canopy.

· Cover was kept in a villager’s barn after it was retrieved from the workshop of a contractor for the CCT. The Friends reclaimed it and paid for repairs.

· Originally the font was located in the south aisle; it was moved during the Victorian restoration - much to the chagrin of the Friends and EdleFesters who have to find their way round it when buying beer and refreshments at EdleFest.

Nave - Pulpit end

Wall paintings

· The angel wall paintings of 1867 by Daniel Bell are part of the Victorian restoration.

• In another church (Copford Church Essex)  it states he was prone to adding ‘details’ that were not present in the original composition, and gave their medieval artwork a Pre-Raphelite flavour in places and added some details that were not in the originals. He also used the wrong type of plaster.

· There is no evidence that there were any paintings before these.

· Daniel was the brother of Alfred Bell, whose company Bell and Almond produced one of the stained glass windows in the chancel.

Medieval pulpit

· The octagonal pulpit and canopy are 15^th century, but the hourglass stand is 17^th century. It was restored in 1867

· The gilded ball surmounting the canopy is probably modern. (The top of the canopy could well have been what is now the top of the font cover)

· On the jamb of the chancel arch, to the east of the pulpit, is an hour-glass holder, probably of the 17th century.

Rood screen

· Oak; 15^th century.

· The screen colouring was part of Victorian restoration, but would have been similarly bright .

· The main uprights have attached shafts with moulded bases and capitals from which originally sprang the ribs of the vaulted coves beneath the loft, but the original arrangement is preserved on the chancel side only.

· The cove forming the rood loft on the west side was removed during or following the 16^th century Reformation. It was replaced with a cornice. The rood (crucifix) was removed at the same time.

• Rood-lofts remained till 1561, when an order for their removal was issued by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and the stairs to them were blocked, after the accession to the throne by Queen Elizabeth. The rood-screens were allowed to remain.

· The remains of the rood loft stairs can be seen going through the pillar.

Lectern  

· On 28 March 1828 lightning struck the church and set fire to the tower. One of the timbers rescued from the fire was re-used and carved into the lectern, with the inscription ‘Ereptum Ex ligne’ (snatched from the fire). 

Tower

· Built mid-14^th century.

· On top was wooden spire, covered with lead, surmounted by a leaden crown of thorns and a weathercock.

· Contained a peal of 5 bells and a smaller sanctus bell. Believed to have been originally cast by Rufford of Toddington, bell founders between 1353 and 1400.

• Bells were cast on site in those days but it would appear there were already Ruffords in Edlesborough as William Rufford, born 1350 in Edlesborough, married Ann le Boteler, whose grandfather had built the chantry in 1338. In the late 15^th century the chantry was altered and named the Rufford chapel.

FIRE -Friday 21^st March 1828

• thunderstorm 3 or 4 pm; a local shepherd saw the weathercock struck by lightning and gave the alarm when he saw smoke coming from the spire. In half an hour the flames burst out just beneath the Crown of Thorns
• Vicar, Parish officials were in the vestry and they, together with the parishioners, tried to extinguish the flames. Messages sent to Ashridge, Dunstable and Ivinghoe for fire engines
• When fire engines arrived everyone strained to work them and supply them with water, but they were unable to reach the spire and fire continued to increase, fanned by strong west wind.
• Molten lead began to pour in streams and soon the whole spire was one mass of flames. Wind rushing through the louvre boarding of the windows caused the fire to roar “most awfully”.
• Parishioners now tried to save the body of church – removed gallery and some of the seats.
• Bells by now red hot and fell through belfry floor, which followed them, also on fire.
• Whole of the tower now one sheet of flames, over 100 feet high, deafening roaring plus exploding of some of the building stones.
• Fire continued until 5 a.m. Saturday over 12 hours later – everything combustible in tower was destroyed. taken from article in parish magazine by the vicar, WB Wroth)

- A new set of 6 bells were provided later in the same year, cast by T. Mears using the metal of the 5 old ones. The bells and the repairs to the church cost nearly £1000.

Ten  Commandments

· Painted on 2 thin metal sheets during the Victorian restoration.

Burghope Trust board 

· 18th-century(?) benefaction board describes how George Burghope, vicar of Edlesborough 1667 – 1691, instructed in his will that the income from some land in the village be given to the Churchwardens to distribute to the poor. Originally certain sermons had to be preached by the vicar during Lent and other important liturgical dates, but eventually because of poor attendance this was reduced to one on the anniversary of Burghope’s death, to be attended by the poor widows and other poor of the parish.

• If this date is correct presumably the board was somewhere else in the church, otherwise it would have caught fire?

Brass Rubbing Pictures - Sir John de Swynstede

- John was Rector of Edlesborough, also Canon of Lincoln. He died in 1395 and was buried (presumably) under or near the altar.

- Brass moved to Pitstone church in 1818 to enable alterations/ repairs of church. Then moved to Ashridge, Lord Brownlow’s home. (He held the livings of Edlesborough and Pitstone and was responsible for many of the alterations)

- Brass brought back to Edlesborough in 1929 and placed in the North Aisle (the original location in the chancel having been tiled during Lord Brownlow’s restoration)

- In the 1960s the then vicar moved the brass to the chancel, see concrete space in floor near altar, to prevent it being damaged by enthusiastic brass rubbings – the chancel and vestry doors could be closed.

- CCT removed the brass in the 1980s whilst work carried out.

Description of Brass Rubbings

- He is wearing beautifully embroidered Mass vestments - an alb and over this a chasuble, which is a circular garment with a hole for his head. He has six apparels: little embroidered strips.

- His hands are held together in prayer and he is standing on a little grassy hill.

- The head roll reads ‘Christ loved us and saved us from our sins in his own blood’.

- An inscription, at his feet, also in Latin, reads ‘John de Swynstede, formerly rector of this church who died on the 17th day of March in the year of Our Lord 1395 on whose soul may God have mercy. Amen’.

- There are two copies of the brass rubbing:

- A negative rubbing in black wax crayon.

- A positive rubbing.   The incised lines in the brass have been coloured with Indian ink, the wax crayon has been removed with white spirit and the six apparels plus the lower edge of his chasuble have been painted in colours appropriate for Whit Sunday, ie red and gold.’    

These brasses were created by Angela Hillyard, in the 1980s. Angela was a passionate local historian  and gave talks to historical groups using her many brass rubbings as references. She died November 2022, and the rubbings were donated to the Church on the Hill by her daughter.

North Aisle

· 13^th century, part of original building.

· Both 2025.5.9s are additionally strengthened in 15^th century by transverse arches over each column of the arcade- and unusual feature, which may also be seen in Aylesbury church.

Roof Corbels –

· Most are turret shaped as in nave, but two have carved faces , as do two in chancel

• Are they of same date as the rest?

Small window and fireplace

· In the west wall, 7 or 8 ft. from the ground, is the square recess of a fireplace with remains of a flue, possibly indicating, with the small (Pilgrim) window, that the westernmost bay of the aisle formed at one time a small lodging of two storeys.

Pilgrim window

· Probably 15^th century, much restored in the 19^th.

· Contains some original glass

· Thought to show St James : the scallop shell of his hat is his symbol.

· St James is the patron saint of Pilgrims and of Spain and his shrine at Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain was in mediaeval times - and indeed still is today - an important place of pilgrimage for Christians. 

Scrap of Paper

· WW1 recruitment poster

• Treaty of London 1839 guaranteed the independence and neutrality of Belgium.
• When the German Empire invaded Belgium in August 1914 in violation of the treaty, the British declared war.
• Informed by the British ambassador that Britain would go to war with Germany over the latter's violation of Belgian neutrality, German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg exclaimed that he could not believe that Britain and Germany would be going to war over a mere 'scrap of paper'.

Roll of Honour

· Records Parishioners who served in WW1.

· Not all names on ‘Scrap of Paper’ are here.  

• Were the missing ones those who were unfit to serve?

James Tibbett

· Waterloo Pensioner. Returned from camapign and became a straw plaiter with his family.

• See display on board. 

 Windows

· 2 either side of the door are 14^th century, one at eastern end is 15^th century

North Doorway

· late 13^th century with a depressed two-centred head more richly moulded than the jambs;

• leads to: North Porch – added 15^th century

Niche:

· 15^th century between two easternmost windows, shallow, with cinque-foiled head and traces of defaced canopy, the back of which retains much of the original colouring, leaving void the shape of a human figure, believed to be figure of bishop (in 1925)

• Is the shape still visible?

Rufford chapel (North Aisle)

· In 1338, Thomas de Boteler founded the Chantry of Our Lady and All Saints in the north transept.

• A chantry chapel is where mass was said for deceased donors.

· this underwent considerable alteration in the late 15^th century when it became known as the Rufford family chapel(Ann le Boteler had married William Rufford about 1370):

• the moulded segmental pointed arch, opening from the  North aisle
• window of five cinque-foiled lights under a flat four-centred head.
• low-pitched roof of two bays with heavy cambered and chamfered tie-beams, moulded straining-beams, and curved struts with plain spandrels, moulded purlins, principals and ridge, and chamfered rafters.

Memorial on East wall to Rufford

· memorial to Thomas Rufford, 1599, of Purbeck marble with semi-octagonal pilasters and semi-circular arch.

· built into this wall, and evidently not in their original positions, are five stone brackets; the second and fourth were evidently originally carved with heads and have been re-cut.

Brasses

· on West wall, in slab with Ionic pilasters, of Henry Brugis, 1647, who married Frances, daughter of John Pigott and Winefred, his wife, figures of a man and woman in 17th-century dress, two inscriptions, one to Henry Brugis, the other to Winefred Pigott, daughter of Thomas Sankye of Edlesborough, 1592.

· These were originally on a wall built out from the base of the stairs to the rood loft, as can be seen in plans for the church alterations in the late 19^th century.

· They were near the floor slab dedicated to Elizabeth Hutchinson, Henry’s daughter.

Debris

· In the vestry is a piece of carved stone, on the face of which are two sunk cinquefoiled panels in a square head, while in the tower are a number of fragments, including parts of a stone coffin, pieces of window tracery, and parts of a monument on which are traces of heraldic painting, and a defaced carved oak wall bracket. (source written 1925)

Passage

· Modern passage constructed in a small modern turret, leading to the chancel. The doorway into the chancel is late 15^th century

Chancel

Roof:

· low-pitched with 3 bays, as in the rest of the church, 15^th century

· heavy chamfered tie-beams and straining-beams, the easternmost tie-beam is cut away to form a hammer-beam on each side of the East window

· 2 moulded stone corbels are carved with flowers and two with carved mediaeval faces.

• Similar to ones carved in north aisle?

Walls

· The walls were raised and windows inserted in the 15^th century

The north and south walls each have a 13th-century moulded string-course, probably marking the springing line of the original roof, and near the centre of each wall is a vertical mark in the masonry, denoting possibly the positions of wall shafts to the original roof, which may have been vaulted.  

Altar area

• If the altar was originally stone it would have been destroyed early in the reign of Edward VI (reigned 1547 – 1553), along with images and coloured glass throughout the church. Protestantism was established during his reign. A wooden altar would have been made in its place – perhaps this is the one now by the south entrance?

· Behind the altar is a reredos (decorative screen) dating from 1895, commemorating “Charles Hutchinson, sometime vicar of this parish, panels were added by his wife and sons 1898”

· To the right of the altar are the piscine (basin for the priest to wash the communion vessels after Mass),

· a 15^th century bracket which probably once supported a statue and 3 seats (sedilla) set into the wall.

· Chair – 17^th century

Windows of south wall

· 3 late 15th-century windows

· Between the first and second windows is a doorway with moulded jambs and a two-centred head,

West of the westernmost window, and a little above it, is a defaced fragment of a window label of late 13th-century date.

Stalls  & Misericords

· 15^th century - 6 carved stalls backing onto the rood screen –

· Hinged, so that when the clergy had to stand for long periods of time during a service they could perch on the underside of the seat. – called misericords. Carved with birds, grotesque animals.

· Desks in front of all the stalls are 15^th century

· Rest of stalls are Victorian

Chancel floor slabs and monuments:

· Marble tablet on the north wall to Margaret, wife of Thomas Bayley, principal of New Inn Hall, Oxford, 1701, and her daughter Margaret, by her first husband, John Theed of Horton, 1700

· 4 lozenge-shaped floor slabs: to John Theed, who died in 1686, Richard Theed (his infant son), 1680, Margaret wife of Thomas Bayley and formerly wife of John Theed, who died in 1701, and to William Ginger, who died in 1738; also two smaller slabs of the same form, one inscribed M T 1700 and the other J.T. 1695.

Victorian restoration

· The chancel was restored at the expense of Lord Brownlow of Ashridge

· New organ was installed

South aisle

Opening and stairs to the former roodloft 

· externally the wall is splayed in the angle to give space for the stairs, which are lighted by a small quatrefoil; the soffit of this splay is carved as a trefoiled canopy

Small side altar 

· 15^th century piscina and a tall niche, which probably used to house a statue or cross, alongside it. The presence of the piscina shows that this altar was used for Mass at a more private service in the south aisle. Piscina with an ogee head and a stone shelf at the back.

Floor slab:  

· to Elizabeth Hutchinson, daughter of Henry Brugis and wife of Ralph Hutchinson, 1636, who died in childbirth. Ralph presented the church with a silver communion cup, now held by St Albans Abbey.

• In the reformed English Holy Communion Service, more capacious vessels were needed than those of the old Latin Mass, because ordinary bread was used not wafers, and every communicant received the wine, not only the priest. (taken from Wing church booklet). 

Chests

· 17th century, one is dated 1689

Roof

· Replaced during Victorian restoration, but rests on old stone corbels similar to those in the North aisle.

South porch

· Added 15^th century

Painting 

· believed to be of Aaron (brother of Moses) , probably 17^th or 18^th century

• These were often in pairs, Moses and Aaron, one either side of the arch.
• ‘History of Buckinghamshire’ by JJ Sheahan confirmed that there was a Moses at that time, in the north porch.

Communion Table

· 17^th century oak, with turned baluster legs and incised decoration.

Brass Rubbing Picture: Sir Henry Brugis and his wife, Francis Piggott.

- This brass, with an inscription in Roman capitals above, is in memory of Sir Henry Brugis and his wife, Francis Pigott, daughter of John and Winefred Pigott, who departed this life 15^th day of June in 1647.

- The inscription at the foot is to Winefred Cole, wife of John Pigott, mother of the above Francis, who died 12^th May 1592. This is written in English in Gothic script.

- The brasses themselves can be seen in the Rufford Chapel (north aisle)

 This brass was created by Angela Hillyard, who died November 2022, and was donated to the Church on the Hill by her daughter. It was created in the 1980s. Angela was a passionate local historian  and gave talks to historical groups using her many brass rubbings as reference.

History of brasses

· Brasses were grave markers used to cover tombs, they were at the peak of popularity 1300s-1600s; they had been developed from incised slabs which were found to be easily worn away.

· The first brass was in Bedford, and the earliest surviving one dates from 1277 in Sussex. (only 4 remain from that period).

· They were very expensive, £15-£20 for a full length one (in 1316 an Oxford yeoman paid £18 for a timber framed house).

· The earliest female brass is in Pitstone church – 1310.

· The figures were usually from stock with bespoke inscriptions.

· There are about 7600 pre 1700 brasses surviving, mostly in southern England, though there are many more in Europe. 4000 are only an inscription, so there are only some 3000 figures.

· Most others suffered from the Reformation, or theft. Puritans destroyed many “superstitious inscriptions”, and brass was valuable so many were torn up and melted down – which is still happening today.

· The person represented in the brass was often involved in designing it during their lifetime, many were brightly coloured with enamel or wax. The hatching in the centre of the rose brass suggests that it was probably coloured.

· The maker of the brass was usually anonymous, but there are 2 recognisable schools that emerged in about 1360s – named ‘A’ and ‘B’. The de Swynstede brass is style ‘A’ and the rose brass style ‘B’ and was probably created by the head of the workshop John Wessex.

Timeline of Turbulent Times in England

1509 - Henry VIII ascends the throne, aged 18.

1529 - Thomas Wolsey dismissed for failing to obtain the Pope’s consent to his divorce from Catherine of Aragon (divorce papers signed in Dunstable Priory). 

1533 - Art limited to portraits and allegorical scenes, other subjects being banned.

1534 - Act of Supremacy. Henry VIII declared supreme head of Church of England

1536 - 1539 - Dissolution of the monasteries and nunneries in order to fund the government , eg Dunstable Priory. (The Nave of Dunstable Priory was not demolished because the townsmen had paid for its maintenance so it was deemed to be the Parish Church. The Priory was more than twice as large as the current church).

1539 - First authorised Bible in English

1547 - Edward VI ascends to the throne, aged 9.

The changes in religious observances of the middle of the 16th century caused the destruction of many of the ritual fittings of the parish churches, but they did not, as a rule, affect the actual fabrics. The stone altars, images and coloured glass were destroyed early in the reign of Edward VI

1549 - English Prayer book issued, with Act of uniformity to enforce it. English became compulsory for Church services.

1553 - 1558 - Mary ascends the throne. Restoration of Roman Catholism. Protestant bishops sent to the Tower. Protestants are persecuted and about 300 are burned at the stake.

1558 - Elizabeth is crowned Queen of England

Source documents unless stated otherwise

• 1892 S. ALBANS ARCHITECTURAL & ARCHÆOLOGICAL S0CIET. (much of it based on [The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham, by George Lipscomb, 1847]
• 1913 From Inventory of historical Monuments in Bucks, 1913 (British history on line)
• 1925 From – Victoria County History, A History of the County of Buckingham
• 1994 History taken from the Guidebook by Roy Tricker (from our website)
• CCT leaflet
• Rose brass talk by Rachel from CCT