St Mary's Church, Stoke d'Abernon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Stoke d'Abernon
51°18′50″N 0°22′52″W / 51.31389°N 0.38111°W / 51.31389; -0.38111
OS grid reference	TQ 129 584
Location	Stoke d'Abernon
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Church of England
Website	St Mary's, Stoke d'Abernon
History
Dedication	Mary the Virgin
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	14 August 1953
Administration
Diocese	Diocese of Guildford

St Mary's Church is an old and important church in the village of Stoke d'Abernon, Surrey, England. It is part of the Church of England. Some parts of this church are incredibly old, dating all the way back to the 600s! Because of its long history and special features, it is a Grade I listed building. This means it's considered a very important historic site.

Exploring St Mary's Church

A Look Back in Time

The very first church here was built in the 600s. This was soon after Christianity came to England with Saint Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury. You can still see parts of the original south wall from this time. The builders even reused old bricks and stones from Roman buildings that were already there!

This church was once a ecclesia propria. This means it was built on private land by a powerful local lord. There's a high-up doorway in the south wall of the main part of the church, called the nave. This door is now blocked, but it used to lead to a special gallery. Until the 1200s, the lord of the manor had his own private chapel there.

The Nave: Main Part of the Church

The north side of the nave was added around 1190. You can still see the stonework of an old entrance in the south wall. This entrance was blocked up in 1866, but it was probably an older Saxon doorway that was changed over time.

The Pulpit

The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, was a gift from Sir Francis Vincent in 1620. He became a baronet that year. His family's coat of arms and motto are on the "sounding board" above the pulpit. This board helps the sound of the speaker's voice carry better.

The pulpit itself is shaped like a seven-sided figure and is made of walnut wood. It stands on a central column and is held up by seven unique carvings. These carvings are part-animal and part-human figures, called caryatids.

Other Features in the Nave

Below the pulpit, there is a strong oak chest. It dates from the late 1100s or early 1200s. At the west end of the nave, you'll find the organ. It was built specifically for this church in 1975 by a Danish company called Frobenius.

The Chancel: A Special Area

A Monumental brass showing Sir John D'Abernon the Elder.

The chancel is the area near the altar. It was built around 1240, replacing an older, rounded Saxon apse. The ceiling of the chancel has a special arched design called a quadripartite vault.

Famous Brasses

In front of the altar, there are two very old and famous brass memorials. These are for Sir John d'Abernon, who died in 1277, and his son, also named Sir John d'Abernon, who died in 1327.

The monumental brass of Sir John the Elder is one of the best examples of its kind still existing today. It shows him as a knight wearing armour. He is shown carrying both a lance and a sword, which is very unusual and possibly unique for these types of brasses. You can even see some of the original blue colour on his shield!

The arch that separates the chancel from the nave was changed in 1866. This happened during a big restoration of the church by architects Ford and Hesketh. The new arch replaced an older, narrower Saxon arch.

The Norbury Chapel

The tomb of Lady Sarah Vincent.

The Norbury Chapel is located to the north of the chancel. It was built around 1490 by Sir John Norbury, who died in 1521. He built it to celebrate the victory at the Battle of Bosworth. His own memorial, which shows a knight kneeling, is on the east wall of the chapel.

There are also other important monuments here. By the north wall, you'll find a monument to Sir Thomas Vincent (who died in 1613) and Lady Jane Vincent (who died in 1619). On the east wall, there is a monument to Lady Sarah Vincent (who died in 1608). She was their daughter-in-law. These monuments include life-sized statues that are still painted.

The ashes of Edgar Vincent, 1st Viscount D'Abernon (1857–1941) are also kept in the east wall of this chapel.

See also

• Grade I listed buildings in Surrey
• List of places of worship in Elmbridge
• Monumental brass