St. Mary, Winkfield, Berkshire

Description

The church of St. Mary is a plain building of stone and conglomerate, faced with flint, in the Decorated style, and consists of chancel, nave, south porch, organ chamber, side chapel and vestries, and an embattled western tower containing 6 bells and a clock: the nave is divided in the centre by solid oak pillars, placed there in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, on one of which appears a date with a crowned rose and her initials; one of these decayed and was replaced by Queen Victoria with oak from Windsor Forest, and a half pillar of oak at the west end was replaced by King Edward VII. in 1909: the carved stone reredos represents the Lord's Supper, and several of the windows are stained: there are monuments to the Metcalfe and Blane families, to Anne (Towry), wife of Edward, 1st Baron Ellenborough and Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench; she died 16th August, 1843; to Admiral Sir Henry King; and Admiral the Hon. Sir Henry Keppel G.C.B., O.M. d. 17 Jan. 1904; there is also a brass, with an effigy to Thomas Montague, yeoman of the guard, ob. 1630, representing him in the act of distributing bread: the church was restored in 1858, 1888 and 1891, at a cost of over £2,000, and affords 400 sittings.

Church Records

The register now in existence dates from 1720 only.