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This is the text of a booklet produced about half a century ago, written by the Rev J E Smith Masters (Rector of Yattendon) and The Rev W L Cooper (Late Rector of Newbury, Honorary Canon of Christ Church, Oxford).
NEWBURY (the new burgh) is said to have arisen and had its beginning after the decay of the Roman station of Spinae (Speen), and therefore, according to Camden, "Newburie must acknowledge Speen as its mother".
The first historical reference to the town appears in the Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy, by Ordericus Vitalis, in which he mentioned that one Bernard of Neufmarche gave to the Priory of Aufay, in Normandy, about the year 1079, the Church of Speen, with the land belonging to it and the tithes and twenty shillings of the revenue of New Bourg, to be paid yearly at Michaelmas. Newbury then, by the middle of the eleventh century, though still part of the Manor of Speen, had become a town, and with its natural advantages of a waterway and its ford over the river Kennet, where the neighbouring roads must have converged, was supplanting its parent Speen as a place of importance. The first mention of a church on this site is 1086, when the patronage of the Parish Church of Newbury was given by a Norman knight, Ernulf de Hesding, to the Abbey of St. Pierre de Preaux in Normandy. It remained in their possession until the wars of the fifteenth century, when the estates of foreign priories in England were granted by Parliament to the Crown. The King gave the advowson of St. Nicolas to Sir Thomas Erpingham, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, who had commanded the English troops in France, and he obtained leave from the King to grant his life interest in the advowson, and the other possessions of the Abbey of Preaux in England, to the Carthusian Abbey of Witham in Somerset which grant, upon the death of Sir Thomas, the King confirmed. Upon the dissolution of the monasteries the estates of all of them became vested in the Crown. The patronage of the Rectory of Newbury continued in the gift of the Crown, except of course during the Commonwealth, until in 1854, eighteen years after Berkshire had been transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to that of Oxford, an Order in Council made over the presentation to the Rectory to the Bishop of Oxford, in whose hands it has since remained.
VALUATIONS OF THE BENEFICE. The first recorded for St. Nicolas was made in 1291 for the granting, under authority of Pope Nicolas IV, of a tenth of the revenues for the purpose of the Crusades. A fresh one was made in 1535, when St. Nicolas was valued at £33 16s. 9½d. A commission issued by the High Court of Chancery in the time of the Commonwealth, bearing the date April 23rd, 1655, ordering a survey of all Church benefices, reported on Newbury as follows: "Nubury is a Parsonage, worth £77 16s. Od., formerly in the gift of the late King. Mr. Benjamin Woodbridge is ye present Incumbent, being a godly, able, and painefull Minister. The parish is at present large, being a greate Market Towne. And we conceive it may be fitt for another church to be built in some parte of ye Towne, and that a parte of ye parish of Speene called Speenham Land, adjoyneing to Nubery together with the Chappelry of Sandleford, with a tithing or hamlet called Greenham, in the parish of Thatcham, be annexed thereto." (Survey of Church Livings, Berks. (Lambeth Palace Library) quoted by Walter Money).
THE CHURCH AND ITS BUILDER. "The present Church is a monument of the piety of John Winchcombe, or Smalwode, the wealthy woolman, or woolstapler and clothier, who showed his gratitude for the blessings bestowed upon him by thus dedicating to God a portion of his great wealth. The Church with its beautiful west tower, nave, aisles, chancel, and chapel, is wholly of the late Perpendicular period, circa 1500. It may well compare with the noble edifices of Fairford, Northleach, and the main portion of Burford, which were built about the same time, and by those who obtained their wealth from the same source." (Journal of the Berkshire Archaeological Society, by the President, C. E. Keyser, M.A., F.S.A.)
A humble brass, now fixed to the tower wall, has the following inscription "Of yr charitie pray for the soule of John Smalwode als Winchcombe, and Alys hys wyfe, which John dyed the xv day of February, Ao Dn. MCCCCCXIX." But the whole building is in fact his monument. The work was apparently not quite finished in his lifetime, but was carried to completion by his son in accordance with his will. The tower has the date 1532 on a corbel, and this seems to give the date for the completion of the work of re-building.
Another interesting Brass on this wall is that to Hugh Shepley, Rector in 1596. The large stone slab, against the wall is believed to have been the High Altar of the Church before the Reformation.
Evidence of the date of building is afforded by certain badges or devices of King Henry VIII and Queen Katherine on various parts of the building, i.e, the portcullis and the pomegranate, the former having been assumed by Henry VII after his accession in 1485, to show his material descent from the ducal family of Beaufort, and the latter, which represents the apple of Granada, was assumed by Ferdinand V of Castile, the father of Queen Katharine, to commemorate his conquest of Granada from the Moors in 1492. Henry VIII married Katharine of Arragon in 1509, and divorced her in 1533. There are other devices representing portions of the royal arms, such as lions passant-guardant, the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew, the Tudor rose, the Fleur-de-lis, etc.
"Jack of Newbury," as Smalwode was called, had the honour of entertaining the King and Queen, probably in September, 1516. He is said to have exhibited the most hospitality on this occasion. Their Majesties were accompanied by Cardinal Wolsey, and a large number of the nobility. Deloney, in an old black-letter pamphlet, says that "all the floore where the King sate was covered with broadcloths instead of greene rushes; these were choice pieces of the finest wooll of an Azure colour, valued at a hundred pounds a cloathe, which was afterwards given to his Majestie".
THE CHANTRIES. BULLOCKS AND WARMINGTON'S. An Inquisition (lnquisitio ad quod damnum, 3 Edw. iii, No. 53) was taken at Newbury on a writ dated February 6th, 1330, to ascertain "if it would be to the damage of the King, or any of his subjects, if Robert Bullock assign a messuage in the town to Richard de Warmington, Rector of Newbury, to celebrate divine service at the altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Newbury for the souls of the father and mother of the said Robert Bullock, and of all the faithful departed. The jury found that it would be no damage to anyone". The yearly value of this grant was returned to the Commissioners appointed in 1547 to survey the ecclesiastical property in Berkshire as £9 3s. 4d. Supplementary to this, a like Inquisition was held at Hungerford on February 8th, 1367-8, when the jury found that it would not be to the injury of the King or of any of his subjects if the King grant to William de Warmington, Chaplain of St. Mary's, or Bullock's, Chantry that he may give certain Messuages to Thomas Charles, parson of the Church of Newbury, "in aid of finding a Chaplain to celebrate for the estate of the said William while living, and for his soul when he shall have departed this life, and for the soul of Robert Bullock, and the souls of their fathers and mothers, and all the faithful departed, in the said church every day for ever".
WORMESTALL'S CHANTRY. This Chantry, in the north chancel aisle, was founded in 1466 by Henry Wormestall, to "hire a priest to pray for the soul of the founder, and all Christian souls". The yearly value of it was returned as £13 9s. 8d., of which £8 was paid to the priest. Wakeman in his History of the Church of England describes the Chantry priests as "a class of men whose existence forms the real blot upon the mediaeval Church. They had no parochial functions or responsibilities. They were miserably poor, sprung usually from the lower classes, without learning, without training, and without employment". They had to eke out a wretched existence by teaching, or in other less reputable ways.
"All colleges, chantries and hospitals were dissolved and granted to the Crown by statute, 37 Henry VIII, and by a subsequent Act, I Edward VI, their revenues were to be devoted to the maintenance of grammar schools, the improvement of vicarages, and the support of preachers. Some portion was so applied" (it appears that the Newbury Grammar School benefited) "but much the greater part was shared among members of the government, or was employed in the payment of some of the late King's debts". (Walter Money).
THE RESTORATION. In 1858 the Chapels were opened to the chancel by the insertion of side arches, a new roof was placed to the chancel, the walls were lined with the present Derbyshire alabaster in shallow trefoiled panels of stone, and a reredos was erected in place of a classic altar-piece of 1720, but this was replaced later by a new one (vide infra). In 1866 the high box pews, and the wooden galleries which blocked the windows, put up in 1710, were removed and much other work of restoration was carried out at a cost of about £10,000. Mr. Money says that, before the alterations and improvements, "in every direction the building presented a most mean and unworthy appearance". The petition for the Faculty in 1858, after describing the proposed opening of the chantries to the chancel, stated that Mr. Henry Woodyer, of Graffham, Surrey, architect, considered that the alteration might be safely affected, and that it would improve the architectural appearance of the church, as well as increasing the means of accommodation of the worshippers. He had provided also in his plans for the entire re-arrangement of the chancel.
Another Faculty was obtained in 1866 to remodel the nave, to repair thoroughly the roofs, to enlarge the vestry (chantry) on the north side, and to build a new one.
THE FONT was presented at this time by Miss Carbonell, and the "lofty, elaborately-carved pyramidal cover, of Florentine work, with figures of the Apostles under canopies, and suspended from a bracket of wrought-iron work", was the gift of Mrs. Leslie Randall, as was also the altar cross.
THE PULPIT had been the gift of Mrs. Margaret Cross, of London, in the year 1607, when the Rector was the Rev. Thomas Coldwell, whom this lady appointed one of the trustees to administer her bequests to the town. In the churchwardens' account for that year it appears that they received for the old pulpit the sum of £1 5s. 8d., and that they paid the sum of £2 19s. 8d. "in chardges bestowed upon Mrs. Cross and her children" in recognition of the "respect she paid for the pulpit in ye churche". At the restoration it was freed from the plaster and whitewash that had defaced it; underneath was discovered the original black and gold colouring, which was carefully restored, so that it stood out once more in its former magnificence.
THE ROOFS (as described in Money's History of Newbury). "The roof of the nave is of oak, and is in the main old, but has been restored and decorated. Above the corbels are angels with open wings, admirably carved in oak, each holding a shield, displaying the instruments and emblems of the Passion, viz. the Cross and chain for taking down the body; the pillar of flaggellation, scourge, bulrush and rope for binding the hands to the pillar, the ladder, hammer, and pincers, the lance and sponge-topped reed in saltire, with a heart at base; the dice and the thirty pieces of silver, the seamless coat; a profile of Judas, wearing a cap, a rope round his neck, and the bag below; the sword of St. Peter, and the ear of Malchus; three triangular-headed crucifixion nails.
"The aisle roofs are new, but faithful copies of the old ones. The original bosses have been replaced; some of these bear either the monogram I.0. or a merchant's mark. The monogram I.S., i.e. John Smalwode, is frequently repeated, and is identical with that on his monument, and on some carving formerly in his house. The initials I.W. (John Winchcombe) between a cross saltire are also carved on one of the bosses on the roof on the north aisle. The arms of the bishopric of Bath and Wells, viz. two keys and sword in saltire and a saltire quarterly quartered, are borne upon some of the bosses of the aisle roofs, commemorate, it may be, of the connection of the Church with the diocese in which Witham is situated, and possibly of its earlier relationship to the famous Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul of Preaux. The sacred monogram I.H.S. and the emblems of the Passion are also represented on some of the bosses."
In 1932-33 the whole of the roof, which was found to be honeycombed by the death-watch beetle was taken off and an entirely new roof put on at a cost of £5,000.
THE TOWER, "which terminates the western end is a wellproportioned even majestic, mass of masonry. It is about seventy feet high, and consists of three stages, above which is an embattled parapet, with octagonal crocketted turrets and pinnacles at the angles. The western window under the tower is comparatively modern". (Walter Money).
THE REREDOS is of Caen stone and was originally intended by the designer (Mr. J. N. Comper) to be decorated in gold and colour. He describes it thus: "The subjects of the carving are Our Lord enthroned on a rainbow, the right hand raised in blessing, and the other holding a book inscribed with the Alpha and Omega, and the four evangelists also seated and holding scrolls bearing the first words of their Gospels in the original Greek".
THE ORGAN. The present organ was completed in 1927 and is the work of Messrs. Walker and Sons. It took the place of an older organ built by Messrs. Bevington in 1859, remodelled and enlarged by them in 1867, and placed on the north side of the chancel when the south chapel was opened out. It is believed to be the fifth organ erected in the church.
The Organ Screen was presented by the Rev. L. R. and Mrs. Majendie in memory of their daughter. It was designed by Mr. F. E. Howard.
THE GRIFFIN CURTEYS MEMORIAL. This will be found outside the church on the South Wall of the chancel.
Griffin Curteys, who was M.P. for Ludgershall in 1562, died in 1587. In the Memorial, Griffin Curteys is kneeling and there are also kneeling figures of three wives (or daughters), six sons and five little daughters.
THE WINDOWS. The glass is all Victorian designed by Messrs. Powell and Maycock and executed by Messrs. Hardman, of Birmingham. The general plan is simple: south aisle, our Lord's parables; north aisle, His miracles; north clerestory, the Prophets; south c1erestory, Apostles and Evangelists.
Newbury boasted a Stained Glass Window Society, which for sixty years was occupied with the work of placing these glorious windows in the Church. The work of the Society was completed when the new east window was installed.
When studying the windows, it is best to begin in the Lady Chapel (south side) and to work round from there to the east window. Both the windows in the chapel are memorials to Rebe Randall, daughter of Bishop Randall, who died in 1878. The subjects are (a) the Adoration by the Wise Men and the Shepherds (note the bag-pipes); (2) the Presentation in the Temple and the Boy Jesus in the Temple.
The first (easternmost) window in the south aisle is in memory of Edmund Arbuthnot, of Newtown (donor of the west window). Here we have four parables: the Sower, the Tares, the Grain of mustard seed (note the nests in the tree), the Leaven.
The second window (1881) is sometimes called the Virgin Window. The first light (on the spectator's left) shows the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. The next two lights show the parable of the wise and foolish Virgins, and the fourth the story of the Prodigal Son (note the elder brother on the left).
Visitors should be especially interested in the third window, dedicated in 1884 in memory of John Smalwode, alias Winchcombe, "to whose munificence the erection of the church is mainly due". Subject, the Good Shepherd counting His sheep, rescuing a lost sheep, carrying it back and restoring it to the fold.
James Henry Godding was organist from 1865 to 1884, and in the year of his death the (fourth) window was dedicated to his memory. Subjects: the Good Samaritan, the Talents, the Faithful Steward (keys hanging from his waist-band and his returning master is shown below), the Tares (a sequel to the second light in the first window, St. Cecilia and Miriam should be noticed in the designs at the base.
The window over the south porch has the Annunication of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Nativity of Christ.
In the next window (south side) we have the parable of the drawnet, two lights illustrating the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, and one showing Dives and Lazarus.
The Randall Window at the west end of the south aisle was given (1867) during Dr. Randall's incumbency by grateful parishioners. Subjects: the baptism of Christ, the Sermon on the Mount, the Upper Room, the delivery of the keys to St. Peter, the charge to St. Peter ("Feed my sheep").
The subject of the west window, which should be seen when the sun is setting behind it, is the Last Judgement.
The window at the end of the north aisle is in memory of Henry William Majendie, for fifty years Vicar of Speen. Here are shown some of the corporal works of mercy, clothing the naked, harbouring the stranger, giving food and drink to the hungry and thirsty, visiting the sick and ministering to prisoners.
Over the north porch we find (1) St. Nicolas with his three golden balls, (2) St. Augustine, first Archbishop of Canterbury, (3) St. Osmund, first Bishop of Old Sarum, (4) Robert King, first Bishop of Oxford.
In the Gray Memorial window, next the north porch, four miracles of healing are shown: (1) blind Bartimaeus (Mrs. Gray was blind), (2) the impotent man, (3) the Canaanite woman's daughter, (4) the woman with an issue of blood.
The second window from the north porch shows the three miracles of raising from the dead, Jairus' daughter, Lazarus (two lights), the widow's son. Above are the four doctors of the western Church.
The Queen Victoria window was dedicated on Jubilee Day, June 20th, 1887. In those days Britannia really ruled the waves and the four miracles have to do with the sea: (I) Christ stilling the storm, (2) the draught of fishes, (3) Christ walking on the sea, (4) the tribute money. Above four Queens: the Empress Helena, Queen Margaret of Scotland, Queen Bertha and St. Ethelreda.
The window next the organ screen is in memory of Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford, 1845-70. Subjects: the marriage at Cana in Galilee, the feeding of the five thousand, the leper, the faithful Centurion.
The east window was designed by Mr. Donald Taunton.The subject is the Crucifixion. In the outermost lights are figures of St. Nicolas and St. Birinus, the apostle of Wessex.
For detailed description of the life-sized figures in the north and south clerestories, see the framed cards on the westernmost pillars of the nave. Beginning from the east, on the north side are (1) Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, (2) Isaiah, David and Samuel, (3) Obadiah, Amos and Joel, (4) Zephaniah, Nahum and Micah, (5) Zachariah, Malachi and Haggai. South side: (1) St. Andrew, St. Peter and St. Paul, (2) St. John, St. James and St. Philip, (3) St. Thomas, St. James the Less and St. Bartholomew, (4) St. Simon, St. Jude and St. Matthias, (5) St. Matthew, St. Mark and St. Luke.
The parish and town of Newbury owe a deep debt of gratitude to the late Mr. J. H. Kemp, F.S.A., for forty-eight years Secretary of the Stained Glass Window Society.
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