Great Hallingbury, Essex....

... where my Sapsford and Lanham families came from..... we were kindly shown around this wonderful church by very knowledgeable, kind and helpful people, Philip and Heather Hays who gave me most of the following information. 

 

St Giles'...... the ancient church, which was probably built on a Roman site, was restored and largely rebuilt in 1874 by John Archer-Houblon the then Lord of the Manor of Great Hallingbury.  John Houblon was descended from refugee Protestant merchants who fled from Lille and settled in London in the 1590's, and John became the first Governor of the Bank of England in 1694.  His image until recently has been on the back of our £50 note.  His brother was a friend of Samuel Pepys.

 

 

The only original window from the 11th century....

 

 

 

 

The nave and chancel from the bell tower....

 

 

 

 

A cadaver tomb dedicated to the Morley family, and is a very rare example.  Philip Hays pointed out to us what looks like a female's head by the cadaver's left foot - could this be a reference to Jane Boleyn, Countess Rochford who was born Jane Parker daughter of Henry Parker the 10th Baron Morley who was executed in 1542 for aiding and abetting Katherine Howard, 5th wife to Henry VIII, in her forbidden meetings with Thomas Culpepper.....

 

 

 

The reredos which was completed in 1889 is of English alabaster and is a copy of one in Beverley Minster......

 

 

 

The painting of vines and pomegranates given to the church in memory of Houblon's second wife Georgina.

 

 

The chancel arch made entirely of Roman bricks, which probably came from a Roman villa found near Wallbury Camp....

 

 

A reference to when the church contained an altar dedicated to St Catherine ....

 

 

St Giles.....

 

 

 

Roman bricks......

 

 

An ancient British burial urn dug up from the church floor, how fab is this!! ......

 

 

.... and there is more interesting history to be found in this lovely little village in that William Parker, 13th Baron Morley and 4th Baron Monteagle who is buried in this church was an English peer, and best known for his role in the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot. In 1605 Parker was due to attend the opening of Parliament, he was a member of the House of Lords, but received an 'anonymous' letter telling him not to attend Parliament but to 'devise some excuse to shift your attendance at this Parliament'.