The Barn Church
St Michael's Barn Church, Farley Green
St Michael's Church is a converted 19th century barn, which replaced an
earlier building, one of several in a yard farmed in 1839 from Brook Farm.
It was built between 1840 and 1880, by which time the whole of the
original yard had been rebuilt. Four years later the Albury Estate
did further rebuilding and it was farmed as a complete unit, Cherryman's
Farm, with 80 acres of land until it was sold in 1922, thereafter the
land and buildings were let. The owner, Mr. Courtenay-Wells died in
1929 and the barn was given by his widow, Clara, to be converted into a
church as a memorial to her husband at the expense of the Parochial
Church Council for a Chapel of Ease in the Parish of Albury. It was
dedicated in 1930. The work was carried out by F.W. Woods and Son,
builders of Little London. The construction is a brick and ironstone
dwarf wall, surmounted by oak framing with weatherboarding outside
and lath and plaster inside. The roof is of strutted framework boarded
on rafters and tiled. No architect was employed, the work being done
under the supervision of Mr. Charles Allen of Yew Tree Cottage, Farley Green.
St Michael's Barn Church roof
The interior
The oak furniture and fittings in the chancel were made by Mr. Charles
Allen and given by local people.
Furniture in the sanctuary was given in memory of Lucy Allen (1870 - 1952), a devout and constant worshipper
at the church.
The chancel
On the south wall of the chancel is a tablet "In memory of Clara
Courtenay-Wells (1845 - 1948), who gave so much loving care to
St. Michael's Church and unselfish service to Farley Green and the
neighbourhood".
There is a stone font and an organ, rebuilt by Kingate, Davison
and Co. of London, in 1949.
St Michael's Barn Church interior
The bell
During the 1939 - 1945 war, when church bells were only to be rung
in the event of an invasion, the single bell at St. Michael's was heard
tolling, Upon investigation, it was found that a cow had broken out
of the adjoining field and caught her horn in the bell rope! Also at
that period, the church was occasionally used as a centre for A.R.P.
instruction.
The bell has recently been replaced as the original one was stolen.
Ernest Board
A local artist, Mr. Ernest Board, who lived at Thatch Cottage, Farley
Green painted the panel on the reredos and designed the stained glass
window depicting St. Christopher set in the north wall.
It was made by the Skinner Board Co. of Bristol and is a memorial to Ernest
Board (1877 - 1935).
St Christopher memorial to Ernest Board
Ernest Board painting on reredos
Historical notes from the Archives of the Albury History Society.
With thanks to Bob and Retta Casbard who researched and wrote this item.