Pugin and Albury Old Church

Yesterday the ever lovely Ian and I visited Albury Old Church situated in the Surrey countryside just outside of Guildford.



Like most of the older churches in England, it’s a bit of a mish-mash with a 12th century Saxon Nave, and a Norman Tower, but the thing that was of particular interest to me is that it has a Mortuary Chapel, designed by Pugin when he was only 27 which is only opened to the public once a year.

The Church itself is no longer in public use having had something of a chequered history. Up until 1782 it was situated in the centre of Albury and used on a regular basis by the villagers there, but the estate then came into the possession of one Honourable William Clement Finch R.N who proceeded to dishonourably make life for the villagers as difficult as possible, enclosing the village green and annexing part of the Churchyard to form part of the grounds of the mansion he then lived in. No manorial funding was provided for the Church which fell into increasing disrepair, and eventually all of the villages drifted away, setting up home in Weston Street, now known as Albury, a mile or so from the heart of the original village.



Eventually a new Parish Church was built to accommodate the villagers in 1839 and the original old Church was taken over by the new estate owner Henry Drummond and his family, who commissioned Pugin to design the Mortuary Chapel within the Old Church. Pugin was also responsible for many of the quirky chimney pots found in the 'new' village of Albury



but not I think, responsible for one of the quirkier hexagonal cottages found near the new parish church;-



nor the 18th century mural which apparently depicts a very oriental looking St Christoper on the wall of the old church;-



but he most definitely was responsible for some of these glorious Victorian gothic features;-



the beautifully painted chapel ceiling, which he had raised then boarded over and opulently painted in the 'royal blue of heaven,;-



this decorated wall, designed by Pugin but painted by one Thomas Early, including the 'D' for 'Drummond;-



and the crested armorial bearings of the family inscripted with 'Virtutem Coronat Honos' - 'Lord Have Mercy.'

On the south wall of the chapel, three stained glass windows also designed by Pugin and made by William Wailes then transported from his workshops in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a small detail of which I photographed here;-



and here;-



On the floor a brass representation of John Weston who died in 1440;-



and outside, an 18th century grave;-



belonging to one Mrs Mary Chesenhale, who, having died in 1759, must have been amongst the last villagers buried in the old church cemetery.

Outside of the walls of the church life continues in much the same way as of old;-



Raggedy sheep shade themselves from the spring heat under ancient beech trees;-



whilst nearby the vibrant new leaves of gnarled old oak trees unfurl and dance in the sun;-



whilst the delicate flowers of ground ivy froths over ancient stone walls;-



and blossom decorates the trees and hedgerows nearby...