St Andrew's Church, Farnham Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Church, Farnham
The church from the northwest
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 416: Malformed coordinates value.
ACoordinates: Unknown argument format
OS grid reference	SU8386646680
Location	Farnham, Surrey
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Anglican
Website	StAndrewsFarnham.org
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Saint Andrew
Consecrated	1399
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	5 March 2015
Administration
Deanery	Farnham
Archdeaconry	Surrey
Diocese	Guildford
Province	Canterbury

St Andrew's Church is an Anglican church in the heart of Farnham, Surrey. It's a very old and important building, listed as Grade I, which means it's of special historical interest. Some parts of the church are from the Middle Ages. It belongs to the Diocese of Guildford. In its churchyard, you can find the grave of William Cobbett, a famous writer and political activist. There's also a special plaque for Augustus Toplady, who wrote the well-known hymn 'Rock of Ages'.

Discovering St Andrew's Church History
Exploring St Andrew's Church Features
St Andrew's Church and the Community
Gallery
See also

Discovering St Andrew's Church History

The entrance to the church. William Cobbett's grave is near the doorway.

The tomb of William Cobbett.

In 2005 and 2006, a special project helped uncover the foundations of a much older church. This church was built by the Saxons in the 7th century. We don't have any written records about it. The first time St Andrew's Church is mentioned in writing is in the Domesday Book of 1086. This book says that the area of Farnham belonged to the Bishop of Winchester. It also noted that the church was very wealthy.

Early Beginnings: 12th Century Church

The oldest parts of the current church building were built between 1150 and 1170. Around this time, the Archdeaconry of Surrey was created. An archdeacon is a church official. The new archdeacon used Farnham and its castle as a main base. From here, they would visit other parts of Surrey.

Building the Chancel: 14th Century Work

In 1399, a big part of the church called the chancel was finished. This is the area around the altar. The large window at the east end of the church still looks the same as it did back then. On June 22, 1399, the bishop officially dedicated the church.

Changes and Challenges: 15th and 16th Centuries

On February 16, 1487, the church received permission from King Henry VII. This allowed them to hire a curate, a priest who helps the main priest. A special small chapel, called a chantry chapel, was also built. It was on the north side of the church and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

In the early 1500s, a new tower was added to the west end of the church. It was quite small, only a few meters taller than the main roof. Later, during the time of King Henry VIII, chantry chapels were closed down. This happened because of laws passed in 1545 and 1547. The objects inside the chapel were sold, and it became a school room. In 1758, it was sold and taken down to help pay for church repairs.

Restoring the Church: 19th Century Efforts

The 1800s saw a lot of repair work done to the church. Much of this was thanks to John Utterton. He was an important church leader in Surrey. In 1836, gas lighting was put into the church. From 1855, a major restoration project began. The seating in the main part of the church was replaced. Old balconies were removed, and the side sections were made bigger. In 1865, the tower was made much taller, reaching its current height of about 35 meters (115 feet).

Modern Updates: 20th and 21st Centuries

More changes happened in the 1900s. In 1909, the south chapel was repaired and renamed the Lady Chapel. A big restoration took place in 1956, led by architect David Nye. The altar was moved to a more central spot. The organ and choir seating were also moved.

From 1990 to 2005, people worked hard to raise money and plan a big project. This project aimed to strengthen and fix the church's structure. They raised £1.3 million. Ptolemy Dean was the architect for this phase. The tower and clock were repaired. Old supports were rebuilt, and the old wooden pews were replaced with chairs.

Exploring St Andrew's Church Features

The 15th-century baptismal font.

In the south part of the church, there is a baptismal font from the 1400s. A font is a basin used for baptisms. It has special carvings of sacred symbols and symbols for the four evangelists. It was moved in 1959. A family named Barlow gave it to the church in the 1830s. No one knows how they got it.

The stone frame of the east window is still the same as it was in the Middle Ages. However, the colorful glass inside was put in during the 1800s. It was designed by the famous architect Augustus Pugin. The glass was made by Hardman & Co. in 1851. It shows detailed scenes from the life of Jesus.

Outside the church entrance, you'll find the grave of William Cobbett (1763–1835). He was a political reformer who grew up in Farnham. There is also a memorial to him on the church's tower wall.

Inside the church, at the back, there is a copy of the Vinegar Bible. It was given to the church in 1731 by Arthur Onslow. You can also see a plaque for Augustus Toplady. He wrote the famous hymn 'Rock of Ages'. He was born in Farnham and baptized in this very church in 1740.

St Andrew's Church and the Community

St Andrew's Primary School is right next to the church. The church and school work closely together. School classes sometimes visit the church for special services.

The church is open every day. Morning and evening prayers are held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. On Sundays, there are communion services at 8 am and 10 am, with evening prayer at 6 pm.

Because the church uses chairs instead of fixed pews, it can host many different events. These include concerts, plays, art shows, school events, and public meetings. The church also has groups that support Fairtrade products and the Make Poverty History campaign.

In 2022, the church was used as a filming location for the BBC One TV show Inside Man. In the show, David Tennant played Reverend Harry Watling, a priest at the church.