St. Mary, Aldermaston, Berkshire
Description
The church of St. Mary, anciently belonging to the Benedictine priory of SS. Mary and John the Baptist, at West Sherborne, Hants, is an ancient structure of flint and rubble, standing in the park of Aldermaston Court, and consists of chancel, nave, south chapel and a western tower, with spire, containing 8 bells and a clock; the east window of the chancel is Early English, consisting of three lancets under one arch; most of the other windows are Decorated, and several new stained windows have been added; in the south chapel is a Decorated piscina, a brass to William Forster esq. high sheriff of Berks, died in 1574, also several mural paintings, discovered in 1896; in the windows on the north side of the chancel are two panels of glass of the 13th century, representing the Annunciation; the tower is of the Decorative period, with a Norman doorway built in at the west end; the pulpit is of finely carved oak; under the arch of the south transept is an altar tomb of alabaster, with recumbent effigies, to Sir George Forster K.B. sheriff of Berks, who died 7th December, 1533, and his wife Elizabeth, grand-daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas De la Mere kt. who died in 1526; around the sides, under canopies, were eleven small male figures in armour and eight females in angular head dresses, but one of each has disappeared; at the west end of the tomb are the kneeling figures of his son and heir, afterwards Sir Humphrey Forster bart. and his wife, a daughter of Lord Sandys, of The Vine, lord high treasurer to King Henry VIII.; there are also monuments to Ralph Congreve esq. and a helmet; in 1896 the church was thoroughly restored, new roofed, and reseated at the sole expense of C. E. Keyser esq.; there are 250 sittings.
Church Records
The register dates from the year 1558.