EFFINGHAM HUNDRED
��EFFINGHAM
��old square recess with chamfered edges in which is set a modern sill with a basin and drain.
A modern arch opens into the tower from the nave. The west doorway is a modern one with a pointed arch in a square head ; the window over is of three lights with cusped tracery of ijth-century style in a two-centred head, all modern except for some old stones in the jambs ; over this window is a clock. The bell-chamber is lighted by three lancets in each wall except the east, which is unpierced, and the parapet is embattled. The chancel and nave roofs are both gabled and have modern panelled ceilings, the transept has a low gabled ceiling of plaster and appears to be old, but the single tie-beam has been cased ; the aisle has a panelled lean-to roof. The south porch is modern, and has pairs of lancet windows on each side and a pointed entrance arch.
The altar table is modern, and a former table (of no great age) serves as a side altar in the transept. There remains an old bench end with a fleur de lis head and part of another, of 15th-century work or perhaps earlier ; these have been copied in the modern chancel seats. The font is modern with a bowl of a fine piece of alabaster and a marble stem.
In the nave floor is an early coffin-lid ; the inscrip- tion around is almost illegible, but is said to read :
+ VATER : DB : CEDDINGCES : GIT : ICI DEV : A : SA : ALME : FACE : MERCI.
In the tower are placed most of the old monu- ments ; the most interesting perhaps are seven small square tablets to the children of William Walker, formerly vicar ; the inscriptions read thus : ' Hie jacent Su M W. ob. 1670 act 8 an Robt. W. ob. 1686 act 3 an Rob. W. ob. 1688 act 2 hebs. Gu. Walker huius eccle iam : iam vicario 1693.' They are roughly cut, and are possibly the work of the vicar himself. There are two other small stones, one with initials, apparently, H M or H w dated 1651, and another dated 1587. Another stone is inscribed : 'Thos. Bonney, vicar Thos. Killick Geo. Monk Churchwardens 1 75 7 'and refers to the rebuilding of the tower. A large broken stone slab with cham- fered edges, lying in the churchyard south of the transept, appears to be ancient, but has no inscription.
There are also three small brass inscriptions, the oldest reading : ' Pray for the soull of John Aley which decessid the xxvi day of Apriell the yere of oure Lord MCCCCCVII on whose soull Ihu have mercy Ame.' Another has the inscription : ' Here lyeth buried the body of John Agmondesham late of Rowghbarnes in the County of Surr Esquire, som- tymes reader of New Inne and after an aprentice in the lawe who dyed the first day of August Anno dni 1598.' The third is in Roman type as follows: 'John Cooke and Frances his wife was buried ye xxv day of April 1629.'
There are five bells, all by Gillett of Croydon, 1890.
Among the communion plate is a silver cup of 1569, with a cover paten dated 1570; there are also a cup, standing paten, and flagon of 1828.
The registers begin in 1565,^0 first book con- taining baptisms, marriages, and burials from that date
���MERTON PRIORY. Or fretty azure with eagles argent at the crossings of the fret.
��to 1725. The first portion is a copy of 1624 ; the book is of paper. The second book contains baptisms and burials from 1660 to 1812, and marriages from 1660 to 1772 ; the third has the marriages from 1754 to 1812.
The churchyard is not large, and surrounds the building ; to the south are some large chestnut and other trees ; an iron railing bounds the ground to- wards the road on the west side, and has two gates.
The church of Effingham was JDrOffSON bestowed on Merton Priory by William de Dammartin, 8 * and in 1269 the advowson was granted to the prior by Gilbert de Clare, 90 probably in confirmation of the original grant. In 1291 the church was held by the priory and valued at .14 13*. 4</. with a pension of 261. SJ. n The same valua- tions were given on an inquiry taken six years later as to whether it would be to the king's loss if the prior and convent were to appropriate the church to their own uses. On a further inquiry, how- ever, in 1299, the church was found to be worth only 20 marks (13 61. 8</.), and the prior and convent had licence to appropriate accordingly. 93 In 1297 the bishop issued an ordinance for the endowment of the vicarage, under which the vicar was to receive for his maintenance all the altarage of the church, and all small tithes and profits per- taining to the altarage, with the tithe of the pro- duce of crofts and gardens dug in the parish by foot and spade ; also the tithe of all hay and produce of the lands of William Wrenne in the parish, and l8J acres of arable land with common pasture per- taining to the church, free and quit of tithe, as the rector of the place used to hold them, with herbage of the cemetery, and also a competent site near the church, to be assigned by the monks of Merton, whereon to build a suitable vicarage within the space of a year."
In 1308 John de Rutherwyk, Abbot of Chertsey, conceded to the Prior of Merton the tithes both great and small from those demesne lands within the limits of the parish church of Effingham, formerly of Philip de la Leigh and Oswold de la Leigh, the prior ren- dering in return to Chertsey Monastery 50*. per annum,* 4 and on the dissolution of Chertsey this payment was included among the possessions of the monastery granted to the new foundation at Bisham. 9 * In 1317 the prior mortgaged to Philip de Barthon, Archdeacon of Surrey, the tithes of corn or fruit ot the great tithes in Effingham, with the court or manse there, for a term of six years, in consideration of a sum of 26, the prior to be responsible for all extra- ordinary expenses and for the pension of 50*. to the Abbot of Chertsey ; the archdeacon to be responsible for all ordinary payments and for the sustenance of all houses and other buildings. 97
In 1388 the prior was severely censured for neglect-
��89 Cartul. of Merton, Cott. MS. Cleop. C. 7-
Feet of F. Surr. Mich. $3 Hen. Ill, no. 27.
��n Poj>e Nick. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 2o8i. n Inq. a.q.d. 23 Edw. I, mciii, 12. Mnq. p.m. 27 Edw. I, no. 6 1 ; Pat. 27 Edw. I, m. 30.
3 2 5
��M Cott. MS. Cleop. C. vii, fol. 210. 5 Mic. Bks. (Exch. K.R.), bk. 2 5, p. 3 5.
- L. and P. Hen. fill, xii (2), 1 3 n (z).
" Surr. Arch. Soc. ix, 371,
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