Thank you for visiting the DHCT Churches Directory which you will see is incomplete and undergoing a major revision. We are transferring and updating all the information held on the old “red” website and renewing many of the photographs in a process which will take some time. Why are we doing this? The old site was state of the art 15 years ago when it was first launched but nowadays very few IT specialists know how to keep it running and up-to-date. So we had to set up a new site running on software which is expected to remain current for many years. We also realised that most of the photographs on the old site had very low resolution and would not do justice to their subjects on a modern site. So we are embarking on a programme of taking new photographs of the key features of nearly all our churches. In the meantime we are showing one external view to give you an idea of its age and appearance. We hope that you will be patient as we carry out this work; we will welcome any feedback by e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

TO THE CHURCHES

The carved marble Art Nouveau font features two angels representing Faith and Victory on either side of the rock of Eternity with the surprisingly small bowl in front.  It was commissioned by Baron Hambro in 1860 at a cost of £400, as a memorial to his wife, and executed by the Danish sculptor, Adolph Jerichau.

The Lady Chapel has a marble altar that was once part of the High Altar.  It was designed by James Wyatt at the same time as he restored the reredos in 1789.  He was responsible for most of the interior decorations of the mansion house after Joseph Damer had sacked his second architect, Sir William Chambers. To the left of the altar is a picture John Tregonwell (V), who at the age of just 5 years old fell from the roof of the Abbey in 1605, but was saved by his voluminous pillowing petticoats, which acted like a parachute.

On the left side, behind the sedilia, there is a stone effigy of St James of Compostella, who is the patron saint of pilgrims. 

Above a coloured, but defaced niche at the rear of the chapel on the left, is Abbot William Middleton's rebus.  It shows a mill over a cask or 'tun', hence 'Milton'.

The North Transept contains the Damer Monument by Carlini and the font by Adolf Jerichau.  The window is an integral part of the Damer Monument and contains the arms of Damer and Sackville, which was Lady Caroline's family name.