Parishes: Stoke d'Abernon

STOKE D'ABERNON (fn. 1)

Stocke (xi cent.), Estokes (xii cent.), Stokes D'Abernon (xiii cent.), Stokes Daberoun (xiv cent.), Stoke Dabernon, Dabernoun, Daubernoun (xiv and xv and xvi cent.), Stoke d'Alborne 1843.

Stoke D'Abernon is a small village 3 miles northwest of Letherhead and a mile and a half east of Church Cobham. The Mole separates the parish from the Bookhams, and also for a short distance from Cobham. The parish measures nearly 3½ miles north-east and south-west by 1½ miles, and contains 2,022 acres. The north-east part is high ground on the London Clay, with patches of gravel. There is here an extensive common, Stoke Common, much overgrown with wood, and on it a medicinal spring called Jessopp's Well, containing Epsom salts, and very powerful. The lower part of the parish is in the alluvium of the Mole valley, and the village, church, and manor-house are on gravel near the river. The road from Letherhead to Cobham passes through it, and the Cobham and Guildford line of the London and South Western Railway has a station in the parish, Cobham and Stoke D'Abernon, opened in 1885.

The neighbourhood of the church was presumably occupied by some Roman building, many Roman tiles being employed in the original walls. In Letherhead parish close by the boundary there is a square entrenchment, and Roman tiles and coins have been found in a field close to this and next to the Letherhead and Cobham road.

Stoke D'Abernon is mentioned in the Metrical History of Guillaume le Marechal, as the scene of his honeymoon with the heiress of the Earl of Pembroke:—

Quant les noces bien faites furent,
Et richement, si comme els durent,
La dame emmena, ce savon,
Chies Sire Angeran d'Abernon,
A Estokes, en liu paisable,
E aesie e delitable. (fn. 2)

There was an Inclosure Act for the parish in 1821, (fn. 3) the award was made 30 July 1823. (fn. 4)

The bridge on the old road from Letherhead crossed the Mole near the manor-house. It was of wood, and, as elsewhere, used only in flood time, a ford supplying the ordinary means of crossing. The bridge was built by Sir Francis Vincent, 1757–75. In 1805 it was replaced by a brick bridge higher up the river, the road being diverted. A line of oaks marks the old road leading to the ford, and some of the supports of the wooden bridge are still visible in both banks of the river.

Ockshot is a hamlet a mile and a half north-east of Stoke D'Abernon Church, where a number of houses have been built since the railway was opened. There is a National school in the hamlet which is used for services on Sunday. It was built in 1820, the Duchess of Kent laying the foundation stone, and was enlarged in 1897.

Woodlands Park, with a modern house, is the seat of Mr. J. W. Benson, and D'Abernon Chase is the residence of Sir William Vincent, bart. The Priory, in the north of the parish, was so called from its having belonged to Newark Priory. It has been incorporated with the Claremont estate.

The French Huguenot family of Vaillant owned the advowson of Stoke D'Abernon in the 19th century. François Vaillant fled from Saumur in 1685 and settled in London. His son Paul settled first at Battersea and then (1732) at West Horsley. He was born in France in 1672 and died at West Horsley in 1739. His son Paul, born in 1715, bought the advowson of Stoke D'Abernon and a house in the village in 1800, and died in 1802, having in 1801 presented his son Philip Vaillant to the living, which he held till 1846. The arms of the family are azure a herring argent, a chief or. (fn. 5)

MANOR

Before the Norman Conquest STOKE [D'ABERNON] was held by Bricsi of King Edward. (fn. 6) William granted it to Richard de Tonbridge, lord of Clare, (fn. 7) and it remained part of the possessions of his family, a sub-tenant, however, being enfeoffed (probably) in the 12th century. In 1314 Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, was killed at the battle of Bannockburn. He left no issue and his estates were divided among his three sisters, while the earldoms of Gloucester and Hertford became extinct. (fn. 8) The manor of Stoke D'Abernon fell to the share of Eleanor, the eldest sister, (fn. 9) who married Hugh le Despenser the younger. Their eldest son Hugh died childless, and was succeeded by his brother's son Edward, afterwards Baron Despenser, (fn. 10) who was overlord of the manor in 1375. (fn. 11) Edward's son and heir Thomas, created Earl of Gloucester in 1397 by Richard II, lost his earldom in 1399 through his faithful adherence to that king's cause. (fn. 12) In 1418 the manor was said to be held of the honour of Gloucester; (fn. 13) this came to the Crown through the marriage of Lady Anne Nevill with Richard III. (fn. 14)

The head of the family which held the manor of Stoke for centuries under the Earls of Gloucester, and gave its name to the place, seems to have been Roger D'Abernon, who held in West Molesey of Richard in 1086. (fn. 15) The association of the name of the family with Stoke indicates an early and long connexion, but the first who can certainly be said to have been there was Ingelram D'Abernon in 1189, (fn. 16) when he lent his house there to William Marshal and the daughter of the Earl of Pembroke for their honeymoon. (fn. 17) In 1205 there were four brothers living, Ingelram, Walter, William, and Richard. Ingelram, son of Walter, died in 1235, without children, his heir being his kinsman Jordan. (fn. 18) Jordan ceded his claims to his uncle Gilbert, (fn. 19) which looks as if Ingelram and Jordan were grandsons, not sons, of two of the four brothers mentioned above. Gilbert was father to John, (fn. 20) who is commemorated by the larger brass in the church. John was apparently dead by 1278, when his son John was being pressed to take up knighthood as holder of a knight's fee. (fn. 21) John the younger died in 1327 leaving an heir John. (fn. 22) William, probably his son, died in 1359. (fn. 23) He had no son and the estate was inherited by his elder daughter Elizabeth, who married, first, Sir William Croyser, kt., and afterwards John de Grey of Ruthyn. (fn. 24) William Croyser, her son by her first husband, inherited the manor from her, and dying in 1415 left it to his widow, Edith Croyser. (fn. 25) On her death in 1418 it passed to their daughter Anne, who, though only thirteen years of age, was already married to Ingelram Bruyn, son of Sir Maurice Bruyn, kt. (fn. 26) Before the year 1436 Anne married her second husband, Sir Henry Norbury, kt., son of Sir John Norbury, Treasurer of England. (fn. 27) In 1439 the property was entailed on Sir Henry and his wife and their issue. (fn. 28) Their eldest son, Sir John Norbury, married Jane Gilbert. (fn. 29) The sole issue of this marriage was a daughter, Anne, who married Sir Richard Haleighwell. (fn. 30) From them the estate descended to their daughter Jane, (fn. 31) wife of Sir Edmund Bray, Lord Bray. (fn. 32) Lord Bray died in 1539. His son John, the second Lord Bray, who died in 1557, had a sister and co-heir, Frances, who married Thomas Lyfeld, and the manor having come into their hands in 1557, as Frances' share of her father's property, (fn. 33) they settled it (fn. 34) on their daughter and heir, Jane, and her husband, Thomas Vincent, for their lives, and then on Jane's sons Francis and Bray Vincent, successively. A further settlement took place on the marriage of Francis Vincent with Sarah, daughter of Sir Amyas Paulet, in 1589. (fn. 35) Francis Vincent was made a baronet in 1620. (fn. 36) The manor descended in the Vincent family till the early part of the 19th century. (fn. 37) Before 1824 it was sold to Hugh Smith, (fn. 38) who died in 1831. (fn. 39) Almost immediately afterwards the manor-house was let to Mrs. Phillips a widow, who died there in 1842. Her son, the Rev. F. P. Phillips, hon. canon of Winchester and rector of Stoke D'Abernon from 1862 to 1898, bought the manorhouse and manor. He died in 1904. His son Mr. F. A. Phillips died by an unhappy accident in 1908, leaving issue. (fn. 40)

The manor-house close by the church is no doubt on the site of that in which William Marshal stayed. In the wall of one of the bedrooms on the first floor are some very massive beams of 15th or 16thcentury date. This was one of the ends of an E-shaped house (compare Slyfield, close by, in Great Bookham parish). There are also traces of a gallery, since cut up into smaller rooms. The house was practically rebuilt by Sir Francis Vincent, who succeeded in 1757, and who filled up the centre of the E with the present large hall. The stable walls are partly of a date about 1600, which perhaps indicates that the first Sir Thomas Vincent, who died in 1613, was the builder who designed the gallery. The earlier house might date to Sir John Norbury, who died in 1521. The house now contains a fine collection of Morland's pictures.

In 1253 John D'Abernon, then lord of the manor, received a grant of free warren from Henry III, (fn. 41) and when in the following reign his son John claimed that he and his ancestors time out of mind had held a view of frankpledge in Stoke, the claim was allowed. (fn. 42) In 1557 a free fishery in the River Mole was among the rights of the lord of the manor. (fn. 43) Free fishery in the waters of 'Emlyn' is mentioned in 1824. (fn. 44) Two mills were established in the manor at the time of the Domesday Survey, the profits of the one being worth 7s. and those of the other 6s. a year. (fn. 45)

There is in this parish a small manor within the district of OCKSHOT (anciently Occasate, Oggesethe, Hoggeset, &c.). Gilbert D'Abernon in the 13th century granted lands and pasture there to the monks of Waverley, (fn. 46) who seem to have retained them, or some part of them, (fn. 47) till the Dissolution, when they were granted to Sir William Fitz William, K.G. (fn. 48) There was a house in Ockshot called Ockshot Grange, perhaps part of the monks' holding, which was owned by one of the Vincent family in the time of Charles I. (fn. 49) The priory of Newark by Guildford as early as the reign of Henry III had a small holding in Stoke D'Abernon granted by Hugh de Fetcham and confirmed by John D'Abernon, (fn. 50) taxed in 1291 at 12s. 6½d. (fn. 51) After the Dissolution John Carleton of Walton on Thames received a grant from the king of 'the messuage called Pryorne (i.e. the Priory) in Stoke D'Abernon which belonged to the late Priory of Newark, Surrey.' (fn. 52)

CHURCH

The church of ST. MARY THE VIRGIN consists of a chancel 23 ft. 6 in. by 15 ft. 6 in.; a north chapel 21 ft. by 13 ft.; a nave 49 ft. by 21 ft. 3 in.; a north aisle and north transeptal organ-chamber; a north-west tower and a south porch. The earliest parts of the church are the chancel and the two eastern bays of the nave, which are, so far as the walls are concerned, of preConquest date and represent a church consisting only of a chancel and nave, the latter being 35 ft. long. There was also very probably a south porch. In the closing years of the 12th century a north aisle of two bays was added, windows were inserted in both nave and chancel, and a new chancel arch was built. At the beginning of the 13th century the chancel was vaulted and buttresses and new windows were inserted in the south wall of the chancel, and probably in the north wall as well. A window was also inserted in the nave. In the middle of the 13th century a new south door was inserted and the early porch was destroyed. Probably at the same time a nave altar recess was constructed to the north of the chancel arch. This, however, no longer remains, but a water-colour sketch made before the modern restoration shows this feature very clearly. (fn. 53) Towards the end of the 15th century the north chapel was built and the rood stair inserted. In 1866 the whole church was enlarged and 'restored.' The nave and aisle were lengthened (the latter being completely rebuilt), the old chancel arch was destroyed with the nave altar recesses and the squints, and was replaced by a modern one. The old bell-cot over the west end of the nave was destroyed and replaced by the present tower at the north-west, and various new windows were inserted.

The east window of the chancel is a modern triplet of 18th-century design. On the north of the chancel is an arcade, of two dissimilar bays, to the chapel. The first of these has an obtuse four-centred head flanked by fluted pilasters, with moulded capitals and bases, which are carried up to an embattled cornice. The spandrels are filled in with plain moulded panels, and the soffit of the arch and the jambs are panelled. Between this and the arch to the west is a short length of walling. The second arch has a more acute fourcentred head, and is continuously moulded with a deep hollow between a double ogee and a hollow chamfer. There is no label or canopy. On the south are two windows of the same date as the vaulting, both single lancets with wide splays and pointed bowtel-moulded internal jambs and rear arch. The moulded external jambs, head and label, are completely restored in modern material. The chancel arch is entirely modern and of late 13th-century detail. It is two-centred and of two chamfered orders with a plain chamfered label The jambs have circular half shafts with plain moulded capitals and bases. The chancel is vaulted in two bays. The circular vaulting shafts are single in the angles and triple clustered on the north and south walls, where they are placed between the two arches and the two windows respectively. The capitals are circular, moulded, of varying design, and have plain bells. The bases have a water-mould of somewhat unusual angular profile, and are also circular. The vaulting ribs are moulded with undercut rolls and the cross ribs are enriched with dog-tooth. The vault is quadripartite with a filling of small stuff now stripped of its plaster. At the intersection of the diagonal ribs of the west bay is a small rosette boss. At the east is an elaborate modern marble reredos with stations of the cross in very high relief. On the north is a modern wall arcade of 13th-century design.

Above the chancel arch, and visible from the nave, is an opening to the space over the vaulting; and over and to the north of the north jamb is the rood loft door, a plain pointed one, of 15th-century date. The two western bays of the nave arcade have two-centred arches of one chamfered order, and a plain chamfered label. The respond is square with plain abaci, and is much restored. The column is circular with a circular roll-moulded base standing on a square plinth and having plain angle-spurs. The capital has a plain fairly shallow bell worked from the circular shaft to a square hollow-chamfered abacus. The third and fourth bays of the arcade are quite modern. At the south-east of the nave is a piscina of late 15th-century date. The head is segmental and with the jambs continuously moulded with a double ogee. The western jamb, however, has been mutilated to a different form. The back is curved and the basin circular with five channels, and the drain is masked by a small boss. Near this is a small modern door to the modern vestry, in the building of which a plain lancet window of the same date as those in the south of the chancel was blocked up. West of this again is the original south door, now blocked up. This is of mid-13th-century date and has a drop two-centred head. It is continuously moulded with a roll set in a hollow chamfer. In the east jamb is a recess for a holy-water stock, with a plain segmental head. Previous to 1865 this was covered by a plain brick porch of late date. Above the door is a small rough sundial, which projects from the face of the wall about 3 in. west of the door, and in the upper part of the wall is a blocked opening with plain quoined jambs and a flat stone lintel. This is possibly pre-Conquest, and may have opened to the first floor of an early porch covering the south door. Between this and the sundial a modern lancet window has been inserted. The present entrance is on this side, and is again further west and covered by a modern open timber porch. The west window of the nave is modern.

The north chapel is lit on the east by an original window of excellent design, of three trefoiled lights with sub-mullions and smaller lights over and an external label. The jambs, head, and mullions are moulded. In the south wall are a pair of windows of similar but less skilful design, and of only two lights. In these the jambs and mullions are plain. West of the second window is a blocked-up fireplace of the same date, with a flat four-centred moulded head. This is covered with scratchings. Amongst others the name 'Edmund de Bray, knight,' may be read, with a rough drawing of a bray. Near it, in square inclosing lines, are the names: 'Bastiano de Fan, Bern Macutto, Fran Latina,' all in roman capitals.

At the south-west is the door to and a part of the rood stair. At the west is a much restored and probably widened arch to the organ-chamber (originally to the aisle). It is of obtuse two-centred form, and is of two chamfered orders, the outer being continuous in the jambs. Above it is a much restored quatrefoil light.

The transeptal organ-chamber is quite modern and replaces part of the aisle, which was itself rebuilt and lengthened, and the tower, which fills the western bay, of the present aisle, is also modern. It is surmounted by a shingled spirelet. None of the old doors or windows of the aisle remain, all having been replaced by modern ones.

The font is placed under the tower, and is a plain octagonal one of late 15th-century date.

The pulpit is a handsome one of early 17th-century date. It is seven-sided in form and stands upon a central post with elaborately carved brackets. At the angles are fantastic Ionic pilasters surmounted by grotesques. The faces have carved and inlaid panels with enriched mouldings, and the crown mould and book-rest are elaborately ornamented.

At the back is a carved standard of similar detail with an oval shield charged with the Vincent arms and quarterings. This supports a large soundingboard with a carved central panel of grotesque design, angle pendants and a carved cornice, held up by a pair of elaborately scrolled wrought-iron stays, the whole being an unusually complete example of an early-17th-century church fitting. In the wall near it is a wrought-iron hour-glass stand of the same date. There is also a wooden eagle lectern of foreign design and workmanship. In the north aisle is a very fine chest of 13th-century date. It is of oak, and in size is 3 ft. 11 in. by 1 ft. 6½ in. by 2 ft. 2 in. high. It is raised from the floor about 7½ in. by end standards of board, the inner edges of which below the chest itself are roll-stop-chamfered. On the front of the chest are three roundels of geometrical incised work. There are three lock plates, and two hasps remain. In the lid is a money slot. The altar table is also of early 17th-century date and has a movable top.

In the chancel floor is a large slab, some 8 ft. long, of blue-grey marble. The margin is inscribed in sunk Lombardic capitals: 'Sire Johan Daubernovn chivaler gist icy Dev de sa Alme eyt mercy.' Let into the slab is a life-size brass of a knight in armour, the earliest now known in England; it dates from 1277. He is shown wearing a coif and camail of chain mail, the former strapped over the forehead. The hawberk reaches about two-thirds down the thigh, and the sleeves are corded at the wrists and terminate in mail mittens. The legs are encased in mail chausses fastened to kneecops of cuir bouilli which are ornamented with rosettes and an engrailed border. The mail is then continued as a thigh covering. There are no visible traces of a gambeson, though some such garment would certainly be worn. The surcoat is very ample and open in front from a little below the waist. The edge of this opening and the skirts, which reach to the bottom of the calf, are fringed. At the waist is a narrow plaited girdle. The sword is large, about 4 ft. long. The hilt has a large circular flat pommel, a corded grip, and short heavy quillons curving slightly downwards. The scabbard is tipped with metal and brought up into an obtuse V clasping the guard on either side. The sword-belt is broad and fairly plain, being merely ornamented with a stitched border and punched work at the buckle-holes. The frog is elaborately arranged to cant the sword at a slight angle, and the whole belt passes diagonally round the hips.

The shield is small and heater-shaped and bears: azure a cheveron or, the field being enamelled. The cheveron is drawn very narrow and is carried up to the top of the shield. The shield, resting on the left arm, is slung over the right shoulder by a broad belt ornamented with a rose and swastica and having a broad buckle. In the crook of the right arm is a lance some 6 ft. long, without grip or vamplate, and with a small fringed pennon bearing a cheveron.

Plain prick spurs are worn with a rather thin strap. The hands are joined in prayer, and the feet rest upon a lion which bites the butt of the lance.

Near this is another slab with a brass representing Sir John D'Abernon the younger, 1327. The marginal inscription has unfortunately been lost except a few short lengths on which the words 'ici g . . . eit merci,' appear in Lombardic capitals. The figure is clad in armour, and wears first a gambeson, the longitudinally padded square skirts of which are visible and reach to just above the knee. Over this is a hawberk of banded mail worked at the skirts into a rounded point falling in front to a little below the gambeson, while at the sides it is slightly above it. The sleeves are wide and straight, the bands running lengthwise of the fore-arm and round the upper arm, and terminated without strapping at about the middle of the forearm. Beneath is visible some form of close-fitting arm defence, possibly of leather, and part of the gambeson. Over the hawberk is an aketoun of pourpoint with fringed skirts reaching to the middle of the thigh. Over this is worn a cyclas fitting the torso fairly closely and laced up the sides, but having fairly wide skirts of unequal length. In front it reaches to a little below the fork, leaving visible two rows of the metal rosette studs of the aketoun. At the back, however, it falls to the bend of the leg, and the skirts are split at the side like a dalmatic. There is no girdle, but the sword-belt passing round the hips draws the cyclas together. The sword is of fair size with a long corded grip and an oval pommel and plain quillons with rounded ends. The belt is richly ornamented, but quite simply attached to the scabbard, which has an ornamental metal tip and is somewhat less diminished from haft to point than is the case in the earlier brass. On the head is a fluted oval bascinet reaching to below the ears and with a foiled point or socket at the top. The aventail of banded mail is riveted to the bascinet and covers the neck and shoulders, partly covering the circular pauldrons. Rerebraces of plate are worn strapped over the mail, which shows inside the arm. The elbow cops appear to be articulated on the rerebrace and are reinforced by circular plates tied on with points. No gauntlets are shown. The legs are clad in mail chausses, over which are strapped plate defences. The knee cops are large ridged and have engrailed borders. The thigh defences are not visible. The insteps are protected by articulated sollerets of five plates, and short prick spurs are worn with rosette bosses. A small heater-shaped shield of a rather acute form rests on the left arm, but has no belt. The hands are joined in prayer and the feet rest on a lion. Over the head is an ogee cinquefoiled canopy, each foil of which is subcusped to form a cinquefoil. This is slightly damaged. The shield is charged with a very broad cheveron.

In the chancel is also a plain marble slab with a small brass shield and the indents of three others and of an inscription in separate brass letters. The last is so worn as to be indecipherable. The one remaining shield bears a cheveron with a label of four points. At the north-west of the chancel floor is a slab to 'Sir John Ackland, of Ackland, in the county of Devon, Barronett,' who died in 1647. Two brasses are fixed to the jambs of the east arch of the chancel arcade. That on the east jamb is of a lady wearing a long head veil, a pleated wimple, a full ungirt robe with moderate sleeves, and an ample cloak with loose cords to fasten it, which hangs down behind the hands, which are joined in prayer. At her feet and on her ample skirts are the figures to a smaller scale of her four sons and four daughters. At the foot is the following inscription: 'Hic jacet dña Anna Norbury nup' ux' Henrici Norbury milit' || Ac filia Willi Croyser qu'dam dni hui' loci que obiit xii° die || octobr' anno dni m° cccc°lx°iiii° cui' ai'e ppciet' deu' amē.' The second brass is of a 'chrysom' child. The swaddling clothes, which are brought over the head in a kind of hood, are bound with crossing bands, and over the forehead the clothes are marked with a cross. Below is an inscription in black letter smalls with capitals: 'Pray for the soule of Elyn bray dowter of s' Edmond || bray Knyght and Jane hys wyfe whiche elyn dyed ye xvi || day of Maij A° M V^c xvi.' On the south side of the chapel is a brass to Frances (Bray), 1592, wife of Thomas Lyfield, with a long genealogical inscription. With this are the figures of Frances, her husband, and their daughter Jane, the wife of Thomas Vincent.

On the south wall of the chancel is a brass plate with the following inscription: 'Hic jacet Johēs Prowd Rector isti' eccliĉ et quat' || Rector ecclie de esthorsley qui obiit nono die Octobr' || A° Dı MCCCCLXXXVII° Cujus aĉ ppciet' d' amen.

On the east wall of the chapel is a brass plate with the following inscription:

Thys Chauntrie foundyt by Syr John Norbury
The First Prest was Sir John Pinnoke truly:
Under thys stone lieth buryed His Body
Of whose soule Jesu have mercy.

He departed out of this world and from us he is gone
In the yeare of oure Lord fifteen twenty and one
The fyrst day of the Month of August
In the Marcie of J'hu Christ He puttys all his
trust. Amen.

On the east wall is a small mural monument to Sir John Norbury put up in 1633, as the inscription explains, to replace 'the ould monument by injury of time demolisht.' He is represented in early 17thcentury armour kneeling at a desk within a semicircular arch which is surmounted by a broken pediment of classical design. Under the east window of the chapel is the monument of Sarah (Paulet), 1608, wife of Sir Francis Vincent. There is a lifesize effigy lying on the left side with the cheek resting on the left hand. The costume consists of a tight fitting bodice with a pointed stomacher, and elaborately quilted sleeves, a heavily pleated skirt over a farthingale, a deep ruff, and a wide hood. On the plinth below are the kneeling figures of five sons and two daughters. The tomb has a high semicircular canopy the soffit of which is panelled. Above the effigy is an elaborate inscription on a slate slab. Three shields are shown, the first having the quatrefoils of Vincent, the second the three swords of Paulet, the third being Vincent impaling Paulet. Between the two windows on the north of the chapel is a second monument, of slightly later date, to Sir Thomas Vincent, 1613, and his wife, Lady Jane (Lyfield) 1619. Sir Thomas is wearing complete armour consisting of a globose breast-plate, a back-plate, a moderate gorget, articulated pauldrons, rerebraces and vambraces, large winged elbow cops, very wide articulated taces over stuffed trunks, articulated jambs, knee cops, vamplate, and articulated sollerets. Over the gorget a fair sized ruff is worn, and the wrists are ruffed. He lies on his right side, and wears a pointed beard. His wife, placed a little below him, is in a recumbent attitude with the hands joined. She wears a close-fitting bodice with a pointed stomacher and moderate sleeves turned back at the cuff, a full skirt with a farthingale, a small hood, a moderate ruff and an ample cloak or mantle. The monument is very similar in design to the last described, but is ornamented with the scrollwork peculiar to the period. The Vincent arms appear on a shield crowning the arch. On the back of the tomb are the arms of Vincent and Lyfield, Or a cheveron thereon between three demi-lions gules with three trefoils or on the cheveron. In the churchyard are two ancient grave slabs. The first of these is of plain oblong form and mid-14th-century date with a marginal inscription in square-sunk Lombardic capitals as follows:—'Johanna Femme de Sire Johan Dabernon chivaler gist icy dieu de sa alme eit merci.' The second is coffin-shaped and ornamented with a cross crosslet with rounded ends to the base and a long stem. It is marginally inscribed in Lombardic characters: 'Sire Richard Le Petit Iadis Persone de cest eiglise ici gist Receyve sa alme Isu christ.' It is of Sussex marble and is of mid 13th-century date.

On the south-east wall of the chancel are the remains of a painting of the same date as the vaulting. It is a portion of a representation of 'The adoration of the Lamb.' At the bottom is a crowned and cloaked figure playing a harp, probably one of the twentyfour elders; above this is a tier of figures of the redeemed and then two tiers of angels, those in the lower tier playing musical instruments. In the last two cases and in the first only one figure remains, and only a few of the second-tier figures are left. On the one old pillar of the nave is painted a crucifix; this is nearly obliterated. In the museum of the Surrey Archaeological Society at Guildford is preserved a sketch of a painting which was discovered in the nave altar recess which was destroyed in 1866. It consisted of the bearded figure of an archbishop in mass vestments, before whom a knight in armour was kneeling. Over the head of the figure was the partly obliterated name of 'S. T [H] O M A S' in Lombardic capitals.

In the window of the present tower are collected some fragments of old glass mainly of 15th-century date. Amongst others is the figure of an angel playing a fiddle, and also of St. Anne teaching the Virgin. There are also some old quarries painted with the 'bray' or hemp-brake badge of the Brays in the modern screen between the chapel and the aisle. There are also some shields of arms, including those of the Dabernons; Croyser impaling Dabernon; Norbury impaling Croyser; Haleighwell impaling Norbury; Bray impaling Haleighwell; Lyfield impaling Bray; Vincent impaling Lyfield; Vincent; Vincent impaling Paulet, &c. On an iron bracket in the chapel is a surcoat with a funeral helm.

There are three bells. The treble is by William Eldridge, 1687. The second was cast by Warner & Son in 1866. The third bears the initials I. S. and was probably cast by Joan Sturdy, c. 1450.

The church plate consists of a cup with cover, two patens, a flagon, and an alms basin, all electro plated.

The registers of baptisms and burials date from 1619, those of marriages from 1620.

ADVOWSON

There was a church on the manor at the time of the Domesday Survey. (fn. 54) The advowson of the rectory went always with the manor (fn. 55) till 1746, when it was included with certain lands in a term of 500 years created by the marriage settlement of Sir Francis Vincent for raising portions for younger children. (fn. 56) When sold under that authority about thirty years later it was purchased by Paul Vaillant, a gentleman of a Huguenot family, Sheriff of London. (fn. 57) He died in 1802, and in the following year it was sold by his executors, under the description of 'a neat house, thirty acres of glebe, and the great and small tithes of the parish,' to the Smith family, (fn. 58) one of whom held the manor. It was acquired, with the manor, by the Rev. F. P. Phillips. His son, Mr. F. A. Phillips, held it until his death in 1908.

CHARITIES

Smith's Charity is distributed as in other Surrey parishes. In 1786 land worth 3s. a year for the use of the poor, donor unknown, was returned.