THE CHURCH - GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
The exact origin of St. Mary's is unknown, but is likely to be around 1000, and the first recorded priest is Aumericus de Harcourt, in 1204. The present structure was almost certainly pre-dated by earlier structures, but the first reference to the building is a charter of 1272 granting an indulgence "to all contributors to the building or the repairing of the church at Henley". St. Mary's is basically a 13th century building, but was enlarged and remodeled in the 15th century and again in the 19th century, so the building history is hard to decipher. The 13th century church consisted of Sanctuary (chancel), nave and aisles and probably transepts. Externally there is no remnant of this church, and the Early English style of the west doorway is in fact Victorian.
THE NAVE
The nave arcades have Early English detail, but the proportions are wrong (too 'pointed'). They could have been rebuilt and heightened during the major Perpendicular remodeling as repairs to the church are recorded in 1398-1420 during the reign of Henry VI. The two east bays (arches) with octagonal capitals (tops of the columns) are Perpendicular in style and so are the two west bays of the south aisle, and the west bay of the north aisle before the tower. The chancel arch (entrance to the Sanctuary) and east end of the clerestory (highest elevation of the nave) are also of this date. The stone heads supporting the roof beams were installed at this time.
The west end of the clerestory was built in 1852-56 the renovations, its dimensions being determined by the existing east end, and new roofs were added. The Great West Window was also added during these renovations.
SANCTUARY (CHANCEL)
The Sanctuary, one of the oldest parts of St. Mary's, was completely redecorated in the 1890s. The elevation of the High Altar, the sedilia (stone chairs for altar servers) and piscina (basin used for washing communion vessels) are all Victorian, as are the altar screen, the stencilled mural patterns and shields, and the wrought iron screens in the north and south bays. The 1890 choir stalls remain in use, and display excellent deep carvings.
The Sanctuary is clearly dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and her medallions (M), together with those of Jesus (IHS), and the symbols of His passion, cover the walls and ceiling. Where the ceiling meets the north and south walls the words of Mary's great hymn of praise are stencilled in Latin "Magnificat anima mea Dominum Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo. Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae: ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes". ("My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed". (Luke 1:46-48)) In the Great East Window, Mary, surrounded by the saints contemplating her Son's sacrifice, is identified as "Mater Dei" - Mother of God.
ROOD SCREEN & GREAT MURAL
The Rood Screen, replacing one installed in 1519 but removed during the Reformation, was installed as a war memorial to the Town's Glorious Dead in 1920. It was designed by G. H. Fellowes Prynne. The Rood (i.e. image of the Cross) mirrors the same moment from the crucifixion as depicted in the Great East Window.
Soaring above the Rood, is the Great Mural, designed in 1891 by the Revd E. Geldart, a curate of the Parish. It represents the Vision of the Adoration of the Lamb from the Apocalypse of St. John the Divine (Rev.5:1-14). Central is the Lamb of God upon His throne, bearing the Tetragrammaton, the Hebrew name of YHWH. He is surrounded by the archangels, the Virgin Mary, the Apostles, Martyrs and Saints. The Virgin Mary is acclaimed by the banner "Ave Maria, gratia plena" ("Hail Mary, full of grace"). Above and below the whole scene is the acclamation: "Salus Deo nostro qui sedet super thronum et Agno in saecula saeculorum" ("Blessed is our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb, world without end"). The small windows represent the brilliant light of God the Father on His throne. The figures, if not the composition, are in flamboyant Pre-Raphaelite style and the whole is clearly based on Hubrecht & Jan van Eyck's altarpiece on the same subject in Ghent Cathedral (c.1432).
LADY CHAPEL and NORTH AISLE
In the early 1300s, preceding the later 1398-1420 remodeling, a chapel was added to the north of the Sanctuary. It has a two bay arcade to the chancel, and was dedicated to Our Lady the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The east window of the Lady Chapel, dated 1863, is spectacular and made of very expensive enamelled glass. Note the central figure of Our Lady with the north elevation of St Mary's church behind her. The window is by Hardman, as is the northeast window in the chapel. In 1910 the organ, which had been housed in St. Leonard's Chapel and the modern Vestry/Sacristry area, was moved into the Lady Chapel. Mercifully, the Lady Chapel was restored to use again in 1967 when the organ was repositioned to the west end of the Victorian north aisle (its present position).
In the 1852-56 Victorian restoration of the church by Benjamin Ferry, a second north aisle was added to the church. This now forms the modern Vestry/Sacristry and Choir Vestry. A western entrance portal to the new aisle was also added as a new main entrance to St. Mary's (it can be seen to north of the tower). This portal is now closed due the 1967 repositioning of the organ. The exterior north door of the Vestry/Sacristry is especially ancient and the subject of dendrological investigation. Viewed from the outside, it has intriguing carvings.
JESUS CHAPEL and SOUTH AISLE
The chapel to the south of the Sanctuary was probably built in the late 1400s/early 1500s - the chequer board flint and stone exterior wall is certainly early Tudor. It extends west of the Sanctuary to what may have been the 13th century transept. Part of what was a solid wall was removed from here in the Victorian restoration and the present arches between the Sanctuary and the south aisle date from this time too. In the remains of the south transept wall were found a Perpendicular doorway and a carved door, now reset west of St. Leonard's Chapel (i.e. leading to the modern Sacristry).
The first recorded date of the Jesus Altar is in 1498, during the reign of Henry VII. The floor in the Jesus Chapel, which was not renewed during the 2004 renovation, is reputedly original, i.e. early 1500s.
Above the Jesus Altar there is the fine stained glass Evangelists Window, dedicated to the writers of the four Gospels, with a striking representation of Our Patron as the Queen of Heaven confronting the many-headed Beast of the Apocalypse (bottom right panel).
In 1787, in reign of George III, the south aisle is recorded as having been rebuilt. This may refer to the wide wedge-shaped extension, which is certainly 18th century, with two Perpendicular-style windows, probably re-used. The glass in the small west-facing window in this extension is particularly fine. It is the Pentecost Window, and it depicts humankind's progression from Babel (bottom panel), to the giving of the Law to the Chosen People (middle panel) to the birth of the Church at Pentecost (top panel), with the Twelve Apostles presided over by our Patron, the Mother of Jesus, all receiving the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues (Acts 2:1-11).
Box pews were installed in St. Mary's in the 18th century, although some in the south aisle were removed in 2004. Also dating from the 18th century are two brass chandeliers, currently being restored and due to be re-hung in the Jesus Chapel. In the late 1700s galleries were added in the south and north aisles and at the west end. These were removed in the 1852-1856 renovations
ST LEONARD'S CHAPEL
The lovely medieval chantry chapel north of the Lady Chapel is dedicated to St. Leonard of Limousin. St Leonard became popular in the High Middle Ages and was particularly effective in obtaining release of prisoners - hence his popularity during the Crusades. He is often depicted holding broken chains, and he may thus be seen in the centre of the easternmost window in the north wall.
The chapel was built by John Elmes (d.1460) of Bolney Court in Lower Shiplake during the reign of Henry VI. The exterior has a battlemented parapet with gargoyles, now sadly in a parlous state. Inside, canopied saints' niches flank the altar, and there is also one between the northern windows. The chapel was restored for use in 1910, having previously housed part of the organ and the vestry, and the windows date from this time. Note the bells on the angels' toes in the trefoil windows above the altar!
The fine wrought iron screen's design is based on the screen in the Chapel of Henry VII in Westminster Abbey. The chapel pews were refurnished in 1970 and are legendary for the discomfort they cause. St. Leonard's Chapel also houses the Aumbry, the place where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved and the reason why the chapel is designated as a quiet place for prayer and contemplation.
PRE-REFORMATION CHANTRIES & ALTAR STONES
During the medieval period as many as 14 chantry altars existed inside St. Mary's. It is known that there were ones dedicated to St. Katherine (hence the Catherine Wheel Inn in Hart Street), St. Clement, St. Nicholas and St. Ann (there was also a St. Ann's Chapel on the pre-18th century Henley Bridge). During the Reformation, at the time of the Visitation by the agents of Edward VI in the late 1540s, many of these chantries were removed from St. Mary's and their altars were re-used as paving. Two of these altar stones, in Portland stone, can still be seen in the pavement immediately outside the West Door, and outside the small South Door. Tread carefully!
PULPIT
The location of the medieval pulpit is uncertain, but in the 1787 remodeling of the church, a large pulpit fronted the whole entrance to the Sanctuary, and the organ was sited immediately behind it inside the Sanctuary. With the galleries over the north and south aisles, and at the west end, the interior space was to all intents and purposes akin to a puritan box church. During the 1852-56 restoration the organ was re-sited and the Sanctuary restored, and the pulpit and galleries were removed, clearly under Tractarian (Oxford Movement) influence.
The present marble pulpit was installed in 1898. The greater part is constructed after patterns in use at the time, but the stair balustrade, with its intricate carvings of pomegranates, and the oriental shape of the knob, suggest Indian craftsmanship.
THE TOWER & BELLS
The tower, at the west end of the north aisle, was traditionally built by John Longland, Bishop of Lincoln in 1521-1547 in the reign of Henry VIII (until the mid-1800s St. Mary's Parish formed part of the vast Diocese of Lincoln). The building style, with polygonal buttresses and flat arched windows, fits this date. The tower is 100 feet high (118 feet to the top of the buttresses) and its flint and stone construction is very similar to those at St Mary's and St Laurence's, Reading. It should also be compared with those at Hambleden, Remenham and St. Mary's Wallingford. Bishop Longland's family came from Henley and he is commemorated by a plaque on almshouses in the churchyard which he endowed.
The bells of St. Mary's date from the time of the Napoleonic Wars.
There are 215 steps to the top of St. Mary's tower. The views over the Thames Valley and the Town, and down the course of the Royal Regatta are wonderful. Unfortunately the climb is perilous and the installation of powerful mobile phone transmitters inside the bell chamber make it unsafe to open the tower to the general public.
THE BAPTISTERY & FONT
The Baptistery, at the base of the tower, was created in the Victorian re-ordering of the church, and the massive font is a copy of a Norman original. Theologically the positioning is correct, baptism being the start of the Christian's pilgrimage and therefore taking place close to the entrance of the church. The floor of the baptistery is especially fine, the tiles being by Minton. The west end of the Baptistery used to house the fine funerary monument to Dame Elizabeth Periam prior to its 20th century removal to the north aisle. Below the monument were the entrance stairs to St. Mary's Crypt, presently filled with rubble. Permission is being sought to excavate the stairs and possibly to re-open the Crypt.
The fine font in current use, close to the central nave altar, is dated 1626 and is a rare example of its kind.
FIGURES REPRESENTED ON THE GREAT MURAL
Above the Rood on the chancel wall is the Great Mural, designed in 1891 by the Revd E. Geldart. It represents the Vision of the Adoration of the Lamb from the Apocalypse of St. John the Divine (Rev.5:1-14). The figures, if not the composition, are in flamboyant Pre-Raphaelite style and the whole is clearly based on Hubrecht & Jan van Eyck's altarpiece on the same subject in Ghent Cathedral (c.1432). Central is the Lamb of God upon His throne, bearing the Tetragrammaton, the Hebrew name of YHWH. Below the throne, just above the chancel arch, is the Fountain of Life (Rev.21:6-7). The throne is surrounded by the Four Creatures, representing the four evangelists:
- Eagle - St Matthew
- Bull - St Luke
- Lion - St Mark
- Angel - St John
The central banners contain the first few words of each of the gospels in Latin.
| St Matthew 1:1 | liber generationis Iesu Christi | The book of the generation of Jesus Christ |
| St Mark 1:1 | initium evangelii Iesu Christi | The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ |
| St Luke 1:5 | fuit in diebus Herodis regis | There was in the days of Herod the king |
| St John 1:1 | in principio erat Verbum | In the beginning was the Word |
Bottom Row, LtoR St. Augustine of Hippo; St. Thomas (?); St. Andrew (with cross); St. Patrick (with shamrock); St. Elizabeth; St. Lucia (with martyr's palm); St. ? (with bowl & scissors); St. Agnes (with martyr's palm & lamb)
Middle Row, LtoR St. John the Baptist (with banner Ecce Agnus Dei); St. Peter (with Keys to the Kingdom); St. Paul; St. Leonard of Limousin (with broken chains); St. George (with lance) Blessed Virgin Mary (acclaimed by the banner "Ave Maria, gratia plena" (Hail Mary, full of grace)); Mary Magdalene (with her bowl of expensive ointment); St. Helen (with the True Cross); St. Cecilia (with small pipe organ); St. ?
Top Row, LtoR Angel (with banner "Gloria tibi Dne (domine)" (Glory to you, Lord)); Archangel Raphael (with fishes); Archangel Michael (with the Sword and Scales of Divine Justice); Angel (with thurible and puffs of incense); Angel (with thurible and puffs of incense); Archangel Gabriel (with lilies); Archangel Uriel (with the Book of Life and the Scroll of Judgement); Angel (with banner "Laus tibi Christi" (Praise to you, Christ)) Above and below the whole scene is the acclamation: "Salus Deo nostro qui sedet super thronum et Agno in saecula saeculorum" ("Blessed be our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb, world without end (Rev. 7:10)). The small windows represent the brilliant light of God the Father seated on His great white throne.