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353:. She died unmarried aged 25. Her monument stands in the centre of the chapel, opposite the entrance in the south side. It consists of a plain slab of black marble supported by four white marble Doric columns which forms a canopy to a second slab of black marble, under which is a step of black marble on the floor. Two heraldic lozenges exist on the lower slab each surmounted by an Earl's coronet, sculpted in relief in white marble. An inscription records the erection of the monument by
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Bedford Chapel was further extended. The belfry chamber was installed in 1933. Prior to that date the ringers were to be seen at the base of the tower on the same level as the nave. Electric light was installed for the first time in 1936. In 1959-1960 the organ was destroyed by storm damage and was replaced in 1960 by the present organ. The new organ console was placed at the south east corner of the nave where it still stands.
249:. It was equipped with a crypt beneath, which was originally intended as the burial place of the Dukes of Bedford and their family. In the end the Russell family continued to use the ancient mausoleum at Chenies, and the crypt of St. Mary's parish church in Woburn is now used for events and meetings. The hatch through which coffins would have been lowered into the crypt is still visible.
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The floor of the
Bedford Chapel is of black and white marble. There is an open wood roof with hammer beams, the ends of the corbels decorated with half figures of angels bearing coloured shields of the Russell and associated families. The series of six stained-glass windows on the north side is by
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Another great renovation was carried out on St. Michael's in the period 1861–1887, during which the church was substantially rebuilt. In 1885 the
Bedford Chapel was extended westwards towards the tower, in 1886-1887 the roof was raised and the present day hammer beam roof installed. In 1906 the
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The chancel, nave, south aisle and west tower date from the 15th century, while the north chapel (Bedford Chapel) was added in 1556. Most of the masonry is of flint rubble with stone dressings. The west tower features a stair turret in the south-east. The exterior walls had their flint facing
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The present parish church mainly dates from the late 15th and early 16th centuries, replacing an earlier, mainly wooden church dating from the 12th century. The first church on this site and dedicated to St. Michael is believed to have been built in the latter part of the 12th century by
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reworked in the 1860s. Inside the church, there are many items of interest. At the north side of the church, an arch leads from the nave into the
Bedford Chapel. There is a 12th-century 'Aylesbury' style font from the Norman period, also medieval brasses, and Victorian windows.
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added the
Bedford Chapel, which was subsequently rebuilt and enlarged. After the church had fallen into disrepair during the 18th century, a major period of repairs and amendments was begun in 1829 by
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A 14th century monument to a member of the Cheyne family (medieval lords of the manor of
Chenies) and his wife. Table tomb with effigies, of which the male was never completed.
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are fixed to the roof. Throughout the chapel, all recumbent figures have their feet turned away from the East. Several coronets are fixed at cornice level on the South wall.
226:, as is a carved stone achievement on the outer face of the West gable wall. The 9th Duke and his wife were early supporters of cremation and paid for the construction of
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357:(1590-1676) "her deare cosen", daughter of Lady Margaret Russell and therefore her first cousin, and she is mentioned several times in Anne's diaries which survive.
186:, in accordance with her husband's will. An inscribed stone tablet is built into the outer face of the east wall of the chapel, below the window, and records: "
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home along with those of her daughter. All three sets of remains were eventually moved to the
Bedford Chapel shortly after Lord Amberley's own death in 1876.
106:. "Isenhampstead" was the original name of the village that later came to be known as "Isenhampstead Chenies" and by the 19th century simply as "Chenies".
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Anno Dni 1556 / Thys
Chappel ys, built by Anne / Countysse of Bedforde wyfe to / John Erle of Bedford accordyg to / ye last wyll of the sayd erle.
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caught from her daughter Rachel, who died five days later. Their deaths greatly affected
Viscount Amberley, whose decision to have their bodies
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394:(† 1641) and his wife Catherine Brydges († 1657); a tomb chest with effigies of alabaster, back wall with 2 arches and big open pediment.
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The
Bedford Chapel is attached to the north side of St Michael's Church and was commissioned in 1556 by Anne Sapcote († 1559), widow of
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401:(† 1700); marble pairs of Corinthian columns with oval portrait medallions between 2 life-size seated figures and baldacchino above.
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to be used for services. After St
Michael's had been restored and repaired, it was reopened for public worship on 23 June 1836.
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Monument to Elizabeth Russell, Lady Russell of Thornhaugh († 1611); a tomb chest and effigy. Also removed from Watford in 1907.
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190:" Monuments in the Bedford Chapel range from one from the 15th century through elaborate 17th-century sculpture to one to the
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without religious ceremony shocked English society. Lady Amberley's ashes were originally deposited in the grounds of their
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295:, most of whom are buried in the vault beneath the chapel. The monuments of the highest quality and importance are:
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175:. It is not open to the public, though visible through the glazed screen in the church. The chapel contains what
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with effigy originally stood in the church at Watford and was removed to the Bedford Chapel at Chenies in 1907.
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60:. It is not of great architectural interest but stands in an attractive position in the Chess Valley near the
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234:, who served as president of the Cremation Society of Great Britain from 1921 to his death in 1940.
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St.Michael's Church is surrounded by the parish cemetery. The Churchyard Extension contains the
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The Memoir of 1603 and the Diary of 1616-1619 By Anne Clifford Herbert Countess of Pembroke
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824:(partly inaccurate as burials from the Bedford Chapel are listed as 'in the churchyard')
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171:. Although it is within the curtilage of St. Michael's Church, it is administrated from
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described as "as rich a store of funeral monuments as any parish church of England".
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491:, Aircraftsman 2nd Class John Lionel Crook, who died on 12 December 1944.
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408:(† 1711) and his wife Elizabeth Howland. The monument was made 1769 by
194:(† 1891). The Russell standard and banners hang from the walls and ten
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558:'The Passing Years' - A short history of St. Michael's Church, Chenies
416:. White alabaster, youth and maiden separated by clouds, putti cover.
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The Passing Years' - A short history of St. Michael's Church, Chenies
303:(† 1555) and wife Anne Sapcote († 1559); a tomb chest with effigies.
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The Bedford Chapel is famous for its collection of monuments to the
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Monument to Lady Frances Bourchier († 1612), unmarried daughter of
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230:. Their ashes are buried in the Bedford Chapel, as are those of
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The exterior of St Michael's, with the Bedford Chapel attached
423:. Gothic arch with knobbly foliage, praying lady in profile.
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Monument to Bridget, Countess of Bedford, from Fryer (1916)
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Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide, 1866–1928
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Arms of the Russell family, Earls and Dukes of Bedford
703:"A Monumental Effigy of Bridget Countess of Bedford"
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459:, London. The memorial in the Bedford Chapel is by
797:The Bedford Chapel at St Michael's Church, Chenies
661:British Women's Emancipation since the Renaissance
293:Earls and Dukes of Bedford from the Russell family
167:) is the private mausoleum of the Russell family,
787:The 'Aylesbury' fonts in Buckinghamshire: Chenies
594:The 'Aylesbury' fonts in Buckinghamshire: Chenies
316:Monument to Bridget Hussey († 1600), daughter of
419:Memorial to Lady Georgiana Russell († 1858), by
237:In 1868, a new parish church was completed near
80:) which is private and not open to the public.
813:Heraldry of the Bedford Chapel, Chenies (1980)
808:A plan of the Bedford Chapel and its monuments
792:A History of the County of Buckingham: Chenies
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218:. The large East window is dedicated to the
870:Buildings and structures in Buckinghamshire
885:Grade I listed churches in Buckinghamshire
332:, where she founded a chapel in 1595. Her
606:The Buildings of England: Buckinghamshire
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318:John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford
406:Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford
364:(† 1619); a tomb chest with effigies by
72:), the mausoleum of the Russell family (
604:Nikolaus Pevsner/Elizabeth Williamson,
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448:(† 1891), by G E Fox in Jacobean style.
111:Russell family (later Dukes of Bedford)
880:Tourist attractions in Buckinghamshire
232:Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford
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446:Francis Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford
399:William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford
392:Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford
362:Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford
377:Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln
351:William Bourchier, 3rd Earl of Bath
387:; a semi-reclining figure on base.
343:(† 1604); a tomb chest and effigy.
212:St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
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355:Anne Clifford, Countess of Dorset
341:Anne Russell, Countess of Warwick
301:John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford
184:John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford
782:www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
582:www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
435:Odo Russell, 1st Baron Ampthill
121:, allowed the Long Room in the
64:. The church is famous for its
719:10.1080/00665983.1916.10853303
630:Heraldry of the Bedford Chapel
428:John Russell, 1st Earl Russell
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672:Crawford, Elizabeth (2001).
875:Churches in Buckinghamshire
776:www.cheniesmanorhouse.co.uk
538:www.cheniesmanorhouse.co.uk
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642:Saint Mary's Church Woburn
330:St. Mary's Church, Watford
104:Alexander de Isenhampstead
780:St Michael's, Chenies on
774:St Michael's, Chenies on
757:St Michael's, Chenies on
701:Fryer, Alfred C. (1916).
628:St Michael's, Chenies on
580:St Michael's, Chenies on
536:St Michael's, Chenies on
159:The Bedford Chapel (see
115:Lord Wriothesley Russell
97:Interior of St Michael's
803:www.cheniesbenefice.org
759:www.cheniesbenefice.org
651:, accessed 26 July 2015
632:, accessed 26 July 2015
584:, accessed 26 July 2015
560:, accessed 26 July 2015
540:, accessed 26 July 2015
514:, accessed 26 July 2015
512:www.cheniesbenefice.org
383:, mother-in-law of the
22:St Michael's Church at
801:The Bedford Chapel on
707:Archaeological Journal
510:The Bedford Chapel on
375:(† 1623), daughter of
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818:St Michael's, Chenies
744:CWGC Casualty Record.
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846:51.67484°N 0.53254°W
455:(† 1892), buried in
414:Sir William Chambers
373:Lady Frances Clinton
259:, eldest son of the
243:Woburn, Bedfordshire
216:Knight of the Garter
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453:Lord Arthur Russell
385:4th Earl of Bedford
326:2nd Earl of Bedford
322:Sir Richard Morison
247:8th Duke of Bedford
220:9th Duke of Bedford
208:7th Duke of Bedford
192:9th Duke of Bedford
123:Chenies Manor House
119:6th Duke of Bedford
62:Chenies Manor House
31:St Michael's Church
851:51.67484; -0.53254
647:2016-01-23 at the
439:Joseph Edgar Boehm
421:Richard Westmacott
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263:, died in 1874 of
228:Woking Crematorium
224:his wife Elizabeth
196:funeral hatchments
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451:Memorial to
444:Monument to
433:Monument to
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404:Monument to
397:Monument to
390:Monument to
371:Monument to
360:Monument to
339:Monument to
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713:: 212–216.
465:Art Nouveau
147:Description
133:Description
864:Categories
834:51°40′29″N
687:0415239265
495:References
475:Churchyard
334:table tomb
273:Wye Valley
265:diphtheria
204:C.E. Kempe
165:floor plan
837:0°31′57″W
678:Routledge
481:war grave
279:Monuments
645:Archived
430:(† 1878)
324:and the
269:cremated
47:Anglican
89:History
58:England
52:in the
45:listed
43:Grade I
41:, is a
35:Chenies
24:Chenies
769:online
684:
610:online
485:airman
483:of an
467:style.
214:as a
161:photo
70:photo
682:ISBN
222:and
163:and
820:at
715:doi
487:of
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210:in
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