Church Services on Sundays the same as in March. Sonning Church: PASSION WEEK. Daily, I o'clock in the Morning; 7.30 in the Evening. The Dean of Westminster will preach on Monday Evening. All Saints': Daily, 11 o'clock in the Morning. On Good Friday at 7 o'clock in the Evening. S. John's, Woodley: Daily, 11 o'clock in the Morning. On Good Friday, 7 o'clock in the Evening. Sonning Church : EASTER DAY. 8 o'clock in the Morning, Holy Communion. II o'clock, Morning Service, with Holy Communion. Half-past 6 o'clock, Evening Service. All Saints': II o'clock in the Morning, with Holy Communion. S. John's, Woodley: II o'clock in the Morning, with Holy Communion. CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, WOODLEY. More than a year and a half ago we gave an account of the laying of the first stone of the Church of St. John the Evangelist, at Woodley. We have now to record, with thankfulness, the completion of the work, and to describe the building, and its Consecration. But before we enter upon this, we may make a few remarks with regard to the district in which the new Church is situated. Woodley and Sandford is the largest of the four Liberties which comprise Sonning parish. By the last Census, in 1871, the population of Woodley amounted to 968: of this number 298 are included in the ecclesiastical district of Earley: so that 670 is now the actual population of Woodley and Sandford, with which we are concerned. It must not, however, be supposed that the whole, even of this number, will make use of the new Church, for, as our readers are aware, many of the houses in Woodley Liberty are nearer to Sonning Church. At a rough guess I should think there are about 500 inhabitants, who may henceforth be considered to belong to St. John's, Woodley. And this has guided us with regard to the size of the building, which will accommodate about half that number. might appear strange that so large a population, at a distance from the Parish Church, had been unprovided for in ancient times, when, as a general rule, a Church was built wherever there was any large It village or hamlet. It is only thus that we can account for the ten thousand parishes, (some so very small, as our own neighbourhood can testify,) into which England was divided. But I have no doubt that Sonning parish was not an exception to the general rule, because the greater part of Woodley must, in ancient days, have been an uninhabited and almost uncultivated district. The name itself, Woodley, shows that it formed part of the vast forest which stretched from Windsor almost to Reading. Bulmershe Heath occupied a considerable extent, and I imagine that the houses which existed there three hundred years ago were very few and far between. It must have been different at Earley, for we know there was an ancient Chapelry there before the Reformation. There was also another Chapel or Chantry in our Parish, dedicated to S. Bartholomew. I have not been able to make out for certain where this stood, but it may very probably have been that of which the foundations, and part of the walls, and sculptured pillars, remained till our own day near Borough Farm. It will thus be seen, that though we have now four Churches in this parish, we have only one more than was provided by the piety and liberality of our ancestors before the Reformation. We proceed now to give some description of the new church. The Architect is Henry Woodyer Esq. of Grafham, near Guildford, to whom we are indebted for the admirable restoration of Sonning Church, and who has even excelled himself in the present beautiful building. Nothing can be better than the situation, close to Woodley Green. When nearly twenty years ago the School was built, Mr. Palmer most kindly allowed us to take the small orchard adjoining, in which the Church now stands, though, at that time, there was only the most dim and visionary prospect of our ever seeing one built there. The position is a thoroughly central one, within easy reach of the chief hamlets and clusters of houses. The style of the Church is that known as the Transition, between the Early English and Decorated, a style which prevailed in England about the year 1250, when Westminster Abbey was built. The material is flint and stone. It consists of a nave, with one aisle, a chancel, organ chamber and vestry. Every one must be struck with the beauty and imposing effect of the interior. Its peculiar feature is the triple arch between the nave and the chancel, supported on columns of dark Forest of Dean stone. These arches are filled in with ornamental ironwork, and, in the centre is suspended a richly decorated cross. There is a deeply recessed, and beautifully sculptured reredos of Caen stone, combined with English and Italian alabaster and marble, representing the Crucifixion in the centre compartment; on one side, the Centurion and Roman soldiers, on the other, Joseph of Arimathæa and Nicodemus. This is the work of Mr. Nicholl, of London. The painted east window by Messrs. Hardman of Birmingham, a most successful one, represents the Ascension, in the centre; on one side, the Last Supper, with S. John leaning on the breast of our Lord; on the other side, the Angel in the Revelation shewing S. John the heavenly City. There is a beautiful arch into the organ chamber, and oak screen beneath it, which must strike every eye: but the organ still remains to be obtained, as we hope, hereafter. The fittings throughout, pulpit, font and font cover, choir desks and seats, gilded chancel gates, and hanging lamps, as well as the pavement, and screen work, are all admirably good, as also the kneeling cushions, &c., which have been kindly worked by friends. There are three bells, from Messrs. Mears, Bell-founders in London, and these, by ingenious machinery, made by Mr. G. Belcher, will be rung in the chamber above the porch, a place also very convenient for keeping the Church effects. The sittings throughout the Church will be absolutely free and unappropriated. The Church-yard has been fenced in by a brick and flint wall against the road, and a substantial iron paling round the rest of the enclosure. The north side, for our generation at least, had better be used as the burying ground, that part being higher and comparatively dry. The south side, it will be remembered, was formerly much under water. Thursday, March 27th, was the day fixed for the consecration. The Bishop of Oxford arrived on Wednesday, and preached in the Parish Church at the usual Evening Service. The morning began with a thick mist, but it fortunately cleared away about eleven o'clock, when the sun shone out, and a lovely day followed. The Bishop, the Archdeacon of Berks, with the Clergy and Sonning Choir, met at Woodley School, and formed a procession, from thence to the Church doors. About thirty Clergy attended, most of them from the neighbourhood, including the Vicars of S. Mary's, S. Lawrence's, and S. Giles', at Reading, together with some who had been formerly connected with our Parish, as Curates. The Bishop's pastoral staff was carried before him. At the porch the procession was met by the Rev. Richard Palmer, with the three Church-wardens of Sonning, Mr. Buckeridge, Mr. Pottinger, and Mr. Hollis, accompanied by Mr. Davenport, the Diocesan Registrar. Mr. Palmer then read a petition, signed by the Vicar and Church-wardens, requesting the Bishop to consecrate this Church and Church-yard. The Bishop, having declared his willingness to comply with the prayer of the petition, proceeded to the consecration of the Church-yard in the first place. The whole procession walked round the enclosure, repeating, in alternate verses, the appointed Psalms, (xlix. and cxv.) and the Bishop read the consecration Prayer, standing in front of the porch. The consecration of the Church opened then with the repetition of the xxivth Psalm, as the Bishop, with the Clergy and Choir, moved up the aisle. After some special prayers, offered up by the Bishop, the usual Morning Service, beginning with the Venite, was proceeded with. The singing throughout was exceedingly good, and it was a pleasure to see Sir George Elvey, some of whose music was performed, present at the service. The only hymn, "Come Holy Ghost, our souls inspire," was sung to Attwood's beautiful music. A harmonium was hired for the day, and was played by Mr. Gregory, Organist of Sonning, with his usual ability. The Epistle was read by the Rev. A. P. Purey-Cust, and the Gospel by Archdeacon Pott. The Bishop preached from II Chronicles, xxxi. 21. "And, in every work that he began, in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered." The first part of the sermon contained an interesting description of the character of King Hezekiah, the key-note to whose excellence, he said, was his sincerity and heartiness in all that he did. In the concluding part of the Sermon, the Bishop alluded to the great liberality of our late Squire, as the founder of this Church, which, he truly said, would be an enduring monument to his memory. He also dwelt upon the peculiar privileges of our parish, in having now a separate Church for each of its four districts: and, he concluded, with the earnest expression of his hope and belief that the increased spiritual advantages now provided, would be used and valued to the utmost. One peculiarity marked this consecration. By the Rev. R. Palmer's desire, the usual collection, at the Offertory, was not devoted to any purpose connected with the new Church, but was given to the Diocesan Spiritual Help Society. The sum amounted to £22 10s. od. Before the Celebration of the Holy Communion the deed of consecration was read by the Registrar, and signed by the Bishop, who ordered it to be enrolled, and preserved amongst the muniments of the Diocese. The Deed set forth in stately legal terms that the Church now consecrated is dedicated for ever to Almighty God, by the name of S. John the Evangelist, as a Chapel of Ease to the Parish of Sonning. About seventy persons received the Holy Communion, and the service ended at two o'clock. It may be mentioned that the Communion Plate was a special gift from the Rev. Richard Palmer. There was a second Service at 7 o'clock in the evening, attended again by the Clergy of the Parish, and the Choir. A delightful effect was produced by the singing of the hymn, "We love the place, O God," as the procession moved through the Churchyard into the Church. There was a crowded congregation, nearly as large as in the morning, when it was calculated that there were over four hundred persons present. The sermon was preached by Archdeacon Pott, from I Corinthians, iii. 16. 'Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you,” reminding us that the human soul is, in reality, God's noblest temple. We cannot sufficiently express our satisfaction and thankfulness at the solemnities of the day thus happily brought to a close. They must have left an abiding impression on the hearts of very many who took part in them. May the good work which has prospered so remarkably thus far, be the source of blessings to our Parish for long ages to come! It only remains to mention that the works, undertaken by Messrs. Green, and Cox and Brown, of Sonning. and Messrs. Wheeler, of Reading, have been carried out in a thoroughly efficient manner, and the Church, both in design and execution, may bear comparison, not only with any new Church, but even with the solid and costly structures of former days. We are much indebted to the Clerk of the works, Mr Cooper, of Croydon, for his careful superintendence, and for the interest he has shewn in the whole work. We may also feel some pride in the fact that we have amongst ourselves, workmen capable of such elaborate and delicate carving, and decoration, as are shown throughout the building. |