The Old Parish Church of Windsor (cover picture)
Published in Windlesora 18 (2000)
© WLHG
Our knowledge of this Church is rather meagre because it was occasionally confused with St Andrew’s Church, Clewer. Both were referred to, at times, as the Parish Church at Windsor. We can only be sure that records apply to this building when it is identified as St. John’s.
The first known mention is in 1189 or 90 in the reign of Richard I when the church of St John the Baptist at New Windsor was given, together with its chapel at Old Windsor, to the Abbey of Waltham. At that time it was probably less than 80 years old, as the town of New Windsor did not grow up until the court moved to the Castle in 1110.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries there are many records of repairs being made. In 1807 an oratorio was performed to raise money for further repairs. In 1815 it was inspected again and it was found that “All the external parts of the church were in a very dilapidated state, particularly the Tower and Belfry”. Repairs were estimated to cost £1,680.
The survey was made by Mr L Wyatt and read to the Vestry meeting on 4th October 1818. Mr Wyatt stated that the church was in a dilapidated state and any repair would be inefficient. They resolved to build a new church which would “ fitly house the Established religion”. And the old building was demolished. There are a number of water-colours and engravings of the building, but they vary.
As the new church was built there was much controversy in the Windsor and Eton Express. There were those who thought that the old building should not have been demolished at all. There were those who did not like the new building. But the most worrying fact was that the architect who was chosen was the same man who had previously reported that the old building should be demolished.
”St. John’s Church.
The Parish Church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and was originally a chapelry to Clewer.
It has a Peal of Eight Bells, two of which were given by Lord Marsham, who re-cast the other six. The following inscription is cast on them in old text characters:
I AND MY SEVEN SISTERS * WERE
GIVEN BY THE COFFERER, * AND IF YOU
WISH HIS NAME TO KNOW * MY ELDER
SISTERS WILL YOU SHEW; *
LORD NABSHAM, * COFFERER TO QUEEN ANNE
GAVE THESE TWO BELLS AND NEW CAST
THE OTHER SIX
A well-executed painting of the Lord’s Supper is hung in the Church. It was discovered in 1707, behind some wainscotting in St. George’s Chapel, where it had been concealed during the civil wars between Charles I and his Parliament. It was presented to the Parish by George III. in 1788, when the Collegiate Chapel underwent a general repair.
In 1636, William, son of Izaak Walton (the celebrated angler and resident of Windsor), was baptised in this Church.
In the body of the Church lies the wife of Simond Allen, Canon of Windsor, the facetious ‘‘ Vicar of Bray.”
Perhaps the most curious monument in the Church is one in the north aisle with the following inscription :—
“In happie memory of Edward Jobson aod Elynor his wyfe, by whom the sayd Edward had issue VI sons; vidt Edward, Francis, Homfrie, James, William, Richard, and IIII daughters, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Catharine, Sara.”
The parents and wives of their children, habited in the costume of the 16th century, are carved in relievo, kneeling on each side of an altar reading desk, under which is a recumbent figure of an infant; above are the family arms, and the sides of the monument are ornamented with fruit and foliage.”
Reproduced from AT Barber’s Windsor in the Last Century (1897)
(Web Editor’s note February 2024: 1. below is the ornate drop cap ‘t’ from the quote above from the book, 2. see ‘Thamesweb’ for the cover of this 1897 publication and a little additional information by AT Barber about St John’s after it was rebuilt in 1821 : https://www.thamesweb.co.uk/windsor/windsorhistory/ )
Windsor Local History Group 