St. Helen, Abingdon, Berkshire

Description

St. Helen's church, standing close to the river, south-west of the town, is a spacious edifice chiefly in the Perpendicular style, consisting of five parallel aisles of unequal length and breadth, named as follows, beginning from the north--Jesus aisle, Our Lady's aisle, St. Helen's aisle, St. Catharine's aisle and the Holy Cross aisle; a tower and spire on the north-east, with a porch in the lower stage, vestry on the south-east, and a small chapel or chantry west of the tower; the church was completely restored in 1873, under the direction of Mr. Woodyer, at a cost of £7,021, when the pews and galleries were removed, the nave and chancel roof renewed in open timber work and considerably heightened; the chancel was also newly inclosed by a stone screen on the north side, and separated from the nave by a lofty and elaborate screen of oak, and in 1897 a handsome reredos of oak designed by G. F. Bodley esq. R.A., F.S.A., was presented by Miss Hyde: the north aisle has a timber ceiling, richly painted with figures of kings, prophets and saints, given by Nicholas Gold, one of the founders of the fraternity of the Holy Cross; and an altar of alabaster, with an upper slab of jasper also designed by G. F. Bodley esq. and erected as a memorial to the Rev. R. C. F. Griffith M.A., vicar 1885-96: the south aisles, one of which was built in 1539, for the use of a guild, are rather later, but of the same character, as is also the south porch, which has a good doorway and a canopied niche, recently filled with a figure of St. Catharine, the buttresses being surmounted with figures of St. Dunstan and St. Ethelwold: the tower is Early English and has a plain parapet with crocketed angle turrets, from within which flying buttresses support a tall octagonal spire; it contains a peal of 10 bells, remarkable for their exceeding sweetness of tone, and a clock; the restoration of the tower and spire was completed on May 1st, 1886, under the superintendence of J. Oldrid Scott, architect; at the same time the three porches were restored and figures placed in the vacant niches; the cost of repairing the Early English north porch being defrayed by Christ's Hospital; the west porch now bears in a niche a figure of St. Helen, holding in her arms a model of the church, and surmounting the buttresses are the symbols of the Evangelists, carved in stone; a large new window was placed in the baptistery by Mrs. George Gibbs in memory of her husband, two large niches on each side of the window were also repaired and statues of St. John the Baptist and St. Philip the Deacon, executed by Nicholls, placed in them; the whole cost exceeded £2,700; the east and west windows, both of which are of modern date, have been filled with stained glass; the former as a memorial to Thomas Hyde esq. and the latter to his brother, John Hyde esq. and there are others to George Bowes Morland esq. Edward Morland esq. Alfred D. Bartlett esq. and to Mrs. Griffith, wife of the Rev. Robert Charles Francis Griffith M.A. vicar 1885-96; one erected by the late Miss Kent to her father and brother, and another by the teachers and children of the Sunday school; in the north aisle, beneath a feathered arch, is the altar tomb of John Roysse, founder of Abingdon school, who died 27 July, 1571; the upper slab, brought by his direction from his garden in London, served, until 1873, as a tablet from which bread was distributed every Sunday, in accordance with his will, to 13 poor persons; it bears the shield of arms - gules, a griffin segreant arg. with crest and mantling - formerly placed above it; and also an inscribed brass plate affixed on the restoration of the tomb by the past and then present scholars in 1873; in the north aisle is a huge marble monument by Hickey, with portrait figures and busts, erected pursuant to the will of Mrs. Elizabeth Hawkins, ob. May 22, 1786, and commemorating the deceased, her relatives, and the Rev. Walter Harte, vice-principal of St. Mary Hall, Oxford. who died in 1768, on the eve of their intended marriage; here also is a small square altar tomb, repaired by Christ's Hospital in 1826 and inscribed to Richard Curtaine, gent. "a principal magistrate of this Corporation," buried July 18, 1643; and at the west end of St. Catharine's aisle is a brass, within a large slab of Caen stone, to Galfridus (Geoffrey) Barbour, merchant, ob. April 21, 1417, with his effigy in the attitude of prayer; he was for some time bailiff of Bristol and was chief benefactor to this town; his remains, removed from the abbey on its dissolution, were re-interred in this church; in the church was also buried Henry Langley D.D. master of Pembroke College, Oxford, d. 10 Sept. 1679; there is a brass to William Heyward S.T.D. vicar. ob. 1501, with his effigy in academic dress; in the choir vestry is a portrait, on panel, of Mr. William Lee, five times mayor of Abingdon, who died in 1637, aged 92; accompanying the portrait is a genealogical chart, and an inscription, stating that he had in his lifetime issue from his loins two hundred, lacking but three; in St. Catharine's aisle near the organ is now placed a chained bible, dated 1611; several other chained books remain in the church, but have been much damaged by damp; in the first south aisle is a mural tablet to Edmund, youngest son of Lionel Bostock, ob. Aug. 3, 1605, and over it 3 quartered shield of arms; near it, on a framed wood panel are painted the arms of Oliver Hide, 1565, and Thomasine his wife, 1568; on the west wall is a small brass inscription to Thomas Mayott, twice mayor, ob. May 30, 1627; the pulpit is Jacobean, and bears in panels the legend: "ad haec idoneus quis," and the date 1636; there are seven seats set apart for the Corporation, the foremost of which is flanked by figures of the lion and unicorn, carved in wood and supporting shields; hung in the clergy vestry are portraits of some Bishops of the Diocese and six former vicars; the organ, inclosed in a panelled case of carved oak, displays a quaint figure of David, carved in wood, with gilded harp and crown; the font, of white marble, was executed by the late Mr. H. P. Peyman, of Abingdon, and shown in the Great Exhibition of 1851; the oak canopy dated 1643 was restored in 1902 and is surmounted by a figure of an angel bearing the Book of Life, carved by A. Hodge esq.: in 1644-5, the Parliamentary army, under General Waller, while quartered here, used the north aisle as a stable; among the vicars may be mentioned Ethelmarus or Aymer de Valence, half brother to Henry I. and afterwards Bishop of Winchester; there are 1,200 sittings. The church was wholly closed against interments June 27, 1856.

Church Records

The register of St. Helen dates from the year 1538.