EARLY HISTORY to BULIDING & CONSERVATION:

1100

The Church was built during the 1100:

Richard Achard who was the Overlord of Reading & the Manor of Aldermaston, granted the Manor of Finchampstead to Alard Banastre.

Alard built the Church completing it in 1134 with help from the monks of Reading Abbey, Villeins, Bardariis & Serfs.

The original Norman Church, just Nave & Apse, was dedicated by the Abbot to the Apostle St James’ in a latin ceremony with Alard, in full Knights armour laying his sword on the Abbot’s chair declaring it to be an emblem of peace .

1300 to 1500

The North Aisle or Chapel was thought to have been added in three separate stages. The periods are somewhat unclear but the most northerly section which appears to have an older wall plate and ceiling construction, was probably the first section added during the 1300s. Later came the central section and then the most easterly section in 1500s. This is the section which contains the external door traditionally referred to as the ‘1590 Door’ the date of which is carved in the external door lintel.

1700

The brick built Tower was added to the west end of the Nave  and thought to have been completed in 1720.

Thomas Johnes, concerned about the decay of the original Church Tower, probably a simple timber construction, proposed & built the current brick Tower which was designed by John James of Eversley.

A stone foundation slab shows that John Banister & Edward Ellis (Churchwardens) & Rev Richard Rogers (Rector) commenced the initial construction to the final tower design and it was finally completed by John Banister & Thomas Solmes (Churchwardens) in 1721.  The Rector at the time was Ellis St. John

1800

In 1855, an opening or arch was constructed between Nave & Chancel and various alterations were made to the Pews.

A new Porch replacing the one built by Thomas Harrison was constructed by Thomas Johnes builder (tcof34) and John James designer.

During this time the old Manor House was still used as a farmhouse, but around 1807 it was partially converted by Lord of the Manor, Charles Fysh-Palmer, but later in 1870 the old house was largely demolished and a new "red-brick farmhouse" built over the old houses’ cellars by John Walter until finally demolished in 1899 and later rebuilt in its present form as a Manor House.

1900

A 2x manual Compton electric pipe organ (of cinema organ fame) was installed in 1933.  It has a detached console located in the North Chapel and the organ pipe box were placed high at the west end of the nave.  The case is of oak, made by local craftsmen in the 1950s, and originally held a royal plaque mounted on the front elevation and depicted the Royal Arms of Charles II circa 1660.

Both Organ Pipes and Console were refurbished in 2005 by Roger Greensted (our organ builders) at a cost of c£40,000 and the ‘coat-of-arms was replaced by an array of organ pipes with a renewed   

2000

A decade of Repair, Maintenance, refurbishments and conservation:

2000 - Refurbishment of Apse roof and retiling

2002 - Outer wall footings & water drainage was improved

2003 – Outer walls were re-plastered.

2004/5 – Tower bells were removed and re-voiced.

2005 - Organ console & organ pipes were removed and re-furbished.

2009 -  Conservation of the internal Church building & Church Roofs

CHURCH 2009 CONSERVATION PROJECT:

August

2nd

The last Service in the Church took place at 6.00pm on Sunday. It was a poignant and emotional moment for the attendees since at the end of the service the Church was to close and the next service to be held in the Church would be some six months later in early 2010....

Video animation showing the nave from start to current position.