The Chancel of St Nicholas' Church.

The main east window.			The main east window was originally inserted in the 15th century. It was completely restored in 1975 using Peron stone from the Meuse region of Verdun in France. This restoration was assisted by The Jane Austen Society to commemorate the bi-centenary of Jane's birth. The stained glass in the main east window dates from 1883. It was installed as a memorial to the Rev. John James Digweed M.A. of Pembroke College, Oxford. John James Digweed was the son of Jane's childhood friend James Digweed. John James succeeded to the tenancy of Steventon manor and he is buried in the churchyard next to the entrance gate.
Enlarge left hand panel	Enlarge central panel	Enlarge right hand panel

The altar was installed around the same time as the glass in the main east window and it also commemorates the Rev. John James Digweed. It replaced a Jacobean oak altar of simple turned design. The present altar has three painted panels depicting Christ, St Nicholas and three other saints associated with the ancient Saxon Kingdom of Wessex. The left hand panel shows St Birinius & St Boniface, in the centre is Christ, and on the right St Nicholas and St Swithun.

The late nineteenth century altar.

A 1727 a new Rector, John Church M.A., was appointed to the living of Steventon, and around this time there was a stock-take of the church's possessions which resulted in the following schedule.

A Schedule of the Goods belonging to the Parish Church of Steventon To The Altar i Table, i Green & i White Cloth, i Pewter fflaggon, i Sylver Chalice i small Sylver Pattin ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ To the Body of ye Church i Green Pulpit Cushion, i Surplice, i Bible, i Common-Prayer-Book, ~ i ffont, i Bier, i Ladder, 3 Bells, i Chest ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Will Parker John Lowell

It would appear from this list that the altar was a table, although there may have been a small side table adjacent to the altar. We see that the church was equipped for all eventualities, the church plate for Communion, the font for baptism and the bier for funerals. The ladder would have been needed to gain access to the church tower and bell chamber with its 3 bells, since there was no fixed access ladder at this time. The pulpit cushion was probably for resting the Bible on, rather than for the comfort of the Rector - notice there is no mention of a lectern, while the chest was used to keep the various church valubles in.

On the walls of the chancel you will find five memorials to the Austen Family. Click on the relevant image to enlarge it. The memorial will open in a separate window which you should close before returning here.

Memorial to James Austen

Memorial to Anne Austen

Memorial to Mary Austen

Memorial to William Knight

Memorial to William Knight's Children

Jane Leigh's grave

On the floor of the chancel, directly beneath James Austen's memorial, is the grave of Jane Austen's maternal grandmother, Jane Leigh. She died in 1768 shortly after the Austen family moved from to Deane to Steventon and was the first member of the Austen family to be buried at Steventon. It is interesting to contrast the simplicity of her memorial with the grandeur of the later generation.

On the south wall of the chancel, adjacent to the altar, there is a piscina. This was uncovered when the church was being renovated in 1988. Note the holes in the bottom of the bowls. These led via a channel down into the ground. They were used to ensure that the washings from the Communion Chalice were disposed of correctly. The piscina in the chancel is unusual in that it has two bowls.

The double piscina in the chancel

The present organ was installed in 1912, replacing a small harmonium which had been in use since 1875. The organ itself was presented by Mr & Mrs Robert Mills, the owners of Steventon Manor between 1910 and 1928. Originally the organ was hand pumped and the pump handle is still in situ on the right hand side of the organ. It has however since been modified with the addition of an electric pump.

The Organ.

The Choir Stalls. The choir stalls, which are of the same design as the pulpit, are probably Victorian in origin.

First Posted Jan 2000 Copyright © G Dutton 2000. References

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