A HISTORY OF SURREY
��There are no remains of ancient wall paintings or glass, but in the nave, chancel, and north aisle are many modern stained glass windows, by Clayton & Bell and other firms, some very good (as in the aisle and the side windows of the chancel), others of poor quality. The seating, pulpit, reredos, and other fittings are all also modern, but in the vestry are pre- served a number of carved pew doors, of 1 7th-century date, worked up into a cupboard ; also a wrought iron hour-glass stand.
The registers date from 1653.
Among the plate is a two-handled cup, of date about 1 65 5, evidently a porringer, and very similar in design and size to one in use as a communion cup at Winterborne Whitchurch, Dorset, which is dated 1653. There is some repouss6 ornamentation in circles on the bowl, with traces of gilding, and the handles are S-shaped. Beneath the foot is engraved a Tudor rose within a beaded circle. The bowl has at some time been soldered to the foot, which was probably higher originally. There are patens of 1781 and 1786, some modern pieces; and a pewter plate bearing (i) the name RICHARD KING, and devices of two bears or badgers flanked by fluted columns ; (2) a crowned rose, with a word beginning ' GRA . . ' ; and (3), s over BE.
Of the six bells two are I gth century, two are by Thomas Mears, and dated 1797, and no. 4 and 5 bear the following inscriptions respectively :
'OUR HOPE IS IN THE LORD R.E. 1605,' and ' OMNIA HABENT FINEM R.E. I 593,'
the initials in both cases being those of Richard Eldridge, a well-known Surrey founder.
CHRIST CHURCH, COLDH4RBOUR, was built in 1 848 at the expense of Mr. Labouchere, of Broome Hall. The Duke of Norfolk gave the ground in the waste of the manor. It has a plain nave and chancel in 13th-century style, with rather a fine pointed arch between them. The church is of local stone, with chalk dressings. There is a stone bell-turret on the west end. It was refitted, and an organ chamber added in 1904 by Sir A. Hargreaves Brown in memory of his mother. The heads on the corbels at the spring of the arch over the east window outside are portraits of Mr. John Labouchere the founder and of Mrs. Labouchere.
Capel was originally a chapelry of Dorking. The chapel, which gives its name to the parish, seems first mentioned in a confirmation by Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester 1129-71, of the grants of churches, &c., given to the Priory of Lewes by the Earls of Warenne. He confirms to them ' Ecclesiam de Dorking cum Capella de la Wachna.' The charter is witnessed by Robert, Archdeacon of Surrey, who witnessed the charter of Henry to Waverley in 1130." This seems to be Capel ; for in 1361 Adam atte Plesshette granted land which had been held by Edith Pipestre of the grant of Maurice de Ewekne
��lying in the parish ' Capelle de Ewekene,' along with land in Ockley at Henhurst which is on the border of Capel." In Pope Nicholas's taxation of 1291 ' Dorking cum Capella ' is the style of Dorking parish ; so that it would appear that Capel became first called a separate parish between 1291 and 1361. This was possibly about 1334-7, when the church of Dorking with Capel was transferred from Lewes Priory to Reigate Priory, just founded by the last Earl of Warenne and Surrey. 8 * The tithes of Capel were let immediately afterwards ; ** and the whole revenue was entirely at the disposal of the priory, and was granted to Lord William Howard with Reigate Priory at the Dissolution. The lay impropriator hence- forth paid what he chose to the curate-in-charge of Capel. This state of things existed until 1868, when an endowment was raised by neighbouring landowners.
Charles Lord Howard of Effingham, son of Lord William Howard, leased the rectory, as it was called, and possibly the advowson also, to John Cowper, 28 May 1587. Julian Cowper, John's widow, conveyed to Richard Cowper, John's nephew and eventual heir, in 1603." The Cowpers of Temple Elfold in Capel conveyed the lease to other persons for terms of years only, and in 1644 Mr. Richard Cowper had the advowson, and engaged in a lively controversy with the Committee of Plundered Ministers, declin- ing to pay anybody else than the Rev. John Allen, whom they had removed.* 6 He carried his point, and though the committee kept the man of their choice, they had to pay him out of the estates of the Chapter of Winchester. 87 But for an interval, while the controversy was proceeding, Capel baptisms and burials were performed at Newdigate, there being no parson in Capel. In 1660 the Cowper leases ex- pired, and the rectory of Capel was, with others, con- firmed to the Earl of Peterborough, as heir of Lord William Howard. 88 His daughter Mary sold in 1677 to Sir John Parsons. The widow of his son Humphrey settled it on her daughter Anne, wife of Sir John Hynde Cotton. In 1 766 they sold to John Rogers for ^5,700, subject to the payment of 20 a year to the curate. He died 1778, leaving it to his wife, who married secondly William Chivers, to whom it was conveyed. William Chivers died 1805, when it descended to his nephew Noah Chivers, who con- veyed in 1812 to the Duke of Norfolk. His heir sold in 1844 to Charles Webb, who died 1869, leaving his property in trust ; and the advowson and rectory are now in the hands of his trustees. 89
Coldharbour is an ecclesiastical district formed in 1850 under 7 & 8 Viet. cap. 94, from portions of the parishes of Capel, Dorking, Wotton, and Ockley.
The living is in the gift of the trustees of Mr. John Labouchere.
Smith's Charity is distributed as in CHARITIES other Surrey parishes.
Capel Cottage Hospital was built by the widow of the Rev. John Broadwood in 1 864. It is maintained chiefly by public subscription.
��81 Exch. T.R. B g fol. 49. The volume is also lettered Cartae Antiquae de Prior- atu de Lewes.
8a Charter in possession of the late Rev. T. R. O'Fflahertie, Vicar of Capel. Compare Manning and Bray, Surr. iii, App. cxxx ; 'land in the parishes of Dorking and Ewekenes ' in a charter of 1481. 'Ewekenes,' now usually spelt
��Eutons, is a farm in Capel ; there are re- mains of a moat near it.
88 Winton Epis. Reg. Orlton, i, fol. 57 d. But in 1508 it was still called a chapel of Dorking.
84 Winton Epis.Rcg.Edendon,ii,fol.4i-z.
85 Deed at Loseley reciting the former lease to John Cowper.
w Add. MS. (B.M.), 15669, fol. n.
14.0
��*> Bodl. MSS. 323, p. 171 j 325, p.
2*3 i 327, P- 58-
88 Pat. iz Chas. II, pt. xviii, no. 16. Pro concessione Johanni Vicecomiti Mor- daunt, in trust for his elder brother the earl's daughter Mary. (See above.)
89 Abstract of title to rectory and glebe of Capel. Sold in 1910 to Mr. Crisp of Godalming.
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