Cheam Common: St Philip
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 227 657
The church is a straightforward essay in the lancet style without any specially remarkable features. From the south as the churchyard is entered, the length of one side of the building may be seen, with two-light trefoil-headed windows in each bay of the aisle and the bays separated by buttresses. The clerestory above has five trefoil headed lancets and the west bay of the aisle forms the porch, with a doorway with a pointed arch.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave with north and south aisles and clerestory; chancel with north vestry; bell-cote on east nave gable; south porch attached to the west end of the south aisle.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was designed by Richard Herbert Carpenter (1841-1893) in 1873-4. This was just after the death of William Slater who had taken over the practice of Carpenter's father, R.C. Carpenter, which may account for the rather unambitious design of this building. The church was planned to accomodate a hundred and fifty people and to be capable of enlargement. The total cost was £3,340. The foundation stone was laid on 5th June 1873 by Mr. A.L. Antrobus, who had given the land for the church, churchyard and vicarage. The builder was Shearburne of Dorking. The opening service was held on 10th January 1875, the ehurch being consecrated on 1st May that year, the Feast of St. Philip and St. James. The parish was constituted in 1906 from that of St. Dunstan's Cheam.
Exterior Description
The church is a straightforward essay in the lancet style without any specially remarkable features. From the south as the churchyard is entered, the length of one side of the building may be seen, with two-light trefoil-headed windows in each bay of the aisle and the bays separated by buttresses. The clerestory above has five trefoil headed lancets and the west bay of the aisle forms the porch, with a doorway with a pointed arch. To the right, the south wall of the chancel has four tall lancets with trefoiled heads. The east chancel wall has a three-light east window with plate tracery and a vestry adjoins on the north side. The north wall of the nave is a mirror-image of the south with the exception of the porch, there being on the north simply one more bay of the aisle with a two-light plate-traceried window in the west wall. On the east gable of the nave is a bell-cote with an aperture containing a single bell. The west wall of the nave has a two-light window set high in the wall (to light the gallery inside), with a stringcourse forming the sill which returns along the north and south walls. A higher the stringcourse which forms the hood-mould of the west window also returns along the north and south walls to become the sill of each clerestory window in turn. The gable has a foliated cross at the apex.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1950
The three-light east window represents Christ the Saviour with St. Thomas and St. Swithun (presumably for Canterbury and Winchester), by Barton, Kinder and Alderson.
Stained Glass
c.1955
North aisle I: St. Francis, two lights.
Stained Glass
South aisle east : The Annunciation, two lights
Stained Glass
1927
South aisle I : Christ with the children
Interior
Interior Description
The interior has been whitewashed and some of its present character is derived from the furnishings installed to the designs of W. Randoll Blacking after a fire in the late 1920's. The nave arcades have simple arches of two chamfered orders to each of the three bays, carried by circular piers. The alleys are paved with tiles, with boarding under the pews and in the aisles where pews formerly stood. The present west gallery is modern and seems to date from 1956 when the organ was rebuilt. At the east end of the nave, the chancel arch is carried on tall semi-circular responds and the division between nave and chancel is further marked by a low wall and three steps. Beyond this, the whole chancel floor is tiled. Perhaps the most successful feature of the interior is the row of tall lancets in the south chancel wall, and at the east end, within the sanctuary, are two sedilia and a credence shelf with a trefoiled arch. In the north wall opposite is an aumbry which, together with the panelling against the east wall, the altar and its "English" riddel posts and one or two other items, is part of the Blacking re-furnishing of the chancel. On the north an arch, which probably once opened into an organ chamber, has been blocked with more of Blacking's panelling to form a vestry, with a door both to the chancel and the east end of the north aisle.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
1929
The high altar is by W. Randoll Blacking, over ten feet long to correspond with the width of the east window as was thought proper. A fine piece in a vaguely Jacobean style with baluster legs, of oak stained, dark.
Reredos
1929
The reredos takes the "English" form of riddel-posts with angels bearing candles at the top and rods between from which hung rose damask curtains. These were designed by Blacking, but the curtains have been replaced with bright red ones.
Pulpit
The pulpit seems to be part of Carpenter's original furnishing of the church, an octagon with open traceried panels of quatrefoils above solid panels decorated with a repeating pattern of florets. On a stone base.
Font (object)
1874
The font has a round bowl on four attached marble colonettes on a round step; round cover and knob of wood, the font doubtless of 1874 and the cover later.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 227 657
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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