The stone font (1835) with a carved oak cover originally stood in the centre of the nave, but is now in the traditional position just inside the entrance doors - the christening ceremony being first step into the Chrisitan life and conducted just one step inside the church. The brass ewer is inscribed and dated 1918.
If you walk through the oak doors on your right, you will be in the newest part of the church, the Adelaide Room (with oak ceiling), which was added in 1971 and is used for choir robing, meetings, mid-week services, cafe church and overflow seating. It contains a mahogany memorial table given in 1937. The original entrance porch to the church had to be demolished to make way for the extension.
On the wall, you will see a picture of Queen Adelaide, benefactor of the church. It was photographed from a cigarette card!
Leaving this room and looking towards the altar, you will gain an impression of our little church.
Hanging on your right is the bell rope. The bell is the original one given in 1835 by the patron, the Marquis of Downshire.
The pews, constructed of African walnut, were installed in 1974 and given by Mrs. Mavis Goolden in memory of her second husband, Hugo. The original high-backed pews accommodate 250 worshippers “including 222 free seats appropriated for the use of the poor”. In 1842 it was agreed that those pews which were unappropriated be let at 5/- per sitting, and the 12 sittings on each side of the church behind the pews be let at 2/6d. per sitting. The high backs were cut down in 1887.
In the pews and sanctuary are 90 beautiful tapestry kneelers, hand-made by parishioners (101 originally made), some for special occasions such as the Queen’s silver jubilee and King Charles first wedding in 1982. One or two were added to commemorate our 150th anniversary in 1985. Most of them bear the initials of the maker and the date. Volunteers have helped to repair them over the years.
On each side as you walk along the nave aisle you will see three windows of coloured Italian glass, dedicated to the memory of Mary Lewis Longmore, 1872, who was that vicar’s first wife. They are based on Psalm 103 verses 15-16: “As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone…….”
The radiant wall heaters and convector heaters were installed in 1960, replacing a solid fuel system which necessitated employing a verger to look after the boiler. In 2016, we updated the heaters and they now run on a timer. Electric lighting was installed in 1930. These have since been updated to LED lights which are brighter and cheaper to run.
Next you will reach the oak choir stalls. Above them on the left is a framed picture of Raphael’s “Madonna and Child” from the Eyre Collection, presented in 1939. Both stalls and picture were given by Lt. Col. and Mrs. C.J. West. He was the vicar’s warden for many years.
The new pipe organ, installed in January 1983, cost £22,000., which sum was raised through covenanted gifts and donations. It should last 100 years. It replaced a Hammond electronic organ presented in 1942 in memory of Frank Sinclair and his wife Sarah, which in turn replaced a “Positive” organ (a small one with pipes) given by parishioners and installed in 1903 in memory of Rev. Longmore. The builders said that it would last 400 years with a few renewals !
Rev. Longmore, “a refined and courteous gentleman”, died in 1901 aged 77, after 49 years’ faithful service as vicar. It is said it was quite usual for his sermons to last a couple of hours! He is buried in the churchyard.
The lectern with the carved oak eagle, another gift from the Wests, in memory of their sons Charles Throdore and Capt. Nevile West, M.C., had to be moved to the back of the church (and later to the Adelaide Room). It replaced a previous lectern given in 1887.
On the left is the panelled oak pulpit made by Ryder’s of Reading and dedicated in 1968 in memory of Harold Lumley Sinclair.
Also on your left are several memorial tablets, one to the memory of a faithful parish warden, Charles William Merritt, and another to a chorister for many years, Frederick Daniel.
To enter the sanctuary you will have to pass through a red brick arch. When the chapel was built in 1835 this was the end wall, black except for a plain glass window. In 1887 the archway was cut through, leading to a new chancel, again with plain glass windows, and a vestry adjoining (on the left). The architect, Maurice Hulbert (his memorial tablet is one of those on the left wall) was the vicar’s brother-in-law, and he gave his services free of charge. The building work was carried out by Mr. Adey of Newbury at a cost of £250, which was met by public subscription.
The roof is in the traditional design of a ship’s beams (upside down), implying that the church is a safe vessel sailing through the oceans of life.
The carved oak communion table was given at this date and the altar cloth more recently, again by Mrs. Goolden, in memory of her first husband and son.
Queen Adelaide gave the chapel which bore her name a silver communion set - chalice, paten, flagon and alms dish inscribed “Presented by Her Majesty the Queen Adelaide IHS”. This set was made at the end of his career by Paul Storr, the most famous royal Georgian silversmith. Apart from a poor quality altar set in York Minster and another for a church in London, no other examples are known to exist, and ours is certainly his finest. We use the set for special services - Christmas, Easter, etc.
The church also possesses two more chalices, two patens, another flagon and two brass alms dishes, as a sick communion set - all gifts of parishioners.
In 1887 the choir was moved from its position behind the congregation to stalls in the new chancel. It was moved again to the present position in 1974. At the same time the chancel steps were extended, the altar moved away from the reredos so that the priest could celebrate communion from behind it, the oak communion rails were moved forward to the archway and the new-style sanctuary was carpeted, all this being carried out in memory of the late Mrs. Harvey and her husband, another churchwarden.
On the left (north) wall of the sanctuary is a brass memorial plate to Private James Merritt, and the door to the original vestry (1887), which now leads through to the priests’ vestry (1927).
On the right of that altar is an aumbry (or safe) in which the consecrated Bread and Wine are kept, which was installed in 1963. Next to it is a brass plate to the memory of Rev. Longmore. Also on the right (south) wall are two coloured windows containing the figures of Fortitude and Hope, a memorial to those from the parish who gave their lives in the 1939-45 war.
Above the panelled oak reredos is a most beautiful triple-lancet stained glass window given by Arthur Wilkinson (vicar’s warden) in memory of his sister Sophia Wilkinson 1851-1930, who seldom missed a service in church. The artist was Mr. Davies of Bromsgrove Guild Ltd. It was dedicated during the centenary celebrations in 1935.
In the centre lancet you will see the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Baby Jesus in the stable, with two lambs lying asleep on the straw; a lighted lantern nearby symbolises the birth of the Light of the World. Child angels are kneeling on the roof of the stable in the rays of the Eastern Star. There are two angels in the side lancets. At the top of the lancets are the symbols of the Holy Trinity, to whom the church is dedicated: the hand of the Father raised in blessing; the Lamb of God who was led to the slaughter of (Jesus the Son); and the Dove (the Holy Spirit). At the bottom of the panels are a wealth of flowers bearing the name of our Lord’s Mother: Lady’s Bower, Lady’s Mantle, Lady’s Slipper, Lady’s Smock, etc.
If you now turn your back on the sanctuary and raise your eyes, you will see the west window (appropriately, another gift from the Wests) given in 1937 as an offering on the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. It depicts the Risen Christ with two angels.
Above the doors to the multi-function Adalaide room is a memorial to all those who died in the great war. This was commissioned in 2018, on the 100th anniversary of the war.
The Adelaide room is also where the accessible entrance to the church is located. It is used by many local groups throughout the week.
After the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022), the church installed cameras and equipment that allows us to stream our regular services (as well as weddings and baptisms) online. This was a legacy from a previous parishioner (Jean Leatham) and there is a plaque to acknowledge the very kind gift. At the back of the church is a local foodbank collection point, where parishioners donate items for the Newbury foodbank.
We hope you have enjoyed your tour of the Adelaide Chapel. Before you leave, please send a prayer of thanks to God for a Queen who wished her gift of communion plate to be “a lasting memorial of one whose best wishes will ever attend the frequenters of that Place of Worship”, and for many others who in the past 150 years have loved, served and given, on whose efforts we hope to be building worthily to enrich the Christian life of coming generations. If you wish us to pray for you or your loved ones, please add the names (Christian Names only if preferred) to our prayer tree at the back of the church. Please take a moment to sign our guest book! We always enjoy hearing from our visitors, both local and from afar.