A Brief History of the building

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Saint Andrew’s was built in 1831 in the neo-Gothic style on common land and known as ‘The Chapel on the Common’. It was designed by local architect Edward Lapidge and was roughly the size of the present nave. In 1857 the south aisle was added to accommodate the growing needs of the local population.

The chancel was built in 1896 by the Victorian architect and colourist G.F.Bodley, who also designed the pulpit in Canterbury Cathedral and the national cathedral in Washington DC. The cancel is decorated in a blaze of colour with brick reds, olive greens, black and gold. The four paintings on the east wall, surrounding the altar show (at the lower level) the four Greater Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, and (on the upper level) the four Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and their apocalyptic beasts. The central window depicting the Crucifixion was designed by Sir Ninian Comper and was a gift from Mrs Scott the great grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II. All this surrounds the beautiful pear wood carving of the ‘Last Supper’.

All but two of the memorials in the church date after its consecration in 1831. The two exceptions are the diamond shaped funeral ‘hatchment’ boards on the left and right at the rear of the nave. These are memorials of Lionel Tollemache, 4th Earl of Dysart and his wife Grace who lived in Ham House. The one above the font in memory of the Earl was probably painted in about 1770 and the one on the right in memory of his wife in about 1773.

 

1831   Built on common land from design by Edward Lapidge
1832   Consecrated in June 1832 of this year by the Bishop of Winchester
1834   Parish approved in Privy Council in William IV’s reign on May 4th 1834
1836   Vestry room added at east end & used as a schoolroom: additional pews added to balcony
1839   Vicarage built. Rev J Hough had lived at Ham Lodge, Ham Street until complete
1857   South aisle added, designed by R Brandon
1866   Gas lighting fitted
1877   Church transferred from Diocese of Winchester to Diocese of Rochester
1898   Chancel & vestry by Bodley & Garner and built by Charles E. Sims, local builder
1901   Chancel decorated by G.F. Bodley, architect and colourist
1903   Dedication of the organ
1904   Choir stalls designed by Bodley fitted in the chancel and hangings behind the choir stalls.
1905   Pulpit and pulpit hanging installed. The Diocese of Southwark created and Saint Andrew’s moved from Diocese of Rochester
1906   Chancel roof painted marking completion the end of the chancel building
1908   Lych gate built in memory of Queen Victoria. New font and cover donated by Hill family
1910   Last Supper reredos donated anonymously
1913   Electric light installed by the Twickenham and Teddington Electric Supply Company
1920   War Memorial consecrated, made of Red Corsehill stone
1922   The balcony at the west end taken down and reduced to a single walkway
1933   Faculty granted to remove pews in the south aisle and replace with an altar
1945   South aisle window damaged as the result of bomb damage
1946   West window installed, designed by Hugh Easton
1948   St Nicholas south isle window given by Sir Phillip Game, designed by Warren Wilson
1949   St George window north side of the nave designed by Warren Wilson
1954   Extended vestry and boiler room changed from coal to oil
1958   Oil-fired boiler replaced by gas
1962   Separate vicar’s vestry and choir vestry built
1971   Church hall built
1984   New organ installed
1989   Children’s corner built
1990   New gates for the lych gate
1993   Restoration of the church clock
1999   Improved access completed
2000   Burials discontinued in the graveyard by order of the Queen in council
2001   Garden of Remembrance built
2002   Roof refurbished and winding light mechanism fitted. Organ refurbished. Decoration of the Lady Chapel
2005   Victorian railings from the lych gate to stable replaced

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Vicars of St Andrew's

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Revd James Hough                         Vicar 1831 – 1847

Revd Thomas Patterson Hough   Vicar 1847 – 1896

Revd Walter Blunt                           Vicar 1896 – 1898

Revd Stanley Blunt                          Vicar 1898 – 1906

Revd James Robert Pridie              Vicar 1906 – 1931

Revd Canon Ernest Beard              Vicar 1931 – 1966

Revd John Eustace Burridge          Vicar 1966 – 1978

Revd John Russell                            Vicar 1978 – 1987

Revd David Moore                           Vicar 1987 - 1999

Revd Simon Brocklehurst               Vicar 1999 – 2016

Revd Alice Pettit                               Vicar 2017 - 

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