Kellys_1919_0015.jpg

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READING

D IR E C T O R r — 1919.

is a statue of Richard V a lp y D .D . many years master of the Grammar
School, who died 28 March, 1836: on the south side is an ancient sun­
dial : there are 750 sittings, almost all of which are free. T h e register
dates from the year 1605, hut the churchwardens’ accounts commence
as early as 1430. The living is a vicarage, gross yearly value about
£290, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Oxford, and held
since 1898 b y the Rev. Robert Perceval Newhouse M .A . of Worcester
College and Hon. Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, rural dean of
Reading, and surrogate. The church estate produces £200 yearly.
S t. M a r y t h e V i r g i n Chtthch, a structure faced with flint and ashlar,
in chequers, stands at the end of Minster street, on a spot once occupied
by a nunnery, founded by E lfrida, m other-in-law of E dw ard the M a r t y r ;
the church, originally that of the nunnery, retains a reputed Saxon door­
way, but was rebuilt in 1551, and in 1594 the tower was rebuilt, after
having been destroyed, w ith its spire, in a g a le : the church now con­
sists of chancel, nave of four hays, aisles, transepts, south chantry,
south porch, vestry and an embattled western tower 90 feet high, with
pinnacles at the angles, and containing 8 bells and a clock: the chancel
has a Perpendicular open timber roof,1 and the nave a good roof of
an early character; the Perpendicular 'font w as given by the Vachell
family in 1616, and has a- pyramidal crocheted cover provided at a
cost of £ 1 30 ; the arcade dividing the nave and south aisle has semi­
circular arches springing from circular columns; on the north side of
the chancel is an Easter Sepulchre of E arly work, and a monument in
black and gold, with effigies, to W illia m Kendrick and his w ife, 1635;
the steps to the rood loft are huilt up in the south w all of the chancel
arch ; all the windows, including the triplet at the east end, are
stained; in the chancel hang the old colours of the 66th (Princess
(Xiarlotte of W a les’s Royal Berkshire) regiment, and a window has
been erected to those of the officers and men who fell at the battle
of M aiwand, in Afghanistan, 27 July, 1880, as well as two large brass
tablets in the north aisle giving the names of the officers and m en ;
there is also a tablet inscribed to ’ those of the 49th, or 1st batt. of that
regiment, who fell in the campaigns of Egypt, 1882-3 ; the Soudan, 1885,
and the N ile Expedition, 1885-6; the vestry contains some brasses
including a cross fleury and several scrolls to W illiam Baron, 1416, and
an inscription to John Boorne, who died in his third mayoralty, 1558,
and Alice his wife ; in the north aisle hangs the old altar-piece, attri­
buted to Ludovico Caracci, 1555-1619, and there is an alms-box, dated
1627; and at the western entrance a carved oak screen, dated from 1631:
the church was restored in 1863-4, and the chancel enlarged and nearly
rebuilt in 1872 ; and in October, 1883, an episcopal chair of English oak
and walnut was provided: there are 1,000 sittings. The register dates
from the year 1538, and there are also church documents dating from
the 13th century. The south transept w as fitted up as a side chapel in
1914 in memory of Canon G arry, for 22 years vicar of the parish. A
w r r memorial chapel, adjoining the north aisle, was added in Sept.
1918. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £400, with residence,
in the gift of the Bishop of Oxford, and held since 1912 b y the Rev.
Richard Wickham Legg M .A . of N e w College, Oxford. The list of
rectors and vicars dates from 1173. Masonry, supposed to be Roman,
-:ci t 1, month the rectory, and Saxon coins of the 9th century have
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