A HISTORY OF SURREY 



in this wall is a large embattled corbel, set at some 

 height above the floor towards the western end. The 

 soffit of the chancel arch retains a groove for a boarded 

 tympanum, which originally formed a background for 

 the rood and attendant images. 



The modern extensions of the chancel and north 

 chapel are in excellent taste and in general conformity 

 with the old work : they include a fine east window, 

 piscina, and sedilia, new windows in the chancel and 

 north chapel, and a door in the latter. 



In 1793 the nave and the space formerly occupied 

 by the aisle were re-roofed under one span, with great 

 queen-post trusses, and the whole ceiled. The ceiling 

 has now been removed, exposing the somewhat naked 

 constructional timbers. The roofs of the chancel and 

 north chapel are modern (except for a moulded beam, 

 of 1 5th-century date, in the former, which, however, 

 appears to have crowned a screen or rood gallery), and 

 are elaborately ornamented with bosses, on which are 

 carved sacred emblems, shields of arms, &c., the whole 



PLAN OF WONERSH CHURCH 



being coloured and gilt. The painted glass is all 

 modern and exceptionally good, especially that in the 

 east window of the north chapel, with figures of St. 

 George and St. Alban. A few slight traces of me- 

 diaeval colour decoration remain, as on the voussoirs of 

 the chancel arch. The altar-pace in the north chapel 

 is paved with old tiles dating from the 1 3th to the 

 1 5th centuries. The chancel is paved in black and 

 white marble, laid in squares and patterns, and the 

 sanctuary is raised three steps above the nave. The 

 chapel altar is brought forward to allow of the passage 

 way behind it. Both the chancel and chapel altars 

 have stone slabs, incised with the five crosses, on 

 wooden framework, that of the high altar being hand- 

 somely carved in several woods. The chancel seats 

 are elaborately carved in oak, with figures of saints as 

 finials to the stall-ends, and the nave and tower are 

 seated with benches in elm, very beautifully figured. 

 There are one or two pieces of old oak beams lying in 

 the ' crypt ' passage behind the chapel altar, and within 

 the arch to the south chapel is a good plain oak screen 

 of 15th-century date, having moulded work, but no 



tracery. This has been copied in a modern screen in 

 the opposite arch. There is a fine old Flemish 

 chandelier hanging in the centre of the chancel, and 

 in the north chapel is a pair of Georgian altar- 

 candlesticks. 



The font, of cup-shaped bowl, stem and base, is a 

 restoration in sandstone, incorporating a curious band 

 of ribbed work in a coarse grit-stone below the bowl, 

 which, from its archaic character, may be of pre-Con- 

 quest date. This font was found buried beneath the 

 floor at the restoration. 



In the nave, aisle, and chapels are a few old slabs 

 and ledgers, some with armorial panels. There is a 

 large Purbeck marble altar-tomb in the north chapel, 

 of 15th-century date, probably that of the founder of 

 the chapel, but without name or inscription of any 

 kind. Its sides are ornamented with quatrefoiled 

 tracery panelling and shields, originally filled with 

 coats-of-arms in latten, but these have all disappeared. 

 An earthenware jar, now in the vestry, was found 

 under the floor near this tomb. It is 

 r-> said that the person interred in the 



tomb was embalmed, as the cassia used 

 in the embalming still exudes from the 

 tomb in damp weather. In the south 

 chapel, now the vestry, is another 

 altar-tomb with a marble slab to the 

 memory of Robert Gwynn, a ' Filezar 

 of London,' with a fine heraldic panel 

 and the date 1701. Built into the 

 west wall of the nave are the frag- 

 ments of a fine Elizabethan mural 

 monument, with cornice pilasters and 

 a foliaged scroll-work panel of good 

 design : the inscription is missing. 

 One of the grave-slabs, now missing, 

 recorded the death of one of the 

 Carills of Tangley, and the rhyming 

 epitaph ended with the line, 'Caryll 

 sings carols in the heavenly quire.' 



On the floor of the chancel is a 

 brass with figures of a civilian and 

 wife and an imperfect inscription to 

 ' Thomas Elyot de Wonersh ' and 

 his wife Alicia, dated 146 . An- 

 other, with figures of a civilian and 

 lady and groups of twelve sons and eleven daughters, 

 bearing date 1503, is to Henry Elyot and Johanna his 

 wife. Within the chancel rails are two small brass 

 inscriptions, to Elizabeth, one of the daughters of 

 Thomas Blennerhayset, 1513; and to Elizabeth, 

 daughter of Henry Bossevile : ' who died the 9 daye 

 of February 1578, beinge 27 dayes olde." 



Some of the tool marks on the I 2th and I 3th cen- 

 tury arches are very well preserved, and on the arch 

 between the tower and the nave is a dial, or incised 

 circle. 



The bells are modern. 



Among the church plate are a silver cup and cover, 

 with the usual band of arabesque foliage round the 

 bowl of the latter, and the date 1569. with the corre- 

 sponding hall-marks. Another silver paten bears the 

 hall-marks of 1 8 1 1 , with the inscription noteworthy 

 for the date : ' Ut dignius celebretur Eucharistia in 

 Eccl. par. de Wonersh in Com. Surriensi, haec Patina 

 Deo dicata est A.D. 1812. Gul H. Cole Vicario. 

 J. Sparkes et E. Chitty Sacrorum Custodibus.' 

 The registers date from 1539. 



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