Canewdon: the church restoration, Southend Standard, 22 October 1908

Parish news from Canewdon, Essex. The harvest thanksgiving of Sunday 18 October 1908 was held late because the nave roof of St Nicholas was being restored, and the church was decorated for it by, among others, "Mrs. Higby and Miss Lillian Higby", who took the font, lectern, pillars and window recesses. Lilian May Higby (1890-1982), then about eighteen, is the woman later known as Granny Garner, Eric Maple's chief informant on the Canewdon witch traditions. William Wallworth, who found the cutting, notes that the vicar named here, the Rev. C. R. W. Hardy, officiated at the burial of George Pickingill the following year. Cropped to the article, with the full page alongside. How to cite: "Canewdon. The Church Restoration", Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser, 22 October 1908, p. 4 (British Newspaper Archive). Alexandrian Witchcraft Timeline & Archive.

CANEWDON. THE CHURCH RESTORATION. — The annual harvest thanksgiving services were held in the Parish Church on Sunday. For some weeks past another stage of the restoration of this beautiful and historic building has been in progress. The inner ceiling to the roof of the nave has been removed revealing a mass of beautiful timber, bearing indisputable signs of being as old as the tower itself, i.e., dating from 1464. The removal of this ceiling brought to light several defects in the roof. All the tiles were removed, and the roof has been put into a thoroughly safe and water tight condition. All this has been efficiently done by Messrs. Kemp and Allen, of Rochford, under the watchful eye of the Vicar (Rev. C. R. W. Hardy). For the festival, the sacred edifice had been beautifully decorated by Mrs. Hardy, who undertook the altar and communion rails; Mrs. Reeve, the choir stalls; the Misses Guiver, the pulpit; Mrs. Higby and Miss Lillian Higby, the font, lectern, pillars and window recesses. There were large congregations. The Vicar prefaced his sermon in the morning by alluding to the lateness of the festival, owing to the work of restoration. But it gave them the opportunity of meeting on what they might say was the birthday of the parish of Canewdon. On that day 892 years ago, between the spot where they were worshipping, and a radius of two or three miles, was fought what was known as the battle of Ashingdon, in which the able, but heathen Canute defeated Edmund Ironsides and became King of England. From this monarch the parish took its name.