St Mary's Church, Chastleton
Encyclopedia
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is an Anglican
church in the village of Chastleton
, Oxfordshire
, England. It is an active parish church
in the Diocese of Oxford
.
It was built in about 1100 AD and enlarged in 1320.
In around 1320 the chancel was built, part of the North wall was pushed outwards and the South aisle
was added to create chantry chapels.
, was probably the patron. The floor has medieval glazed fired floor-tiles which almost certainly date from the 14th century.
The East window depicts the four Evangelists
. The South window shows scenes from the childhood of Jesus.
The panelling on the East wall is 17th century, as are the pews. The ceiling is Victorian
and bears the coats of arms of five successive families of the Manor of Chastleton: Trillowe, Catesby, Jones, Whitmore and Whitmore-Jones. In a vault below the chapel lie the remains of some of these families.
The altar
was designed in 1993 by Mr. Poole from the nearby village of Oddington
in Gloucestershire and matches the adjoining 14th Century pillars.
which once stood above the chancel arch. Below the chancel were tombs of some of the Jones family, was well as those of some of the former parish rector
s. Horatio Westmacott, rector in 188 was the third son of the famous Victorian sculptor Sir Richard Westmacott.
On the floor near the lectern
are two notable brasses. The first is that of Katherine Throckmorton, gnandmother of Robert Catesby
who died in 1593. The second is that of Edmund Ansley who died in 1613. The vestry
was added in 1853.
, possibly by the same craftsman who provided much of the panelling in Chastleton House
, is etched with the date 1623. Originally situated on the other side of the chancel arch, it was built as a triple-decker, with integral reading desk and Clerk's desk.
The pews in the nave and chancel are Victorian. These replaced Jacobean oak benches and pews with high backs, of which three remain in the South aisle chapel.
, which is the only sign of a chantry chapel which originally occupied this area. The present organ was built by Walker and was installed in 1937. For the 49 years before 1937 the organist was one Walter Newman. In medieval times the church held a gallery which would have been used by a small band of church musicians
.
and depict The Ten Commandments and/or The Lord's Prayer, A further painting on the south wall, depicting The Last Judgement, was uncovered in 1878 but was covered over again soon after.
of six bells, the oldest is No 3. dated 1696 and cast by Richard Keene of Woodstock. An original ring of three was increased to four in 1726 and to six in 1825.
The bells were refurbished in 1900 by Bond of Burford
(company now defunct). In 1993 a sum of nearly £40,000 was raised to re-tune the bells at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
and to re-hang them in a new steel frame in the tower. The reinstallation was performed by Whites of Appleton
.
The bells are rung regularly by a team from the village, supported by ringers from the nearby church at Salford
. The bell ringing chamber is on the first floor of the tower which is entered by the south door in the base of the tower. The ringing chamber is accessed by a short flight of ladder type steps with a trap-door at the top, which is closed during ringing.
Other notable burials in the churchyard include those of Alan Clutton-Brock of Chastleton House, Newbury Racecourse Manager Geoffrey Freer
and C. L. T. Walwyn father of racehorse trainer Peter Walwyn
.
Minister to King Richard III
. The family line continued through George, Richard and two more Williams. The latter William married Anne Throckmorton of Courton
. Their son Robert Catesby
, the Gunpowder Plot
conspirator, lived at Chastleton in 1601, although his son, Robert Catesby Junior, was chistened at the church on 11 November 1595.
In 1602, following a heavy fine imposed for his involvement in the Essex Rebellion, Catesby was forced to sell Chastleton House to Walter Jones.
at the Dissolution of the monastries. Edmund died in 1613 and was buried in the chancel.
. Jones began building the present Chastleton House in 1603 and had largely completed it by 1614. He died in 1632 and was buried in the chancel, although his tombstone is no longer visible.
The line of succession for Chastleton ran from Walter to his eldest son Henry (died 1656), his son Arthur (died 1687, his son Henry (died 1688), his son Walter (died 1704), his wife Anne (died 1739), their son Henry (died 1761), his son John (died 1813), his brother Arthur (died 1828) and his cousin John Henry Whitmore.
Irene moved into Chastleton House, from Dover House in the village, in 1933, when the Richardson family relinquished a 37 year tenancy.
.
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in the village of Chastleton
Chastleton
Chastleton is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold Hills in Oxfordshire, England, about northeast of Stow-on-the-Wold. Chastleton is in the extreme northwest of Oxfordshire, on the boundaries with both Gloucestershire and Warwickshire.-History:...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, England. It is an active parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
in the Diocese of Oxford
Diocese of Oxford
-History:The Diocese of Oxford was created in 1541 out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln.In 1836 the Archdeaconry of Berkshire was transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to Oxford...
.
It was built in about 1100 AD and enlarged in 1320.
History
St Mary's Church was built in about 1100 AD, although there may have been a church on the same site before the Norman Conquest. All that remains of the original Norman church are the door in the North wall and the arched pillars and possibly the font.In around 1320 the chancel was built, part of the North wall was pushed outwards and the South aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
was added to create chantry chapels.
South Aisle Chapel
The chapel received its charter as a chantry in 1336. Robert Trillowe, who lived on the site of Chastleton HouseChastleton House
Chastleton House is a Jacobean country house situated at Chastleton near Moreton-in-Marsh, Oxfordshire, England . It has been owned by the National Trust since 1991....
, was probably the patron. The floor has medieval glazed fired floor-tiles which almost certainly date from the 14th century.
The East window depicts the four Evangelists
Four Evangelists
In Christian tradition the Four Evangelists are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors attributed with the creation of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament that bear the following titles:*Gospel according to Matthew*Gospel according to Mark...
. The South window shows scenes from the childhood of Jesus.
The panelling on the East wall is 17th century, as are the pews. The ceiling is Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
and bears the coats of arms of five successive families of the Manor of Chastleton: Trillowe, Catesby, Jones, Whitmore and Whitmore-Jones. In a vault below the chapel lie the remains of some of these families.
The altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
was designed in 1993 by Mr. Poole from the nearby village of Oddington
Oddington, Gloucestershire
Lower Oddington and Upper Oddington are a pair of adjoining villages in the English county of Gloucestershire. Together they form the civil parish of Oddington.They are located to the south of the A436 road east of the town of Stow-on-the-Wold....
in Gloucestershire and matches the adjoining 14th Century pillars.
The Chancel
The carved woodwork behind the altar may well be the remains of the rood screenRood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
which once stood above the chancel arch. Below the chancel were tombs of some of the Jones family, was well as those of some of the former parish rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
s. Horatio Westmacott, rector in 188 was the third son of the famous Victorian sculptor Sir Richard Westmacott.
On the floor near the lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
are two notable brasses. The first is that of Katherine Throckmorton, gnandmother of Robert Catesby
Robert Catesby
Robert Catesby , was the leader of a group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605....
who died in 1593. The second is that of Edmund Ansley who died in 1613. The vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
was added in 1853.
The pulpit and pews
The pulpit is JacobeanJacobean
Jacobean indicates the period of English history that coincides with the reign of James I of England :*Jacobean era*Jacobean architecture*Jacobean literature*Jacobean English...
, possibly by the same craftsman who provided much of the panelling in Chastleton House
Chastleton House
Chastleton House is a Jacobean country house situated at Chastleton near Moreton-in-Marsh, Oxfordshire, England . It has been owned by the National Trust since 1991....
, is etched with the date 1623. Originally situated on the other side of the chancel arch, it was built as a triple-decker, with integral reading desk and Clerk's desk.
The pews in the nave and chancel are Victorian. These replaced Jacobean oak benches and pews with high backs, of which three remain in the South aisle chapel.
The North Aisle and organ
The organ now hides a stone basin or piscinaPiscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
, which is the only sign of a chantry chapel which originally occupied this area. The present organ was built by Walker and was installed in 1937. For the 49 years before 1937 the organist was one Walter Newman. In medieval times the church held a gallery which would have been used by a small band of church musicians
West gallery music
West Gallery Music, also known as "Georgian psalmody" refers to the sacred music sung and played in English parish churches, as well as nonconformist chapels, from 1700 to around 1850...
.
Wall paintings
On the north wall are important examples of 17th and 18th century wall paintings which may have at one time covered the entire wall. The paitings, which were uncovered in the 1930s, are pre-ReformationReformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
and depict The Ten Commandments and/or The Lord's Prayer, A further painting on the south wall, depicting The Last Judgement, was uncovered in 1878 but was covered over again soon after.
West end of the church
The west window is 14th century with glass dating from the 1900s. The gallery, accessed by a stairway, the small window for which remains, was removed in 1878. The font is thought to be 13th century or possibly earlier.The bells
Of the ringChange ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
of six bells, the oldest is No 3. dated 1696 and cast by Richard Keene of Woodstock. An original ring of three was increased to four in 1726 and to six in 1825.
The bells were refurbished in 1900 by Bond of Burford
Burford
Burford is a small town on the River Windrush in the Cotswold hills in west Oxfordshire, England, about west of Oxford, southeast of Cheltenham and only from the Gloucestershire boundary...
(company now defunct). In 1993 a sum of nearly £40,000 was raised to re-tune the bells at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The foundry is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain...
and to re-hang them in a new steel frame in the tower. The reinstallation was performed by Whites of Appleton
Appleton, Oxfordshire
Appleton is a village in the civil parish of Appleton-with-Eaton, about northwest of Abingdon. Appleton was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Manor:...
.
The bells are rung regularly by a team from the village, supported by ringers from the nearby church at Salford
Salford, Oxfordshire
Salford is a village and civil parish about west of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.The Church of England parish church of Saint Mary was largely Norman until the Gothic Revival architect G.E. Street almost completely rebuilt it in 1854. The font and parts of two doorways are among the few Norman...
. The bell ringing chamber is on the first floor of the tower which is entered by the south door in the base of the tower. The ringing chamber is accessed by a short flight of ladder type steps with a trap-door at the top, which is closed during ringing.
The Churchyard
On the North side of the church yard, adjoining Chastleton House and near the North door of the church, lies the tomb of Sir Richard Westmacott (1775-1855), perhaps the greatest monumental sculptor of the Victorian age.Other notable burials in the churchyard include those of Alan Clutton-Brock of Chastleton House, Newbury Racecourse Manager Geoffrey Freer
Geoffrey Freer Stakes
The Geoffrey Freer Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 5 furlongs and 61 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:The event was established in 1949, and it...
and C. L. T. Walwyn father of racehorse trainer Peter Walwyn
Peter Walwyn
Peter Tyndall Walwyn is a retired British racehorse trainer. He was based at stables at in the Lambourn, Berkshire, area and enjoyed his period of greatest success in the mid 1970s when he was British flat racing Champion Trainer twice....
.
Trillowe
The Trillowe family lived on the site of Chastleton House from around 1302. There are records for three family members - John 1302; Robert, patron of the Chantry 1336; and another John 1360. His great-grand-daughter Phillippa Bishopsden married William Catesby in the 15th Century.Catesby
The son of William (husband of Phillippa) was William CatesbyWilliam Catesby
William Catesby, esq. was one of Richard III of England's principal councillors. He also served as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Speaker of the House of Commons during Richard's reign....
Minister to King Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
. The family line continued through George, Richard and two more Williams. The latter William married Anne Throckmorton of Courton
Coughton Court
Coughton Court is an English Tudor country house, situated on the main road between Studley and Alcester in Warwickshire. It is a Grade I listed building....
. Their son Robert Catesby
Robert Catesby
Robert Catesby , was the leader of a group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605....
, the Gunpowder Plot
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.The plan was to blow up the House of...
conspirator, lived at Chastleton in 1601, although his son, Robert Catesby Junior, was chistened at the church on 11 November 1595.
In 1602, following a heavy fine imposed for his involvement in the Essex Rebellion, Catesby was forced to sell Chastleton House to Walter Jones.
Throckmorton
In 1555 Anthony Throckmorton married Katherine, widwow of William Catesby. Their nine children were John, Thomas, George, Robert, Mary, Katherine, Elizabeth, Anne and Margaret.Ansley
Edmund Ansley married Margaret Throckmorton (see above). The Ansley family lived at Brookend, having taken it over from Eynsham AbbeyEynsham Abbey
Eynsham Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, in England between 1005 and 1538. King Æthelred allowed Æthelmær the Stout to found the abbey in 1005. There is some evidence that the abbey was built on the site of an earlier minster, probably founded in the 7th or 8th...
at the Dissolution of the monastries. Edmund died in 1613 and was buried in the chancel.
Greenwood
In about 1588 the Patronage of the Living of Chastleton passed to the Greenwood family, thtough George Greenwood's great-uncle Christopher Mychell who was Rector. The family retained the patronage until 1784. Greenwood's house was situated opposite the church, in what is known as The Park, but was destroyed in the 19th century. In 1608 George married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Walter Jones.Jones
Born in Whitney, Oxfordshire in 1550, Walter Jones was the son of a wool merchant and bought Chastleton House in 1602. He may not have taken up residence until 1605. Jones married Elinor Pope, who was a maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth IElizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. Jones began building the present Chastleton House in 1603 and had largely completed it by 1614. He died in 1632 and was buried in the chancel, although his tombstone is no longer visible.
The line of succession for Chastleton ran from Walter to his eldest son Henry (died 1656), his son Arthur (died 1687, his son Henry (died 1688), his son Walter (died 1704), his wife Anne (died 1739), their son Henry (died 1761), his son John (died 1813), his brother Arthur (died 1828) and his cousin John Henry Whitmore.
Whitmore Jones
John Henry was required to change his name to Whitmore Jones to inherit the house. Of his four sons, who all remained unmarried, the last died in 1874 and the house passed to the eldest of six daughters, Mary. In 1900 she gave the house to her nephew Thomas Harris, who also changed his name to Whitmore Jones. He married his cousin Irene Dickins, who was the youngest daugher of the third daughter of John Whitmore. Mary died in 1915 and Thomas in 1917.Irene moved into Chastleton House, from Dover House in the village, in 1933, when the Richardson family relinquished a 37 year tenancy.
Clutton-Brock
In 1937 Alan Clutton-Brock came to join Irene Whitmore Jones at Chastelton House. Soon afterwards he married Barbara Foy-Mitchell and the couple moved away. But when Irene died in 1955, the Foy Clutton-Brocks moved back to the house. Alan, who was a fellow of Kings College, Cambridge died in 1976, but Barbara remained until 1992, when the house was sold to the National TrustNational Trust
National Trust most commonly refers to an organization dedicated to preserving the cultural or environmental treasures of a particular geographic region. They generally operate as private non-profit organizations, although some receive considerable support from their national government...
.
Richardson
Mr and Mrs C T Richardson were tenants at Chastleton House between 1896 and 1933 and made many important restorations to the layout of the gardens.Sources
Yeomans, Gwen. (1998), "Chastelton Church, Oxfordshire", Guide and History, available at the church, for which the sources used were:- "Chastelton Church History" by Stephen Lambert
- "A History of Chastekton" by Margaret Dickins
- Stephen Freer - local historian
- Duncan Gordon Colebrook - Administrator of Chastleton House
- Christopher Westmacott
- The Post Office