Page:The Victoria History of the County of Surrey Volume 3.djvu/319

 REIGATE HUNDRED

��REIGATE

��it on his nephew John in 1556 subject to his own life interest. John died in 1584,** and was succeeded by one of his nephews and co-heirs, Richard Elyot of Al- bury.*" The latter's son Richard Elyot the younger died in February l6iz-l3, wl> and his heirs sold the rectory in the following year to Sir Roger James, kt., 109 who was succeeded in 1636 by his son Roger."

In 1 679 it was settled on his son Haestreet James on his marriage. Haestreet died in 1721. In 1730 his son of the same name conveyed the land, but not the tithes "' nor advowson, to Sir Thomas Scawen. 1 " The tithes are said to have been sold in 1720 to Sir William Scawen, uncle of Sir Thomas Scawen," 3 who left them by will to the latter. He gave them to his brother Robert, in whose hands the whole of the rectory was therefore reunited. Under his will, how- ever, the land was sold in 1780 to Gawen Harris Nash, 114 who bequeathed it to his cousin Charles

��of the soft calcareous sandstone quarried in the locality, with modern dressings and refacing (as in the tower) of Bath stone, its roof being still for the most part covered with the stone slabs usually called ' Horsham,' but somewhat similar to stones which were also dug in the Middle Ages from the Surrey Hills." 7 The church was repaved and repewed in 1770, owing to a legacy left by Mrs. Mary Okes of Redstone, and at this time the building was full of galleries to which, between 1804-18, others were added, disfiguring alterations being made in the structure, and the tie- beams of the roofs removed, nearly causing the nave to collapse. From Cracldow's view of about 1824, it would appear that the walls were at that date plastered externally for the most part. The church underwent a very destructive 'restoration' in 1845, under the late Mr. H. Woodyer, and between 1877 and 1 88 1 was again completely restored, chiefly under the direction

���5cale of Fccr.

PLAN OF THE CHURCH of ST. MARY MAGDALEN, REIGATE

��Goring, from whom it was purchased by Charles Birk- head of Walton-on-Thames." s

The tithes were sold separately in 1787,"* and are now said to be divided among twelve different owners. The church of ST. MART MAG- CHURCHES D4LEN, which ranks with Farnham, Godalming, St. Mary's Guildford, Dorking, Kingston and Lambeth, as one of the largest ancient parish churches in Surrey, is chiefly constructed

��of the late Sir Gilbert Scott, the latter's work being in the main of a conservative character, some of the mischief of the earlier ' restoration ' being undone. At the time of writing further works are in contem- plation, involving the extension of the north aisle and the building of an organ chamber.

The plan presents many curious and puzzling features. It consists of a nave, 77 ft. 6 in. on the north and 77 ft. on the south side, 1 8 ft. wide at the west end,

��** Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), cciv, 123.


 * ' Ibid, cccxi, 1 1 6.

M8 Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), ccciii, 34.

Feet, of F. Surr. Hi!. 1 1 Jas. I j East. 12 Ja. I ; Mil. 14 Jas. I.

Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), cccclxxx, 106.

2 Exch. Dep. Mich. 2 Geo. I, g , Recov. R. Mich. 5 Geo. I, m. So; Feet of F.

��Surr. Trin. 8 Geo. I ; Trin. 10 Geo. I ; MS. abstract of Reigate deeds seen by editor.

114 William Jamea appears to have re- tained some interest in the rectory in 1756 (Recov. R. East. 29 Geo. II, m. 292), although Robert and William Scawen suffered recovery in 1740 (Recov. R, Trin. 13 & 14 Geo. II, m. 292).

239

��322.

��Manning and Bray, Hht. ofS^rr. i,

��414 Com. Pleas D. Enr. East. 20 Geo. Ill, m. 209.

415 Manning and Bray, loc. cit.

216 Ibid. ; cf. Exch. Dep. Mich. 2 Geo. I, m. g.

41 7 From Chaldon for example, whence they were brought to Westminster Abbey.

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