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A brief history of the church is shown below. For a more detailed paper which gives much more information about past benefactors, please follow this link: 'Know your church' (Note: document size is 4Mb). You can find a copy of the 1870 Ordnance Survey map of Wrecclesham here.
‘The hamlet of Wrecclesham in the Parish of Farnham is situated nearly 2 miles from the church which possesses very inadequate accommodation for the population of so large a parish and the effects of this deficiency press most heavily on the outlying districts.
It has therefore been in contemplation to erect a new Church in the centre of this district comprising about 800 inhabitants to contain 400 sittings and this building is now in progress. It is to be endowed with £1,000 and is expected to cost a similar sum, exclusive of enclosing a new Burial Ground and of this proportion of 5 per cent to be reserved for repairing the fabric in pursuance of the direction of the Act of Parliament.’
So runs the heading of an early document containing subscriptions received varying from 2d. from Harry Collins of Wrecclesham, to £100 from Mr. Knight of Runweek House and £200 from the Bishop of Chichester.
Not the least interesting part of the document regards the offer of a team of horses from 17 people and of one day’s labour from 12 more. It also includes the gift of a Church Bell, Communion Table and Plate, Organ, Stove, 100 baskets of lime, £2 for seats and £10 towards a Parsonage, besides several other items.
The stone from which the Church was built came from the quarries of Dippenhall owned by W.P Paine Esq. who not only gave the stones but also the land for the site and for the Burial Ground.
The Church was consecrated by Bishop Sumner of Winchester on July 15th 1840. It was a small building consisting of Chancel, Nave and North Transept.
It contained a gallery at the West end, seated about 360 people and was the proud possessor of a barrel organ.
The first incumbent was the Rev. R.D Buttermer who was succeeded in 1846 by the Rev. H.R. Julius, curate of Farnham, who held the living for 40 years and whose exquisite hand writing in the Parish Registers is still a joy to see.
In 1860 St Peter’s National School was opened, created by public subscription plus a government grant. In connexion with the opening a series of entertainments was held from Monday to Friday including a missionary meeting on behalf of CHS attended by 300 persons and ending on Friday with the first concert attempted by the Wrecclesham Choir assisted by members of the Farnham Choral Society. These concerts were continued annually for 36 years and were recognised as of particularly noteworthy character owing to the great talents of the gifted daughters of the Vicar.
During the Rev. Julius’ time many alterations were made in the church fabric so that very little of the original remained.
In 1861 it was enlarged, the Chancel was rebuilt and a South Aisle was added.
In 1876 the Nave was rebuilt and the North Aisle added. The Church was re-opened on Dec 28th and consecrated by the Bishop of Winchester. Besides the North Aisle, twelve feet were added to the Nave, the West Gallery was removed, the Bell Turret added, seating for 100 more persons provided, and the roof was raised by the building of the clerestory. The cost was £1,800 of which £1,200 was the gift of the Vicar.
The Rev. H.R Julius retired in 1886.
In the early years of his incumbency a sum of money was collected by the daughters of Mr. Julius to fill the East window with stained glass. This was removed in 1913. The balance was used to provide the present Brass Lectern.
The Rev H.R. Julius was succeeded by the Revd. Leonard Hedley Burrows, then Curate of Dorking, who was inducted by the Archdeacon of Surrey on Aug 5th 1886.
The Rev. L.H. Burrows was subsequently made Vicar of Godalming in 1888, Croydon in 1904, Hove in 1909, consecrated Lord Bishop of Lewes in 1909 and translated to Sheffield in 1914.
Aug 15 1886, Eighth Sunday after Trinity, the first early celebration of Holy Communion was held at 8.00 am, with 18 persons present.
Feb 10th 1888, 1st Sunday of Lent. The Laying on of Hands was administered to 79 candidates from the Parish by the Right Reverend Bromsby and there were licensed to be lay readers: Henry John Snelling and John Parratt.
From 1888 until 1890 The Rev C.E. Seward was vicar.
On April 20th 1890 The Rev Charles Henry Keable became Vicar and for the next thirty-three years gave his life to the Parish. He entered into rest on Aug 18th 1923 and is buried in the Wrecclesham churchyard new plot.
During these years many additions and improvements were carried out.
1894 Feb 25th A new font was erected, the old one is now affixed to the wall of the vestry where it serves as a Piscina.
The Windows. All except one were filled with stained glass during this time.
The Altar. The Revd. C.H. Keable died on Aug 10th 1923. As a memorial to him a sum of money was subscribed by parishioners and friends to begin a scheme of beautifying the sanctuary. Designs by Captain W.H.R. Blacking were approved and on Aug 10th 1924 the new work was dedicated by the Archdeacon of Surrey. This included a new altar (the old one being given to the Mission Room) riddel posts, dorsal curtains and two frontels, red and green, and oak panelling in the sanctuary. The old white and violet fronts were enlarged to fit the new altar, the red one being transferred to the side chapel. The altar rail was added in 1930.
1900 The Sanctuary was hung with curtains from funds raised by subscription.
1904 Improvements were carried out to the organ at a cost of £53.
1905 An important year - the project of building New Church Schools was put forward. The proposal to build a permanent Mission Room at Boundstone was considered. A Parochial Mission was held.
1906. New Choir Stalls were placed in the Church, the gift of Mrs Kincaid, in memory of her husband and uncle.
1907 On Sep 28th the Bishop of Dorking dedicated a new Vestry built at a cost of £230 raised by subscription. On Oct 31st The Mission Room at Boundstone was dedicated by the Archdeacon of Surrey, the cost of the building being £215.
1909 On May 17th the foundation stone of the New Schools was laid. On Oct 6th the Schools were opened.
1913-1914. The re-seating of the Church was carried out at a cost of £115. Funds being raised by public subscription.
1914 The side chapel was built, the gift of Rev. C.H and Mrs Keable and their son, in memory of Lieut. Harold C.L. Keable who was killed in action. Sep 25th 1915.
1933 The window in the West Wall of the South Aisle was filed with stained glass to a design by W. Aikman as a memorial by parishioners and friends to Rev H.J.Snelling, Lay Reader and Curate of the Parish 1877-1931. Unveiled by the Archdeacon of Surrey April 23 1933.
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