St. Mary, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

Description

The parish church of St. Mary, a fine cruciform building, undoubtedly replacing a church of Saxon origin, stands on the western side of the town, nearly at its highest elevation, and is therefore a conspicuous object from all parts of the surrounding country: the most ancient portions of the existing structure are Early English of the 13th century, the transepts being fine specimens of that style: the church consists of chancel, nave, aisles with chapels, transepts, south porch, and a massive central embattled tower of Early English date, with panelled battlements of Perpendicular character, from within which rises a small turret and spire of woodwork covered with lead, erected in the 17th century: the tower contains a peal of 8 bells and a sanctus bell, dated 1612: it has been wholly refaced with rubble stone, the turret and spire recased with lead and ornamental clock dials of cast iron affixed to the exterior: the chapels date from the 14th and 15th centuries, both containing piscinae: the south porch and the western entrance are fine specimens of Early English: the west window, Late Perpendicular, is filled with stained glass, presented by Acton Tindal esq. in 1862. In a recess beneath a moulded and feathered arch in the north transept lies the effigy of a knight in white marble, clad in the plate and chain armour of the 14th century, the head resting on a helmet; the figure was long supposed to have formed part of the tomb of James Boteler, founder of the Grey Friars monastery, once standing in the town, having been found buried in grounds once attached to the monastery; the slight armorial bearings which can be discerned appear, however, to be those of the Lee family, of Quarrendon, and the figure may therefore represent Sir Robert Lee, of Bulcote, a member of that family: there is also in this transept a fine old Elizabethan monument with quaint inscription to Lady Lee, wife of Sir Henry Lee K.G. of Quarrendon, with alabaster figures of herself and children; and within Early English niches, in the wall of the north aisle, are two stone coffins of the 12th century, discovered in the course of some repairs made about 1850: the chancel is Early English: the stained east window, a fine triple lancet, richly ornamented with shafts and carved capitals, is filled with designs copied from an old window of this period in Chetwode Priory; on either side are three lancets, also stained: the chancel stalls, dating from the 15th century, are in a good state of preservation and the roof is a fine specimen of the waggon or cradle roof: the chancel contains a double aumbry, trefoil headed, and a tomb or Easter sepulchre of Early English date: on the north side of the chancel is the old sacristy, with upper storey, containing an ancient fireplace and a baluster window: in the north transept are two piscinae, a trefoil-headed reredos and a sepulchre, both Early English: the Lady chapel, a beautiful work of the 14th century, was restored in 1897 at a cost of £400, in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria: below it is a charnel or bone-hole; this was formerly supposed to be a Saxon crypt, but both Mr. St. John Hope and the Rev. D. B. S. Cranage agree that it is of later date; it is now entered by means of a trap-door and ladder, but there are traces of a stone staircase leading up into the south transept: the present choir vestry contains a wardrobe of oak of the early part of the 16th century: the stained west window of the north chapel was inserted in 1870 by Mr. Thomas Perrin, and in the south chapel is a memorial window erected in June. 1871. by Mr. and Mrs. James Ceely, to their son; and another, placed in 1873, by Miss Batten, to the memory of her father and mother: two small statues of SS. Peter and James, the patron saints respectively of Quarendon and Bierton, placed on either side of the doorway of the south transept, were given by Sir George G. Scott R.A.; the oak benches are in facsimile of the ancient seating of the church: the font is Norman, and nearly 3 feet in diameter, and has a circular escalloped bowl, with rich scroll work round the upper part, and stands on a cushioned base carved with foliage; this is the type specimen of several fonts of the 12th century found in the neighbourhood: the whole of the interior and exterior of the church was thoroughly repaired and restored in 1869: the reredos, presented in 1891 as a memorial to H. A. P. Cooper esq. is of gilt mahogany, with painted panels, depicting various scripture scenes: in 1902 the sanctuary was panelled in oak, sedilia, with two canopied figures of SS. Peter and Paul erected. and two brass candlesticks presented, the whole forming a memorial to the Rev. H. B. McNair vicar 1889-95. by his widow and brother: the roof was repaired in 1902 and again in 1924: on the north side of the church is a memorial chapel to Buckinghamshire men who fell in the Great War, 1914-18; there are 1,150 sittings. The churchyard, which was closed against interments Dec. 11th, 1855, is extensive, well kept, and planted with avenues of trees.

Church Records

The parish register dates from the year 1564