"We are one of the smallest parishes with census population of 200, predominantly from professional and managerial backgrounds. The majority of householders are owner occupiers, the remainder in social and private rented housing. Most are incomers, do not have strong local ties, and are from a white European origin. We have neither pub nor shop but there is a very active village hall which, together with the parish church, form the village foci.
Historically Sutton Waldron was an agricultural community but now few work on farms. There is little or no unemployment and work opportunities are mainly in the service sector. It is common to commute to work in towns within a 30 mile radius. Many residents are retired and are involved in a wide range of voluntary organisations and activities both inside and outside the village. There are many artists, musicians and craftsmen who add to a population of diverse talents.
There is a friendly, cheerful and supportive community atmosphere here.
Such is this spirit that, when four dwellings in the village were destroyed by fire in 2011, the residents turned out, en masse, to assist in the rescue of the contents and furniture. For this, the village was given an award by the Western Gazette newspaper.
St Bartholomew’s is an early Victorian building which I widely admired for its interior which is a rare surviving example of the work of the graphic and interior designer Owen Jones, who was particularly influential at the time of The Great Exhibition in 1851. The building was completed in 1847 and in its life has been written about by Sir John Betjeman and painted by John Piper. The building is mostly in good repair and should not need major repairs or maintenance in the near future. The next quinquennial is due next year. The moveable pews and excellent acoustics make the building very suitable for many uses.
We have one churchwarden and six members of the PCC. Some years ago they took the decision that there would always be a service in the church every Sunday, come what may. Some have been lay led and the quarterly, Let’s Celebrate gathering attracts many non-church goers and has been very successful. We are particularly anxious to encourage the younger members of the village and have taken a number of successful initiatives to make service formats more attractive to those new to the church, without alienating the more traditionally minded. There are 24 under 16s in the village of whom 17 attend church when asked to take part. We also have 8 regular young attendees from outside the village. We have 34 on the Church Electoral Roll and our average attendance for Share purposes is 22.
Easter workshops on Good Friday are held with around 20 children making their Easter Gardens and Bonnets for display and judging at the well-attended Easter Service itself. LPA work includes visiting all and working with children.
The annual Harvest Supper is very well attended by the whole village. Monies raised go to charity. Other functions arranged in company with Village Hall committee are held periodically.
Money is tithed each year to sources chosen each year by the PCC."
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"St Bartholomew’s Church, described by Sir John Betjeman as ‘one of the best and most lovely examples of Victorian architecture’. Located at the end of a leafy lane, it replaced a Saxon church, making up for lost time by including the best elements of architectural fashion that had occurred between the reign of William the Conqueror and that of William IV. George Alexander planned the church to include a nave, chancel, west tower, south aisle and north vestry, and executed it with the utmost flare through astute choice of materials, inclusion of flamboyant gothic features like flying buttresses and bold, original design exemplified by the octagonal tower. The colourful interior, designed by Owen Jones, continues the exterior’s homage to medieval style, with abstract patterns in red, navy and gold painted on a sky-blue background. Owen used tiles designed by his mentor, Augustus Pugin (best known for his interior of the Houses of Parliament), to decorate the chancel.
Dedicated in 1847, the new church had been paid for by Canon Anthony Huxtable, using the wealth brought to him by his marriage in 1840 to the devoted Maria Langstone. As well as his church-building project, he was an agricultural pioneer and worked tirelessly to improve the lot of his parishioners. Huxtable was perhaps better regarded than some of his predecessors, one of whom kept a detailed record of his 36 years as rector of Sutton Waldron from 1686 until his death in 1722. If anybody has ever wondered what a private christening was like, they may have their answer in the journal of Rev. Napier, who wrote: “Martha daughter of Robert Barrett and Martha his wife was privately baptised tho’ in sound and perfect health betwixt one and two o’clock of the morning, for doing of which I was hastily called out of my bed …”. There was a memorial to Rev. Napier in the old church, recorded by Hutchins, but now lost, which read: “Here lyeth the body of the Rev. Nathaniel Napier, Rector of this parish for 36 years, born of an illustrious family; he paid the debt of nature July 14th, 1722. En mortalitatis exemplar vivendi disce mori ut moriendo aeternum vivas”."
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