Guarlford History Group
St Mary's churchInterior and memorialsThe interior of the early church must have seemed very austere at first, as the only furnishings were a stone altar, pulpit and font, and there was no organ. The spaces between the narrow windows of the nave were filled with scriptural sentences in red, purple and gold (possibly somewhat like those found in Newland church). These were described as "gaudy" by John Noakes, 'The Rambler,' writing about his visit to the church in 1845, immediately after it was built. The walls must soon have been painted over, as the earliest photographs show the walls as plain except for the east wall where the Ten Commandments flanked the altar. These were later covered by oak panelling which was the gift of John Henry Stapleton and his wife Sarah Stapleton. This is commemorated on a small brass plaque near the vestry door. The plaque reads, In memory of John Henry Stapleton and Sarah Maria Stapleton who in their lifetime panelled the chancel as a thank offering. John Stapleton was churchwarden for many years and a generous benefactor to the church. He was the grandfather of Joan Hudson, a well-known local nurse and midwife. The small portable altar immediately in front of the main altar was a gift to the Revd Frederick Newson by his friend the Bishop of Durham.
The wooden statue of the Madonna and Child was a gift from the Parish of Masasi in Tanzania. 
The blue plaque on the wall of Madonna and Child was a wedding gift to Revd and Mrs Newson by the Countess Beauchamp (Lady Lettice Grosvener 1876 - 1936), wife of William Lygon the Seventh Earl. 
Next comes a window dedicated to a Charles Andrew, 1899, whose grave is opposite the church door. He was the brother of Revd J B Wathen's wife Emma Andrew. he 1881 census records Charles Andrew living at Coughton Court, occupation Justice of the Peace like his father who was a cotton manufacturer. The third window is a memorial to a Victorian churchwarden, Thomas Need, who died in 1883. He was one of a family who had farmed in the district for about four hundred years. 
Another window on the south wall is dedicated in memory of Elizabeth Bullock died 1883. The 1881 census records Elizabeth living with her husband John Bullock a farmer of 14 acres at Cherry Orchard, living just down the road from Revd J B Wathen and his family at the Rectory. The carved oak pulpit, which replaced the original stone one, is a memorial to Revd J B Wathen; it was dedicated on 11th December 1906, and was paid for by public subscriptions. The ornate brass lectern is a memorial given by Ann Lees in memory of her sister, Alice Simpson, who died in 1879. A pair of floor-standing brass candlesticks, which matched the lectern, were stolen in the 1990s, along with the Bishop's Chair. The candlesticks were replaced, but sadly the replacements do not match the lectern. The present Bishop's Chair, made by Vanpoules of Surrey, is a near-replica of the stolen one. Of the three beautiful east windows, the first is to the memory of the sixth Earl Beauchamp, who gave so much to the new church. He died in 1891. The middle window is to Edward Archer, another most generous benefactor and churchwarden, who died in 1892. He was proprietor of the 'Mount Pleasant Hotel', the 'Foley Arms' and adjoining wine shop at that time; and he paid for the re-glazing of some of the windows in the Priory, as well as giving a new bell to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887. Of John Bell, donor of the third window, little is known except that he was of Peckham Grove, died in 1890, and had lived in the black and white 'Littlewood House', in Poolbrook, where, it is said, once lived the mother of Barbara Cartland the novelist. The carved oak cover for the font was given by a Mr Taylor who lived at Cherry Orchard in the 1930s. It replaced an ugly tin cover of which he strongly disapproved.
In memory of Philip Nicholls who fell asleep St Matthias Day 1918 from South Lea School fellows and friends South Lea School, in Albert Road Great Malvern, had strong links with Guarlford Church, as Revd Newson taught there for many years and was held in great esteem by staff and pupils, some of whom regularly attended Guarlford Church. The plaque is most likely to relate to a pupil of the school who died at a nursing home in Priory Road. Possibly he was the son (died age 11) of Francis and Hannah Nicholls who farmed at Wolverley near Kidderminster. The church plate was a gift from Charles Morris; he came from London to live with his sister in Malvern and seemed to spend the rest of his life supporting good causes including provision of a water supply in North Malvern. The chalice was remodelled in 1909 by 'Ramsden and Carr'; it had been too top heavy. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, an Embroidery Guild was formed and the ladies who met on Wednesdays took responsibility for the provision of altar frontals, vestments and banners. The banner of Our Lady, begun in 1909 and renovated a few years ago by Mrs Barbara Hill, still hangs over the pulpit. In the early 1990s, another group of ladies crafted many of the colourful kneelers to be seen in the church today; and, to commemorate two thousand years of Christendom, yet another group of ladies in 1999-2000 made new communion rail kneelers, cushions and additions to the pew kneelers. New altar frontals were also given in memory of Frederick and Lily Clarke of Guarlford, Mr Ronald Smith, a long serving churchwarden, and Miss Helen Smith, who for many years gave freely of her time to play the organ at services as well as carrying out sacristan and other church duties.
T he reason John Wathen Eyton Jones is remembered in Guarlford Church is that he was the grandson of the first Rector Revd John Bateman Wathen. On the north wall of the nave, adjacent to the organ, is a list of men who served in the First World War, but it is disproportionately long for the size of the parish and it is likely that the list is of those for whom members of the congregation wanted prayers offered. Many came from surrounding parishes, some were probably ex-pupils from South Lea School, and some seemed to have no connection with the Malvern area. There are also omissions: for instance, the Panting brothers are not mentioned. Included in the list is Hubert Jones, former Rector at Guarlford. The fine painting of Madonna and Child, in the ornate gilt frame, was a gift from Mr Robert Bartleet of Cherry Orchard in memory of his father the Reverend Canon H H Bartleet, one-time Vicar of Malvern Priory, who lived at Cherry Orchard in his later years.
The inscription reads, AMDG In memory of James Hamilton Symonds who fell asleep 16 October 1918 from South Lea fellows and friends. AMDG is an abbreviation for the Latin, Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam which translated means 'To the greater glory of God'.
In 1998, through an anonymous bequest, an inductive loop for those with impaired hearing and a sound amplification system were installed; and, in 2004, the organ received a major overhaul in memory of Mrs Dorrie Smith.
In memory of Mary Garlike late of Melton House, Great Malvern, daughter of the late William and Lydia Garlike of the same place. born on 28th January 1784 died on 10 March 1867 and was buried on the south side of the churchyard affectionately
inscribed by Eliza Dooley.
The inscription reads, The above named Eliza Dooley
departed at Malvern March 6th 1869 aged 53 years and is
buried in this churchyard by the side of the said Mary Garlike.
Who were these ladies and why was Mary buried in Guarlford churchyard if she lived in Great Malvern? The census confirms that Mary Garlike, born Marlborough in Wiltshire, resided at Melton House, which lay near Rose Bank, on Belle Vue Terrace; from about 1841 to her death. The census does not record her occupation but she employed four servants so must have been a leading person of considerable means. Her parents were Dr William Bennett Garlike died Great Malvern 26 April 1841 and Lydia Barbour the daughter of an attorney. William Bennett Garlike is recorded as an Executor of the estate of the Earl of Ailesbury who owned Tottenham Park in Savernake Forest. Eliza Dooley born Budworth, near Tatton Park, Cheshire, is recorded as a servant in the 1851 census so must have become a long standing companion. Perhaps Mary Garlike either subscribed to the building of Guarlford church in 1844 in memory of her father, or liked the sermons of the Rector, Revd John Bateman Wathen, who moved from The Priory to Guarlford. If you have more information about the Garlike family feel free to let the webmaster know. Based on chapter 5 of The Guarlford Story with photos and further research by Angus and Rosemary McCulloch Click to read about the churchyard |
On the west wall above the font is placed a
beautiful statue of Madonna and Child. On the base is attached a
small brass plaque. The inscription reads,
Part way down the north side of the nave can be
seen the Guarlford British Legion Standard. When the British Legion
was formed after the First World War, for the welfare and
comradeship of ex-servicemen and their dependents, most veterans
from Guarlford joined the nearest branch at Hanley Swan, but in 1929
Guarlford set up its own branch under the leadership of Commander
Ratcliff. Each year on Remembrance Sunday, the members would muster
at Hall Green and then march to Guarlford Church for the Remembrance
ceremony. By the mid 1980s, membership had dwindled, the few
remaining members transferred to the Barnard's Green Branch and the
Guarlford Branch was closed. In keeping with custom, the standard
was laid up in the parish church.
On the wall, near the British Legion Standard, is
a plain wooden cross in memory of Second Lieutenant J E Eyton-Lloyd
of the 10th Squadron Royal Flying Corps, who died on 24th June 1917. The basic
construction of the cross and 
A
small painting depicting a crib scene bears another plaque in memory
of a pupil of South Lea school.
James
Hamilton Symonds (died age 12 years) was the son of Dr George Henry Hamilton Symonds.
James' elder brother
Rowland Charles Symonds of Hereford went on to become a Brigadier in
the Royal Artillery and married into the Peerage.
A
plaque on the north side of the chancel dedicates the new lighting
system installed in 2003 in memory of Malcolm Russell, a Lay Reader,
friend of the church and former teacher at the Chase High School.
At the back of St Mary Guarlford is a brass plaque in memory of Mary
Garlike. The inscription on the plaque reads,
Immediately below is a second plaque.