Denchworth, Berkshire

St. James (parish church)

The church of St. James, thoroughly repaired in 1852, under the direction of the late G. E. Street esq. R.A. is an ancient cruciform edifice of mixed styles, consisting of chancel, nave, north and south chapels, and a tower on the north side, containing 4 bells, dated 1624, 1733, 1868 and 1869; the chancel is Early English, and has sedilia formed in the sill of the south-east window; the nave has Perpendicular windows and a Late roof; the south doorway is a good example of Norman work; the tower is apparently Early English at the base, the upper part being rather poor Perpendicular: in the south chapel are some memorials to the Geering family and in the chancel are brasses to Oliver Hyde esq, 1516, and Agnes, his wife, with effigies; William Hyde esq. in armour, 1557, and Margery (Cater), his wife, 1562, with 12 sons and 8 daughters, and an inscription; and William Hyde esq. 1567, also in armour, and his wife Alice; the inscription of the Hyde brass of 1557-62 is a rescript or palimpsest "of great historic value, and fortunately complete;" it originally belonged to Bisham Abbey, and has on its proper obverse side an inscription commemorating the laying of a foundation stone, by King Edward III. after the battle of Halidon Hill, near Berwick, 1333, at the request of Sir William de Mountagu, who founded the abbey in 1336; there is another brass to William Say, 1493, robbed of its shields and effigy, and the church also contains various monuments to the families of Geering and Frogley; in the chancel is a monnment erected by the Rev. Richard Lynch Cotton D.D. provost of Worcester College, Oxford, 1839-81, to his two brothers: there is also a hazioscope in the north chapel, and faint traces of a rood-loft and a hagioscope; a library of 150 ancient books, formed in 1693 by the Rev. Ralph Kedden, vicar, Mr. Geering, churchwarden, and Mr. Edward Brewster, stationer, of London, two of which are chained, and formerly in a room over the church porch, was transferred to the vicarage at the restoration of the church; it included an edition of the "Golden Legend," printed by Caxton in 1483, and now in the Bodleian, and a copy of Cranmer's Bible, dated 1541, now in a glass case in the church, and still retains four volumes of Thomas Aquinas, one of Homilies, a copy of Burnet on the Articles, given by the Bishop himself, and a Life of Christ by Ludolphus Saxe, written in 1330; an altar cloth, worked at St. Mary's Home, Wantage, was presented by Miss Pye and friends; the brass lectern is a memorial to Mr. Walker, 33 years churchwarden; the oak pulpit was designed by Mr. A. B. Allin, architect, Wantage; other gifts have been made by H. B. Hyde esq. Mrs. Walker, of the Manor House, W. B. Hyde esq. and others; the east window is stained; in the chancel is a stained window presented by the Hyde family in 1902, and in the windows of the south transept or chapel are a number of ancient shields of arms restored by members of the Hyde family, and one placed by H. B. Hyde esq. to his parents: there are 150 sittings: in the churchyard is an ancient cross, the head of which was renewed by a former vicar, and at cross roads in the village the base of a chipping cross.