St James' Church

CHURCH OF ST. JAMES, ELSTEAD

1128 Waverley Abbey founded. The first Cistercian Monastery in England. William Giffard, Bishop of Winchester, gave the monks two acres of meadow land in Elstead.

C. 1138 Original Church in Elstead built, served by priests from Waverley Abbey, consisting a chancel, a nave and a low shingled belfry spire at the west end supported on very solid oak timbers, axe dressed [Victoria County History of Surrey]. The ladder up to the belfry (north west corner) is one baulk of oak with steps incised.

14th century North-west Porch. The existing beams and barge-board are original timber. Plain round-headed door (now blocked on the inside) in the Chancel.

15th century Arch of North-west Doorway constructed of two pieces of oak obviously taken from a huge tree. The roof timbers of the Nave, tie-beams and kingposts are of the same period.

16th century The three light east window inserted (although the glass in it now is modem). Mass Dial cut in the stone on the exterior of the window. The eastern-most window in the north wall of the Nave was inserted at the same time.

1536 Waverley Abbey dissolved, after which 'Elstead with Seale and Frensham' became a chapelry in the care of the Rectors of the Parish of Farnham.

1829 First resident Parish Priest of Elstead, the Rev. William Jones, lived at the house now known as "The Hermitage' (Milford Road, corner of Ham Lane).

1845 Restoration of the Church. The present font was given by Bishop Sumner of Winchester, before which baptism was administered from a glass bowl placed on the Altar. (The medieval font is now lost)

1846 Church School and School-house built on the site of an ancient tithe-barn (opposite the church, Thursley Road).

1849 Cedar of Lebanon planted in the centre of the Churchyard, and Lime trees planted around the boundaries, in thanksgiving for the end of an epidemic of cholera in Elstead.

1862 New Rectory built opposite the Church (now Bargate House).

1865 Remaining bell recast and two new bells added.

1872 Remains of gallery at the West End of the Nave were removed and the Church was enlarged by the addition of the South Aisle and Vestry. New seating and a new pulpit were added.

1875 Organ installed by a Birmingham firm of organ builders at a cost of £180.

1884 Organ moved to Organ Chamber (now part of the Vestry).

Late 1940's Organ moved again, this time to the west end of the South Aisle, and a new console installed on the south side of the Chancel (in the Vestry).

1953 New Rectory built (entrance in Thursley Road, opposite West Hill).

1970 Re-ordering of the Chancel was arranged to provide more space therein and to adapt the church to suit modern liturgical trends - Altar brought forward, with hanging cross above; new altar rail installed in an arc from pulpit to war memorial; choir stalls and organ console moved to their present position in the South Aisle.

1996 New line of Whitebeams planted in churchyard to replace ageing Lime trees. New lighting scheme installed in the church. Altar rail extended and adapted to centre-opening.

1997 Garden of Remembrance opened (under the Cedar of Lebanon) and new entrance and gate installed in the south east comer of the churchyard.

1999 Re-ordering of the west end to provide more space to circulate, better display area (including a Book of Remembrance in a glass case) and storage space, and to highlight the timber framing of the belfry.

July 1999