CHURCH
Until the end of the 19th century the advowson of
Shelley was usually appurtenant to the
manor but in and after the 16th century
there were several occasions when it appears to have been granted for single turns to persons
who did not hold the manor. In about 1250 the patron
was reported to be the heir of Peter, probably Peter
Fitz Oger. (fn. 15) The advowson probably descended with
the manor through Peter's heirs to the Legh family.
In 1329 John de Legh presented to the living. (fn. 16) His
heirs continued to present until the 16th century. (fn. 17)
In 1509 Thomas Legh died in possession of the advow-
son leaving as his heir his grandson Giles. (fn. 18) In 1530
Richard Samford and others presented to the living. (fn. 19)
Giles Legh, however, was holding the advowson in
1538 and in that year conveyed it with the manor to
Sir Richard Rich, later 1st Baron Rich, who presented
several times between 1542 and 1558. (fn. 20) Robert, 2nd
Baron Rich, presented in 1568 and 1574. (fn. 21) In 1582
Robert, 3rd Baron Rich, conveyed the advowson with
the manor to John and Thomas Green and William
Stane. (fn. 22) In 1589 John Jollye presented to the living
but Robert Green died in possession of the advowson
in 1624. (fn. 23) In 1628 John son of Robert Green conveyed the advowson with the manor to Robert Holenden
and Thomas Emevere. (fn. 24) Jollye Stone, a farmer and
copyholder of Shelley manor, presented in 1662 and
1664. In 1686 Hadsley Green presented, (fn. 25) and in
1732 his daughters Sarah Baker and Mary Trebeck
with their husbands John Baker and Andrew Trebeck. (fn. 26)
In 1752 the Archbishop of Canterbury, patron by
lapse, presented James Trebeck, son of Mary and
Andrew Trebeck. (fn. 27) James Trebeck probably acquired
his aunt Sarah's rights in the advowson when he
acquired her half of the manor in about 1764 although
he seems not to have mortgaged the advowson when
he mortgaged the manor at the end of that year. (fn. 28) In
1769, shortly after his appointment as Rector of St.
Michael's, Queenhithe, James Trebeck and his mother
presented to Shelley. (fn. 29) In 1771 and 1773 James
mortgaged the advowson with the manor to Samuel
Evans. (fn. 30) The descent of the advowson during the
next 40 years is not clear. It is probable, however, that
it followed the descent of the manor. Nathaniel
Soames presented Henry Soames in 1812. (fn. 31) According to Wright (1835) James Tomlinson purchased the
advowson with the manor in 1819 or 1820. (fn. 32)
The Tomlinson family held the advowson for most
of the remainder of the 19th century. (fn. 33) In 1895-6
J. H. Tomlinson conveyed it to H. Garnett and others
who held it until 1898-9. (fn. 34) In the latter year William
Philp, Rector of Shelley from 1895, acquired the
advowson and held it with the living until his death in
1926-7. (fn. 35) Afterwards the advowson was held by his
executors until 1930-1 when it was acquired by the
Community of the Resurrection, Mirfield (Yorks.). (fn. 36)
Since 1932 it has been held by Keble College, Oxford. (fn. 37)
At present the rectory is held with that of Chipping
Ongar. (fn. 38)
In 1254 the value of the rectory was assessed at 5
marks. (fn. 39) A pension of 3s. was paid to the church of
High Ongar. (fn. 40) In 1291 the rectory was valued at
£1 10s. (fn. 41) In 1428 it was assessed at 11 marks. (fn. 42) Later
valuations were £9 15s. in 1535 and £80 in 1661. (fn. 43)
The tithes were commuted in 1839 for £192 13s.; (fn. 44)
there were then 37 acres of glebe. (fn. 45)
The rectory was burnt down about 1937. (fn. 46) It was
unoccupied at the time, the rector then living in Fyfield.
The lane leading to it is now a foot-path, still viable, and
the foundations doubtless exist on the overgrown site.
It was a timber-framed building dating from the 16th
century, if not earlier. (fn. 47) For a short time from about
1754 Thomas Newton, brother-in-law of the then
Rector of Shelley, James Trebeck, and later Bishop of
Bristol, used the rectory as a retreat and apparently
wrote his 'Dissertation on the Prophecies' there. (fn. 48)
Later the house was altered and enlarged. Henry
Soames, (fn. 49) Rector of Shelley from 1812 until 1860,
was said to have spent considerable sums on it by about
1835. (fn. 50) In 1861 the house was restored. (fn. 51) A photograph (fn. 52) shows a long four-gabled front with a central
two-story porch.
The medieval parish church of ST. PETER became ruinous towards the end of the 18th century and
was considered unsafe for use after June 1800. (fn. 53) In
about 1768 it was described as 'of one pace with the
chancel, and tyled. In the spire, which is shingled, are
2 Bells.' (fn. 54) In 1811 a new church was built on the
same foundations, (fn. 55) the cost being met largely by subscription. (fn. 56) This was a rectangular brick structure
with a steep roof and a castellated gable at the west end.
The windows were gothic but there was a Georgian
bell cupola. Between the windows were massive
buttresses, probably added later when the building
showed signs of instability. (fn. 57) In 1888 a faculty was
obtained for building yet another church. (fn. 58) The
architect's report on the existing structure stated that
repair was impossible and that in any case 'not one
single feature was worth preservation'. (fn. 59) The new
church was designed by Habershon and Fawckner, (fn. 60)
and £3,000 towards the cost was contributed anonymously by the Revd. W. M. Oliver, Rector of Bobbingworth. (fn. 61)
The church is larger than those preceding it and
consists of chancel, nave, north aisle, vestry, organ
chamber, and combined north porch and bell tower.
The external walls are of flint with Bath stone dressings. The tower has a shingled spire. The style is a
19th-century version of Early English and most of the
windows are grouped lancets. The internal walls are
faced with red brick, having dark brick bands and stone
dressings. The capitals of the nave arcade are carved
with stiff-leaved foliage. The east window has plate
tracery, the stained glass being the gift of Mrs. Allen
in 1888. (fn. 62) Formerly there were two bells dated
1810; (fn. 63) only one is now in use.
On the walls of the porch are tablets from the
original church. Over the door is an inscribed brass
commemorating John Green (1595) and Katherine
his wife. (fn. 64) On the east wall of the porch is a carved and
painted stone tablet to Agnes wife of John Green
(1626); it shows the kneeling figures of husband and
wife with two sons and four daughters. Also mounted
on the porch walls are two floor slabs from the chancel
of the original church discovered when the present
foundations were dug. (fn. 65) They commemorate Margaret, daughter of John Neale (1625), and Hadsley
Green (1699); this last slab has an achievement
of arms.
The plate includes an undated Jacobean cup, a
silver paten of 1724 given by Harvey Kimpton, (fn. 66)
patron, and another of 1726 given by John Pearson,
rector. There is also a beaker of 1799 given by Harvey
Kimpton and two almsdishes probably of the 19th
century.