St Mary the Virgin's church, Chessington

The oldest part of the church is the Chancel and north wall, which dates from the twelfth century. The original Chapel of Ease in Chissendon is first mentioned in the Merton Priory Records of 1174 to 1189. The building was restored by Hesketh and re-opened in 1854. It was lengthened to create the west end, the shingle spire was added and the exterior covered with undressed flint. During the restoration, the date 1636 was found when the plaster ceiling was removed exposing the old chestnut roof. The Chancel Arch was built and the vestry added to the north. The square woodened framed windows were filled in and the early English arches and Early English lancet windows were restored. The south aisle was added in 1870 by Jackson. The beams in the chancel are probably medieval, while those in the nave are nineteenth century apart from the four nearest the chancel which are seventeenth century. The doorway in the north wall leading to the vestry is probably original and is fitted with a 14th-century wooden door that originally came from Winchester Cathedral.The Church of St Mary the Virgin Chessington, church information leaflet

There are small crosses scratched into the stonework in the chancel by the priest's door and on the south wall, possibly by crusaders. Also in the chancel is a Nottingham alabaster Annunciation panel (c 1376), probably part of three panels. The moulded base of the font is 13th century. There are eight bells in the spire, cast by John Warner & Sons in 1894.

There are two windows by C. E. Kempe & Co. from the period when the company was under the chairmanship of Kempe's younger distant cousin, Walter Earnest Tower (1873–1955); they bear the "signature" of a small black tower. On the north side of the Nave the narrow lancet window is original and the stained glass is by Kempe dated 1912. The two-light "George Chancellor" memorial window on the west end is also by Kempe (1923).

There are two windows by Clayton and Bell. On the south side of the Nave the three lights window c1900. In the chancel on the south side, the "Good Shepherd" window is dated 1861.

South window "Faith, Charity, Hope" is by William Morris & Co. (c 1918), designed by Dearle from designs by Burne-Jones. It is dedicated to Arthur de Vere Vere who died in 1916 (although the inscription has the date 1917) and who is buried in the churchyard.

There are antique stained-glass medallions in the West window (1854); the two quatrefoils are 17th century Dutch glass, the others are 16th century Flemish glass.

The maker of the window in the nave, west end south side, is unknown.

There is a monument to the playwright Samuel Crisp (1707–1783){{Cite ODNB|last=Sambrook|first=J|title=Crisp, Samuel (1707–1783), playwright|url=https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/6706|access-date=13 September 2021|date=2004|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/6706}} who lived at Chessington Hall, which was sold in 1913 and later demolished. He was a friend of the 18th-century novelist and diarist Fanny Burney who wrote the epitaph.

The angel lectern "Phoebe" (1898) in the south aisle was given in memory of Gordon Wyatt Clark (1822–1897), High Sheriff of Surrey in 1873{{Cite journal|date=7 February 1873|title=SHERIFFS appointed by Her Majesty in Council for the year 1873|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/23946/page/516|journal=The London Gazette|volume=23946|pages=516|via=The Gazette}} and Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey in 1890.{{Cite journal|date=22 July 1890|title=Commissions signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Surrey.|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/26072/page/4048|journal=The London Gazette|pages=4048|via=The Gazette}}

There is a small Elizabethan silver Communion Chalice, one of the smallest in the country, being only 9 centimetres high. It bears the date 1568 and the mark of its London maker. It is currently exhibited in the Victoria and Albert Museum.{{Cite web|date=12 October 2005|title=Communion Cup|url=https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O117605/communion-cup-unknown/|website=Victoria and Albert Museum}}

The churchyard contains the graves of 9 war dead.{{Cite web|title=Chessington (St. Mary) Churchyard|url=https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2044026/CHESSINGTON%20(ST%20MARY)%20CHURCHYARD/|website=Commonwealth War Graves Commission}}

File:Chessington, St Mary the Virgin's church, entrance.jpg|St Mary the Virgin's church

File:Chessington, St Mary the Virgin's church, the chancel.jpg|Chancel

File:Chessington, St Mary the Virgin's church, Stained-glass window, west end.jpg|Window by Kempe

File:Chessington, St Mary the Virgin's church, the priest's door, detail.jpg|The Priest's door

File:Chessington, St Mary the Virgin's church, Samuel Crisp memorial.jpg|Samuel Crisp monument

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• [http://www.stmaryschessington.org/ St Mary the Virgin Chessington Official website]

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Category:Church of England church buildings in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Category:Grade II listed buildings in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Category:Diocese of Guildford