CHIPSTEAD
Tepestede (xi cent.); Chepstede, Testa de Nevill;
Chypstede (xiii cent.); Chipstede (xv cent.); Chepstid (xvi cent.).
Chipstead is a small parish, 4 miles north from
Redhill, and 6 miles south-west of Croydon. It is
bounded by Banstead and Woodmansterne on the
north, by Coulsdon and Merstham on the east, by
Gatton on the south, and by Kingswood in Ewell on
the west. It measures 3 miles north-east and south-west by 2 miles north-west to south-east, and contains
2,419 acres. It lies upon a high ridge of down between
500 and 600 ft. above the sea, on the chalk which is
crowned by clay with flints and a large patch of sand,
between the curiously dry depression in the chalk on
the east through which the Brighton and South Eastern
line and the road from Croydon to Merstham run,
and the valley called Chipstead Bottom on the west
and north-west. The former depression, called
Smitham Bottom lower down, is purely in the chalk,
but in the bottom of the latter is a continuous strip
of gravel and sand, showing that though now dry a
stream has run down it at no very remote time. Even
in the historical period, and during recent years, the
water level in the chalk has sunk appreciably.
The parish is agricultural. There can hardly be
said to be a village. There is a farm near the church,
which occupies a commanding position on the hill,
and there are scattered houses. Mugswell, which
formerly was called Muggs Hole, and before that
Monks Hole, is a hamlet 2 miles south-west of the
church. There is a considerable amount of wood
upon the sand and clay which caps the chalk. Upper
Gatton Park extends into the parish, and a road runs
by it from Reigate along the high ground of Chipstead towards Woodmansterne. Gatewick Heath, now
inclosed, upon it, and Gatton, and Gatwick due south
on the same line in Charlwood and Horley, may
indicate an old track-way.
A few flakes and a celt of micaceous grit have been
found about Chipstead. (fn. 1) The Chipstead Valley and
Tattenham Corner branch of the South Eastern and
Chatham Railway runs through the parish, and there
is a station, opened in 1899, called Banstead and
Chipstead, but situated in Woodmansterne parish
Kingswood Station is in Chipstead.
The land is now nearly all inclosed, except Starrock
and Parsonage Green, although no Inclosure Act or
Award is extant. Above Chipstead Bottom are
artificial balks along the face of the chalk slope,
which may be traces of ancient cultivation.
There are several gentlemen's houses. Shabden,
standing in a large park, is the seat of Mr. William
Milburn, J.P.; Pirbright of Mr. W. A. McArthur, M.P.;
Court Lodge Farm of Mr. Frank Brown. Manning
and Bray (fn. 2) consider this to be the site of the old manor
house of Beauchamps. The Old Rectory, at Mugswell, 2 miles from the church, is the seat of Mr. E.
Campbell Cooper. It is an old house, part of it dating
from the early 17th century. The Rev. Peter Aubertin,
rector in 1808, was the first resident rector for some
time, and found the old rectory converted into two
labourers' cottages. He recovered it for the proper use
and spent money on repairs. (fn. 3) But in 1902, owing to
its distance of 2 miles from the church, leave was
obtained to sell it, and the present rectory was built.
The Aubertin Memorial Church Hall was built in
1906, chiefly at the expense of Miss Aubertin, in
memory of her father, the late rector.
Among the monuments in the church is one to the
memory of Sir Edward Banks, who raised himself from
the position of a labourer to become the builder of
Waterloo, Southwark, and London Bridges. He is
said to have first observed the pleasant situation of
Chipstead when working as a labourer on the Merstham railway about 1803. He died in Sussex in 1835,
and was buried at Chipstead by his own express direction.
Alice Hooker, eldest daughter of the author of the
Ecclesiastical Polity, was buried here in 1649.
In 1746 Mrs. Mary Stephens left a farm for teaching six poor children to read, providing them each
with a Bible, and putting out such apprentices from
among them as the trustees should think fit. This is
the origin of the endowed school of Chipstead, now
carried on according to a scheme under the Endowed
Schools Acts, of 7 July 1874, in which year the
present school was built.
Chipstead Church from the South-west
MANOR
The manor of CHIPSTEAD, according
to Domesday, was held of King Edward
by one Ulnode. At the time of the Survey it was in the possession of Richard de Tonbridge, (fn. 4)
and as part of the honour of Clare was held in
chief by his descendants until the beginning of the
16th century. In 1290 Gilbert de Clare, having
married as his second wife Joan of Acre, daughter of
Edward I, surrendered all his estates in England and
Ireland to the king, who in several grants restored
them to him or his wife and heirs. (fn. 5) Amongst the
places so surrendered mention is made of 'Chepestede
in Kent,' but it seems certain that this is an error
for the Surrey Chipstead, the mistake being made
in the first grant and never corrected. This would
appear to be the case from the fact that there is no
further evidence at any other date of the Clares having had possession of the Kent Chipstead, which was
held of the Archbishops of Canterbury. It is not
mentioned in 1217 amongst the Kentish possessions
for which Richard de Clare did homage at Otford, (fn. 6)
neither is it alluded to in any other documents than
those referring to the lands of Gilbert de Clare, who
at the time of his death was seised of the manor of
Chipstead in Surrey, (fn. 7) and whose son, killed at Bannockburn, died seised of the same. (fn. 8) This Gilbert, the
last Clare Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, left three
sisters and co-heirs, and his peerage dignities passed to
the Crown. In 1337, however, Hugh de Audley, the
second husband of Margaret de Clare, was created Earl
of Gloucester. (fn. 9) Chipstead appears to have fallen to
the share of Margaret, for her grandson Hugh, Earl of
Stafford, the son of her only
daughter Margaret, died seised
of the manor in 1386, when
his son Thomas succeeded to
his title and estates. (fn. 10) This
Thomas married Anne the
daughter of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, and
she, after his death, became
the wife of his brother and
heir, Edmund Stafford. Their
son Humphrey, who was
created Duke of Buckingham, (fn. 11)
in 1458 conveyed the manor to William Catesby
for the purpose of settling it upon his youngest
son John, Earl of Wiltshire. (fn. 12) After his father's
death John held the manor jointly with his wife Constance, who survived him for two years. (fn. 13) Edward
Stafford, the second Earl of Wiltshire, who at his
mother's death in 1474–5 was only five years old, died
without children in 1499, and Henry the younger
son of his cousin the second Duke of Buckingham
then became Earl of Wiltshire. (fn. 14) Chipstead, however, passed into the possession of Henry's eldest
brother Edward, (fn. 15) who had at that time succeeded to
the dukedom. In 1521, when the duke was attainted
and beheaded, Chipstead with the rest of his lands
was forfeited to the king, (fn. 16) who in 1528 granted it
to Sir John Bourchier, Lord Berners. (fn. 17) Lord Berners,
the translator of Froissart's Chronicles, has left several
records of a varied experience; in 1518, while envoy
in Spain, he wrote home accounts of the court sports
and entertainments there, and in the following year
he sent a description to the Privy Council of the Field
of the Cloth of Gold. In 1520 he became deputy
of Calais, where he did much in superintending the
fortifications. At the time of the grant of Chipstead
he was, and had been for many years, heavily indebted
to the Crown, and it seems possible that the king took
the manor back into his own hands when Lord Berners became seriously ill in 1532–3. (fn. 18) It is perhaps
more likely that Lord Berners never actually entered
into possession, as besides the original grant, which
may not have been immediately acted on, there is a bill
to the same purport dated 1532, but unsigned. (fn. 19) In
any case, there is no mention of Chipstead in his will,
drawn up a few days before his death, although the
reversion of two or three other manors was bequeathed
to the king in payment of the debt. (fn. 20) From 1542 to
1547 John Ledes and Ann his wife held courts
at Chipstead. (fn. 21) In 1558 Thomas Matson and Ann
his wife conveyed the manor of Chipstead to Thomas
Copley in mortgage; (fn. 22) another document of the
same year a few weeks earlier conveying it to Thomas
Percy and Reginald Heygate is probably part of the
same transaction. (fn. 23) In the following year Matson
conveyed it to William Frank, (fn. 24) and he, while retaining the ownership of Chipstead Court, (fn. 25) sold the
manor in 1562–3 to John Turner of the Inner
Temple in trust for Sir Richard Sackville, (fn. 26) whose
wife Winifred surviving him held it until her death
in 1586. (fn. 27) In 1571 her son Thomas Sackville, Lord
Buckhurst, sold the reversion to John Skinner of
Reigate, (fn. 28) who, however, never owned the manor in
fee, as he died in 1584, two years before the death of
Winifred, then Marchioness of Winchester. (fn. 29) The
manor was settled after his death upon his wife Alice
and her sons, should she have any, with remainder to
her brother William Pointz, and after him to his son
John. (fn. 30) In 1613 John Pointz sold Chipstead to
John Huntley, (fn. 31) who with his wife Margaret conveyed it two years later to Sir Henry Burton. (fn. 32)
According to Manning and Bray it then became part
of the estates of the Owfields of Upper Gatton, Samuel
Owfield holding his court there in 1635. (fn. 33) He died
in 1645. His son William, who died in 1664, conveyed it in turn to his father-in-law, Maurice Thompson, whose son Sir John held his first court there in
1681. (fn. 34) By him it was sold to Paul Docminique, (fn. 35)
and henceforth it apparently followed the same descent as Merstham, becoming the property of Rachel
Tattersall and her husband John, (fn. 36) and later that of
William Jolliffe, with whose descendants it has remained up to the present day, Lord Hylton being
now lord of the manor (vide Merstham).
Stafford. Or a cheveron gules.
For a short period the manor of Chipstead seems
to have been held in subfee from the Clares by the
Dammartins. In 1230 it was quitclaimed to Margery widow of Odo de Dammartin as part of her
dower by Roger de Clare and his wife Alice, daughter
of Odo, formerly wife of John de Wauton. (fn. 37) In
1248 Alice Dammartin conveyed the manor of Chipstead to Thomas de Warblington, (fn. 38) who probably
afterwards surrendered it, for in an undated document
Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford,
granted the manor of Chipstead to Nicholas de Leukenore to hold as two knights' fees. (fn. 39) This grant must
have been made by Richard, who became Earl of
Gloucester in 1230 and who died in 1262, as he was
the only Richard de Clare who bore the title. (fn. 40)
CHIPSTEAD COURT
CHIPSTEAD COURT, also called a manor, was
retained by William Frank when he sold the manor
in 1563 (vide supra), and held by him at his death in
1595, when his son Robert succeeded him. (fn. 41) In
1639 Ferdinand Heybourn died seised of this estate,
leaving as heirs his elder brother John's three daughters—Elizabeth wife of George Morton, Hester wife of
Henry Burley, and Mary wife of Francis Mascall. (fn. 42)
It must have been reunited to the manor, for as Court
Lodge Farm it was bought from the Tattersall trustees
by William Jolliffe in 1788.
BEAUCHAMPS.
—In the 14th century the family
of Beauchamp of Hatch in Somerset held property in
Chipstead, which also afterwards came to be called the
manor of Chipstead. A
mention of this estate occurs
in 1301, when John de Beauchamp complained that, during
his absence in Scotland, Thomas de Wotton and several
others had cut his corn at
Chipstead and driven away
200 sheep. (fn. 43) The property
was apparently at this time in
the tenure of his mother
Cecilia, daughter of William de Vivonia, who, surviving
her husband nearly thirty years, did not die until
1321. (fn. 44) For some years before her death she was
involved in a dispute with William Inge concerning
her manor of Woodmansterne, which seems to have
also concerned her estate in Chipstead, for Inge
obtained a grant of free warren in his demesne lands
in Woodemansterne, Chipstead, and Ewell in 1314.
Cecilia, however, must have won her cause here as at
Woodmansterne, for the ownership eventually remained with the Beauchamps. (fn. 45)
Beauchamp of Hatch. Vair.
Her son and grandson, both named John, succeeded
her in turn, the latter dying childless in 1361. The
property was then divided between his sister Cecilia
wife of Sir Richard Turberville, and his nephew John
Meriet, the only son of Eleanor Beauchamp. (fn. 46) Cecilia
granted her half of the estate at farm to Peter atte
Wode, his wife Laurencia and their son Peter, in
survivorship, and Peter atte Wode accounted for the
manor of Chipstead in 1364. (fn. 47) Some years later,
in 1381–2, Peter and his son both being dead, Cecilia
Turberville quitclaimed the manor to Hugh Queche
of London, mercer, Laurencia's son by her second husband. (fn. 48) In 1387–8 there is a conveyance of Chipstead from Hugh Queche to John Gardyner, (fn. 49) probably for the purpose of settlement upon Hugh's
daughter Joan Norton, who at his death in 1402
inherited his estates. (fn. 50) Joan's daughter carried the
property to the Colcok (or Caldecote) family by marriage, (fn. 51) and Richard Colcok settled Chipstead upon
his eldest daughter Joan and her husband John Skinner,
of Reigate, who died about 1472. (fn. 52) The property
then descended to their son Richard Skinner, who
settled it upon his son William with remainder first to
William's brother Michael, and after him to their
eldest sister Anne, sometimes called Agnes. William
and Michael both died childless, and about eighteen
months later Anne with her husband Bartholomew
Chaloner brought a suit against her sister Elizabeth
the wife of John Scott, who, they complained, had
taken possession of the premises, disregarding the
elder sister's right. (fn. 53) The dispute was settled by
dividing the estate, and in 1505–6 the moiety of
Chipstead Manor was settled upon Anne and her
second husband Roger Leigh and their children, with
remainder to her two sons by her first husband,
Henry and William Chaloner, (fn. 54) while in 1513–14
John Scott the elder settled half of the manor of
Chipstead upon his son and heir, also John Scott. (fn. 55) The
latter John Scott died in 1558, (fn. 56) and was succeeded
in turn by Richard Scott and his son Thomas, both
of whom died within a couple of years, and Edward
Scott, Richard's brother, inherited the property, (fn. 57) which
he held apparently in 1571, when he presented to the
living. It is not possible to trace it further. A house
called Noke, near the church, may have been the same.
A fair was held in Chipstead in the reign of Edward I, and is again referred to in 1584. (fn. 58) A court
leet and view of frankpledge are said to have belonged
to the manor in the 16th century, (fn. 59) but according to
Brayley no such court was held there, and consequently the constable for Chipstead, who is now appointed at the quarter sessions, used to be chosen at
the sheriff's tourn for the hundred of Tandridge. (fn. 60)
In 675 Frithwald, subregulus of Surrey, gave 5 hides
of land in Chipstead to the abbey of Chertsey, (fn. 61)
and this seems to have been the property which was
afterwards known as the manor of PURBRIGHT
(Purybrith, Pirifrith, xiii cent.). In 933 a similar
grant from Athelstan to the abbey speaks of the vill
of Chipstead. (fn. 62) In 967 Edgar confirmed a gift of
10 hides, (fn. 63) while under Edward the extent is again
estimated at 5 hides. (fn. 64) These variations appear to
be different estimates of the value of the same land,
as in Domesday the Abbot of Chertsey is said to hold
Chipstead, which, though assessed at 5 hides under
King Edward, was rated at 1 hide only at the time
of the Survey. (fn. 65) It was then held at farm of the abbot.
The abbey remained overlord of the manor (fn. 66) and
received from the rector of Chipstead all the tithes
of the lands of Purbright and Lovelane, (fn. 67) until its
dissolution in 1538, when the abbot and twelve
monks were transferred by the
king to his new foundation at
Bisham, which was endowed
with the abbey lands. In the
following year the new monastery also surrendered to the
king. (fn. 68)
Chertsey Abbey. Party or and argent St. Paul's sword argent, its hilt or, crossed with St. Peter's keys gules and azure.
The immediate tenants of
the manor before 1066 were
Turgis and Ulf, the land of the
former belonging to the abbey,
while Ulf could 'seek what
lord he pleased.' The two
estates seem to have been
united later, and were held
from the abbot by William
de Wateville, who, however, relinquished the land
before 1086. It was then farmed out at 40s. (fn. 69) In
the 13th century Peter de Pirifrith, from whom it
must have taken the name of Purbright, held one
quarter of a knight's fee in Chipstead of the abbot. (fn. 70)
Peter granted one carucate of land in Chipstead to
Thomas de Leukenore in 1247, and in 1252–3
he gave 10 librates of land there to Joan the daughter
of Henry Lovel for the yearly rent of a pair of white
gloves. (fn. 71) In 1291 the manor of Purbright was
amongst the possessions of Hamo de Gatton, his son
and heir, also Hamo, being at that time twenty-six
years of age. (fn. 72)
The next reference to Purbright is given by Manning and Bray, who quote the Court Rolls of Coulsdon.
According to these one Gilbert Malevyle was distrained in 1360 for fealty for lands in Chipstead
called Puribrit, and again in 1389 Sir Thomas Brewes
was distrained for the same cause. (fn. 73) These lands
were probably the manor, for Coulsdon was held at
that time by Chertsey Abbey, and a tithing-man for
Chipstead was chosen at the Coulsdon court leet. (fn. 74)
Nothing further appears touching the descent of this
manor until 1505, when one-half of it was in the
possession of Anne and Roger Leigh, Purbright,
presumably, having been divided at the same time as
Chipstead between them and the Scotts (fn. 75) (q.v.). In
1590 it was in the hands of Thomas Best, who, in
his will dated 11 March of that year, left it to his
wife Ann for eighteen years, while she brought up his
son and heir William. (fn. 76) In 1618 William Best died
seised of the manor of Purbright, which was said
to be held of the lords of the manors of Gatton,
Coulsdon, and Merstham. (fn. 77) His son and heir William, who at his father's death was aged a little over
four years, (fn. 78) conveyed the manor to the use of Sir
Samuel Owfield and his wife Katherine, with remainder to their sons, and in Katherine's will dated
1662, and proved 1664, she confirmed the settlement
of the property on her second son Samuel. (fn. 79) About
three years later the Owfields conveyed Purbright to
Thomas Manning and Samuel Salter, (fn. 80) possibly trustees
for Sir John Thompson, afterwards Lord Haversham,
who sold it in 1704 to Mr. Docminique. (fn. 81) With
Chipstead it became the property of William Jolliffe,
but was sold in lots by the present Lord Hylton.
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARGARET is
a fine cruciform building, with a chancel
30 ft. by 16 ft. 10 in., crossing 16 ft.
10 in. square; north transept 17 ft. 10 in. by 14 ft.
4 in.; south transept 15 ft. 3 in. by 14 ft. 4 in.;
nave 53 ft. 9 in. by 17 ft.; north aisle 52 ft. by
9 ft. 5 in.; south aisle 53 ft. 2 in. by 7 ft. 10 in., and a
south porch, all the measurements being internal.
The west wall of the nave, from the evidence of a
doorway formerly existing here, and shown by Manning and Bray (drawing dated 1794), appears to be
in part of 12th-century date, and the north doorway
of the nave, now reset in the north aisle, is work of
c. 1180. The north aisle itself is a modern addition,
as is the south porch, and the south transept has been
for the most part rebuilt, but all the rest of the
church belongs apparently to one design consisting of
chancel, central tower with transepts, and nave with
south aisle, begun early in the 13th century, and
carried through without any obvious pause in the
work. The north transept is not square with the
tower, for some reason which is not now clear, but
otherwise the setting out is very regular and there is
no deviation from the axis of the old work. The
outer walls of the south aisle have perhaps been
rebuilt in the 15th century, and there has been a
good deal of modern repair, the tower bearing the
dates 1631, 1827, and 1903.
The stone chiefly used is the firestone of the
district, which while very good for internal work
stands the weather badly, and has had to be very
largely renewed.
The east window of the chancel is of partly restored
15th-century work, of three cinquefoiled lights with
tracery in a two-centred head; at the angles of the
inner sill are the moulded bases of a 13th-century
shaft belonging to the original east window, probably
a group of three lancets.
In the side walls of the chancel are tall and very
narrow lancets, five on each side according to the
original design, but one on the south-west has been
destroyed for the insertion of a modern priest's door
with a round window over it, the rear arch of which
is that of the old lancet. The external jambs and
heads are chamfered and rebated and have all been
renewed, but the firestone weathers badly and is
already crumbling to pieces. The inside splays are
original and have triangular heads instead of two-centred or segmental rear arcades, a very unusual
feature. Beneath the sills is a plain roll string-course,
and the external hood-moulds run as horizontal
strings between the windows.
Near the east end of the south wall is an aumbry
with jambs, sill, and square head rebated for a shutter.
To the west of this is a 13th-century piscina with a
circular basin and a chamfered trefoil head. On
either side of the western half of the chancel is a
stone seat contemporary with the rest of the work,
the ends carved with a single long 'palm leaf' of
unusual character, fitted to the hollow curve of the
back end. The southern seat now runs no farther
west than the new south door.
The four crossing arches have jambs of two stop
chamfered orders continuous with the two-centred
arches, and an abacus splayed on both edges at the
spring. There is a label of similar section on the east
side of the chancel arch.
The crossing is covered with a stone vault having
wide and shallow diagonal ribs with splayed edges and
a beautiful carved boss at the crown.
The north transept has two lancet windows in its
east wall which are similar to those of the chancel,
and in the north wall are three lancets with modern
external stonework dating from 1854, but the inner
east and west jambs are original and have shafts with
moulded bases and capitals. The two intermediate
shafts are modern. The rear arches are rebated and
have a large roll moulding in the angle, and the
moulded label continues as a horizontal string.
Above these windows is a modern circular quatrefoil,
and in the apex of the gable a small loop, and there is
a west lancet like those in the east wall, but it has
had its rebate cut out to widen it. In the east wall
of the transept near the south angle is a small square-headed piscina with a circular basin, and at the east end
of the north wall are two lockers one above the other,
square-headed like that in the chancel. In the west
wall is a doorway formerly external, but now opening
to the north aisle, with jambs of two chamfered orders,
the outer continuous with a two-centred arch on the
west face, while the inner is carried up to form a
trefoiled head on a tympanum with a segmental soffit.
The priest's door on the south side of the chancel is
copied from this doorway. Above the arch is a
circular window inclosing a quatrefoil rebated for a
frame like the rest, the rear arch being triangular.
Plan of St. Margaret's Church, Chipstead
The south transept has two blocked lancets like
those of the chancel, one in the east wall and the other
in the west. The east wall has also a modern two-light tracery window of 14th-century design, and in
the south wall is a triplet of lancets more or less
copied from the corresponding ones in the north
transept, with a quatrefoil circle in the gable above.
All this work is modern, the transept having been
destroyed, as it is said, by fire in the 17th century,
and rebuilt in 1855. A half arch, now blocked,
formerly opened from the transept to the south aisle,
and the wall south of the arch is thickened, having
in it a stair entered from a door high up on its west
face, and looking into the aisle and leading to the
space above the crossing. Part of the west wall of
the transept projecting beyond the south wall of the
aisle, and containing the rear arch of the blocked
lancet, seems to be old, but Manning and Bray's
view shows no projection at the angle of the aisle.
The south arcade of the nave is of four bays, with
circular columns having moulded bases and capitals,
and two-centred arches of two chamfered orders with
a chamfered label on the nave side only. Above the
arches, but now below the aisle roof, are three
circular clearstory windows, contemporary with the
arcade, inclosing quatrefoils and having an external
rebate and semicircular rear arches.
The north arcade is a modern copy of that on the
south, but has no clearstory windows above it. The
west doorway of the nave is modern, of 16th-century
style, replacing that shown by Manning and Bray,
which had a round arch with a roll moulding, shafts
in the jambs, and some ornament not specified on the
arch. It seems to have been of fairly early 12th-century date, and over it was a window of three
trefoiled lights, now replaced by one of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head.
The north wall of the north aisle contains three
modern two-light windows of 15th-century design,
and at the east end of the same wall is a doorway,
also modern. Between the second and third of these
windows is set the late 12th-century doorway already
referred to, with a round arch of two roll-moulded
orders springing from slender jambshafts with carved
capitals, two having the form of heads, and two
ornamented with foliage; the bases are lost. The
arch has a label enriched with dog-tooth ornament
and is a great deal repaired. In the old north wall
of the nave there was a round-headed window towards
the west, and three narrow lancets farther east.
The windows of the south aisle have modern tracery,
two being of 15th-century and one of 14th-century
design. The inside jambs, however, appear to be
old in each case. Below the sill of the eastern of
these windows is a small splayed recess in the wall
with a square head and remains of colour on the
jambs, and on the outer face of the wall below the
second window are a few stones of what seems to be
the east jamb of a destroyed doorway. The existing
south doorway is of late 15th-century character, with
moulded jambs and four-centred arch under a square
head with a heavy moulded label. The modern
porch has quatrefoiled side lights and a south
entrance with moulded jambs and two-centred arch.
The tower rises one stage above the ridge of the
nave roof, this stage being now mostly of brick,
only a few of the old stone quoins remaining. One
of the 13th-century lancets, however, still remains
in the west face above the roof line, and the jambs
of another in the same face and of one window in
each of the other three sides of the tower may still
be seen on the inside, though they are now blocked
up. The top stage has a modern window in each
face consisting of two trefoiled lights under a square
head, and is furnished with a modern stone parapet.
The date 1653 is shown on the west parapet of the
tower in Manning and Bray's illustration.
The walls of the north aisle and west front are of
flint with stone dressings, and the main body of the
other walls is also faced with flint, but in the older
work the mortar joints are larger. All the roofs are
modern and are covered with tiles.
Across the east arch of the tower is set a good
15th-century screen, with three cinquefoiled lights
on each side of the central opening, and a moulded
cornice on which is fixed an 18th-century carved
wooden achievement of the royal arms of England.
The pulpit and reading desk are of late 16th-century date and have moulded panels, and ornamental
pilasters and rails and a dentil cornice.
The font is of 14th-century date and has a large
octagonal bowl, each side having a shallow sunk panel
filled with tracery patterns, all different. It stands
on a circular stem with moulded base.
In the south windows of the south transept are
some small pieces of late 13th-century glass with figures
of St. Peter and St. Paul, and in the east window of
the chancel some fragments of 15th-century glass,
among modern imitations.
There are also some old quarries in the windows of
the south aisle.
On the north wall of the chancel is a small tablet
to 'Christopher Shawe Citizen of London embrodorer,' who died in 1618.
In the churchyard, near the porch, is a coffin slab
with a double hollow-chamfered edge, and on the top
are traces of a raised cross, now almost defaced. Outside the east end of the south aisle are two fragments
of another large coffin slab on which was a raised
flowered cross with a stepped base.
The tower contains a ring of five bells: the treble
and second by John Hodson, 1658; the third by
William Mears, 1785; and the fourth and tenor by
Robert Eldridge, 1607 and 1595.
The plate comprises a cup of 1664, with a stand
paten of 1714, and a silver mounted flagon.
There are six books of registers, the first containing
baptisms from 1656 to 1804, the second marriages
from 1663 to 1754, the third burials from 1656 to
1804, the fourth baptisms from 1804 to 1812, the
fifth marriages from 1805 to 1811, and the sixth
burials from 1805 to 1812.
The churchyard is large and contains several elm
trees, and a large yew on the north side. There is an
entrance on the west side with a lych-gate.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church of
Chipstead has generally followed the
descent of the manor. Towards the
end of the 13th century Ralph de Monthermer, who
had married Joan widow of Gilbert the Red, and in
her right was called Earl of Gloucester, presented to
Chipstead Church. (fn. 82) At the beginning of the following century it was in the gift of Hugh de Audley, Earl
of Gloucester, (fn. 83) through his marriage with Margaret de
Clare, and from their daughter Margaret the right descended with the manor to the Earls of Stafford. (fn. 84) In
1402 it seems to have been leased to John Norton and
his wife Joan, and in the following year to John Fremingham. (fn. 85) In 1422 it was mentioned amongst the
right and possessions of Sir Hugh Stafford. (fn. 86)
Monthermer. Or an eagle vert.
Audley. Gules fretty or.
Sir John Bourchier presented in 1519, (fn. 87) John Ledes
and Agnes his wife in 1552. (fn. 88) In 1558 Thomas
Matson conveyed the advowson in mortgage to
Thomas Copley, (fn. 89) in the next year selling it to
William Frank. (fn. 90) It was then held in turn by the
Sackvilles (fn. 91) and by William and John Poyntz. (fn. 92)
Edward Scott presented in 1571, Lord St. John and
Winifred his wife in 1573, and Lord Dacre in 1586.
The advowson was conveyed in 1613 to John
Huntley. After the resale of the property in 1615
the right of presentation no longer belonged to the
lord of the manor. In 1658 it was owned by George
Moore, (fn. 93) and in 1664 was still held by his wife
Margaret, then a widow. (fn. 94) The Crown presented in
1678, and Thomas Middleton in 1740. Anthony
Nott had the advowson in 1747 and 1753. William
Jolliffe bought it about 1790 and his descendant
Lord Hylton now holds it. Anne Aubertin presented in 1808 by agreement with Col. Hylton
Jolliffe. (fn. 95)
In the Taxation of Pope Nicholas and in Wykeham's
Register the spiritualities of Chipstead were rated at
£18 13s. 4d., the tithes being £1 17s. 4d. (fn. 96) In 1428
the church was taxed at £21 6s. 8d. and paid a subsidy of
£1 17s. 4d. (fn. 97) Under Henry VIII the value was nearly
the same, being £18 3s. 6d.; 2s., however, was due
yearly to the Bishop of Winchester and 7s. 7½d. for
the procurations of the archdeacon, reducing the net
value to £17 13s. 10½d. Of this, the house and grounds
were worth 30s.; the tithes of grain amounted to £9.
and private baptisms brought in about 6s. 8d. yearly. (fn. 98)
The commissioners of 1658 recommended the
union of Chipstead and Kingswood in Ewell.
CHARITIES
Smith's Charity is distributed as
in other Surrey parishes. Christopher Shaw, embroiderer, who died
31 July 1618, and was buried at Chipstead, left an
annual rent-charge of 16s. for the poor.