A History of Chipstead Church      

Dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch

In the Diocese of Southwark

• Circa AD675  - Yew Tree gives way to wooden building
• Frithelwald, Under King of the Surrey Men, gives Chipstead to Chertsey Abbey.
• 1086 - Domesday Book, Churchfelle Hundred includes “Tepestede”. Chertsey holds the land, with Richard of Tonbridge as tenant.
• Circa AD1150 - present Church started. “Dog tooth” door can still be seen
• post AD1200 - Cruciform shape and tower.
• 1303 - William de Brompton dies – first known date for Chipstead clergyman.
• 1356  - Two Chipstead men pardoned in the Town & Gown riots in Oxford.
• 1492  - Wanting to be buried in the Churchyard, William Tanner gives a sheep “to the light of St Margaret’s
• 1540  - Henry Porter gives £4 for the “Persone’s bell” and asked for 30 Priests to sing at his funeral.
• 1553  - Sir Thomas Cawarden allows Chipstead to keep its 4 bells, one chalice and one altar cloth: all its other goods sold for 24s. 11d.
• 1585  and 1607  - Two of the present bells cast.
• 1614  - Lucie Roper buried and brass made for her tomb.
• 1645  - Revd. George Moore alleged to be a ‘common drunkard and swearer’; replaced by Robert Mercer a ‘godley and orthodox divine’.
• 1646  - Robert Mercer accused of wrongfully felling glebe and rectory trees.
• 1658 and 1785  - Two new bells added.
• 1746  - Mary Stephens leaves money for ‘teaching 6 poor children, boys or girls, to read …’
• 1790  - Bitter election to the Vestry with “every injurious report possible spread about one candidate”.
• 1753 – 1808  - John Grifies Rector for more than half a century.
• 1808  - The Peter Aubertins, father and son, hold the Parish until 1889.  Church restored, organ installed, South Transept built, Church re-roofed and re-glazed.
• 1807 - 1834  - St Edward Banks falls in love with Chipstead whilst building the Turnpike and ‘Railed Way’ in the Valley in conjunction with Sir William “Hat” Joliffe.
• 1827  - the Font (14th Century) was placed on its present base and steps.
• 1901  - Rev. Young found guilty of ‘conduct unbecoming’ - forward with women and drink, backward in parish duties.
• 1940  - Windows destroyed by parachute land-mine.
• 1965  - Crested helmet of Anthony Stephens stolen from Church.
• 1985  - ‘New Vestry’ completed and furnished. Now known as the Parish Office,
• 1993  - The new Font cover was inaugurated, the greater part being made from wood of the ancient yew destroyed by the 'The Great Storm' of 1987.
• 1995  - Celebration of over 800 years of worship in this place.
• 2012  - The new building in the churchyard, “The Orchard”, was inaugurated and blessed by the Bishop of Croydon.
• 2014  - Prayer Walk was opened in the churchyard 

PDF - Welcome to Chipstead Church

 

St Margaret’s, Chipstead, Diocese of Southwark