ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS IN THE PARISH CHURCH – BFP 13/10/16 (p.7)
In order to meet the need of further seating accommodation, and to comply with the wishes of the Lay Rector (the Rt. Hon the Earl Howe), several alterations and additions have been made in the Parish Church during the last month. The Choir, which for 35 years has been seated in the Chancel, has now been placed at the top of the Nave, in front of the pulpit and clergy stall, in new seats given by Lord Howe, giving accommodation for 18 boys and 9 men. Forty new seats have been added at the west end of the church in the space formerly occupied by the gallery, the appearance of the building being thereby greatly improved. The clergy stall has been moved just outside the chancel and lowered by about a foot, and the old lectern removed and replaced by a beautifully-carved eagle lectern of oak, the gift of A.H. Birch-Reynardson Esq., of Stampwell, Vicar’s Warden, and which has been much admired.
A new choir vestry has been made in the south aisle, greatly to the satisfaction and comfort of the Choir, which renders such valuable help to the services of the Church. The family seats of Earl Howe in the chancel have been restored, the Lay Rector having expressed the intention of attending the services in Penn Church. The chancel steps, which had been mutilated and cut away by a former Vicar, have been made good; the floor is to be tiled in grey and white, and a new oak seat with doors at either end has been ordered by Lord Howe, and will prove a notable addition and improvement to the chancel. After being closed for three weeks, the Church was re-opened for service on Sunday, 1st October, which happened to be the 18th anniversary of the induction by the late Ven. Archdeacon Bourke of the present Vicar (the Rev. B.G.S. Kerby), formerly for six years Curate of Beaconsfield. The congregation entirely filled the Church, and in the course of his remarks the Vicar gave the following interesting figures: – During the 18 years that had passed since his induction, there had been 41 marriages, 116 baptisms, and 109 burials, the Churchyard having been enlarged for the first time in 700 years by a gift of ground by a parishioner, W.M. Grove, Esq., of Watercroft. The number of communicants had been 8,374 and the offertory had amounted to £1,365, while gifts and donations had been made to the value of £674. The offertory during the first three years amounted to £119, and in the last three years to £395. In addition, the Tower had been restored at a cost of £130, a lych gate erected at the north entrance of the Churchyard, the design of the Vicar, to commemorate the 700th year of the Church (which was built in 1213), at a cost of a little over £100, and the Schools re-built and enlarged at a cost of £1,350 – on the whole a notable record, and one of which the parishoners may well be proud. The Vicar has preached 1,671 sermons, and hopes to add considerably to the number before he is called upon to give an account of his stewardship. The offertory during the day amounted to £3 7s. 10d., and was in aid of the Sick and Poor Fund. It is pleasing to record that universal satisfaction has been expressed by the people of Penn with the alterations and additions to their beautiful Parish Church.
HARVEST FESTIVAL.
Services of thanksgiving for the harvest were held on Sunday last, when the Church was packed with large congregations. The decorations were of the loveliest character, and were the work of the ladies of the parish and Mr Whapshott (head gardener to Dr Parshall, of Penbury Grove). The music was splendidly rendered by the Choir, (consisting of 15 boys and 6 men), and the Organist, Mr W. Crispin Winter, was at his best. The special preacher in the morning was the Rev. W.B. Trevelyan, of Beaconsfield, who greatly impressed his many hearers with a most eloquent sermon on ‘The Fruitfulness of Death’ from the words: “Except a corn of wheat fall to the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit” (St. John xii, 24). The Vicar occupied the pulpit at the evening service, now said at 3.30 owing to the difficulty of darkening the windows. Special psalms were sung, while the lessons were read by Mr Birch-Reynardson and Mr H. Canvin. The offertory on these occasions has always been given to some outside object, such as hospitals, orphanages, or other benevolent institutions, and during the past 18 years the sum thus sent away has amounted to £105. This year, as the Church has been closed for two Sundays, the Vicar donated the thank-offering to the Wardens’ Fund for Church Expenses and it amounted to £8 10s. (? partially legible). The Rt. Hon. the Earl Howe and his brother-in-law, Mr John Eyre, occupied the Rectorial pew, and after the service Earl Howe expressed to the Vicar the great pleasure the beautiful service had given him, and warmly congratulated the Choir on their excellent rendering of the festival music. The population of the parish is now 633 (? first digit partly legible).
Originally published in the Bucks Free Press 13/10/1916