RESTORATION OF CALSTONE CHURCH
The following piece describes in some detail the restoration of Calstone Church and the events surrounding it’s reopening by John Wordsworth (nephew of William Wordsworth the great poet), the newly appointed Lord Bishop of Salisbury. It has been taken from the Wiltshire Telegraph circa November 1885.
The pretty village of Calstone, with its hills and dales, its quaint cottages and ancient yews, its shady lanes and neatly-kept hedges, was the scene of great rejoicings on Tuesday, on the occasion of the re-opening of the parish church after a careful and thorough restoration. The ceremony was performed by the newly-appointed Bishop of the Diocese, this being one of his first public acts since his installation. The day was therefore one of exceptional interest to the whole district, and a large number of clergy and laity assembled to give his lordship a hearty welcome. The church stands upon one of the most charming spots in the county. Nestling under the edge of the grey downs, and surrounded by trees
. . . beneath whose shade
The village life sleeps peacefully,
the simplicity and beauty of the building greatly impress the mind of the contemplative visitor as he approaches it by ascending the winding path which leads into the churchyard. It is a very interesting specimen of 15th century work, and consists of a nave, chancel, western tower, and south porch, all in the same style, to which a vestry has now been added on the south side of the nave. The walls are built to a great extent with solid masonry, some of the stones used being of unusual size, while it is a singular fact that in the upper part of the structure some of the stones are rubble, as though the supply of the larger ones had failed. The whole of the stone work is beautifully finished and with the lapse of ages has become of an exceedingly lovely colour. The work of restoration has been carried out in a most satisfactory manner by Messrs. Light and Smith, of Chippenham, under the superintendence of Mr. Ewan Christian, the celebrated architect. It has been a “restoration” in the truest sense of the word, great care being taken to strengthen and preserve all the old work that was capable of being restored, while the new work added of a thoroughly substantial type.
The Rector has placed an entirely new oak roof on the chancel, the old and inferior roof having been in very bad condition. Fortunately, the fine old oak roof of the nave was found to be capable of repair, and this has been effected so successfully that the architect says it will last for many hundred of years more. The whole of the old and unsightly seating, gallery, and other fittings, has been removed, and replaced with substantial and commodious pews of English oak, having carved ends; while new and beautifully carved oak pulpit, reading desk, and lectern have also been provided. The old communion rails are retained, but an entirely new floor has been placed in the chancel. The floors under the seating have been relayed with solid blocks of oak, put in herring bone fashion, while the passages have been repaved, a portion of that in the nave consisting of a number of grave memorials found in the church, which Mr. Christian always takes most scrupulous care to preserve, as part of the history of a parish. The fine tracery of the windows is in an admirable state of preservation, and all the old iron bars are scrupulously retained, it being a singular fact that the quality of the iron used in those ancient days is such as will never again, it is said, be equalled in England. The tower was in a very bad state, and it was necessary to rebuild the upper stage. The walls of the tower were found to be split in an extraordinary and unaccountable way and in the absence of any indications that would otherwise explain (… text illegible …) at some time the tower must have been struct by lightning or injured by some other abnormal cause. Its restoration was a critical and difficult process, but happily it was successfully achieved. The three light bells have been re-cast and re-hung, and once again their tuneful harmony is heard throughout the vale. On the wall above the chancel arch are painted the Coat of Arms of George II. In the north wall, close to the pulpit, is to be seen the old door leading into the entrance to the rood loft; and on the opposite side of the church is a piscina, where it is supposed there must at some period have been a chapel, and from whence there is a small aumbrey into the chancel. The south wall of the nave has been much strengthened by the erection outside of the new vestry. The font has been re-fitted and an efficient heating apparatus has been introduced. The ground immediately outside the walls of the church has been lowered and a paved trench and proper drainage constructed to keep the walls dry.
The church is very small, but large enough to accommodate the sparse population of the parish. Altogether it now provides about 100 sittings. As may be imagined, the work of restoration was a task of no slight magnitude for a small agricultural parish, but the whole population seems to have become imbued with the remarkable energy and force of character possessed by the Rector, and the necessary sum has already been raised, with the exception of a comparatively small amount. The cost of the work on the chancel, something like £330, was defrayed by the Rector and members of his family. The total outlay upon the church has been £1,300, and that this sum should have been raised within a comparatively short time bears eloquent testimony to the earnest spirit which has animated the Rector and the churchwardens, (Mr. Joseph Maundrell and Mr F. G Burnett) whose appeals for pecuniary aid have been generously responded to by many friends living outside the parish. The Marquess of Lansdowne contributed £200, Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice, M.P. £30, a grant of £100 was made by the Salisbury Diocesan Church Building Society, and one of £15 by the Incorporated Church Building Society. We may add that although the population of Calstone and Blacklands is only about 100, the Rector has the spiritual oversight of some 300 in the surrounding district. Besides restoring the church, the unique pathway which approaches the church from the road has been greatly improved at a considerable expenditure of money and labour; the upper portion has been graduated so as to avoid the necessity of the large light of steps which previously existed, and the path is lighted at night with a series of lamps; the whole of the undertaking having been carried out with a completeness of detail that reflects great credit upon the parish.
The services of the day commenced with Holy Communion at eight o’clock, at which there were 17 communicants. The Bishop celebrated, and gave a short address on the gospel for the preceding Sunday. This was followed by matins and sermon at half-past eleven, when the little church was much too small to accommodate the large congregation who assembled, and many persons were obliged to stand during the whole time. The clergy (twenty-three in number, besides others who were present in the church) walked from the Rectory in procession, wearing their robes, and upon arriving at the church door a quaint ceremony took place. The Bishop knocked at the door and it was opened by the churchwardens, who handed him the key, and he then entered reading the dedicatory prayers, followed by the clergy. A hymn was then sung, after which the usual service was taken by the Rector. Special psalms were sung, and the lessons were read by the Rev. Canon Eddrup and the Venerable Archdeacon Buchanan. The hymns were appropriate to the occasion. The sermon was preached by the Bishop, from Exodus XII, 26 and 27 “ And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? that ye shall say. It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover.” After pointing out that the hard questions addressed by children to their parents and elders were no doubt instruments often used by God to make people think, his lordship said on a solemn day like this, when they were gathered together in this place to thank God for His great mercy to them in restoring by their poor means to His use one of the noble ancient parish churches of the land, they ought to hear the child Jesus, who had promised to be in every assembly of His faithful, standing in the midst of them and asking them this solemn question, “What mean ye by all these services which are held in this place day after day it may be, Sunday after Sunday certainly ? Do ye come to meet me here; or do ye come to meet one another? Do ye come to confess your sins to Almighty God, or do ye come to thank God that ye are not such as other men are? Do ye come to refresh yourselves by the society of the faithful, and to look upon those whom ye see around you as your brethren and sisters in Christ,—do ye come to be rid of all your evil thoughts and impulses of hatred and suspicion, or to let the faces of those from whom possibly you may be estranged, raise in your thoughts of anger again? For what reason is it that ye sit and kneel and pray and stand; that ye hear the word read to you; that ye hear the sermon, that ye partake of the sacraments, or else perhaps go away when they are offered to you?’’ My brethren (the preacher added), let us hear Jesus Christ as a child asking the truth, desiring to have truth, and not letting us go without telling the truth. Yes, we must when we come back to a place like this often think of those times when we have come to places of this kind, perhaps to this very church, and not thought of God, but of the world; not confessed our sins, but thought of those who are not so good as ourselves; not been in charity with our brethren, but nourished suspicion and hatred and ill-feeling against them. We must remember times like that when our hearts have not been purified as they should be in the sanctuary of God; and we must therefore determine earnestly that a service of this kind, when through God’s great mercy we are brought back to His house, and see it as we see it now beautified for His presence,—we must, I say, determine that that presence shall never be defiled again by those undevout, wandering, selfish, malicious thoughts; but that our hearts should ever be purified. For think, my brethren, what a blessing it is to have a house like this, set apart for ever to God’s honour and service; set apart for services which we need, which do not depend upon the caprice of the individual minister, but which are sanctified and hallowed by the good sense and the piety of generations past, linking you on to those who knew and loved God hundreds of years before you were born; linking you onto the saints of the New Testament and the saints of the Old Testament, up to, the farthest time in which man was upon this earth. Think what a blessing it is to have this place set apart for His service, where you may come and throw yourselves upon His mercy. And think what a blessing it is that there should be a place where you can meet your neighbours as friends and brethren, not as rivals or possibly as enemies, but as all children of one common Father, all having an equal right to worship in this house, all having an equal right to call upon Him for His mercy, to call upon Him for forgiveness and for His grace to help you in time of need.
Another hymn having been sung, the Bishop read special prayers for blessings upon the future services in the church after which he pronounced the Benediction.
LUNCHEON: SPEECH BY THE BISHOP.
The Rector generously entertained at luncheon upwards of one hundred guests. A sumptuous repast was served by Mr. Fisher, of Bath, in a new and commodious barn, which had been kindly lent for the occasion by Mr. J. Maundrell, and prettily decorated by his family with flowers and evergreens. The Bishop presided, and amongst those present were the Rector and Mrs. Hadow, and also the following clergy, in addition to a large number of ladies : The Ven. Archdeacon of Wilts, the Rev. Canon Goddard (Hillmarton), the Rev. Canon Rich (Chippenham), the Rev. Canon Eddrup (Bremhill), the Rev. Canon Duncan (Caine), the Hon. and Rev. B. P. Bouverie (Pewsey), the Rev. E. B. Edgell (Bromham), the Rev. W. P. S. Bingham (Winterbourne Monkton), the Rev. F. H. DuBoulay (Heddington), the Rev. W. C. Plenderleath (Cherhill), the Rev. A. Strong (Chippenham), the Rev. W. H. Hitchcock (Derry Hill), the Rev. C. Barnwell and the Rev. H. Wingfield (St. James’s, Devizes), the Rev. Gilbert King and the Rev. E. B. Finlay (Avebury), the Rev. H. G. Hubbard (Yatesbury), the Rev. E. H. Goddard (Clyffe Pypard), and the Rev. C. E. Goddard, the Revs. H. T. Adam and W. Watkin (Calne), the Rev. J. A. Lloyd (Broad Hinton), the Rev. C, W. Hony (Bishop’s Cannings), Rev. C. Meade (Tockenham), Rev. G. P. j Toppin (Broad Town). The company also included the Churchwardens, the architect (Mr. Ewan Christian), Lady Constance Bouverie, Mr. H. Brown (Blacklands), Mr Henry Hadow, Mr. James P. Hadow, Miss Hadow, Mrs. Edgell arid party, Mrs Colonel Toppin and party, Mrs. Plenderleath and party, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Duncan and party, Mrs. DuBoulay and party, Mr. and Mrs. W. Light and Mr. and Mrs. J. Smith (Chippenham), Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Strong (Chippenham), Mr. and Mrs. O. J. Burnett (Chippenham), the Misses Maundrell, Mr. and Mrs. H. Ward, Mr. Edward Pound, Mr. Caleb Manners, Mr. J. Dew, Mr. John Edwards, Mr. and Mrs. John Spackman, Mr. and Mrs. John Godfrey, and others.
The RECTOR, who was warmly greeted, proposed the toast of “Church and Queen.” He remarked that perhaps the degree to which the greatness of the English nation depended upon the physical and martial strength of the people had been over-estimated. It had remained for the Queen, by her wise and gentle and womanly tact, to consolidate much of that seething and fermenting mass that must always exist in the midst of a truly free and independent people (hear, hear). When I pass to the other part of the toast (said Mr. Hadow), I confess that it is difficult to speak upon it with calmness or reserve. The threatened and threatening attack upon the Church of England has aroused and evoked a spirit amongst her children that has carried with it at once an astonishment and dismay amongst the ranks of her enemies. Many of them have thought that the Church of England was torn almost to pieces by intestine divisions: others have thought that she had waxed fat and was ready to perish; others have described her as a cripple, lame and bound to go with crutches. But the intensity and the reality of the attack has aroused in her children a spirit that has shewn all her enemies and adversaries how widely they had miscalculated the deep, and, I may say, the lasting hold which the Church has upon the people of this country (applause). My lord, her children need nothing else but wise and bold and self-denying leaders. And we are assured, in the honoured name which you bear, that those qualities shall be conspicuous in the most recently appointed Bishops of the Church of England (applause). The name of Wordsworth was a living name, (…illegible text…) shed a lustre and glory on it which will never die (hear, hear); and wherever the Church of England takes root and lives, there will the name Wordsworth, especially of Christopher Wordsworth, be ever cherished with the fondest love and the deepest and highest esteem and respect (applause). It is my undeserved privilege, my lord, owing to the circumstances of the case, to stand here to associate your name with this toast. The ancient diocese of Salisbury has welcomed you with open arms, and with the greatest confidence, as it believes that you have inherited from your own father something infinitely greater, infinitely better than even an honoured name (hear, hear). I am quite unworthy—but the circumstances of the case have placed me in this position—to offer you, on behalf of the clergy and laity of this distant portion of your diocese, a most hearty welcome on your first appearance here as Bishop (applause). This only can I say, that in no other part of your diocese will you find more true, more devoted, more loyal children than in this portion of the Archdeaconry of Wilts (hear, hear). Personally, I cannot express to you how deeply I feel the kindness that you have shewn in coming to my parish so early in your episcopate. No one except those who are placed in the same or similar condition can conceive the amount of strength that the coming of the Bishop of the Diocese into small villages and parishes gives, and the amount of Church life which is quickened by his visit; and that is what has been done to us here, my lord, to day (applause). This day will always be a red letter day in the history of the parish of Calstone (applause) and speaking for a moment on behalf of the churchwardens and laity of Calstone, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You will forgive me if I say that it shall be, in answer to the Bishop’s appeal in church, our most earnest and anxious prayer that Almighty God will give you the grace and the strength and the power long to come and minister amongst us and to be coming in and going out amongst us; and that we shall be always glad with the sight of your face (cheers).
The Bishop, who was most cordially received, in reply, made allusion to the fact that it was only a short time ago that he had the honour and privilege of living under her Majesty’s roof for a night at Balmoral, and stated that the kindness with which she was good enough to welcome him and to ask all about Salisbury and the condition of the Church there, shewed how sincerely she had the welfare of her people at heart, not only as a general thing, but also that she knew more about individual cases than they would realise as possible (hear, hear). As regards myself (he continued), of course my greatest happiness is to be welcomed in my father’s name. All that has been said by Mr. Hadow and others all over the diocese has touched me deeply. I know that in many places I shall meet sometimes old school-fellows of his, like Mr. Reginald Smith, and sometimes old pupils of his at Harrow, like Archdeacon Sanctuary and Canon Gordon ; and I daresay there are some here who may be in one of these two categories. At any rate, I know there are many who knew and loved him either as a personal friend or admired and respected him as one who tried to do his duty as a Bishop of the Church. And therefore it was with very great pleasure that I was able to come before you today, bringing his own pastoral staff in my hand (applause) —that staff which a dear friend put into his hand when he was getting old, saying that he must need a light burden to carry about with him. And so, God willing, I hope to take that staff with me wherever I go into the corners of thin diocese (hear, hear). You won’t think me too much of a ritualist if I do so, I hope (laughter). I prefer to take it rather as a symbol of the presence at one who, though he has departed this life, has still, I feel sure, with something, like knowledge of what is going on, seen this great trust committed to my unworthy self. It is also a very great pleasure to me to come into Wiltshire, because a great part of my time was spent in Berkshire, and I cannot help feeling that that was a sort of preparation for my coming here amongst you, knowing the lives and characters of the Berkshire farmers, squires and people, who are so closely allied to you here, both in face, feature, and ways of thought, and in the general look of the villages which they inhabit. As I stand in this barn I can almost imagine myself in my home in Stanford-in-the- Vale, near Faringdon. And the names about here are so familiar, too. When I hear of a Bouverie of Pewsey, it seems to carry me back to twenty-five years ago, when I knew Sidney Bouverie, of Pewsey House. Standing, as I was just now, outside this barn, I could almost fancy I heard the sound of the flail resounding on the floor. The aspect of your country and everything is so delightful and charming, that I seem to have come at once to be at home amongst you (applause). Now, may I take the privilege, as one who feels- that he is at home, of going into your churches and schools when I pass through your villages (applause), just as if I was a common traveller, you know, without giving you warning before-hand ? (hear, hear). It is not often possible for me to write and tell the clergy when I am driving through their villages or towns, but I do want from the bottom of my heart to make thorough acquaintance with everything I can as quickly as I can and I am perfectly certain that I shall find everything in splendid order (laughter). I do not know that there is any clergyman who will be ashamed of his church or his school, or need be so (hear, hear, and applause), Therefore, if you will allow me to come in that way—not as an inquisitive inspector going about, but as a real friend who wants to see the order and the brightness and the beauty of everything which he knows to exist but has not really seen with his own eyes—merely just to explore, I shall be very grateful to you all; and if the clergy will allow me to drive up to their front door and take the chance of finding them at home or not, I shall be grateful for that also (applause). I do not know that I have anything further to say, except to thank you all very much for your most hearty reception of me in this place. I know, of course, that you do not know much about me, and I don’t know quite whether when you do you will care about it so much as perhaps you think (laughter). At any rate at present we are all very good friends, and so I hope we may long remain (applause). But I must say I am very pleased with my visit to Calstone, very happy to see so many bright faces around me, to see an old friend like Mr. Brown, and also your churchwardens and others who have so kindly shaken hands with me this morning. I wish that wherever I go the churchwarden will be good enough to recollect that they are the guardians of the church, as they shewed themselves to-day, when they held the church doors against our imposing attack (laughter); that they will come forward and introduce themselves to me if we meet in the road, in quite a familiar and happy way; and not treat me a stranger, but remember that I am a friend, that I want to know them all, and that I should be very glad if they would make themselves and their wives and children known to me as a friend (applause). Let me, in conclusion, thank very heartily your churchwardens, Mr. Maundrell and Mr. Burnett, for their loving care for the house of God, and also Mr. Brown, the churchwarden for Blacklands; and the Misses Maundrell for their great taste and skill shewn in adorning this room for us (applause).
The RECTOR proposed “the health of the architect Mr. Ewan Christian,” remarking that those who knew Calstone Church a few months ago would have been surprised to see the difference which had been wrought by the skill and care that had been bestowed upon it. Might he have the restoring of many a church in that way ! (applause).
Mr. Christian, in reply, said that Calstone church took his fancy from the first moment he saw it, because of its beautiful simplicity, its suitableness to the site in which it stood, lovely colouring which its walls shewed in almost every stone, and the grandeur of the masonry with which it was built (applause). Few churches that he had seen of its size and scale shewed such an admirable specimen of ancient masonry, while the lovely colouring upon the stones— the beautiful red and all the varieties of tone and tint—would almost make such a man as Mr. Ruskin to go mad (laughter). That day, unfortunately, they had not seen it with the sun-light upon it; but when the sun shone it was a thing of beauty indeed.
The Rector then asked the company to drink “ the health of the Churchwardens, Mr. Joseph Maundrell and Mr. F. G. Burnett,” whom he heartily thanked for the kind and ready help they had given in every step of the work. He also explained that by far the greater portion of the improvement in the approach to the Church was due to them ; and- he personally thanked Mr. Maundrell and the members of his family for their kindness in lending the barn for the purpose of the luncheon and also for decorating it so prettily (applause). Not only the churchwardens but every single parishioner had taken the deepest interest in the work of restoration (hear, hear).
Mr. Maundrell, in reply, pointed out that a great deal more work had been done in connection with the church and its approach than might be noticeable by a stranger. Formerly there were eight or ten steps leading into the churchyard, but they had all been removed and the approach made easy by the hauling thither of some hundreds of loads of material. The people of the village and their neighbours all took their share or the work, and he trusted that they might long live to enjoy the benefit of it (applause).
Mr. Burnett also responded, saying that he felt he could not work for a better cause. With regard to the Bishop’s playful allusion to the part the churchwardens had taken in the opening ceremony, Mr. Burnett humorously observed that he hoped he might never have to withstand the charge of a greater enemy. There were many enemies fighting against the Church in the present day, but he felt confident that in the strength of the Master she would be able to stand firm against them all (applause). In conclusion, he proposed “the builders, Messrs. Light and Smith,” who had, he said, carried out the work in an admirable manner (applause).
Mr. Christian added his testimony to this effect.
Mr. W. Light returned thanks, saving that throughout the work they had all been in accord and it had passed off without a single hitch (hear, hear).
The BISHOP proposed ” the health of the Rector and our host,” to whom for his kind hospitality and sumptuous entertainment, he expressed sincere gratitude.
The RECTOR, -in responding, said it was not a very easy thing to begin work of restoration, but after it had been entered upon, the difficulties seemed to disappear. He proposed ” the Visitors,” and heartily thanked the many kind friends who had given their support to the work (applause).
The Venerable Archdeacon of Wilts assured the Rector how deeply the visitors appreciated the kindness with which they had been received, and how from the bottom of their hearts they congratulated him and his parishioners upon the successful conclusion to which the work had been brought.
The proceedings then ended. In the evening there was a divine service in the parish church, when an eloquent sermon was preached by the Archdeacon.
The offertories throughout the day amounted to, £55, donation of £10 from the Bishop.