The Church of St. Blaise, Milton

Ambrosden church

The church of St. Blaise in Milton consists of a chancel with north chapel, nave with north aisle, south porch and west tower. With the exception of the tower, south porch and the western part of the nave, the building is entirely modern.

The ancient part of the nave, the porch and the lower stage of the tower are probably all of the 14th century. The upper part of the tower is a later addition or rebuilding, and the tower arch was inserted in the 18th century. At the rebuilding one bay was added on the east of the nave and the chancel moved further east.

The modern chancel is in the style of the 14th century. Under the chancel arch is the Barrett family vault in which is buried Dr. Richard Challoner (d. 1781), author of many devotional works and a version of the Douai Bible, who is described in the register as 'a Popish Priest and Titular Bishop of London and Salisbury a very pious and good man, of great learning and extensive abilities. 'The nave has a modern north aisle of four bays in the 'Decorated' style. Two-thirds of the south wall are ancient, but the three windows on this side are modern. The roof of the old part of the nave is of wagon form and is ceiled. The west tower is three stages high and is finished with an embattled parapet. The 18th-century tower arch is semicircular with a keystone. The 14th-century west window is of two lights and the west doorway below it is of the 18th century. The second stage is lighted by loop lights and the bell-chamber by two-light square-headed windows of late date. The south porch has a pointed and restored outer archway and a roof of stone slabs open to the ridge and supported by a pointed stone arch in the centre, pierced in the gable.

In the vestry are some fragments of Flemish glass, including a head of the Virgin, a male head, a small figure in a mitre and a merchant's mark for Peeter Crafsbeeg.

There are six bells: the treble is inscribed 'Ffrancis Yateman Robert Keate C. W. 1682'; the second 'Richard Keene cast this ringe 1682'; the third is of 1787; the fourth and fifth of 1682, and the tenor by Mears & Stainbank, 1906.

The plate includes a plate (London, 1697) with the arms of Benbow, Sable two bent bows back to back between two bundles of arrows or with their barbs and heads argent and tied with gules, and for crest a harpy; a cup (London, 1765), silver gilt and inscribed 'Milton Berks 1766'; a paten presented in 1851; and a flagon presented in 1875.

The registers previous to 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms 1654 to 1723, marriages 1662 to 1723, and burials 1662 to 1723; (ii) all entries 1723 to 1812, marriages to 1756 only; (iii) marriages 1756 to 1812.

Historical information about The Church of St. Blaise is provided by 'Parishes: Milton', in A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 4, ed. William Page and P H Ditchfield (London, 1924), pp. 361-365. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol4/pp361-365 [accessed 8 March 2023].

The Church of St. Blaise is a Grade II* listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ST BLAISE, Milton - 1368648 | Historic England.

For more information about The Church of St. Blaise see Parishes: Milton | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk)).