CHARLWOOD
Cherlewude (xiii cent.); Cherlwude (xiii & xiv
cent.); Chorlwode (xiv cent.); Charlewood (xviii
cent.).
Charlwood is a parish on the Sussex border. The
village is 7 miles south-west-by-south from Reigate,
and rather more south-west from Dorking. The parish is bounded on the north and east by Horley, on
the south by Rusper in Sussex, on the west by Newdigate. An outlying portion is surrounded by Newdigate and Rusper, and another by Leigh and Horley.
The main part of the parish is about 4 miles from
east to west, and 3 miles from north to south. The
whole contains 6,875 acres. The Mole forms part
of the eastern boundary, and tributaries of the same
river run through the parish. The soil is entirely the
Wealden Clay, but in the middle of it a ridge of
Paludina Limestone makes a very considerable elevation, rising to 385 ft., called Stan Hill, Norwood Hill,
and Horse Hill. The same ridge continues to the
south-west of the village, as Rug or Russ Hill, and
reaches about the same height there. Between the two
parts of the hill is a depression through which a tributary
of the Mole runs past Charlwood village.
The village is compact, and of a considerable size for
the district, but farms and cottages are widely scattered
also over the parish; on the ridge mentioned there are
several considerable gentlemen's houses built in recent
years. The parish is agricultural, with some brick
works, and there is a large nursery garden, of Messrs.
Cheal & Son, near Lowfield, in Charlwood.
Charlwood Common was a large village green by
Charlwood village, but is now all inclosed except a
small recreation ground. Hookwood Common still
open ground, 2 miles north-east of Charlwood village;
Johnson's Common and White's Common were
roadside wastes, now inclosed.
The Brighton Road, through Reigate and Crawley,
passes through the parish. The part between these
two towns was the first road in Surrey made under a
Turnpike Act. (fn. 1) The object was to make a way
for riding out of the Hastings Sand of Sussex over
the clay on to the hard ground in Surrey. But
to save the causeway from being cut up by wheels
posts were to be fixed along it, so that it might be
passable only for horses. (fn. 2) It was not made a driving
road till the reign of George II. The main Brighton
line just comes into a corner of Charlwood parish.
The bones of an elephant have been found in
Charlwood, (fn. 3) and similar finds not exactly recorded
are said to have been made. Remains of human
antiquity are not on record, but about 1890 a vessel of
Paludina Limestone (Sussex marble) was found on the
estate of Mr. Young at Stanhill, which the finders
regarded as an ancient font, but which was perhaps a
stone mortar.
Manning and Bray (fn. 4) mention the tradition that the
Timberham Bridge was formerly known as Killmanbridge because of a slaughter of the Danes there. It
does not appear, however, that there is any documentary evidence for the improbable name 'Killmanbridge,' and it is unlikely that Charlwood was inhabited
at the time of Danish invasions. It is not mentioned
in Domesday, and was probably a forest district of the
manor of Merstham, which to the present day reaches
into the parish.
The Sanders or Sander family of Charlwood were,
if not Catholic recusants themselves,
closely allied by marriage and sympathies with recusants. Nicholas Sander
the famous controversialist was of a
younger branch of the family, and his
sister, who married John Pitts of Oxfordshire, was mother of John Pitsaeus,
Dean of Liverdun in Lorraine and
Bishop of Verdun. The squire's family
evidently preserved the pre-Reformation
inscription on the church (see church).
Another curious trace of ancient manners is that Charlwood, with lands in
Leigh and Newdigate, was conveyed in
the first year of Edward VI 'with the
bondsmen and their families.' (fn. 5)
Charlwood Place, formerly the seat of
the Sanders family, is a moated house.
At Charlwood House there was apparently a moat, part of which only remains.
In the outlying part of Charlwood
between Leigh and Horley parishes, east
of Barnland Farm and west of the Mole,
between the Mole and the Brighton
road, there are the remains of a moated
inclosure.
Charlwood was in the Wealden iron
district, though none of the principal
forges and furnaces named seem to be
in it. (fn. 6) But it was one of the ironworking parishes exempted from the Act
of 1 Elizabeth against cutting timber of
a certain size.
Of late years a completely new feature has been brought into the parish
by the making of the Gatwick Race
Course, which was opened in 1891,
after the closing of the old Croydon
Race Course at Woodside.
Some common land was inclosed, according to
Brayley, (fn. 7) in 1844, but the chief inclosure award was
dated 5 February 1846, under the General Inclosure
Act of 1843. (fn. 8) Other waste was inclosed 12 January
1854, (fn. 9) when Shellwood Manor in Leigh was inclosed,
including waste in Betchworth, Charlwood, Horley,
Leigh, and Newdigate. There was a common meadow, but common arable fields are not mentioned.
There are both Baptist and Congregational chapels
at Charlwood.
Farmfield is a Home for female inebriates acquired
by the London County Council.
The Cottage Hospital opened in 1873 is at present
closed.
Charlwood Boys' School was built in 1840.
Charlwood Girls' and Infants' School was built in
1852 and enlarged in 1893.
Lowfield Heath School was built in 1868.
Charlwood House is the seat of Mr. G. H.
Beckhuson; Russ Hill of Mr. H. N. Corsellis, part of
whose house is of the middle of the 17th century;
Stanhill Court belongs to Mr. A. F. Hepburn;
Gatwick Manor House is the seat of Mr. E. G.
MacAndrew; Norwood Hill House of Major MacMicking; Ricketswood of Sir A. M. Rendel, K.C.I.E.;
Norwood Hill of Mr. C. F. Wakefield; Charlwood
Park of Mr. Herbert Musker. The Misses Sanders
of Hookwood House belong to the old Sanders family
of Charlwood. Charlwood Place itself is now a farm-house.
Charlwood Church from the North-east
Lowfield Heath was a large common about
2 miles south-east of Charlwood village, on the
Sussex border, inclosed in 1846. As several houses
lay about it at some distance from the church
a chapel of ease, St. Michael and All Angels, was
built in 1868. It is of brick with stone dressings,
a tower and spire, in the French 13th-century
style.
MANORS
CHARLWOOD seems to have been
held from an early period by the Prior and
convent of Christchurch, Canterbury, as
member of the manor of Merstham (q.v.). (fn. 10) In 1231
the Prior of Christchurch or Holy Trinity, Canterbury,
received licence to send letters to his freemen of
'Cherlewud,' desiring them to render him aid to get
quit of the debts with which he was burdened. (fn. 11)
A ten-years' lease of the manor of Merstham and its
member of Charlwood, made in 1396 by the prior,
records many particulars concerning the 'live and
dead stock' existing at both places (vide Merstham),
and mentions, among other things, that the 'digging of iron at Cherlwood' was to remain the
right of the prior and convent. (fn. 12) The prior surrendered
his possessions in July 1539, (fn. 13)
and in the following month
Henry VIII granted Merstham
and Charlwood to Sir Robert
Southwell and his heirs. (fn. 14) In
1542 the manor of Charlwood was quitclaimed to Southwell by Henry de la Hay, (fn. 15)
who was possibly the lessee of
the prior. This deed marks
the separation of Charlwood,
henceforth held as a separate
manor, from the manor of
Merstham, their subsequent
descent being entirely distinct. In 1547 Sir Robert
Southwell and Margaret his wife alienated the manor
of Charlwood to Henry Lechford, (fn. 16) whose family
had held land in Charlwood as early as the reign
of Edward III. (fn. 17) He died seised of the manor
in 1567 and was succeeded by his son Richard, (fn. 18)
who was afterwards knighted.
It descended in 1611 to the
latter's grandson Richard, his
son Henry being already dead. (fn. 19)
The second Sir Richard Lechford conveyed the manor in
1625 to Edmund Jordan, (fn. 20)
who was already seised of the
manors of Gatwick and Shiremark in Charlwood, and was
also possessed either then or
soon afterwards of the manor
of Hook (q.v.). These manors
remained in the Jordan family,
passing from father to son, until the death without
issue of Thomas Jordan in 1750. (fn. 21) His sisters and
co-heirs, Elizabeth Beaumont and Philippa Sharp,
divided his inheritance, the manors in Charlwood
becoming the property of the latter, who held them
with her husband John Sharp until her death without
issue in 1759. (fn. 22) Her husband continued to hold the
manors, and by will of 1770, having disinherited his
eldest son by a former marriage, entailed them on
John and James, sons of William Jennyngs Sharp, his
second son. (fn. 23) On his death in 1771 (fn. 24) his eldest
grandson, John Sharp, succeeded and held the property
intact until 1806, (fn. 25) when he sold the manors of
Charlwood, Hook, and Shiremark to Thomas Kerr. (fn. 26)
They afterwards passed to James Woodbridge, from
whom they were purchased by Michael Clayton
before 1841. (fn. 27) He died without issue in 1847, when
the estate apparently passed to the family of his
younger brother Richard, (fn. 28) whose grandson, Major
Edward Clayton, afterwards held the manor. The
present lord is Mr. G. S. Clayton, brother of the
last owner. (fn. 29)
Convent of Christchurch, Canterbury. Azure a cross argent with the monogram [..] sable thereon.
Lechford. Sable a cheveron between three leopards' heads argent.
Grants of free warren in their demesne lands of
Charlwood were made to the Prior and convent
of Christchurch during the reigns of Edward II and
Edward III. (fn. 30) In 1592 mention is made of a fair
which was held annually on the feast of St. James,
the profits of which belonged to the lord of the
manor. (fn. 31) It seems, however, to have long been discontinued.
In 1241 Richard de Warwick and Juliana his wife
and Joan her sister quitclaimed a messuage, 4 acres
of meadow, and 18 acres of land in Charlwood to
John de Gatwick and his heirs. (fn. 32) This land was
probably part of that which was afterwards known as
the manor of GATWICK and which was held by the
de Gatwicks until the 14th century. It is probable
that a John de Gatwick who held during the reign of
Edward II married Joan de Ifeld, and that their
daughter and heir Elizabeth married Thomas de
Cobham. (fn. 33) In 1363 the manor of Gatwick was
granted to William son of Elizabeth, daughter of
John de Gatwick, by the vicars of Charlwood and
Horley and by William Jordan; it was stated that
the latter parties held the manor of the gift and
feoffment of Thomas de Cobham. (fn. 34) In 1396
Reginald de Cobham, son of William, held the
manor, (fn. 35) of which he suffered a temporary forfeiture
for debt. (fn. 36) In the reign of Henry VII Gatwick was
held by Joan widow of Reginald Cobham, son and
heir of John, (fn. 37) and presumably grandson of the first
Reginald. (fn. 38) Joan Cobham after her husband's death
brought a suit against John Jordan, John Lechford,
Richard Sanders, and others on the grounds that they,
'by crafty meanes,' occupied the manor and took the
profits to their own use; the defendants maintained
that Reginald Cobham had disposed of the manor to
them by various sales and mortgages. (fn. 39) The result
of the suit is not apparent. It is probable that
John Jordan, whose actual claim is not stated,
eventually acquired the whole manor, as it was in his
family by the latter half of the 16th century. (fn. 40)
Edmund Jordan, his descendant in direct line, (fn. 41)
held the manor in 1625, when
he acquired also the manor of
Charlwood (q.v.) and that of
Shiremark (q.v.). The manors
followed the same descent until 1806, (fn. 42) when John Sharp,
whose grandmother Philippa
was the sister and co-heir of
the last of the Jordans, (fn. 43) sold
all his manors in Charlwood
except that of Gatwick to
Thomas Kerr. (fn. 44) Reference is
made in 1785 to a capital
messuage called Gatwicks with
houses, &c., belonging, then
in possession, as was the
manor itself, of the second John Sharp. (fn. 45) According to Manning a new manor-house, called
Timberham House from its vicinity to Timberham
Bridge, was erected by this owner, the site of the old
manor-house being in the east of the parish. Brayley,
writing in 1841, mentions 'Gatwick house' as having
been recently sold by John Sharp to Alexander
Fraser, (fn. 46) who occupied it as late as 1859. The
Gatwick Race Course Company bought the Gatwick
estate and the manor-house in 1890 from Mr. John
King Farlow of Egham. They do not appear to have
bought the manorial rights, and it seems as if these
had fallen into abeyance. (fn. 47)
Jordan.Sable an eagle bendwise between two cotises argent and a chief or with three oakleaves vert therein.
The family of Sander, from whom the manor of
SANDERS PLACE took its name, was established
at Charlwood as early as the 14th century. A court
roll of 1388 records that Stephen Sander was called
upon to answer for a plea of trespass, (fn. 48) and a reference
is found in 1434 to Thomas Sander of Charlwood, (fn. 49)
apparently his son. (fn. 50) In 1446 land called Sloghterwyk in Charlwood was granted to Thomas Sander
and William his son by Richard son of Thomas
Cokeman, (fn. 51) and about the same time they received
a grant of 4 acres from Thomas White. (fn. 52) In 1565
Sir Thomas Sander, kt. died seised of 'the manor
of Charlwood called Sander's manor,' held as of the
manor of Charlwood by fealty and rent of 15s. 1½d. (fn. 53)
Edmund his son and heir succeeded to the property,
which passed successively to Edmund's son Thomas
and grandson Edmund. (fn. 54) The latter died without
issue in 1662, having devised all his 'lands and tenements in Charlwood' to his sister Elizabeth Bradshaw, (fn. 55) from whom they evidently passed to Sir William Throckmorton, son of her aunt Dorothy, (fn. 56) as in
a conveyance of this property in 1673 from Sir
Andrew King to Francis Lord Aungier, it was stated
that Sir Andrew had obtained it from Throckmorton. (fn. 57)
The deed of 1673 describes the property as 'the site
and the remaining part of the late capital messuage
… called Charlwood Place, with all fields, &c. called
the Great Parke, the Little Parke, the Knowe, the
Great Godfreyes, the Lesser Godfreyes, the Greater
Biggle Hawe, the Lesser Biggle Hawe, Bush Field,
the Granthams, the Skewles mead and Lyons Riddles
Mead,' containing altogether about 300 acres. According to Manning the estate afterwards passed, with
the church, to the family of Wise. This family held
these lands in 1828, by which time, apparently, a new
house had been built, as reference is made to 'all that
capital messuage, and site and late remaining part of
the late capital messuage called Charlwood Place. (fn. 58)
Land called HOKE or LA HOKE existed in
Charlwood at an early date, as the name Walter atte
Hoke, or Walter de la Hok, occurs as that of a witness to deeds in the early 14th century, (fn. 59) and in 1333
Walter atte Hoke contributed to the lay subsidy for
Surrey. (fn. 60) In 1335 the custody of a messuage and 45
acres at la Hoke, possibly in Charlwood, was granted
to Thomas de Flaynsford. (fn. 61) In the late 15th century
the family of Lechford held at least a portion of the
lands afterwards called the 'manor of Hook.' (fn. 62) In
1546 the 'manor of Howke,' then in the possession
of Henry Lechford, was sold by him to Henry Amcotts; (fn. 63) he retained, however, a parcel of ground in
Hook called Backworth and Littleworth. In 1614
William Hewett died seised of the manor, which was
held of the manor of Charlwood by suit at court and
yearly rent of 11s. 10d. (fn. 64) According to Manning,
William Hewett son of the above William conveyed it
in 1627 to Symonds, from whom it afterwards passed
to the family of Jordan. (fn. 65) It descended with the
other manors in Charlwood which were held by
this family, (fn. 66) and probably became united with the
main manor. It is named on the tomb of Philippa
Sharp in 1759, and in the sale of 1806.
No mention of SHIREMARK as a separate manor
is found until the 16th century, and it was probably
included in the manor of Charlwood, being evidently
situated in that part of the parish which borders
Sussex. In 1542 Shiremark was quitclaimed, with
the manor of Charlwood, to Sir Robert Southwell
and Margaret by Henry de la Hay. (fn. 67) The manor
of Shiremark passed to Henry Lechford before the
latter obtained that of Charlwood from Sir Robert
Southwell, as in 1546 Lechford sold it to Henry
Amcotts. (fn. 68) In 1616 Sir Thomas Hewett, then holding the manor, conveyed it to William Mulcaster, (fn. 69)
whose son Thomas was rector of the church of Charlwood. (fn. 70) In 1625 it passed from William Mulcaster
to Edmund Jordan of Gatwick, (fn. 71) with whose manor
of Charlwood it has since descended. (fn. 72)
ROWLEY
ROWLEY is another reputed manor in this parish
which was held of the manor of Charlwood. In
1429–30 Reginald Cobham of Charlwood made an
agreement with the Abbot of Chertsey concerning the
right to repair the banks of a certain brook which
flowed past a meadow of Reginald Cobham and into
the main stream, called Emel stream (the Mole),
flowing from a mill called Rowle Mill to one belonging
to the abbot in Horley. (fn. 73) It is possible from this
account that the mill marks the position of lands afterwards known as 'the manor of Rowley,' the manor of
Gatwick, close by, being held at that time by Cobham.
In 1497 the 'manor' of Rowley was held by the
family of Culpepper. (fn. 74) John Culpepper died seised of
it in 1565 and was succeeded by his son Thomas. (fn. 75)
The manor descended in this family until 1648, (fn. 76)
when Sir William Culpepper, bart., with his brother
and other trustees conveyed it to Thomas Luxford. (fn. 77)
George Luxford held the manor in 1683, when he
conveyed it to Thomas Jordan, (fn. 78) and it appears to
have been in this family as late as 1770. (fn. 79) In 1820
it was held by George Maximilian Bethune of Worth
in Sussex in the right of his wife, Anna Maria. (fn. 80) It
is now a farm.
In 1295 Master Clement de Wyk held 21s. rent
in Charlwood. (fn. 81) In 1357 an inquisition taken on
John son and heir of John de Brewes states that he held
a tenement called WYKES in Charlwood consisting
of a toft, a garden worth 4d., 100 acres of arable land,
5 acres of meadow worth 5s., and 20s. rent; mention
is also made of one Richard de Sloghterwyk who held
land in Charlwood of John de Brewes, paying an
annual rent of 2s. at the tenement called Wykes. (fn. 82)
At the end of the 15th century land called Wykeland is referred to as being parcel of the manor of
Gatwick; (fn. 83) it is probable that it was identical with
the Wykes before named. In 1539–40 Henry VIII
granted the 'manor of Wyklond' (fn. 84) in Surrey to Sir
Robert Southwell in fee. (fn. 85)
Sir Robert Southwell was so notorious a recipient
of monastic lands that the grant raises a suspicion that
'Wyklond' answered to the 60 acres once held in Newdigate by Merton Priory (see under Newdigate).
But a messuage in Charlwood, 'Wykelandes in Charlwood,' and Lowfield Common had been granted for
life that same year to Agnes widow of Walter Whyght,
lately in occupation of the same, by Thomas Nudygate, John Skynner, and others, and by a deed of
10 October 1541 the reversion of the life interest of
Agnes, now wife of William Wever, was confirmed to
Sir Robert Southwell and his heirs for the sum of
£100 paid to William Wever and Agnes. (fn. 86)
Sir Robert Southwell, in 1547, received licence to
alienate the manor to Henry Lechford (fn. 87) together with
that of Charlwood (q.v.), with which Wyklond, or
Weekland, has since been held. (fn. 88)
EDOLPHS
EDOLPHS, a well-known farm in Charlwood, derives its name from the family of Edolf, who were
settled in Charlwood in the early 14th century. (fn. 89)
John Edolf made a grant of land in Charlwood in
1318, (fn. 90) and in 1371 Stephen Edolf, or Edolfi, quitclaimed land there to William Walsshe. (fn. 91) At the end
of the 15th century a messuage and lands called Edolfi's
was held by Henry Lechford, whose family afterwards
held the manor of Charlwood. (fn. 92)
Occasional reference is found to a RECTORY
MANOR in Charlwood. The earliest mention of
land belonging to the rectory occurs in 1316–17,
when a grant of land in Charlwood, bounded on one
side by that of the rectory, is recorded. (fn. 93) Manning
states that in 1406–7 Richard, vicar of the parish,
held lands of the manor of the rectory. (fn. 94) In 1535
Philip Mesurer, rector, gave the annual value of
the rectory as £20 13s. 4d., of which the house
with garden and cemetery of the church was worth
20s. (fn. 95) A conveyance of the rectory, made in 1629,
includes 'all manors, views of frankpledge, courts leet
and baron &c. belonging,' (fn. 96) and a deed of 1828 also
mentions the 'manor of the rectory.' (fn. 97) According to
Manning courts were held by most of the rectors from
quite early times. (fn. 98)
CHURCH
The church of ST. NICHOLAS consists of a chancel (now used as a vestry
and organ chamber) 28 ft. 4 in. long by
16 ft. 7 in., south chapel (now serving as the chancel)
26 ft. 5 in. by 19 ft. 2 in., central tower 16 ft. 8 in.
north to south by 15 ft. east to west, nave (the present
north aisle) 37 ft. 4 in. by 22 ft. 8 in., south aisle 16 ft.
wide below the nave, and a south porch; all these
measurements are taken within the building.
The plan is of much interest, preserving the aisleless
nave and the tower of a church of c. 1100, the tower
having been set between the chancel and nave, with
the same internal width as the former, but being
externally wider owing to the greater thickness of its
walls. The nave is 6 ft. wider than the tower, and
the tower itself is not accurately square, being about
2 ft. less from east to west than from north to south.
Its greatest inclusive measurment is 24 ft., a size
which occurs so often in 12th-century towers that it
has claims to be considered normal. In the beginning
of the 14th century a south aisle 16 ft. wide was added
to the nave, and the chancel seems to have been
lengthened and probably rebuilt some thirty years
later. The south porch is a 15th-century addition,
and about 1480 a large south chapel of the full width
of the south aisle was added, and arches opened to it
from the old chancel and tower. It is inclosed on the
line of the east wall of the tower by a screen, and
was doubtless the Lady chapel.
In modern times, owing to its
greater convenience, it has become the chancel, the old chancel being used as an organ chamber and vestry. Cracklow notes
that the church was repaired
and a gallery erected in 1716.
Plan of St. Nicholas' Church, Charlwood
A certain amount of modern
repair has been done, much of
the external firestone ashlar being
in a bad state of decay, whilst
there are several cracks over the
tower arches.
The old chancel has a 15th-century east window of three
trefoiled lights under an elliptical head with moulded labels
inside and out; the jambs outside have a wide casement
mould; and the external label
and outer order of the arch are
modern restorations. On either
side of the window are 15th-century image-niches
about 4 ft. high with trefoiled and square heads;
they are only 7 in. deep, but the projecting brackets
which formerly existed beneath them have been cut
away. A fireplace is now placed across the southeast angle. The first of the two north windows,
much restored, dates from c. 1330, and has two ogee
trefoiled lights with a half-quatrefoil between them
under a square head, the jambs and head being of one
hollow-chamfered order, with a scroll moulded label
and head stops, now much perished. The second
north window is a 16th-century insertion of two plain
lights with four-centred arches in a square head; below it the wall has been pierced by a modern doorway
of very poor character. An arcade of two bays divides
the old chancel from the south chapel (present chancel);
its middle pillar is octagonal, each face being concave,
and has a moulded base and capital of late section; each
respond consists of rather more than half of a similar
pillar, and the capitals, especially that of the west one,
are set back as far as possible, in a peculiar manner, to
obtain a wider arch thereby; the arches are four-centred and of two chamfered orders; and on the
north side (towards the original chancel) they have a
moulded label, while there is none on the south.
The east window of the chapel has three trefoiled
four-centred lights under a depressed four-centred
arch; it has been partly repaired outside. In the
south wall is a small square recess with moulded edges,
which has no drain and seems to be a credence rather
than a piscina recess.
The first and second windows in the south wall
have details like those of the east window, and are of
three lights under square heads, their masonry being
to a large extent old.
The ground stage of the tower has a two-light
15th-century window in its north wall, and arches in
the other three, that to the old chancel being much
altered and made up with roman cement; it is roundheaded, and springs from square imposts, being evidently the original opening; while the west arch
of the tower is also original, but much more perfect, with small attached shafts with cushion capitals
to the inner order; the shafts have chamfered bases
dying on the splayed plinth of the jamb; and the
semicircular arch is of two square orders. The south
arch dates from the addition of the chapel, and has
semi-octagonal responds with chamfered bases and
plainly moulded capitals which bear signs of 17th-century or later recutting; the arch is a pointed
one of two hollow-chamfered orders.
The tower stair is a modern one of wood inclosed in
the north-west corner, accessible only by an external
square-headed doorway. The ringing chamber has two
rectangular lights on the north, a small round-headed
light looking into the nave in the west, and the upper
half of a blocked round-headed window on the south;
the bell-chamber or third story is lighted in each wall
by pairs of round-headed lights; those in the east
wall have brick jambs, but the others are of stone in a
more or less decayed condition; the parapet has a
moulded string and embattled coping of 15th-century
date or later.
The early nave walls are very well preserved, except
on the south, the original sandstone quoins showing at
the western and north-eastern angles. The only
original window, however, is that in the north wall,
a small round-headed light set about midway in its
length.
At the north-east is a very beautiful two-light
window of c. 1300 with a quatrefoil in the head,
set in a tall arched recess which seems to be of earlier
date, possibly of the first half of the 13th century;
adjoining it in the west wall of the tower is a smaller
arched recess, both being connected with the altar
which formerly stood at the north-east of the nave.
The recess in the north wall is much taller than is commonly the case, but there seems no reason to suppose
that it was ever intended to open to a chapel on the
north-east, as has been suggested. It may have been
heightened when the window was inserted.
The south arcade, c. 1300, is of two bays with an
octagonal pillar and semi-octagonal responds; the bases
and capitals are moulded, and the arches are twocentred and of two chamfered orders. The west doorway of the nave is an early 15th-century insertion,
and has double-chamfered jambs and a pointed arch of
two double-ogee orders with a label; and over it is a
15th-century window of three cinquefoiled lights with
cusped tracery in a two-centred arch.
The south aisle has a piscina near where its former
east wall stood; it has moulded jambs and a twocentred arch with trefoiled soffit cusps, and a filleted
roll hood mould forming a straight-sided gablet over
the arch; the sill containing the octofoiled basin projects and is moulded below; halfway up is a shelf,
above which the recess deepens. The window west
of this piscina is contemporary with the aisle, and is of
two trefoiled lights with a cinquefoiled circle in the
pointed head; the splayed jambs have hollow-chamfered edges, and the internal label is a scroll mould
with mask stops; outside is a similar label with one
volute and one mask stop. The south doorway is a
pointed one with moulded jambs and arch, and has a
scroll mould label with corbel stops, and the west and
south-west windows are trefoiled lancets with soffit
cusps, all being contemporary with the aisle.
The porch is a 15th-century addition; it has an east
window of two plain pointed lights in a square head,
and a broken holy-water stoup which was moulded
like a capital on three sides. In the west wall is a
tiny quatrefoil piercing the outer archway, having
moulded jambs and pointed head; it has been much
repaired with cement. The porch is built of sandstone
ashlar, and contrasts with the rest of the walling, which
is of thin shaly rubble with stone dressings. There
was formerly an inscription on the porch, (fn. 99) 'Orate pro
anima(bus) Thome Sander et Johannae uxoris eius et
pro animabus omnium fidelium defunctorum.' This
inscription survived the Reformation, for it is noticed
in a MS. description of the church written on
12 December 1622 (now in private hands), but was
probably destroyed in the Civil Wars.
The east wall of the old chancel is coated with new
cement. All the roof timbers are old, those of the
present chancel and south aisle being of the date of
the building of the chancel, c. 1500, while those of
the nave and old chancel are probably somewhat
earlier; all seem to have been underdrawn with
plaster ceilings. Under the tower is a modern flat
panelled ceiling.
Across the entrance to the present chancel is a fine
contemporary screen of eighteen panels (four of which
are over the central opening) with ogee cinquefoiled
heads and trefoiled tracery. The cornice is painted
and gilded; the lower part carved with a running vine
pattern, and the upper has the initials R.S. (for Richard
Sander, who died in 1480) several times repeated between pairs of winged dragons. Over the central opening, which retains its double doors, are the letters IHS
and a crowned M supported by angels, and there are
also two shields on the cornice, with the arms of
Sander—Sable a cheveron ermine between three bulls
or, tongued gules, impaling Carew—Or three lions
passant sable. The lower panels of the screen are
plain and solid, and the middle rail is carved with a
band of quatrefoiled lozenges.
The altar table is of dark oak, and is apparently of
late 18th-century date. The pulpit is an octagonal
one made up with ornamental carved cartouche panels
containing painted texts of about 1620, and seven
earlier linen panels probably of the 16th century.
In the chapel is an ancient chest 4 ft. by 1 ft. 8 in.
by 1 ft. 8 in. with a three-sided lid, bound by plain
iron straps and having three locks.
The seats are modern.
On the south wall of the south aisle are a set of
very interesting wall paintings, for the most part
contemporary with the aisle. To the east of the
window by the pulpit are scenes from the story of
St. Margaret, arranged in bands one above another.
The highest shows the governor Olybrius hunting,
and sending his huntsman to bring Margaret to his
palace. Below, Margaret is being beaten and imprisoned, and swallowed by the dragon, whose body
bursts and the saint comes forth unharmed. The
lowest range, which is very indistinct, shows the
beheading of the saint.
To the west of the window are some muchdamaged scenes, perhaps from the story of St. Nicholas,
with later paintings on a larger scale of the Three
Living and the Three Dead, and apparently part of
a St. Christopher or St. Edmund. The paintings
were in very fair condition when uncovered, but have
unfortunately been treated to a so-called preservative
process, and have suffered in consequence.
The font is a small one with a plain octangular
bowl on a square shaft; it appears to be modern.
In the west window of the former nave are some
fragments of ancient glass, a portion of the figure of
a saint, and several other odd pieces, including two
words of an inscription. Also in the first window of
the north wall are two small eyelets containing roses
and leaves.
On the south wall of the chapel, or present chancel,
is the brass of Nicholas Sander, 1553, and his wife
Alys Hungate, with four sons and six daughters;
there are shields with Sanders quartering Carew, and
another with Hungate, a cheveron engrailed between
three sitting hounds, a molet for difference. On a
separate plate is the Sander crest, a demi-bull holding
a flower. In the old chancel is a brass plate to William Jordan, 1625, and Katherine his wife, 1626,
and in the south aisle one to Nicholas Jeale, 1615.
Lost inscriptions to the Sander family are given by
Aubrey. (fn. 100)
There are six bells; of these the treble and second
are by Thomas Janaway, 1764; the third, fourth, and
fifth by William Eldridge, 1697, 1668, and 1662
respectively; and the tenor by Thomas Mears,
1835.
The communion plate consists of a cup, two patens,
and a flagon of 1703–4.
The registers date from 1595.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church belonged with Charlwood Manor to
Christchurch, Canterbury. (fn. 101) A vicarage was ordained by the monks before 1308–9, as
reference is made in that year to the land of the
vicar of Charlwood. (fn. 102) After the dissolution of Christchurch the advowson was apparently granted to
Sir Robert Southwell with the manor, as in 1547 he
alienated both to Henry Lechford, (fn. 103) whose son
Sir Richard conveyed the advowson to Richard
Dallender in 1609. (fn. 104) In 1615 Dallender quitclaimed to Robert Hatton, (fn. 105) from whom in 1622 it
returned to the Lechfords. (fn. 106) Sir Richard, when he
sold the manor of Charlwood in 1625, retained the
advowson, selling it, however, in 1629 to Edmund
Sander of Charlwood Place. (fn. 107)
In 1644 the rectory of Charlwood was sequestered,
the rector, Thomas Mulcaster, having been proceeded
against by 'five or six of the very scum of the parish,'
according to his own account. (fn. 108)
His son-in-law, Henry Hesketh, who was chaplain
in ordinary to Charles II, was afterwards rector of the
parish. (fn. 109) In 1661 Edmund Sander devised all his
lands and tenements in Charlwood, including the
property of the rectory, to his sister Elizabeth
Bradshaw, (fn. 110) from whom they passed to her cousin
Sir William Throckmorton, who sold in 1672 to
Sir Andrew King. (fn. 111) In 1716 the rectory and
advowson were conveyed to Henry Wise from various
parties, (fn. 112) who were according to Manning trustees of
Francis Lord Aungier, to whom Sir Andrew King
had conveyed them. (fn. 113) The property remained with
the Wises until 1884, during which time the church
was often served by members of that family. (fn. 114) It
passed in 1884 to the Rev. E. M. Gibson, (fn. 115) and
the living, which is still in his gift, has been held by
him since that time.
The living was a peculiar of Canterbury till 1846,
when it was transferred to Winchester. By the
rearrangement of dioceses in 1878 it was again transferred to Rochester.
CHARITIES
Smith's Charity is distributed as in
other Surrey parishes.
Four houses for the use of the poor
were returned as existing in 1786, but are now lost.
The Rev. John Bristowe, rector from 1624 to
1637, left a schoolhouse and 5 acres of land to educate
poor children, and Michael Earle, rector 1598 to 1624,
left £2 annually charged on land for the poor.