St Nicholas's, Godstone

Although Sir George Gilbert Scott’s stay at Rooks Nest was to be only three years, as well as Caroline’s grave, Scott was able to leave other memorials of their brief stay in the neighbourhood. A year after the family moved into the house, Scott became involved in the restoration and enlargement of Godstone Church for George Macleay (1809-1891) between October 1870 and December 1871. Macleay had recently retired as Speaker of the Legislative Council of New South Wales and settled at Pendell Court, a fine Jacobean mansion three miles from Godstone, where his ancestors are buried. Scott’s work included a new south aisle, opening the nave roof, refitting the interior, raising the tower to include a new belfry stage and heightening the spire. He created the Macleay Chapel under the tower with vaulting and wall paintings. The builder was William Carruthers of Reigate.

Cole, D., The Work of Sir Gilbert Scott (The Architectural Press, London, 1980), p. 132.
Fisher, G., Stamp, G. and Heseltine, J., (eds), The Scott Family, Catalogue of the Drawings Collection of the Royal Institute of British Architects (Avebury Publishing, Amersham, 1981), 33 [a], 65 [a].
Clunn, H., The Face of the Home Counties etc. (Simpkin Marshall, London, 1936), p. 329.
Pevsner, N., and Nairn, I., Surrey, Buildings of England (Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, 1971), p. 405.