Young St James (And Old St Andrew)

I said last time that I'd show you Waresley's  Church of St James the Great. But there's somewhere else we should visit first.

Down at the end of Vicarage Road, just past the vicarage but before it peters out into a footpath leading between modern farm buildings, there's an almost hidden gate. It's lurking on the left of the above photo, under the deep shade of the trees.

Step through that gate and you'll find yourself in a narrow avenue of trees, at the end of which stands a tall cross.

The lines of trees mark the walls of the old church of St Andrew and the cross is where the altar once stood, while hidden in the undergrowth are graves of some of the former villagers.

Little is known about the original church except that, after years of neglect, it was blown down in a gale in 1724. It was rebuilt four years later in imitation of the chapel at Cambridge's Pembroke College.

That church lasted till 1855 when Octavius Duncombe decided to build a new church in a more central position. The old churchyard continued to be used for a while, though there's nothing to suggest it's been used for many a year. It must be a spooky old place on a foggy night!

Back at the other end of Vicarage Road we find the new church - St James the Great. Before we find our way inside there's something else to see - look over to the extreme left of the photo above....

....and you'll see another village pump installed by Mr Duncombe for the benefit of the people at this end of the village. There's an inscription to the right of the pump...

WHOSOEVER DRINKETH OF THIS WATER

SHALL THIRST AGAIN:

BVT WHOSOEVER DRINKETH OF THE WATER

THAT I HAVE GIVEN HIM

SHALL NEVER THIRST

We go in through some modern glass doors, installed to commemorate the millennium. I rather like the wooden door handles which form a floating cross when both doors are closed. 

If you're Octavius Duncombe and you want a new church right at the centre of your domain, you don't skimp on the project but you employ one of the leading church architects of the day. William Butterfield was one of nine children whose family ran a chemist's shop. He started out as an apprentice builder, but then studied architecture and soon ran his own business, becoming one of the most sought-after designers of ecclesiastical buildings.

My brother liked this window, as well he might: it's attributed to Edward Burne-Jones, one of the leading designers of the day. The stained glass here is said to be contemporary with the rest of the building, which means it's a very early work by Burne-Jones, before he and William Morris began making stained glass windows. However it is known that Burne-Jones sketched many designs for windows at that time and I'm guessing that this window is based on one of those early efforts.

Unusually, we do know who designed the font - as well as the pews and all the other fittings - none other than William Butterfield himself. He wanted the church to be "complete in itself and not at the mercy of posterity to be pierced and patched and adorned hereafter".

Some adornment is of course inevitable, and it seems to me that the architect left a few areas of blank wall to house monuments to the departed. This is the memorial to Lady E Caroline Duncombe, Octavius's wife.

The chancel is the most elaborately decorated part of the church. "Structural polychromy" is the architectural term and it was pioneered by Butterfield for his interpretation of the Gothic Revival. What it means in plain English is the use of many colours in the construction of the building, rather than painting it afterwards. Here the architect has used ceramic tiles to beautify the chancel.

It's worth having a closer look at the Mothers' Union banner which stands in the corner. Just about every MU branch has one displayed in their local church and, despite their frequency, I think this is the first one I've ever featured on the blog. I'm not alone; it's rare to find mention of them anywhere - a much neglected aspect of folk art.

The impressive east window is attributed to Gibbs. Again it was put in when the church was first built and was probably chosen by Butterfield.

From everything we hear it seems that William Butterfield wanted to have complete control over what the finished church should look like. Also you will have gathered that Octavius Duncombe was a man who expected to get his own way. So one can only imagine the conversations that might have taken place between the two men when, just as the church was nearing completion, Octavius decided that the church should have a mausoleum for his family attached to it. You'll have to decide for yourself who won the argument.

Here it is and experts agree that though it was not part of the original plan it must have been designed by Butterfield. But if Duncombe had expected something along the lines of other mausoleums in the area he must have been disappointed with this mean little effort. Inside there's no room for any monuments, just a slab covering the entrance to the family vault. And you remember that the architect had said that he wanted no piercings and patchings? He was true to his word for he built no door leading from the church to the new extension.

Or maybe I'm imagining all this and both men were happy with the outcome.

Take care.