A HISTORY OF SURREY 



The font is modern and stands at the west end of 

 the nave ; it is octagonal and of poor design. 



The bells are three in number, the treble by T. Swain 

 1753, the second, by William Eldridge 1693, and 

 the tenor by Richard Phelps, 1725. 



The plate comprises a fine silver cup with the 

 Copenhagen hall-marks for 1 704, and the arms of 

 Vernon impaling Buck ; a large silver flagon given in 

 1 73 9 and made in the preceding year ; a paten which 

 has lost its foot, has only the maker's mark @ re- 

 peated four times, it is of late 1 7th-century date ; and 

 two silver almsdishes of 1839 and 1869. 



The first book of registers has an ornamented title- 

 page and contains mixed entries 1653 to 1812, but 

 marriages only to 1754; the second book contains banns 

 and marriages 1754 to 1812. 



The church is not mentioned 

 JDPOWSON in the Taxation of Pope Nicholas, 

 1291, but was probably included 

 with Egham, the vicar of Egham appointing a 

 chaplain. This duty was neglected before 1401, 

 as appears by a dispute between the abbey and 

 vicar concerning the finding of a chaplain for the 

 ' chapel of Thorpe in the parish of Egham.' 38 In 

 1428 a further dispute arose between the Abbot of 

 Chertsey and the inhabitants of Thorpe concerning 

 the finding and supporting of this chaplain. Finally 

 the bishop arbitrated, and certain of the inhabitants 

 were given the custody of the goods of the chapel, 

 together with the duty of providing the chaplain. 

 The rights of sepulchre were granted to Thorpe parish, 

 an annual fixed payment of 6/. 8</., collected from 

 the inhabitants, being allotted to the abbot as his 

 portion of the burial dues. An annual rent of \d. for 

 the chaplain's house was to be paid to the abbot by 

 the inhabitants. The abbot on his part was to induct 

 the chaplain, to undertake the repair of the chancel, 

 and to provide bread and wine for one mass daily, 

 two candles for processions, and sufficient straw to strew 

 the chapel twice a year. To the chaplain was allotted 

 a cottage and garden, and some land, tithes of wool 

 and lambs and other tithes in Thorpe, mortuaries, four 

 loads of firewood annually and certain other rights. 39 

 This composition, by which the inhabitants were made 

 responsible for the chaplain's stipend, appears to have 

 held good, in theory at least, until the 1 7th century, 



as in 1637 Henry Duncomb the chaplain petitioned 

 the king stating that this ancient composition ' hath 

 been for a long time concealed and the tithes, with 

 the piece of land, unjustly detained by the parishioners, 

 and only 20 marks paid yearly by them, to the great 

 prejudice of the petitioner and the church.' 40 



The rectory and advowson were surrendered in 

 1537," with the other possessions of the abbey of 

 Chertsey, and the rectory was granted to Bisham 

 monastery in the same year," to return once more to 

 the Crown in 1538. A twenty-one years' lease of the 

 rectory was granted to Thomas Stydolf by the 

 Abbot of Bisham in March 1538 ; the rever- 

 sion for another term of twenty-one years was 

 granted to Thomas Shelton in 1566, a further 

 lease to Sir Francis Grey being made in 1581.** 

 In 1590, however, the rectory of Thorpe was granted 

 to Sir John Wolley and his heirs. 44 Francis Wolley, 

 his son, inherited the property on his father's death 

 in 1596." He himself died in 1609, bequeathing 

 the rectory of Thorpe to William Minterne, his 

 cousin, whose grandson, Wolley Leigh, inherited this 

 property, together with both the manors in Thorpe, 

 in 1627," and the rectory was held afterwards by the 

 lord of the manor of Thorpe (q.v.). 



The advowson surrendered, as has been said, in 

 1537 remained in the Crown from that time until 

 after 1860, the Lord Chancellor presenting during the 

 last thirty years or so of this period. 47 It was bought by a 

 Miss Fergusson, who presented Mr. Martin as vicar 

 in 1874, and afterwards gave him the advowson. es . b- 

 sold it to his next successor, who also sold to the n^xt 

 incumbent, Mr. Morgan. Mrs. Morgan, his widow, 

 afterwards presented. It was then sold to Mr. if 't-h- 

 Bennett, father of the present patron, and the n 1On -y 

 invested for the benefit of the vicarage. 48 



The charities include Smith's 

 CHARITIES Charity as in other Surrey parishes. 



Giles Travers in 1706 left 6 a 

 year for apprenticing poor children. 



William Beddington in 1762 left 4 61. 8J. a year 

 for bread for the poor. 



Isaac Townsend in 1765 left a house and land 

 worth 6 a year for the poor. He was Admiral of 

 the White and Governor of Greenwich Hospital. He 

 is buried in the church. 



"Winton Epi. Reg. Wykeham, ii 

 (2), fol. 3380 ; cf. Egerton MS. 2033, 

 fol. 1 60. 



88 Exch. K.R. Mine. Bk. vol. 25, fol. 42. 



40 Cat. S.P. Dam. 1637-8, p. 318. 



41 Feet of F. Div. Co. Trin. 29 Hen. 

 VIII. 



42 Pat. 29 Hen. VIII, pt. iv, m. 35. 



48 Ibid. 32 Eliz. pt. xvii, m. I. 



45 Chan. Inq. p.m. (Set. 2) ccxlix, 74.. 



46 Ibid, ccccxlviii, 125. 



4 ? Int. Bk. (P.R.O.) ; Clergy Lfsa. 

 48 Information from the Rev. E. W. 

 Carpenter, late vicar of Thorpe. 



440 



