East Grinstead Online
St Swithun’s Church
The Oxford Movement Window
The Reverend Dr John Mason Neale is the central
figure depicted in the Oxford Movement
window on the north wall of St Swithun's
Church. Neale's Prayer desk is in the Lady
Chapel and his crucifix often hangs over the
altar. He is buried in the Churchyard, close to
Sackville College, where he was the Warden of
this almshouse from 1846-66. He took up this
post as a young clergyman aged 28, with his wife, their little girl and baby
boy. They had 3 more daughters and lived at Sackville College for 20 years.
Neale died of chest troubles, probably tuberculosis, in 1866, aged only 48.
When Neale died, he was buried in St Swithun’s churchyard. Neale also
founded the Society of St Margaret, one of the first sisterhoods of nuns to be
founded after the Reformation.
John Mason Neale is the most famous and controversial Warden of
Sackville College. He rescued the College from decline and decay. He cared
deeply about the Residents, for instance setting up an Infirmary room
upstairs next to the Chapel, where a sick Resident could lie and still hear the
services. Neale and his wife arranged Sunday lunch for all the Residents in
the Dining Hall every week, because some were so poor. John Mason Neale
knew many languages, wrote a History of the Eastern Church; commentaries
upon the Psalms, stories for his children and he wrote and translated many
hymns. The Carol Good King Wenceslas, first published in 1853, was written in his study
at Sackville College, looking out across Ashdown Forest.
Caroline Metcalfe
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09/02/2016
Although from an Evangelical background, John Mason Neale became High Church
in taste when at university. At Cambridge he became a founder member of the Cambridge
Camden Society. He had friends connected with the Oxford Movement, which sought a
revival of ‘the beauty of holiness’ in the Church of England. Low Church people were
suspicious of Neale- especially in East Grinstead, with its 3 Protestants Martyrs burnt to
death in the reign of Queen Mary Tudor.
The High Church style restoration of the Chapel at Sackville College, by Neale’s
friend, William Butterfield, included a big cross on the rood screen, and an east window
depicting the Virgin Mary and Child in stained glass, and other saints to the right and left.
The tone of these changes led to a 13 year quarrel with the Bishop of Chichester at the
time.
This window dates from 1933, which was the anniversary of the founding of the
Oxford Movement. It was apparently unveiled by Mr Patrick Sutherland-Graeme, Assistant
Judge Advocate General and a grandson of Dr Neale, on 17 June 1933, when there was a
Procession and Pilgrimage to commemorate this centenary.
The central figure is Neale, wearing a green chasuble, a vestment which he wore
when officiating in Sackville College Chapel. His daughter, by then Mother Ermenild of St
Margaret’s Convent, provided a photograph of her father, which was copied faithfully by
the artist, Harry Grylls of Burlison & Grylls, Great Ormond Street. Sackville College is
shown in the background. Below appear the words ‘Oxford Movement Centenary, 18331933’ and above on a scroll supported by angels, the motto of the Convent ‘Per Angusta
ad Augusta’ (through difficulties to greatness).
The figure in the lower left is John Keble (1792-1866), holding a copy of ‘The
Christian Year’, with Keble College Chapel in the background and coats of arms for 3
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Oxford Colleges, including Keble College, founded in his memory. Keble was about 20
years older than Neale but they were great friends and died a few weeks apart. In an
academic sort of practical joke, Neale once quickly translated a hymn written by Keble into
Latin, whilst Keble was out of the room, then showed Keble the supposed ‘original’ of the
hymn. Keble was ‘utterly confounded’ until Neale admitted that he had just created the
‘original’ Latin version. Whilst the humour is a bit hard for us to grasp, the story shows the
friendship and keen intellect of the 2 men.
Above Keble is Nathaniel Woodard (1811-91), holding the Chapel of Lancing College.
From 1848, Canon Woodard founded schools intended to provide a sound education and
religious instruction according to the Church of England doctrines. In Sussex there are 3
Woodard schools: Ardingly, Hurstpierpoint and Lancing Colleges.
On the top right hand side is Walter Farquhar Hook (1798-1875), who was Dean of
Chichester. He is shown holding the spire of Chichester Cathedral, which fell down during
his tenure and had to be rebuilt.
Below, Hugh James Rose (1795-1838) is shown, holding an issue of The British
Magazine. He was one of the theological writers whose Tracts for the Times effectively
founded The Oxford Movement. He was born in Sussex, so all the figures have a Sussex
connection, except John Keble.
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In the centre of the lower part of this window there are 8 lozenge shaped panes or
quarries of old glass. 3 have the arms of Henry VIII’s son, Edward VI, as Prince of Wales.
King Edward VI came to the throne in 1547, so presumably these panes were made
before then. Another pane has the arms of the Merchant Taylors’ Company, 2 a merchant’s
mark, and 2 the figures of St John the Baptist, who is the Patron Saint of the Merchant
Taylors’ Company. People with very keen eyesight may be able to pick out the initials R.H.
in the merchants’ marks. These may refer to a Richard Hylles, Master of the Merchant
Taylors 1561-62.
We do not know why these pieces were
inserted into this window and whether they have any
connection with East Grinstead, but I think that John
Mason Neale, who cared so much about the fabric
and fixtures of old churches, would have been
intrigued.
In 1966, there was a special service in St
Swithun’s to commemorate the centenary of Dr
Neale’s death.
This window with its beautiful portraits of John Mason Neale and like-minded High
Churchmen, and the very old Tudor glass, is a bit of a puzzle, but it is well worth a good
look.
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Caroline Metcalfe
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