Surrey is home to some ancient and stunning churches. Emily Horton enters a world of fine art, noble knights and breathtaking architecture
Peter Reed
In one of the many small and unassuming churches in Surrey lies one of the greatest relics of the Middle Ages; a beautiful artefact, fashioned from brass and enamel, which conjures up an era when, resplendent in their armour and beholden to their kings, knights would govern the country in return for rank and title.
This particular piece depicts Sir John d'Abernon, an honourable nobleman who supported William the Conqueror in his claim to the throne of England in the 11th century. The life-size brass plaque lies peacefully in the chancel of St Mary's Church in Stoke d'Abernon, and is considered to be one of the earliest military brasses in existence in England and is certainly one of the finest.
Showing Sir John – one of three of his ancestral line interred in the church – attired in chain mail and holding both a lance and a sword, it commemorates his efforts serving and fighting for the wealthy Clare family, whose loyalty to the Norman king saw them rewarded with land across Surrey and Sussex. In turn, for services rendered, Sir John acquired manors in Albury, Molesey and later Stoke, to which he gave his name.
For the last two years, the Churches Conservation Trust, a national charity devoted to preserving and protecting historic churches across the country for public enjoyment, is has been hosting historic churches tours across the country – with one, 'Lords and Gentry' taking place around Surrey. The event, which takes place in June, visits four centres of worship with Trust staff on hand to take visitors on a colourful journey into the past lives of Surrey's aristocracy. St Mary's in Stoke d'Abernon is one of the highlights.
Other stops on the tour include the Saxon church of St Peter and St Paul in Albury. This tiny edifice with its distinctive flint walls also holds a hidden gem – a mortuary chapel designed by the 19th-century architect and designer Augustus Pugin (responsible for the Palace of Westminster).
The church itself was usurped for workshop 160 years ago by a larger building and is no longer used for services but this merely adds to its sense of charm and serenity. It has a simple, lime washed interior, adorned with monuments including a brass of the 15ht-century knight John Weston and a Medieval wall painting of St Christopher.
Lumley Chapel, at St Dunstan's in Cheam, is the town's oldest building and is described by the Trust as 'a tiny treasure full of remarkable carvings'. John Lumley was an aristocrat and a keen collector of art and refurbished the chapel as a burial place for himself and two wives to dazzling effect.
Stained glass windows and lavishly decorated walls filled with stone monuments gaze down upon a magnificent tiled floor and opulent tomb dedicated to Lumley's first wife Jane Fitzalan, carved in alabaster.
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Last on the list is St George's in Esher which, built in the 16th century, is a different experience once again. Dating from the 1540s (and updated with additions between 1724 and 1842) it is one of the earliest churches after the Reformation and considered but the Trust to be a 'Tudor gem'.
Constructed from a jumble of brick, flint, sandstone and chalk, its roof is made from stone and clay, and its bell-cote from timber; its mismatching exterior is equalled by a seemingly haphazard mix of styles and features inside.
But this chaotic facade conceals a splendid three-decker pulpit and a pew designed by architect John Vanbrugh, who also designed Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. It also boasts some famous worshippers, including Queen Victoria who attended services here as a young woman.
The Trust's aim in opening up these hidden gems is a noble one. Thanks to its efforts, British history, architectural delights and wondrous artworks are all being preserved for our and future generations to enjoy. I urge you to step back in time and savour the treasures and support this worthy cause.
For details of upcoming tours, visit The Churches Conservation Trust website
https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/tours/
