History and Features
Timeline
1220 Earliest mention of a church on this site
1405 Earliest mention of a churchyard
1853 The current church was built
1855 The current church was consecrated
1865 North Aisle was added and Chancel was re-built
1887 The choir vestry and north porch were added
1989 Pastoral Centre was officially opened by HRH Princess Anne
For more on the history see the article at the end of this page.
1405 Earliest mention of a churchyard
1853 The current church was built
1855 The current church was consecrated
1865 North Aisle was added and Chancel was re-built
1887 The choir vestry and north porch were added
1989 Pastoral Centre was officially opened by HRH Princess Anne
For more on the history see the article at the end of this page.
Following the re-building in 1865, the Chancel was re-dedicated in December 1865. Hence the 150th anniversary of the church in its present form falls in 2015.
Features of the Church
Pulpit
The frieze above the main panels has a pattern of carved vines entwining the carved and painted motto "We preach God crucified, the power of God and the wisdom of God". Each panel has two carved un-pierced trefoil headed arches and above them a pierced circle of rose-window-like design. In the spandrels is a carved low-relief pattern of flowers, including passion flowers and lilies, wheat and acorns and oak leaves. This was carved by Mrs Jane Monckton-Jones (daughter of Rev. Henry Parsons) probably about 1853. Two stone steps, supported on a marble colonette and fitted with a brass and iron balustrade lead up to the pulpit.
Chancel Arch
This was painted in 1886.
The painting on the reverse is of "The Pelican in her Piety" which is an allegory of Jesus Christ nurturing people through the Eucharist.
West Window
This was given by Dr chapman of the Royal Military College.
The rose window shows St. Michael and is taken from the account in Revelation 12:7-9 where St. Michael throws the devil, which is described as a dragon, out of heaven.
Below the rose window are figures of the four evangelists (St. Matthew, St Mark, St Luke & St. John). They all hold a scroll which contains the first line of their gospel in Latin.
Carved Beam
This was originally over the chancel arch before the current church was rebuilt. It reads "The year of our Lord 1647, the 23rd of Charles, by the grace of God, king of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the faith."
It was a common custom to record repairs to a church in this way. The churchwardens were warned twenty years before to repair the roof and benches. The inscription may mean that the new roof was put on the nave this year. As the king was, at that time, a virtual prisoner of parliament, the churchwardens may have been ardent royalists.
The frieze above the main panels has a pattern of carved vines entwining the carved and painted motto "We preach God crucified, the power of God and the wisdom of God". Each panel has two carved un-pierced trefoil headed arches and above them a pierced circle of rose-window-like design. In the spandrels is a carved low-relief pattern of flowers, including passion flowers and lilies, wheat and acorns and oak leaves. This was carved by Mrs Jane Monckton-Jones (daughter of Rev. Henry Parsons) probably about 1853. Two stone steps, supported on a marble colonette and fitted with a brass and iron balustrade lead up to the pulpit.
Chancel Arch
This was painted in 1886.
The painting on the reverse is of "The Pelican in her Piety" which is an allegory of Jesus Christ nurturing people through the Eucharist.
West Window
This was given by Dr chapman of the Royal Military College.
The rose window shows St. Michael and is taken from the account in Revelation 12:7-9 where St. Michael throws the devil, which is described as a dragon, out of heaven.
Below the rose window are figures of the four evangelists (St. Matthew, St Mark, St Luke & St. John). They all hold a scroll which contains the first line of their gospel in Latin.
Carved Beam
This was originally over the chancel arch before the current church was rebuilt. It reads "The year of our Lord 1647, the 23rd of Charles, by the grace of God, king of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the faith."
It was a common custom to record repairs to a church in this way. The churchwardens were warned twenty years before to repair the roof and benches. The inscription may mean that the new roof was put on the nave this year. As the king was, at that time, a virtual prisoner of parliament, the churchwardens may have been ardent royalists.
History
Article written by the late Peter Holmes
A print showing the old St. Michael's Church in the early 19th Century.
The first mention of a new church in the scattered hamlet of Sandhurst was in 1220 and for the next 600 years there were few significant changes made to the original building.
In 1846, Sandhurst was transferred to the diocese of Oxford. A new incumbent, Henry Parsons, arrived in 1850, and in 1853 he embarked on the first stage of rebuilding. This added a new south aisle, a tower with a spire, and new east and west ends for the nave. The designs were produced by the new diocesan architect, G. E. Street, and some of the interior features, notably the font and pulpit, were executed by the incumbent’s youngest daughter.
Twelve years later, a north aisle was added and a larger chancel replaced the last remnant of the original church. Although Street was still the diocesan architect, the new extensions were designed by J. Woodman of Reading. The new work was fully in sympathy with the earlier parts to the extent that it could be conjectured that Street took a close interest in approving the plans.
The installation of a new and wealthy Rector, Randal Parsons, in 1880, combined with the parish’s wish to commemorate his late predecessor, resulted in a decade of major enhancements to the interior of the church. A new east window and a ring of six bells were the main memorials. The Rector provided new choir stalls and paid for extensive paintings in and around the chancel. In honour of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887, the vestry was enlarged to accommodate the expanding choir and a north porch was built. These were the last structural alterations to the building.
Since that time, new lighting has been installed. In the 1960’s some of the wall paintings were covered in a white paint to make the interior brighter. Also in the 1960’s the church was registered as a Grade II listed building.
In 1989 a Pastoral Centre, incorporating a large hall, a parish office and rooms for meetings and other church activities, was opened on a site close to the church.
In 1846, Sandhurst was transferred to the diocese of Oxford. A new incumbent, Henry Parsons, arrived in 1850, and in 1853 he embarked on the first stage of rebuilding. This added a new south aisle, a tower with a spire, and new east and west ends for the nave. The designs were produced by the new diocesan architect, G. E. Street, and some of the interior features, notably the font and pulpit, were executed by the incumbent’s youngest daughter.
Twelve years later, a north aisle was added and a larger chancel replaced the last remnant of the original church. Although Street was still the diocesan architect, the new extensions were designed by J. Woodman of Reading. The new work was fully in sympathy with the earlier parts to the extent that it could be conjectured that Street took a close interest in approving the plans.
The installation of a new and wealthy Rector, Randal Parsons, in 1880, combined with the parish’s wish to commemorate his late predecessor, resulted in a decade of major enhancements to the interior of the church. A new east window and a ring of six bells were the main memorials. The Rector provided new choir stalls and paid for extensive paintings in and around the chancel. In honour of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887, the vestry was enlarged to accommodate the expanding choir and a north porch was built. These were the last structural alterations to the building.
Since that time, new lighting has been installed. In the 1960’s some of the wall paintings were covered in a white paint to make the interior brighter. Also in the 1960’s the church was registered as a Grade II listed building.
In 1989 a Pastoral Centre, incorporating a large hall, a parish office and rooms for meetings and other church activities, was opened on a site close to the church.
