West Stafford Village

The Parish Church of West Stafford is dedicated to St. Andrew and was rebuilt in 1640 incorporating elements from its 15th century predecessor. Distinctly Jacobean in character, the interior of the church is much appreciated for its plastered wagon ceiling, the carved rood screen separating nave from chancel and a fine candelabra, gifted by the Gould family in 1713. The chancel, built in 1898 from a design by Ponting, houses the Parish Dower Chest - said to be one of only three of its pattern, the other two being in the Bank of Ireland. Near the altar is a monument to Canon Reginald Southwell Smith, who was invested as rector of West Stafford a year before Queen Victoria acceded to the throne, and “reigned” almost as long as she did, dying in 1898. At the western end there is a gallery decorated by a coat of arms and three bells by Wallis in the late 16th century tower, one dated 1595 and the other two 1620. It is to these three bells that Hardy refers when describing the wedding of Tess to Angel Clare in chapter 33 of “Tess of the d’Urbervilles”: “As they came out of the church the ringers swung the bells off their rests, and a modest peal of three notes broke forth – that limited amount of expression having been deemed sufficient by the church builders for the joys of such a small parish.”