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Volunteering - Church Recorders

A Church Record promotes recognition and preservation of the rich artistic heritage in places of worship by recording the fixtures and furnishings of churches of all religions. Participating churches are presented with an illustrated book detailing each item and its history. Copies of the Record are deposited at Historic England, the ChurchCare Council, the National Art Library (V&A) and local County Records Office or County History Centre.

In October 2015, Epsom DFAS completed a Record of the Furnishings of Christ Church, Epsom Common. Christ Church is a beautiful Victorian Church of England (Anglican) parish church and part of the Guildford Diocese. The present building was designed by the eminent Victorian architect Arthur Blomfield, a relation by marriage to William Trotter of Horton Manor. Sir Arthur (as he became) also designed the chapel at Epsom College and is probably best known for London’s Royal College of Music immediately behind the Royal Albert Hall. The Bishop of Winchester consecrated the building on 18th  October 1876.

From November 2016, a new group of volunteers worked on recording St Mary the Virgin, Ewell Parish Church, in London Road, Ewell. Consecrated in 1848, the Church replaced an older building that can be traced back to the 12th Century, and contains a number of features and memorials relocated from the original building. The history of the current building is closely linked with the Glyn family, many of whom are commemorated in the church. Our volunteer group spent over 2,700 hours researching and recording the church and its' features and the finished record was presented to the Church at the end of March 2021.

The record for Epsom Parish Church, St Martin of Tours, mentioned in the Domesday Book, was begun by Volunteers in Autumn 2021.  The Tower (est. 1460) is the oldest bit of building in the borough and the current church goes back to 1825 with later additions in 1908.  There were 100 memorials, including Richard Evelyn, brother of diarist John Evelyn, and unfortunately, a large war memorial.  A hidden wall painting was detailed, so too a Vinegar Bible and Elizabethan chest.

Following organisational changes in the Arts Society at national level, from 2021 onwards, Church Recording activities were conducted in the name of the Church Recording Society, which was a newly formed charity independent of The Arts Society.  Happily now in 2026 it has rejoined The Arts Society.

From April 2026 a new group of Volunteers has begun to work on the Church Record for St Lukes's Chapel at Epsom College.

 

Volunteering - Church Recorders

A Church Record promotes recognition and preservation of the rich artistic heritage in places of worship by recording the fixtures and furnishings of churches of all religions. Participating churches are presented with an illustrated book detailing each item and its history. Copies of the Record are deposited at Historic England, the ChurchCare Council, the National Art Library (V&A) and local County Records Office or County History Centre.

In October 2015, Epsom DFAS completed a Record of the Furnishings of Christ Church, Epsom Common. Christ Church is a beautiful Victorian Church of England (Anglican) parish church and part of the Guildford Diocese. The present building was designed by the eminent Victorian architect Arthur Blomfield, a relation by marriage to William Trotter of Horton Manor. Sir Arthur (as he became) also designed the chapel at Epsom College and is probably best known for London’s Royal College of Music immediately behind the Royal Albert Hall. The Bishop of Winchester consecrated the building on 18th  October 1876.

From November 2016, a new group of volunteers worked on recording St Mary the Virgin, Ewell Parish Church, in London Road, Ewell. Consecrated in 1848, the Church replaced an older building that can be traced back to the 12th Century, and contains a number of features and memorials relocated from the original building. The history of the current building is closely linked with the Glyn family, many of whom are commemorated in the church. Our volunteer group spent over 2,700 hours researching and recording the church and its' features and the finished record was presented to the Church at the end of March 2021.

The record for Epsom Parish Church, St Martin of Tours, mentioned in the Domesday Book, was begun by Volunteers in Autumn 2021.  The Tower (est. 1460) is the oldest bit of building in the borough and the current church goes back to 1825 with later additions in 1908.  There were 100 memorials, including Richard Evelyn, brother of diarist John Evelyn, and unfortunately, a large war memorial.  A hidden wall painting was detailed, so too a Vinegar Bible and Elizabethan chest.

Following organisational changes in the Arts Society at national level, from 2021 onwards, Church Recording activities were conducted in the name of the Church Recording Society, which was a newly formed charity independent of The Arts Society.  Happily now in 2026 it has rejoined The Arts Society.

From April 2026 a new group of Volunteers has begun to work on the Church Record for St Lukes's Chapel at Epsom College.