Country Churches

118. St Martin, East Woodhay

East Woodhay, a few miles west of Highclere, is one of the most northerly parishes in Hampshire close to the Berkshire border. The present large and imposing church with its red brick tower, actually dates from 1823 when the old medieval church was declared unsafe and pulled down.

In the porch is a plaque commemorating Thomas Douglas Hodgson who was Rector of East Woodhay for a remarkable 59 years from 1828-87. The large nave, surprisingly, has no pillars or aisles and is surmounted by a timbered roof of cross beams. On the west wall is the Royal Coat of Arms of George IV who was reigning when the church was rebuilt. Near the pulpit stands a heavy iron chest, known as an Armada Chest which once held the church registers.

The main interest of the church lies in the numerous memorials and several commemorative stained glass windows. Close to the altar on the south side stands the imposing 18th century Goddard Memorial. Edward Goddard died in 1724 and is described as “a person of sober life and conversation constant in his devotions both publick and private whom neither the pleasures of life did lead to excess nor the vices corrupt.” His wife Elizabeth left £100 for the poor of the parish. Near the chancel steps are floor slabs to two 18th century rectors John Hem and Joshua Wakefield. Another floor slab commemorates John Hern (d 1707) who had been chaplain to King William and Queen Mary and to Queen Anne.

There is a very poignant modern memorial on the north wall of the nave to three children of the Martin family. All were drowned in a sailing accident at Studland Bay, Dorset in July 1927. Angela (21) and her brother Laurence (17) gave their lives in a gallant but unsuccessful attempt to rescue the youngest brother Henry aged 11.

The fine east window was placed there to commemorate Walter Guillemand, scholar of Winchester and New College Oxford and for many years a master at Harrow and his daughter Phyllis who died in 1916 whilst serving as an Army nurse. The window depicts Epiphany scenes such as the Adoration of the Christ child and the Shepherds. One outstanding light commemorates Mercy and Love to the sick and wounded. Alongside is the Archangel Michael wearing the Red Cross and carrying a sheathed sword. Above is a harbour scene of St Andrews, where Phyllis was educated, whilst her beloved retriever dog can be seen amongst the shepherds.

In the south wall of the nave is the fine Carden Window (1917) commemorating Major Ronald Carden who was killed in July 1916 whilst leading the Welsh Fusiliers in an assault on Mametz Wood on the Somme. Carden is dressed as a knight in armour wearing a mantle walking out of a stream (the Somme the River of Death). He is looking up to the Lord whilst a kneeling angel proffers the palm branch of victory. The trees of Mametz Wood emerging from the gold and red beams of the sun at dawn can be seen behind. Above three angels hold out a scroll saying ‘Glory, Honour and Immortality’. At the bottom of the window can be seen family armorial crests as well as the crest of the 17 Lancers, Major Carden’s original Regiment.

On the north side is the St Martin guild Window installed as a memorial to all the men of the village killed in the First World War. It depicts the story of St Martin, a Roman soldier who gave half his cloak to a starving beggar. A more recent window dates from 1949 and commemorates Major William Sandbach killed in 1916 and his son Major Peter Sandbach of the Royal Irish Fusiliers killed in Libya in December 1941. The 1916 date is actually incorrect as Major Sandbach was killed in Gallipoli a year earlier on 10 August 1915.

Other features include a fine organ on the north side of the chancel, presented to the church in the 1880’s and rebuilt and expanded in the 1990’s. The tower holds a peal of six bells rung from the ground floor at the west end. The church clock is still wound by hand twice a week and has chimes which play a tune on the bells as well as striking the hour on the tenor bell.

In the large churchyard stands a Golden Yew near the porch planted in the 1980’s on the spot where Bishop Thomas Ken (rector 1669-72) planted the original yew. A plaque on the west side of the tower commemorates the rebuilding of the church in 1823 ‘Sam Self and Wm Moth being churchwardens’.

John Symonds