Great Bealings – St. Mary’s Church

St. Mary’s Church in Great Bealings was mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book, with reference made to Anund, the first priest, but there’s evidence that there might have been a pagan burial site here before that. I’m a little confused about the age of the church, the listed record dates it to the sixteenth century with substantial alterations in the nineteenth century, but parts of the nave seem older than that to me. But, I’m not a church historian, so there we go….

The church in the early 1840s, before the Victorians faffed around with it. Comparing it with my photo above, it’s an excellent way of seeing just how much of this church was rebuilt in the subsequent renovations and the Victorian obsession with fiddling with these historic buildings.

From the other side of the building, the tower of the church is later, likely from around the 1450s, although this date again isn’t tying into the listed building record. When we parked, which took Richard some time although I obviously didn’t comment, we parked on Lower Street where it meets Boot Street.

This felt an odd piece of land and it transpires (and is evident from the above map) that this is where the Manor House was located until it was demolished in 1775 and relocated nearby.

This is mentioned to be an original Tudor wooden door and portal into the nave, although it’s in notably decent condition.

The interior is bright with the large windows and gives something of a Georgian vibe at first look.

Bench end carvings and that black and white floor dates from the late eighteenth century when it was relaid in the Georgian period.

The pulpit is Jacobean, from the early seventeenth century and is made from oak, although it was faffed about with the in the Victorian period to add more decoration.

The Seckford Memorial was erected in 1583 to commemorate the life of Thomas Seckford, who died in 1575. It’s notable that there are no effigies, although since they’d only recently gone through the Reformation when a lot of them had been destroyed, perhaps they thought that was wise.

The Seckford Porch, made from brick and added here in the 1520s, which was really when the church was arguably at its greatest power and influence following the reconstruction and patronage.

This is the Clench Monument, which was erected in 1628 for John Clench and his wife, a notable piece of Jacobean art. There was an attempt to depict the Puritan piety and the emphasis on religious commitment.

The chancel which has a strong nineteenth century feel to it.

The stained glass windows are mostly from the Victorian refurbishment.

Looking back down the nave, designed in the early English Gothic style.

I’ve already written about the church’s font (which is one of the earliest items still in the church as it dates from the thirteenth century), the link with the Mayflower Pilgrims and the grave of John Julian Ganzoni.

The village war memorial in the churchyard and I’ve also written separately about the only casualty from the village in the Second World War, Edward Charles Porter.