Saint Osmund's church, Evershot
Click here for the War Memorial
The first church to stand on this site was of
Norman character and was built in the 12th century, about the time of
Richard Coeur de Lion. Very little remains of the
original edifice except for the chancel arch, which was rebuilt between the
north aisle and the organ chamber in the 19th century, and part of the tower
arch.
One of the earliest remnants of the fittings in the first church is the Norman font, although the pedestal, in the form of a cross, is 19th-century.
19th-century reconstruction
During the 19th
century the church was largely rebuilt, and those who designed the
reconstruction were careful to follow the style of the 15th century when the
first major changes to the original structure were introduced. The arcade on
the north side of the nave is 15th-century, and it would appear that the
ancient building was modified during that period so as to comprise a nave,
north aisle, the lower section of a west tower, north and south transepts and
chancel.
The chancel, which had been rebuilt in 1768 in what the Victorians considered to be debased style, was pulled down and replaced in the style of the 15th century. In addition to the new and enlarged chancel, the church was given a new south aisle, a new south door with a stone canopy, and a new south arcade, which is an extremely successful copy of the 15th-century north arcade.
The tower was extended from the level of the belfry upwards and given a new west door and window during the period of Victorian reconstruction.
Fittings
The bells
The original four bells
were recast in 1775, and two more were added for a total cost of £100.
The tenor bell bears the words: 'I to the church the living call, and to the
grave do summon all.'
The clock
The clock was designed by EB
Dennison, the designer of Big Ben, and was built by EJ
Dent, Clockmaker to the Queen. It was presented to the
village by the third Earl of Ilchester in 1853 when
the dials were installed in the then newly constructed spirelet.
The piscina
This is at the east end of the south
aisle and, like the font, is a survivor from the medieval church.
The Chaliced Priest
St Osmund's church remembers one
of its former rectors, William Grey, who had the living
from 1511 to 1524, with a small brass. Once on the floor of the chancel, this
is now to be found on the north wall of the chancel, just above the communion
rails. It shows the rector wearing the eucharistic vestments and holding a
chalice. 'Chaliced Priest' brasses are very rare, with perhaps two in Dorset
and only twelve in the whole of England. Beneath the brass is an inscription in
Latin: 'Pray for the soul of William Grey formerly rector of this church who
died on the 18th day of March in the year of our Lord 1524, on whose soul may
God have mercy. Amen.'
The reredos
Behind the altar, on the east wall of the
chancel, is a panelled oak reredos with a brass cross in the centre and four
brass panels depicting the symbols of the four evangelists: Matthew (angel),
Mark (lion), Luke (ox), John (eagle).
George Crabbe, rector and
poet
George Crabbe, who was rector of the parish from 1783 to 1789, is
regarded as one of our great national poets. He had a sympathetic understanding
of country people, and his poems of country life present a realistic picture of
what it was really like to be a poor cottager in 'the good old
days':
Go then, and see them rising with the sun
Through
a long course of daily toil to run,
Like him to make the plenteous harvest
grow,
And yet not share the plenty they bestow.
And he contrasts the 'Humble Cot' of romantic painting and fiction with the reality:
Go, if the peaceful cot your praises share,
Go
look within, and ask if peace be there.
Our heritage
This ancient and beautiful church
must be handed on in good repair to future generations for their help and
inspiration. The cost is considerable, and any contribution visitors care to
make to the Fabric Fund would be most welcome.
[The War Memorial in the church reads as follows:]
In memory of the men of the parish or associated
therewith who sacrificed their lives in the service of their country
1914 - 1918
Captain W. Vincent
2nd Lieut. H. Ford, M.C.
" " C.P. Hirst
Sergt. W.T. Gerrard
Corpl. A. Dubbin
Lce Corpl. F.J. Banks
" " G.
Kitching
Pte T.H. Bartlett
" E. Dubbin
" J.M. Green
" W.D. Lane
"
E.W.Pitcher
Erected by parishioners and friends.
[There is also a Roll of Honour 1914 - 1918 which bears the following names:]
Capt W. Vincent (Killed in action RIP)
Lieut. Stanislas E. Clark
Lieut. Owen George
Lieut. J. Hirst
Frampton Banks (Killed in action RIP)
Oscar Bartlett
Hubert Bartlett (Killed in action RIP)
Harold Bowditch
William Gerrard (Killed in action RIP)
Cecil Gerrard
Bert Groves
John Pitcher
Edward Pitcher (Killed in action RIP)
Richard Travers
Walter Gregory
Claude Sweet
George Barker
Bernard Sweet
Samuel Brown
William Bunney
William Bennett
William Lane (Killed in action RIP)
George Arlett
Albert Dubbin
Arthur Mullins
William Love
Henry Snell
William Gould
Ronald Green
William J. Groves
Albert W. Bird
James Moore
Maurice Green (Killed in action RIP)
Thomas Mullins
Reginald Groves
Thomas Groves
Archibald Groves
Percy E. Bartlett
Edmund A. Beauchamp
Willoughby Bartlett
E. William Groves
George Kitching (Killed in action RIP)
Thomas Bartlett
Henry Williams
William Newman
Frank Groves
Ernest Dubbin (Killed in action RIP)
Walter Sartin
[This Roll of Honour clearly includes not only those
who were killed in action, but also those who survived. There are some
obvious discrepancies between the two lists: for instance, on the War
Memorial there are twelve names, but the Roll of Honour gives only nine
as having been killed in action. Possibly the two lists were compiled
at different times, with some men having died of their wounds after the
Roll of Honour was drawn up. The War Memorial is noticeably formal,
with the names in strict order of rank. The Roll of Honour has a much
more homely 'village' feel. The names, mostly with first names instead
of initials, are arranged apparently at random: families are not
grouped, and alphabetical order was not taken into account.
Incidentally, there is no memorial for the 1939 – 1945 war, so perhaps no one from the
village was killed in it.]
The Melbury Team have their own website which you can reach by clicking here.
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