The above view of the parish church is from Station Road, at the junction of Borough Road and Church Street and dates from 1912.
The wall closest to us is a boundary of The Old Vicarage. Church Street is one way these days, and now paved with concrete setts,
but it must have been very difficult for parishioners to run the gauntlet of the two-way traffic and access the
church some years ago.
The west porch was a new addition to the building, added in 1911 and replacing a mediaeval porch[1].
In 1867 it was recorded that the "tower contained a capital peel of eight bells, the largest weighing
25 cwt. ; they were cast in 1741 from five which were previously there"[2].
The church now has ten bells, including two Sanctus bells[3].
Around the time this picture was taken there were a few tales about the church that were published in the press that
seem amusing to the modern reader. In 1912, for example, a Hull newspaper commented that the miners, who were on strike
in various parts of the country, had a rival for the public's attention as the bell ringers of Godalming Parish Church were
also out on strike[4].
A couple of months later, when presumably the bell ringers were back on duty, there was an incident involving
the Mayor. Seemingly the Parish Church had a front pew that was specially available for the Mayor and members of the
Corporation but it was not often used. However, the then Mayor - Mr. E. Bridger - decided to attend morning service with
his daughter but did not forewarn the hapless churchwardens. Unfortunately when they arrived Mr. Bridger and his daughter
found that other worshippers had been shown to the seat at the front so the pair were seated at the back of the nave.
They sat there for a moment or two but the Mayor clearly felt he had been placed in an undignified position so he stood up
and left the church![5]
In the summer of 1914 the parish church was closed as a precaution against suffragettes, apart from when the church services
were taking place. A notice signed by Rev. G. C. Fanshawe (vicar) and his churchwardens (Messrs. C. C. Harvey and W. Enkintap)
was posted on the church door[6]
"Acting on advice, it has been decided to close the church for the present except during hours of Divine
service. Visitors desiring to see the church can do so between the hours of eleven and twelve in the morning
and three and four in the afternoon by applying for the key of Mr. Edward Smith, 6, Deanery-place (opposite)".[6] |
In 1834, eighty years before the church doors were closed to protect the church from women asking to be able to vote in
elections, a couple were married at the church and the entire event, from wedding clothes, to ministers fees and a dinner
for the guests, was paid for in farthings. It transpired that the groom had been saving up since boyhood when he decided
he would try to see "if he could not save a sufficient number of farthings to get him a wife!"[7]
Miss Jury's photograph (image 2) provides us with a glimpse of the former Vicarage (behind the lamp post) that Alan Bott
describes an early to mid 18th century building with earlier origins. Alterations were made to it in the 19th century with
additions from the late 19th century to the early 20th century[8]. Further work
has been undertaken in the last few years when it became a private home. This lovely building, now known as the Old Vicarage,
has a Grade II listing status today. It was not, however, the first vicarage or parsonage house. John Janaway refers to an early
view of the church, that shows a large house between the east end of the church and the River Wey, which shows the original
parsonage[9].
The numberplate of the car in the picture shows it was FY853 and would have been registered in Southport some time between
1905 and 1930. The image was undoubtedly taken well before the card's postal date, probably between 1914 and 1920.
The parish church, about 1900. Photographic postcard by Richard Bogue Stedman[10].
The railings on top of the low outer boundary wall are still in place today.
There are several impressive large chest monuments on the southern side of the church. Three of them are next to the path
and used to be protected by railings (shown on the above image); they would have been costly to build and the additional
railings around the tombs were possibly to protect them from body snatchers. These monuments that have not been photographed
for this website but can be seen within the church walls on both the Stedman and Jury images above.
Embedded in the brick inner wall are two large stones where there are, or were, the entrances to family vaults. The right hand
one read simply "ENTRANCE TO FAMILY VAULT 1816."; the left hand one is more difficult to read.
As for the tombs themselves, the left hand one (i.e. nearer the church door) commemorates William Keen, a banker who lived
on the High Street and died in 1846 as well as his widow Elizabeth, who passed away in 1873. Their names are on the tomb's lid
and the name of at least one of their children is recorded on the side. The middle tomb is the Hall monument, dedicated to the
chidren of John and Elizabeth Hall. One of their sons was Edward who died in 1812. Unfortunately, the inscription on the third
monument in this area is unreadable today.
Behind them, so closer to the walls of the east end of the church and its south chapel, are three more large tombs, that are
shown in the photograph below.
Three large chest tombs of (from the right) the Woods, Roker and Simmonds families.
The large chest tomb on the right of the photo commemorates members of the Wood[s] family, the lid overhanging everything below.
On the four corners are short, fluted pillars that resemble flat urns, each column is on a plinth and is topped with a capital. Between
these are panels for the inscriptions (very worn), which have decorative fans in each corner. One of those buried here was George
William Woods, a son of Henry and Mary, of Harts Lane (later Mint Street); he was interred on 20 Jan 1816, aged 7 years. His father,
Henry Meale Woods, was an attorney who was buried in January 1841. The family lived at Brook House.
Another large chest tomb, this time of the Roker family, is a little further along and is of a very similar design. The oval panel
between the side pillars on its south side has a fluted edge and on it are the names of two of the daughters of John and Mary Roker
of Shackleford[11]. Jane was buried here on 30 April 1816, aged 16 (she was christened on
15 Dec 1799 at Peper Harow). Elizabeth was also buried here; she is believed to have married James Tickner in 1818 and Mrs Elizth Tickner
of Hyde Style Farm was buried at Godalming 19 Feb 1820, aged 29. This in unconfirmed, but no burial has been found for an Elizabeth Roker.
Please get in touch if you can confirm this.
Tucked into the corner of the south aisle and chapel, and in front of the window, is another chest tomb. This commemorates the Simmonds
family and is somewhat different in style although it, too, has columns at the corners that support a pediment, with the inscriptions on all
four sides contained within an oval panel, each of which has a fluted edge. Those details cannot be seen on this photo although you can
just make out the tips of two of the panels. It also stands on a podium which has a rolled edge.
The lid of the Simmonds monument is cushioned (pulvinated) and there is a decorative frieze below it.
Related pages
This page was renamed in 2024. It was formerly called SS. Peter & Paul Parish Church, 1912.
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