Church of St Mary the Virgin, Edlesborough, Buckinghamshire

1867-8     Restoration of Nave and Aisles
1875        Restoration of Chancel

S. MARY EDLESBOROUGH, BUCKS - This is a fine church with noble chancel, having returned stalls and a roodscreen. The nave is to be re-seated and repaired by Mr Withers. The chancel, which belongs to Lord Brownlow, will be restored afterwards. The new seats all face eastwards, and reproduce the original design. A fine Third-Pointed pulpit with a canopy remains in this church, and will be carefully preserved in the restoration. [Ecclesiologist August 1867 Page 260]

EDLESBOROUGH - The chancel of St. Mary's Church, Edlesborough, has been re-opened, after restoration at the expense of Lord Brownlow. The original Purbeck mullions and shafts of the east window were found to be so decayed that it was necessary to restore them in stone, following out the details of the old work. The whole of the tracery of this window was taken out, the decayed parts renewed, and thoroughly reinstated with new stone; this was a work of much trouble, on account of the richness of detail and the size of the window. The roof has been entirely taken off, and all the defective rafters replaced by new to assimilate with the old ones; and all the old colour-wash has been removed. The rood-screen, a very fine specimen of the work of the fifteenth century, has had the paint removoe from the east side, exposing the old oak. The whole of the chancel is paved with tiling, by Mr. Godwin, of Hereford. The north door in the chancel has been opened out and restored, and a new external lobby added, form- ing a passage to the north transept. The restoration has been carried out by Mr. Chappell, builder, of Tring; Mr. Withers, of London, being the architect; these gentlemen also restored the nave in 1867. Mr. King, of London, has acted as clerk of the works. The cost of restoring the chancel will be upwards of £1,000. [Builder 25 December 1875 page 1158]

THE PARISH CHURCH OF EDLESBOROUGH, BUCKS. THIs church stands on a hill, having the appearance of an ancient barrow, or Roman camp, about midway between Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard, and is a conspicuous object to travellers on the London and North Western Railway after leaving Tring, going northwards. The present village was a town of some importance in the reign of Edward the Third, inasmuch as the assizes for the county were held here in 1332. The advowson and church were, in the time of William the Conqueror given to Bardney Abbey, Lincolnshire, by Gilbert de Gand, the founder, and the grant was confirmed in 1115 by Walter, his son and successor. Gilbert de Gand, grand- son of Walter, confirmed his ancestors’ donations. By patent, 15 Richard Second, the King granted the advowson of the church to the Prior and Convent of the House of Carthusians, upon condition of providing a sufficient allowance to the Vicar. In 33 Henry the Eighth the King granted the rectory and advowson of vicarage to Richard Breme, late of the Carthusian Priory, then dissolved, to hold the same for ever upon payment of a knight's fee of £3 per annum to Court of Augmentations. After several changes it finally descended to the Dukes of Bridgewater, and through them to the present holder, John Earl Brownlow. The church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and at present consists of nave, north and south aisles, north and south porches, western tower, chancel, and north transept to chancel. The three walls of chancel are the earliest portions left, and are of good Geometrical Decorated—the nave, aisles, and tower being of later Decorated work, whilst the chancel, transept, south windows of chancel, and other portions are of Perpendicular work. A fire in 1828 destroyed the spire and bells; the latter were then recast. Many interesting relics abound in the church—notably, the fine canopied oak pulpit, rood screen, stalls, and roofs, all of Perpendicular work. A fine brass of John de Swynestedo, last rector, about 1390, has been taken from the church, and is now in the private chapel at Ashridge. In the parish formerly existed two chantries—one in Edlesborough, dedicated to St. Mary, and the other in the hamlet of Dagnall, dedicated to All Hallows. The nave and aisles were thoroughly restored by the parish in 1867, and the chancel has lately been likewise treated, at the sole cost of Earl Brownlow. During the progress of this work the beautiful two- Hight window, now exposed to view on north side of chancel, was discovered, having been walled up for several centuries, and this and the fine east window have been most carefully restored. The work has been done in a conservative manner, and the church, internally, is now complete. Coloured decoration has been largely used on the walls; the artist being Mr. Daniel Bell. The builder employed in 1867, and latterly, was Mr. Chappell, of Tring; Mr. King acted as clerk of works; and Mr. Robert J. Withers, of 11, Adam-street, Adelphi, London, was the architect under whose direction the whole work was carried out. One of our page illustrations of the church represents its interior, and the other details of windows. [Building News 10 March 1876 page 244]

CHURCH OF ST. MARY, EDLESBOROUGH, BUCKS. - We give an interior view of the chancel of this church, showing the restoration which was executed under the direction of Mr. Robert J. Withers, architect, of Adam-street, Adelphi, W.C. We gave details of the east and north windows as shown in the view in the BUILDING NEWS, of 10th March last, when a full description of the building appeared. The coloured decoration was executed by Mr. Daniel Bell. The builder was Mr. Chappell, of Tring; and the clerk of the works was Mr. King. [Building News 15 September 1876 page 256]

Reference    Ecclesiologist August 1867 Page 260
Reference    Building News 5 July 1867 page 468 – tenders
Reference    Builder 25 December 1875 page 1158 -restoration of chancel
Reference    Building News 10 March 1876 page 244]
Reference    Building News, 15 September 1876. With illustration