BLACKHEATH HUNDRED 



EWHURST 



The nave is lit on the north by three windows, all 

 of two rounded lights. The first and third are very 

 rough and probably very late. The middle one is 

 of better workmanship, has spandrel sinkages, and is 

 of 16th-century date. It is placed higher in the 

 wall than the others in what is apparently the round- 

 headed internal reveal of a 12th-century window 

 which has been partly cut away to allow for this. 

 The heavy coats of plaster, both inside and out, 

 however, make this a little uncertain. On the south 

 is a window of late 15th-century date of two wide 

 trefoiled lights with sub-mullions over and a segmental 

 main head, and of the same character as the east 

 window of the south transept. West of this is the 

 south door. This is of izth-century date, though 

 somewhat restored. It is of rather rough workman- 

 ship, with a semicircular head of two non-concentric 

 orders, the inner, which is square, being a little below 

 the outer, which is rather awkwardly worked with a 

 pair of rolls and a chamfer. The jambs hare 

 circular shafts with plain cushion capitals and cone 

 bases. The west window of the nave is of 15th- 

 century date and has three cinquefoiled lights with 

 sub-mullions over and a two-centred main head. 

 Under the window is the west door, which is of the 

 same date. It has a two-centred head and a con- 

 tinuous hollow chamfer, and is of chalk, almost the only 

 use in the church of this material. In the south 

 jamb are the remains of a holy-water stoup. Covering 

 this door is an open timber porch of late 15th-century 

 date, with a scalloped barge-board and a rounded 

 arch of entrance, but otherwise of the plainest design. 

 The nave walls are of rubble, plastered and ruled 

 with sham jointing to represent 1 2th-century masonry. 



The roofs of the chancel and the north transept 

 are quite modern, and that of the north transept 

 is partly modern, but also retains some moulded beams 

 of late 16th-century date. The nave has its late 

 16th-century roof complete. It is ceiled with a 

 plaster barrel vault and has moulded tie-beams and 

 wall plates and strutted king-posts. 



The font has been very much restored with roman 

 cement, but the square bowl appears to be of izth- 

 century date and is of very crude design. The flat 

 faces are ornamented with saltire ornaments of clumsy 

 rolls. The four supporting columns are modern. 



The pulpit is a fair example of early I yth-century 

 work. It is octagonal with two stages of panelling in 

 each face, the lower forming an arcade of enriched 

 arches and the upper carved with arabesques in flat 

 bands. The altar-table is of late I yth-century date 

 with fluted legs, an inlaid top and a carved rail de- 

 corated with cherub-heads. The altar-rails are a good 

 example of early 1 8th-century church fitting. They 

 are returned on the flanks to form three sides of a 

 square with rounded and mitred corners. The hand- 

 rail is broad and moulded and is carried on panelled 

 posts and twisted balusters. In the chancel are a pair 



of handsome carved chairs of late I yth-century date, 

 and, possibly, foreign workmanship. In the nave are 

 four painted tablets of the commandments and texts. 

 These are inclosed in handsomely carved frames of 

 late i yth-century design. These and the altar rails 

 were brought from Baynards in i8yg and were the 

 gift of Mr. T. L. Thurlow. The font cover is from 

 the same donor and is partly made up of some I yth- 

 century consoles. 



At the north-west of the nave is a small vestry cut 

 off from the rest of the nave by a screen in part made 

 from the I yth-century clerk's desk. There are no 

 monuments. 



In the east window of the chancel are three shields 

 of arms. The first of these is the arms of Rev. Thomas 

 Thurlow of Baynards Argent a cheveron between 

 couplecloses sable with three portcullises argent on 

 the cheveron, impaling Argent a lion in a double 

 tressure counter-flowered azure, for Lyon. Above is 

 the crest of Hovell A golden greyhound lying down 

 with collar and line sable. The second shield is 

 Onslow quartered with Harding of Knowle Argent 

 a bend azure with three martlets or thereon. The 

 third shield is : Or a fesse cheeky azure and argent 

 and a bend engrailed gules all within a double tres- 

 sure counter-flowered gules, for Stewart, with a scut- 

 cheon of pretence Azure a bend between six scallops 

 argent, for Freshfield. 



The tower contains a clock and six bells. The 

 treble and second were cast by Mears of London in 

 1839. The third is inscribed ' Sancte Petre Of' 

 in black-letter smalls and capitals and bears the leopard's 

 face, cross flory and coins of John Saunders. The 

 fourth has the same marks and is inscribed ' Sancte 

 Johannis Ora Pro Nobis.' The fifth and tenor were 

 cast by William Eldridge in l6yi. 



The first book of the registers contains all entries 

 from 1614 to iyig. The second contains all entries 

 from iyzo, baptisms and burials running to 1803 and 

 1810, and marriages to 1773. The latter, after iy54, 

 are entered in manuscript, but in the form of the 

 printed book. A third book, a printed one, continues 

 the marriages to 1812, and a fourth book carries the 

 baptisms and burials to 1812. 



The advowson belonged in 1206 

 ADVQWSQN to Merton Priory. 95 At that date 

 William Brews disputed the pre- 

 sentation, but judgement was given for the priory. 

 The latter retained the advowson until its dissolution. 96 

 The living was not appropriated, but paid a pension to 

 the priory. This pension was granted in 1541 to 

 the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury," while the king 

 retained the right of presentation. The advowson 

 remained thencefoiwird with the Crown." 



Smith's Charity is distributed as in 

 CHARITIES other Surrey parishes. A Mr. Wors- 

 fold gave, at an unknown date, a rent- 

 charge of 1 z/. SJ. for teaching poor children. 



85 Curia Regis R. 4.2, m. 17. 

 98 Winton Epis. Reg. ; Egerton MS. 

 1032, fol. 60 ; 2033, t'ol. 10, 91, &c. 



W L. and P. Hen. fill, xvi, 878 (59). 

 * Irwt. Bk. (f.R.O.) A. 79 i B. 197 ; 

 C. 3+7. 



101 



