St. Lawrence, Hungerford, Berkshire

Description

The parish church of St. Lawrence, erected in 1814, on the site of the old church, is a building of stone in a Debased Perpendicular style, and consists of apsidal chancel, clerestoried nave of four bays, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower with pinnacles and containing 6 bells: there are eight stained windows: the pulpit, presented by Elizabeth Pearce Lidderdale and Eleanora Lidderdale, in 1891, to the memory of their parents, is of stone, with an alabaster cornice and other enrichments: affixed to the east wall of the nave is a small tablet of yellow marble, formerly a portion of the tomb of Sir Robert de Hungerford kt. who died in 1354 and was buried in a chapel on the south side of the old Church: the effigy, in stone, of an armed knight, cross-legged, and supposed to represent him, is now placed on the floor immediately beneath: there are also monuments to Henry Hungerford, of Standen (ob. 1673), third son of Sir Anthony Hungerford, of Blackborton, Oxon; to Mrs. Helina Morgan (ob. 1716) and to Charlotte, wife of John Willes, of Hungerford Park (ob. 1807); there are also many mural tablets to the Willes, Michell and Whitelock families: in 1880-1 the church was thoroughly renovated, reseated and a new organ added at a total cost of £3,300: there are 700 sittings.

Church Records

The Parish register dates from the year 1559.