PATRONS OF THE LIVING.
In the course of time Vange fell to Warine de Monchensy, and his descendants enjoyed it after him. This
name may possibly be Montchesny, since at one time the arms of Montchesny, as well as those of De Vere, were visible in the
church of Stanford-le-Hope, that church being the one then attended by the lord of the manor of Vange. In 1267 Joane Montchensy
married William de Valence, who became Earl of Pembroke. He married three times but died without issue. There is no evidence
that they lived there, but we learn that Willian de Montchensy, son of the above, had an only daughter named Dionysia [fol. 31],
who married a very famous man, viz. the knight Hugh de Vere, who in her right was Baron of Swanscamp. He had a charter for
'free warren' in his manners of 'Hassinbroke and Phange.' In 1328 we have an entry
(Salmon, History, p. 345) to the effect that one Lady Mary St. Paul, Countess of Pembroke, presented a Rector to the living of
Vange, and continued to present Rectors to it for 30 years. This is proof certain that the church of Vange was built sometime
between the beginning of the 12th century and the year 1328. Now, this is the period during which the writer of these notes would
likewise place it, for several reasons; but chiefly because the structure shows many Norman characteristics, although none of the
Saxon period. This will be more evident when we come to discuss the church itself. People named Rede possessed the now
united Manors about the year 1359 until 1426 or so, and presented Rectors, but Rede was preceded by Earl Pembroke. From 1565
to 1572, one William Tanfred was Lord of the Manor (according to Morant), and in 1606 one John Baker certainly died possessed
of it. His son, Sir Richard Baker, held it up to 1625. One ancient note stated that in 1557 John Osborne presented a Rector
(probably John Hallyman) and one William Wiseman presented in 1609 (probably Richard Taylor); but the authority for these two
patrons, or pretended patrons, is unknown. The period, however, was a very unsettled one. In 1434 Richard Rede and Alice
his wife were patrons. These people owned also Stanford-le-Hope. Then came the family of the
Wetenhales, who presented to the living for the next hundred years. Thus George Wetenhale (or Wetnall) died possessed of this
living in 1574. Thomas Wetenhale, his son and heir, sold it in 1578 to Thomas Newman, of Quendon, gent. It was he who built
Newman Hall, which since his day has passed through many hands. For instance, the historian, Thomas Wright (1838), mentions
a William Tanfield as possessing the manor from 1565 to 1572 (seven years). Also that in 1606 John Baker had it, and after him his
son, Sir Richard Baker. The tenants of the manor house of recent times were, viz., Thomas Pocklington. Then John
Pocklington. Then Charles Pocklington. Then Holloway. Then Robert Leabon Curtis. Then Samuel Hockley. Then Williams. Then
Mr. Eldred Moss, who purchased it. The Curtis family always gave liberally to everything connected with Vange Church. The house
was sold, with the estate, to Joseph Cramner (see Chickney, p. 198). Newman died in 1586 and held the united Manor of Vange
from the Queen, in Capite. He had a daughter and heiress named Anne, who married James Wilford and according to the
custom of those days brought the estate to her husband. a gap occurs just here in the order of transmission, but at any rate one
Charles Tooker, Esq., died possessed of Vange on 20th August, 1625. This man had a son Robert who, as heir to his father,
presented a Rector in 1639; a widow, Christina, of the Tooker family, presented in 1669. Then we come to Paul, Viscount Bayning,
as lord of this manor, who passed it on to the heiresses of the Honourable family of the Lennards. The Viscount held the Manor
until he compounded with the Crown for disafforesting it. He then had a tenement belonging and 280 acres of land rented at
£100 a year. THE CHURCH.
The church is small, seating about 200, with gallery. It is dedicated to All Saints and has only a chancel
and nave with a small bell turret on the west gable and one bell, with inscription given by Henry Roach, churchwarden, 1761. The
church was lighted by oil lamps but is now illuminated and heated by electricity since 1931. Although so ancient an edifice, the
registers only date from 1558, and the value of the living is about £325 with a good residence. In 1882, the Rev. Henry Edward
Wright was rector, but the full list of rectors as far as can be made out will be given subsequently. Salmon merely mentions the
Rev. William Hill, B.A., who was instituted in 1704 and the Rev. John Pagett, B.A., instituted in 1708 after the death of the former;
one Anne Manier, a widow, being patron at that time.
The church has neither side aisles or chantries. In fact, up to the present day there is not even a
vestry. We will deal with the details and measurements shortly; but, one of the interesting features is the remains of the original
Rood loft door situated close to the chancel wall on the south side. It is small, narrow and Gothic in shape; a portion of the spiral
stone stairs can be seen, which once led up to the Rood loft, or Rood beam; and the squared opening at the top of the stone
stairway has been left in situ as a memorial of former times. A little explanation is advisable here, to enable modern
worshippers to understand what these structures mean. It was the fashion in mediaeval times to make a very clear distinction
between the chancel of a church and its nave, and the usual course to pursue was, to form a screen right across, either of carved
wood, beautifully wrought iron work (tipped with gold) or else with marble pillars and suitable gates. This screen, in France, bore
the name of the Jubè, but the Anglo Saxons named it the Rood screen, applying the word Rood to a gallows or to a cross,
but more especially to the Holy Cross of the crucifixion. Now, at a given point in the service as what was then known as The Mass,
the deacon - and in some cases he would need to be a thin man, judging from the narrow space in the spiral stairway - walked
solemnly down and ascending the little stone staircase emerged just above the Jubè, and spoke the following words before
the reading of the Gospel for the day, viz., Jube Domine benedicere. This was done probably to give special emphasis to the
Gospel. It is not clear to the writer whether the deacon himself read the Gospel from the Jubè opening, or only spoke the
aforesaid words. Almost always there was, right over the centre of the Rood screen, a very large crucifix accompanied by the
figures of St. John and the Blessed Virgin Mary. As a sort of adoration was paid to these Rood screen figures they - as well as the
screens themselves - were removed during the Reformation, to prevent idolatry; the stairways were then walled up. It was only in
recent years that church architects re-discovered them in certain of the very old churches like Vange. It is usually said that Rood
lofts were not introduced before the close of the 13th century, and this is probably true. Their removal was ordered under the rule
of Edward VI. and Elizabeth, for the reason given above. Mr. C. Shiner, the church architect, adds to the information given about
the Rood screen loft this:- 'The Rood is not customary in pre Norman churches, but there is a Saxon example at Headbourne,
Mortby, where there is a two storey Rood with an altar on the first stage.' 'Broadly speaking,' he says, 'Roods appear to have been
used for various purposes. The blessing was sometimes given from the Rood loft.' Where the loft was large enough, a little room
to robe in was built, and the loft was also used as a musical gallery. A small door with spiral staircase may be seen in the wall of
Newport church leading to a Priest's chamber, now used as a library; but this was never a Rood loft.
Sometimes the spiral staircases led to belfries or to the roof. The Royal Commissioners on
Historical Monuments in 1923 (vol. South-East Essex, p. 162 and onwards) state as their opinion that the nave of Vange church was
built 'in the 12th century or earlier.' We saw previously that there is no record of an institution to any church in Vange earlier than
1328; hence it is not likely to have been founded much before that date. The Commissioners say that the west wall of the nave was
rebuilt ' late in the 14th or early in the 15th century,' and the side walls of the chancel are perhaps of the same date. In the 18th
century the east wall of the chancel was rebuilt, and the church restored in modern times. The chancel measures 18 feet by 16. The
east window is modern, but set in an 18th century opening. There is a modern window in the south wall. The great arch of the
chancel, over 3½ feet thick, the Commissioners suggest, is of 'late 11th or 12th century,' semi-circular and plain. The nave
measures 39½ feet by 21½ and has a 15th century window with two trefoiled lights. The doorway in the north wall is
14th century and has champfered jambs; but the doorway is now built up. In the south wall is a window similar to the north wall. The
south doorway is 14th century. The Rood loft staircase is 15th century. The plan of the roof is 15th century, and the height of the
roof from ground is 30 feet to ridge and 16½ to eave. The chancel arch is unusually thick (viz., 3 feet 10 inches), while some
of the side walls are well over three feet thick in places. The communion rails have 17th century uprights. The font is very plain,
massive and square. There are rough zig-zag lines on its east face and the rough carving seems of the early part of 13th century,
the shafts being modern. An inscription on the brass plate is as follows:- 'In Memoriam, Frances Eyre Wright, 1881,' denoting the
time of its remounting on new base. The east window has the arms of Denmark impaling the Royal
Arms of Queen Anne, before the union of England and Scotland. A silver chalice bears the inscription, viz., 'Given by Chas. Smith,
Esq., Patron of this church Anno Domini 1810.' He gave also a paten bearing a similar inscription. The bronze War Memorial,
containing twenty-one names, was placed in 1921. The bell turret was built in 1816. Painted on wood in front of the gallery are the
Royal Arms of William III. 1689.
The oldest buildings in the parish are Hill farm House (17th century); Merrick (16th century); and an old
barn of the same period. A very fine memorial cross has, since the War, been erected about a quarter-mile from the church, near
where two roads meet. Click here to read on |
