On 13/11/2012 4:02 PM, La Greenall wrote: > Can anyone help identify a church from an interior view please? It is > supposed to be in Essex but may not be. The most striking feature is > that its is very large, more like a cathedral than a humble parish > church. I've uploaded a photo to the web if anyone cares to have a look: > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/prastagus/8182322561/ > > All I know for certain is that the pulpit which can be seen in the photo > was commissioned from William Burges in 1876 by Elizabeth, the widow of > Captain Samuel Bolton Edenborough, West Essex Yeomen Cavalry, a London > woolbroker and director of the Imperial Bank (1804-73), in his memory. > It was carved in marble by a Peter White of Vauxhall Bridge Road, > London, and installed in the parish church at Waltham Abbey, Essex > (which is not the church in the photo). > Waltham Abbey church's altar and reredos were also commissioned from > William Burges by Mrs. Edenborough as part of her husband's memorial. > They are still present, but the pulpit was taken down, probably in the > mid 1960s, and the old wooden 1658 pulpit it originally replaced was put > back up, and is still standing today. The marble Edenborough pulpit then > found a temporary new home in the unknown church, as shown in the photo > which probably dates to the 1980s or very early 1990s (it was acquired > in 1993). > Since then, this pulpit was removed from the unknown church and is > currently stored in Epping Forest District Museum's collection. They > would very much like to know the identity of the unknown church, and any > help would be much appreciated. > > Elizabeth >SNIP< w > > If it helps identification of the church, a few architectural details > can be described from the photo, as follows (though I'm no expert at > this!): > Notable semi-octagonal eastern apse, each face having one tall slender > single lancet window and a triple-arched sedilia-like blind arcade below; > Seems to have transepts (i.e. possibly a central crossing and central > tower?); > Sanctuary arch / central crossing pillars have 8 shafts each; > very wide central aisle (10 feet?). > Thanks in advance for any help you can give - we've run out of local > 'experts'!Lawrence. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi Lawrence, Studying the photo carefully would suggest that this is an evening confirmation service, perhaps mainly for a school.. A chair has been placed before the altar for the actual confirmation, a white haired figure flanked by two black cassocked figures [servers?] appears to be wearing a cope and if this is a confirmation would be the bishop, at the front left. Other clergy with red stoles are behind the altar. The old high altar at the east end has been coverted into a weekday chapel. At the extrem bottom of the photo can be seen the cruet &c ready for the offertory procession. I suspect this photograph has been taken at the beginning of the service, just after after the entry procession. The lectern between the two candles is for reading the epistle and gospel. It appears that a special service booklet has been produced for the occasion (no hymn numbers on board). . The choir is at the front right (red cassocks), conducted by a gentleman in a suit. A mystery is the collection of red objects (books?) on the altar, perhaps for presentation to the confirmation candidates. The re-ordering of the chancel with an additional nave altar and abandonment of the high altar and communion rail would date from the late '60s or 1970s, possible later. The removal of the pulpit from Waltham Abbey would have needed a faculty, and so would the church receiving it. SEAX have faculties searchable online up to 1963, so it would appear to be later. Chelmsford Diocesan Registry might be able to help, as should Waltham Abbey itself, as there should be a reference in the PCC mnutes or annual reports to the re-ordering which led to the re-instatement of the original pulpit. Although not St Andrew's Plaistow. (see photos of this online), given the cuurent location of the pulpit, I wouls suggest that itis one of the large Victorian churches built in S.E.Essex for "London over the border". It may have been closed and demolished/put to other use since this photo was taken. Thewre should also be a faculty for the pulpit's removal from this church or for ther demolition of this church. Of course, as you say, it may have gone to any part of the country and returned to the museum because of the original Waltham connection, but I would be inclined to begin with nearest churches, then consider other Victorian churches in the Chelmsford Diocese .... Chelmsford, Colchester, Southend..... HTH John Henley

John, this is excellent; thankyou. especially for the insight into the service. I was drawn to the hymboard many times but couldn't put my finger on why - silly sausage I am! Glynis also suggested the faculties kept at ERO and I've been through them with no luck, but didn't realise there was a cut-off date of 1963 on their holdings. Good! I will follow this up if other easier leads fail. WA church surprisingly cannot help! I fear their current team are all just too young. I knew some parishioners closely involved in church affairs who would certainly have known the answer, but they've all passed away in the last year or two. I too have always thought it was most likely a church in London or Essex, possibly even in both as you say. Just no guarantees that it is! Lawrence On 15/11/2012 13:42, johnfhhgen wrote: > > Hi Lawrence, > Studying the photo carefully would suggest that this is an evening > confirmation service, perhaps mainly for a school.. A chair has been > placed before the altar for the actual confirmation, a white haired > figure flanked by two black cassocked figures [servers?] appears to be > wearing a cope and if this is a confirmation would be the bishop, at > the front left. Other clergy with red stoles are behind the altar. The > old high altar at the east end has been coverted into a weekday > chapel. At the extrem bottom of the photo can be seen the cruet &c > ready for the offertory procession. I suspect this photograph has been > taken at the beginning of the service, just after after the entry > procession. The lectern between the two candles is for reading the > epistle and gospel. It appears that a special service booklet has been > produced for the occasion (no hymn numbers on board). . > The choir is at the front right (red cassocks), conducted by a > gentleman in a suit. A mystery is the collection of red objects > (books?) on the altar, perhaps for presentation to the confirmation > candidates. > The re-ordering of the chancel with an additional nave altar and > abandonment of the high altar and communion rail would date from the > late '60s or 1970s, possible later. > > The removal of the pulpit from Waltham Abbey would have needed a > faculty, and so would the church receiving it. SEAX have faculties > searchable online up to 1963, so it would appear to be later. > Chelmsford Diocesan Registry might be able to help, as should Waltham > Abbey itself, as there should be a reference in the PCC mnutes or > annual reports to the re-ordering which led to the re-instatement of > the original pulpit. > > Although not St Andrew's Plaistow. (see photos of this online), given > the cuurent location of the pulpit, I wouls suggest that itis one of > the large Victorian churches built in S.E.Essex for "London over the > border". It may have been closed and demolished/put to other use since > this photo was taken. Thewre should also be a faculty for the pulpit's > removal from this church or for ther demolition of this church. > > Of course, as you say, it may have gone to any part of the country and > returned to the museum because of the original Waltham connection, but > I would be inclined to begin with nearest churches, then consider > other Victorian churches in the Chelmsford Diocese .... Chelmsford, > Colchester, Southend..... > > HTH > John Henley > >