The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-12-18 00:00:00

MEMORIAL CHURCH To GEORGE HERBERT
OF REMERToN.

CoNSECRATION 111" THE I.OliD ItitiHOr Or &MIMICRY.
—Thursday last was a solemn ;mil joyful day in the
pariah of Benierton, a spot long 'cutmecrated to -piety,
genius, and literature, on the occasion id the con-
secration of the church erected to the flee .7 of Um
goo.lGeorge Herbert, the sweet singer of" The Temple."
More than 2% ytars !•ave passed away since the remains
of this painted man were &&&&& mated to the earth beneath
the altar of that little church at DemertonNhere ho
served Goil in his t i 11l stry. He died in his fortieth
year, in 1632, and was " taken away from ti.e evil to
come" just before the irked, occurs of the civil Sara
overwhelmeo the venerable church he hail loved ao well,
and of which he is pre-eminently the poet. It was at
itemertmi tint lie lived and wrote, and there, too, he
died, in the mi•lst of a course of ministerial labours,
brief in duration, but aehloin equalled in usefulness,
and fidelity. Notwitliatanding that George Herbert left
a name known and honoured to an extent accorded to
few amongst even the most distinguished of mankind,
no nutriment, even of the sionnlest character, had ever
been erected to his me 1111 l ry. Many of the admirers of
the good pastor and holy man had, however, from time
to time expressed. Aron deaire that mine monumental
record should be raiaed to his memory ; and the church
at liemerton, which is very small and ancient. having
fallen into utter decay, and being .mitie inaufficient to
meet the wants of the existing population, in the
sear DM mine persons who •ii the name of
George Herbert proposed to raise a worthy and most
appropriate monument in his own pariah, to the
memory of so good a man, by erecting a new church on
a site, near the existing mail building, which it is not
tilts:Med to remove. A committe was formed, who
made an appeal to the public, to which a genertsus
response was Made. A site for the proposed new
edifice haring been given by the Right Hon. the Earl
if Pembroke, it resolved to proceed with the under-
taking. Accordingly, on the afternoon of ttatunlay,
the 9th of April, 1-859, the Maimi of the Diocese and •
a body of local clergy attended, when the intettiding
ceremony of laying the foundation stone was performed
hy Mrs. Herbert. who had from the begin ll ill g taken a
lively interest in the promotion of this pious and
excellent work.

The new church is situated a little beyond the old
one, in the direction of Wilton.
Over the arcade on each side of the church are four
small clerestory windows, inserted in trefoils and sett•
bids alternately. The carving throughout the interior
of the church is of the most beautiful and elaborate
bind, more especially the uspitals of the columns, which
display the graceful foliage, so peculiar to the Early
English peritai, and which are among the most natantl
and truthful forms of Gothic art. The corbel heads, iii
the Mlle style, are also well executed The tables of
cousinantlinents and the various texts which have been
introduced are all 1:11t upon the at s, thus giving
character of durability and connection wit Is the original
structure, which painting on the walls fails to convey.
The effect of light and shade thus obtained is of a very
striking and beautiful kind.

Shortly after eleven o'clock on Thursday morning,
the Bishop of Saliabury, attended by his chaplains.
arrived at the churchyard, where he ssas received by
the minister and clergy in their xurplices, and a peti-
tion signed by the Incumbert and churchwardens war
lelivered to the Bishop, praying him to consecrate the
church, and the burialigniund thereto belonging. The
Bishop having received the petition, andhaving signified
his consent to consecrate the church and burial-ground,
according to the prayer therein contained, the Bishop
and clergy entered the church, and proceeded up the
In4Ve to the chancel, Ringing the 24th Psalm, to one of
Purcell's chants The clergy then took their scats in-
side the el mired, and the Bishop seated hinoelf in a
chair on the north side of the holy table, when the in-
strument of conveyance was presented. This having
been laid upon the commuidon table, the Bishm coup
inenced the servhe used at the consecration of churches
in the Diocese of Salisbury. The prayers were road by
the Rev. W. P. Pigott, Rector of Iteinerton, the first
lesson by the Rev. Prebendary Cherniside, and the
second by the Rev. R. Payne, Vicar of Downton. The
i'ommunion Service a lin read by the Bishop. the Epistle
hr the Hon. cud Rev. Prebendary Harris, and toe
ttosnel by the Rev. Chancellor Fraser. The musical
services, which were nowt effectively Tench red, were
under the dire,
were Mr. Stanley and two choristers of Salisbury
Cathedral, assisted by some members of the Wilton
Church choir. The V. Nile as chanted to Gregorian
music; the 84th and 122nd Psalms were set
to Lord Mornington'e chant, and the la2nd
Psalm to a chant by Dr. G. J. Elsey. The
Tr Drum was by Neville and the Jubilate was
Gregorian. After the collects, was sum,'s the 19:Ird
hymn, from the Salisburf Hy inn Book— " Jeliu!
here'er thy people meet, to Troyte, No. I ; and the
other hymn, being the I92nd front the Salisbury Hymn
Book—" Christ is laid the ante foundation," wash bung
to " Angnlare Fundanientum "
The sermon was preached by tie Lord Bishop of
, Salisbury, from Isaiah sl. and a part of the 9th and
18th vers.-- Behold your God ! To whom, then,
will ye liken God r
At the concluaion of the sermon big Lordship
descended from the pulpit, and proceeded to the com-
munion table, where lie read the offertory sentences,
during which a collection, amounting to Etl; 13g., WWI
made. Master George Herbert, son of the Right Hon.
Sidney Herbert, aesisted in gathering the collection.
The Holy Communion was afterwards administered by
the Bishop.
The morning service in the church having ended, the
Bishop and Clergy repaired to the burial ground, and
walked round in procession singing the 49th and 1156
psshos to Gregorian music, and his Lordship having
commerated the ground, concluded the ceremony with
prayer.
. . .

Between the morning and afternoon services the com-
pany present in the church adjourned to a large barn on
the farm of Mr. Cottle, at Beinerton. where • really
-unipturdra luncheon, provided at Wilton House, was
kid out, and was idtrtakeu of by e than 400 guests.
The poorer parithionet• were also entertained with a
substantial and excellent cold dioncr, in another barn
.di the farm of Mr. Cottle, which ann provided by Mr.
Chariton, d the Pembroke Arms, Wilton, who isplartd
;resit care for the wants of the humbler guests.
The e g nervier cot 1111 l eueed at four o'clock, the
Bi-hop being rresent. The prayers were read by the
Rev. Prebendary Popham, and the lessone by the lion.
,nd Rev. Prebendary Barris. The musical service War
follow,. P.IIIIP. Tullis ; at. G regl.r:an
4th tone ; None Ihniitia, Gregorian ; lrdh hymn f
the Nol6hury Hymn Ibmk—" Christ is our Corner-
.tone." Bird Chope ; Bishop Ken's Evening Hymn.
lilt

,
The sernem wet, preached by the Rev. Chancellor
Framer. who selected fur his teat the words of one of the
Apostles, whirls ere trigrav,l on the west wall of the
.-norch, and which were taken from Ist Epistle John
7: •• Rehired, let us lore one another : for love is
God, and every one that torah is burn of God, and
%mord.). Rod."

The Bishop baring pronounced the Benediction, the
..ngregn4ion aeparated. A collection was mode nt the
lope of the 4.errice, which. together ith that of the
aniouuted to 1041.
Thus close.' one of the most interesting end gratify-
cg days which has been went in tl.is I..cality for mai y
1-ing rar ; and in the evening all parties retired to
I.eir hue. th,nkful that • mail hip monument had
heen raised to the memory of the good George Herh,et.
an - that a spacious and well-appointed Church had beim
dtcPeated to the service of Almighty God, fur the use
GI the Of this partab.