St John the Evangelist (old church): Great Stanmore

Ground plan:

4-bay nave and chancel in one, north-west projection, west tower.

Dimensions:

Chancel and nave 21m (64 feet) x 11.8m (36 feet).

The archaeological potential of the churchyard was emphasised by the discovery of 11th–13th century settlement remains and a moated enclosure adjacent to the southern and western edge of the churchyard during the development of the site of RAF Stanmore in 2000. Until 1938 this was the site of Stanmore Park Mansion House.  The present Rectory Lane, which now ends along the south side of the churchyard, represents the line of the medieval road, which may have been the limit of settlement in this direction before the Old Church was built. 

The church was built in 1632 to replace the medieval parish church, which was apparently situated further to the south (corner of Old Church Lane and Wolverton Lane) away from the village and thus inconveniently located for the parishioners. The building was commissioned by Sir John Wolstenholme, whose family remained patrons of the church until the second relocation to the adjacent “new” church in 1849. 

Brick buttresses were added to the tower in an apparent attempt to combat subsidence.  A brick extension was built onto the north-west side of the nave in the 18th century, which after the relocation in 1849 was converted into the mausoleum for the Earl of Aberdeen (Prime Minister 1852-55), who lived at nearby Bentley Priory.

The interior was quickly filled with superb monuments to the Wolstenholme, Abercorn/Aberdeen and other leading families, reflecting the status of Stanmore at this time.  Several of the larger monuments were removed to the new church along with some of the furnishings and fittings, including some which were by now making their second move.

The church was earmarked for demolition in 1851 and the roof and much of the south wall was removed, however further destruction was prevented by a group of local people, and it continued in use as a Mausoleum. The building became a picturesque ivy-covered ruin which slowly deteriorated to a point where action was necessary. In 1991 English Heritage and several other organisations stepped in to support the locally based Great Stanmore Old Church Working Group with financial assistance to consolidate the ruin and make it safe for visitors to enjoy.  

Externally the church is of a pleasing and dignified simplicity, a “brick box” now open to the sky, the varying height of the ruined walls softening what would originally have been a very austere vista.  The relatively intact west tower looms over the shell of the main body of the church, and is visible as a local landmark from some distance. 

The east wall of the church is pierced by a huge and finely detailed Venetian window, an advanced feature for its time and the dominating architectural feature.  The gable above this window has collapsed above the stone string-course which runs around the building at just below wall-plate height.  There is a row of white sandstone memorial tablets (dated 1745-55) fastened into the wall under the window.

The north wall has survived to its full height, by contrast with the south wall which is so degraded that the number and form of the windows are difficult to ascertain, though there appear to have been at least three rectangular windows. There are four windows in the north wall, all with well-preserved and probably original oak frames. They are alternately wide round-headed recesses within which small round-headed two-lights were inset (they are now blocked), and tall rectangular windows with a transom. The corners of the building have alternating quoins in brick.   

The tower is supported by no less than five buttresses, of which the two diagonal buttresses are bonded in and appear to be original.  These have two steep weatherings and reach to the string course under the belfry stage.  The later buttresses are a stage lower, much thicker and have three shallow weatherings.  They are also executed in English bond, and may have been added only a short time later.

The tower itself is of three stages defined by stone drip-courses.  The upper belfry stage of the tower has double arch-headed shuttered openings in each face, executed in limestone which has eroded badly.  The crenellated parapet above this has partly collapsed.  The stair tower protrudes from the north-east corner and very slightly above the parapet.  The stage below has single arch-headed windows in each external face, also with limestone dressings.  There is also one such window directly above the doorway in the lower stage, but with an oak frame. 

Access to the church was via narrow doors at each end of the south wall, the doorway with Banded Surround at the west end is now used for access.  The fine eastern doorway has a square head and jambs of Portland stone, again simple but finely detailed under a label without stops.