The Henson Journals

[198]

Friday, March 4th, 1921.

I wrote cheques for £450 and £100 for the Wolesley car, and the new body with which it is to be equipped, & sent them to Harold. Then I revised, & partly rewrote, my sermon for this afternoon. After lunch we motored to Sedgefield, and lunched with the Archdeacon & Mrs Derry. Colonel Vaux and his wife were there. At 3 p.m. there was service in the Parish Church, when I preached to a crowded congregation. After service the choir & clergy followed by the people proceeded to the Memorial Cross which had been erected in the churchyard. Here I read the prayers of dedication, and Colonel Vaux gave a short address. Then everything was concluded with the Benediction. Unfortunately the rain was falling briskly all the time, and the effect on my episcopal robes was not impressive. I was surprised at the steadiness with which the considerable concourse of people endured the weather. After tea at the Rectory we returned to the Castle, where I went through the correspondence with Clayton.

Sedgefield Church is one of the finest and most interesting parish churches in my diocese. It contains remarkably fine choir–screen, stalls, and panelling of the Restoration period, when the Rectory was held by the famous Granville, Dean of Durham, and son–in–law of Bishop Cosin, from whom, it would appear, he acquired that passion for elaborate wood–carving which is gloriously disclosed in the Cathedral & Castle of Durham, & in Auckland.

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