St. Nicholas, Hedsor, Buckinghamshire

Description

The parish church of St. Nicholas, one of the smallest in the county, is beautifully situated on a hill 213 feet above the level of the sea, within Hedsor Park, and is a structure of chalk and flint with stone facings in the Decorated style, consisting of chancel, nave, north aisle, baptistery, west porch and a belfry: according to a somewhat eccentric inscription on a tomb at the west end of the church, it was re-edified by Roland Hynd, then owner of the manor, in 1575: a north aisle was added and the church restored generally by George, 4th Lord Boston, in 1862, and a reredos of stone enriched with mosaics has since been erected: the chancel screen, of oak with brass gates, is a memorial to Florance George Henry, 5th Lord Boston who died 3rd January. 1877: there are several memorial windows, a tablet to Roland Hynd and one erected by Frederick, and Baron Boston, in 1801, to Nathaniel Hooke, author of a Roman History, who died 19th July, 1763, and is buried here: in 1886 considerable alterations were made in the church, a baptistery was erected on the site of the old porch, and a new porch built at the west end of the aisle: the stone pulpit was adorned with quatrefoils, mosaic work and marble bosses, and the interior rearranged and decorated: the church affords 150 sittings: the churchyard presents an unusually simple appearance, from the fact that all the tombstones are level with the turf, which custom has always prevailed here, these are only from 12 to 18 inches square, and simply bear names and dates.

Church Records

The parish register dates from the year 1678; many earlier entries are included in the register, of Little Marlow.