New to St Mary’s?
Our Church
St Mary’s today
We’re a vibrant community of around 250 members which is always looking to welcome new people to be involved.
We have a variety of regular groups and activities as well as several styles of church services. Rev Leah Bates became Rector on 17th April 2024 and is looking forward to getting to know Fetcham and journeying together in faith and love.
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The oldest parts of the church were built over 1,000 years ago and must have been one of the earliest areas of Anglo-Saxon settlement with 6th Century burial grounds on Hawks Hill and at Watersmeet. At that time The Street extended southward between the church and the manor house (where Fetcham Park House now stands) to join the path over the Downs to Westhumble.
There is a wealth of history at St Marys including roman bricks which can be seen forming the SW Quoin on the West Wall and the arch of the small window high in the South wall of the nave, but the main construction is of field flints in lime mortar. The oldest bell now in the Church is marked “Robertus Mott me fecit 1588”, the year of the Spanish Armada. Another bell is inscribed “William Land 1613” which also survives. We are also very lucky to enjoy a Father Willis organ.
If you are looking for information on Graves in the Churchyard, please contact the Parish Office on 01372 375000 or email office@stmarysfetcham.org.uk .
ROYAL COAT OF ARMS CONSERVATION
The conservation work on the 17th century Royal Coat of Arms has been completed in April 2024 by Paul Tsangari, a local Conservation and Restoration of oil paintings, and looks absolutely outstanding now the colour and detail of the painting is revealed for the first time in nearly 400 years.
Congratulations to Paul and those who assisted. Sufficient money was available to pay the conserver but the conservation fund remains open as there is a bit more work that needs doing outside the conservation itself.
Painted oil on wood it is more than six feet high and four feet wide. It portrays the Stuart Royal Coat of Arms and is inscribed 1660 to mark the Restoration of Charles II. Its presence in the church follows the extraordinary constitutional upheaval of the Civil war period, the overthrow of the monarchy and its subsequent restoration in 1660, with the return of Charles II from exile. Experts including Pesvner confirm that the painting is genuine and from that period when the King required every church in the land to display his Royal Coat of Arms. Few other such paintings survive, and we are advised that ours is of ‘artistic and historical significance’.
The Coat of Arms had attracted many layers of soot, incense and dirt and was feeling the effects of two layers of thick varnish applied by the Victorians which was starting to chemically dissolve. Hence to the naked eye the before picture appears almost totally black.
We also have the curious story of our Rector at the time, Dr Thomas Turnor. A staunch Royalist, once Chaplain to Charles 1, he was married to an aristocrat’s daughter. He was publicly and painfully removed from office, by a troop of Round Heads whilst inside his Church, bound and taken off, then to be banished to Cornwall for the whole of Cromwell’s protectorate. He was reinstated at St Mary’s in 1660 due to the Restoration of the monarchy. Public opinion at the time of the Civil War was on the side of Parliament in the Leatherhead area which just adds to the confusion.
We believe we have restored to the Church a beautiful and historic asset that should attract attention for years to come. Praises is coming in from all quarters including from our Archdeacon Martin.
Come and take a look. The painting can be seen on the wall at the East End of the South Aisle.
If you are interested in finding out more about the project please contact us.
If you wish to donate please use the QR code, the form below or e-mail treasurer@stmarysfetcham.org.uk
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