 Three
Centuries with Little Change
Following the
reformation and the establishment of the Church of England for
three centuries there was little major alteration to Harby
church similar to the additions of aisles in the centuries
before. At the start of this
period the church probably had a stone floor with stone benches
round the sides. There is no evidence now remaining but Nichols
in 1790 mentions “some
old stone seats in the chancel wall have been plastered up”.
The first pews put into the nave of church were probably of the
box design with high sides to kept cold draughts out. The
description in 1832 says the church new pews were being
installed, and describes them as “boarded”, probably this box
design.
Some remain to be seen today in the church at Tithby. At this period it was
common for those using these pews to pay a rent. In 1834 a
new pulpit and seats were put in. A memorial board in the
tower records:
"The Pulpit, Pews and new Sittings of this Church were Completed in the Year 1834 William Evans Hartopp Rector, John Orson and George Hall Church Wardens, George Wesson Parish Clerk." This may have included a reading desk as this existed in 1839 when the Duke of St Albans donated a new bible for it.
On the wall above the arch at the east end of the nave are four
panels. The middle two are wooden boards with the coat of arms
of George II who reigned from 1727 to 1760 and above it a board
with the inscription “Fear God, Honour the King”. These were
taken down and cleaned at the time of Rev John Savige.
On
either side are two panels with the ten commandments painted on
canvas held in wooden frames.
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The
window in the north wall of the chancel nearest to the nave has three panes
each with the letter W. This is the only stained glass in the
building.