St George’s church was rebuilt in the 1540’s and is one of the earliest churches built after the reformation. It replaced an earlier - possibly 13th century building - on this site. The chancel and nave, the oak tie and collar beams of the open roof are all of the period of Henry VIII. The south-west window embrasure, two small windows in the west gable, a bricked-up priest’s door and the doorway to the 19th century vestry are also from that period. The wooden clock-turret houses the original clock mechanism from the early 17th Century, the face and hour hand being added in 1783. The church was the parish church of Esher until 1854 when Christ Church (GC478A0) on Esher Green was built. It is therefore a rare example of a village church of the Tudor, Stuart and Hanoverian days.
Princess Charlotte, daughter of George IV and heir to the throne, her husband Leopold, first King of the Belgians, his niece the young Princess - later Queen - Victoria with Prince Albert and their family all worshipped at St George’s during the 19th century.
Thanks are due to the Friends of St. Georges for information about this church.
It is unusual for a cache to be inside the chuchyard, permission has been granted by The Rector of Christ Church, The Churches Conservation Trust and Elmbridge Borough Council to whom thanks are due.
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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