On 30th June 1865 the parish of St. John the Baptist, Busbridge
was formed from the southern part of the parish of Godalming[1] and
the foundation stone for the new church was laid a few weeks
later on 24th July[2].
The Bishop of Winchester then licensed the Rev. William Tringham,
M.A., of St. John's College, Oxford, to the incumbency. Rev.
Tringham had been nominated by Mr. J. C. Ramsden of Busbridge
Hall[3].
The architect was Mr. Gilbert Scott, R.A. who was to design
St. Mary's Shackleford the following year. The work was
contracted to Messrs. Moon and Son of Godalming[4]. In
1861 James Moon and his son Henry, with their families, were
living on the High Street. They were clearly a large firm as
in 1871 Henry employed 35 men and 4 boys[5].
The church is built in the Early English (Gothic) style and
was to seat 220 people. The exterior walls are built of Bargate
stone that had been quarried nearby and the interior walls
lined with chalk slabs that had been obtained and prepared
at Puttenham. The floor was paved with Minton tiles. Scott
also designed the pulpit. James Ramsden and his wife Emma (formerly
Gosling) had spent about £4,000 in total to meet the
cost. The church was consecrated by the Bishop of Winchester
on 8 Mar 1867[4].
Unfortunately, about a week before the consecration somebody
walked round the church, breaking each window within his
reach with a stick. Considerable force was used as some of
the lead and iron work was bent. Handbills were
issued immediately the vandalism was discovered; £5 was
offered to discover the offenders but a week later it was still
not known who had caused so much damage[6].
One final act by a member of the Gosling family in relation
to the church was in 1899. Following the death of Ellis Duncombe
Gosling in 1897 his sister, Lady Galway, placed an east window
in the church in memory of her brother,
"Mr. Ellis D. Gosling, late M.F.H., Chiddingfold Hunt"[7].
In September 1892 Rev. Tringham moved to Long Cross Chertsey
and was replaced by Rev. Frederick Mills Garrett, who was appointed
in 1893. Early twentieth century incumbents included Rev.
A. G. Robinson, who had been the Rector of Busbridge for seven
years before becoming the Vicar of Ryde (Isle of Wight). He
was succeeded by the Rev. Henry Meredith Larner, M.A. who was
appointed in 1905 and was still the Rector in 1924.[8]
Inside St. John's is a wrought iron screen that is suspended
from the chancel arch; it was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens,
one of the district's famous sons. He designed the war
memorial in the churchyard that was erected after World War
One and overlooks the junction of Brighton Road and Hambledon
Lane. He also designed the Jekyll family gravestones
that are near the chancel end of the graveyard[9].
From 1 January 2024 St. John's Church became part of a small group of Godalming churches who have linked to share resources.
This group is known as Godalming Minster. The other churches in the group are SS. Peter and Paul and St. Mark's. |
