Bell 1 of 1
Dove Bell ID: 54482 Tower ID: 20386 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Grayswood: All Saints
Diocese of Guildford
Church, 617066
https://allsaintsgrayswood.org/Overview
Grid reference: SU 917 347
The church is situated at the heart of Grayswood village, about 1½ miles north of Haslemere, alongside the A286 and opposite the beautiful village green. It was built in 1901 and consecrated in 1902. It is unusual as it is the only Swedish Gothic church in Surrey. The Church is built of local sand-coloured Bargate stone in early Gothic style. The dressings and the roof are in red tiles. The wood-shingled tower is of typical Swedish design.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Footprint of Church buildings: 353 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The area now known as Grayswood was a hamlet in the parish of Witley. The parish church was All Saints Witley, which was a long way for people from Grayswood to travel for services, so care of Grayswood was handed over to Haslemere. Although St. Bartholomew’s Church, Haslemere, was closer than Witley, it was barely large enough for its own congregation; discussions therefore took place about building a new church in Grayswood and creating a new parish.
A local benefactor generously offered to fund and endow a church and vicarage on condition that Grayswood would be formed into a separate parish. So a new parish was formed from parts of the four parishes of Witley, Chiddingfold, Haslemere and Thursley. Lord Derby donated a plot of an acre and a half of land on the main road.
It was built in 1901 and consecrated in 1902.
Exterior Description
The Church is built of local sand-coloured Bargate stone in early Gothic style. The dressings and the roof are in red tiles. The wood-shingled tower is of typical Swedish design. At the porch, the finials to the lintel over the door are the carved heads of a bishop and a king, representing church and state. They have been identified as likenesses of King Oscar II of Sweden (and Norway) and Bishop Gezelius von Scheele of Visby. These likenesses recur in several carvings in the church.
Interior
Interior Description
In the nave the fine timber roof is thought to be reminiscent of the hull of an upturned ship, and it makes for excellent acoustics. The floor, which is original, is made of hard, light-coloured Baltic pine. The decorations at the East Wall were all the result of a faculty applied for soon after the church was built. They include the magnificent stained glass window of the Ascension and the ancillary murals of Moses and David.
These are the work of Carl Almquist, a Swedish artist trained in theology, who was a friend of Axel Haig (Architect). Haig himself carved the marble reredos. He probably carried out most, if not all, of the carvings in wood and stone. Certainly he carved the deep relief panel of the Adoration of the Magi, which is in the sanctuary. In the north transept there is a window of the Resurrection, which is also by Carl Almquist.
At the west end of the church there is a window by Charles Eamer Kempe, who was a foremost Victorian stained glass artist and a devout Christian. This window and the Almquist murals were restored in 2002 following a centenary appeal.
One of the interesting memorial tablets is for men of the RAF who died in World War
II. This was commended by the Guildford Diocesan Advisory Committee.
The organ was built in 1925 by Will. Hill and Son and Norman Baird. It was restored in 1993/4 following an appeal to the congregation.
The clock in the tower used to be wound manually, but in 1967 relatives of a former Churchwarden, Mrs Mary Mort, paid for an electric winding mechanism to be installed in her memory.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: SU 917 347
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.
The churchyard has war graves.
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 | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
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
Sources
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