MERTON CHURCH

.........Front View	..........Rear View

Saint Peter's Church situated on the edge of Merton park, in its present form dates back to the 14th century, however some parts dates back to the 11th century. With a Norman western tower containing 3 bells, it is thought that the base of the tower may be Saxon, and built in at least three stages. There are Norman shafts in the 13th century belfry , However most parts of the church is 14th and 15th century, the pews are of oak with carved poppy heads, and sitting for 160.

In 1889 a new organ was presented by Lady Walsingham. Many of the windows are filled with modern stained glass, containing many names of the ancestry  De grey / Walsingham family..
In 1885 Lord and Lady Walsingham erected a carved oak reredos with a representation of the last supper, as a memorial to the Rev'd George Crabbe .

In the porch of the church sits a tablet in memory of the men of the parish who served and returned in the great war of 1914-18, Inside the church is another tablet to those of the parish who died in the 1914-18  war. In Nov 2002 a plaque which was dedicated to Leo Crane, a local man who served in WWI and WWII  but  died in WWII, you can read more in the link from WWI.
A brass plaque holds the names of Israel Buckle head  gardener and John Buckle head game keeper for the Merton estate, these two brothers died within two months of each other in 1889. Another marble plaque is in memory to Henry Woods an agent for Merton for 40 years. 

The Lych-gate (right) is also a memorial to Rev'd Crabbe which holds the following  inscriptions " In loving memory of  Rev'd George Crabbe died Aug 7th 1884  aged 65. Also Emily his wife, died Jan 7th 1854 aged 23. Also Anna eldest daughter, died Sept 18th 1868 aged 16. Erected to there memory by the surviving child Emily Rivett Carnac, died March 22nd 1894 aged 40, Whom is buried next to her sister at the cemetery Brighton.

Description :- A Lych-gate is a covered open structure, found at a church gate. It normally consists of four or six oak posts embedded in the ground in a rectangular shape . On top of this are a number of beams to hold a steeply sloping straight pitched roof covered in wooden or clay peg tiles. Details :- The name is derived from the Saxon Lych meaning "corpse" and gate meaning entrance. Hence corpse entrance. Use :- The lych gates were built from about the mid 15th century. It was the custom at the time for priests to conduct the first part of the funeral service under its shelter, a momentary pause symbolized the transition from life to death. During medieval times the rich were the only people buried in coffins. The poor were carried to the lych gate and placed on a stone or wooden table covered in a shroud before burial.