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William Eden F/Mc Married Married Married Married Married Married Married Married: 1820 Anna Maria Kelhamc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arthur Eden [CFT #1148] Born: 1825 Died: 1908 |
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| b Beaksbourne, Kent d The Rev. Arthur Eden was inducted as Vicar of St. Mary's, Ticehurst in July 1851. When he died he had completed over 57 years devoted service to the church and community. It was a period of immense change in the country; he arrived in the same year as the opening of the nearby railway line, in 1870 he received the first telegram to the village, six years later a daily postal service started and in 1902 the telephone arrived. He was the oldest child of his parents to survive into adulthood, his mother having formerly been Baroness Grey de Ruthyn. He went to Queen's College, Oxford where he gained his BA in 1847 and his MA in 1856. He was curate at Bishopsbourne, in 1848 and 1850 and at Ickham in 1849. In 1848 he married Alice Julia, daughter of Thomas Annesley Whitney of Merton in County Wexford, Ireland. Ticehurst parish had for the previous eighty years had a series of absentee vicars, who appointed curates to look after the parish and for the last fifty years St Mary's suffered from serious neglect. On arrival in 1851 Arthur Eden found the building in a very dilapidated condition. Funds were then raised, largely due to his effort, to carry out restoration work which was completed in 1856. The work involved almost completely rebuilding the chancel and north chapel; renewing the stone tracery of all windows in the original (14th C) style; removal of four wooden galleries and the replacement of the pulpit and the old box pews. The south porch was demolished and its doorway later replaced by a new window. In the coming years other significant work was done; this included a new organ being installed in 1856, and stained glass being put in many windows. After fifty years the parish wished to celebrate his jubilee and Eden said that he would like his gift to be funds for further restoration of the church. This was done and included the crenelation of the side walls and porch and the re-hanging of the 1771 bells in an iron frame. On moving to the parish Arthur had decided that the existing vicarage was not suitable for a young family. He built a good replacement where he installed a beer pump on his desk which was connected to a barrel in the cellar below, 'as it helped with the preparation of his sermons'! His family grew over the years and when complete comprised two sons and six daughters, Julia, the youngest as Mrs Odell. co-wrote 'Ticehurst; The Story of a Sussex Village' published in 1925. The vicarage gerdener, whose name was Adam was described as working in the Garden of Eden! Eden's involvement in the activities of the village was extensive. He was president of the Village football club and of the Mechanics Institute; he was the first chaplain of thr local company of what became the Territorial Army, a manager of the village school, and vice president of the miniature rifle club. He presided at meetings of the Ticehurst Society and had a reputation as a generous benefactor. As a priest he was tireless in his work and despite havibg regular support by curates (thirteen in all, the last one for 21 years!) he personally took 1,826 baptisms, 1,344 funerals and 453 marriages. In short Arthur Eden was a loving husband and father, and a highly revered friend and pastor to the parish. He guided the community through a time of great change and ensured that the parish and church was fit to survive through the 20th century. St Mary's church leaflet 2015. |
1: 1849 William Gaven Edenc W/C 2: 1850 Alice Lizzie Edenc H/C 3: 1852 Mary Constance Edenc H/C 4: 1853 Eleanor Agnes Edenc H/C 5: 1856 Arthur Yelverton Edenc W/C 6: 1856 Edith (Edie) Amelia Edenc H/C 7: 1857 Flora Colclough Edenc 8: 1864 Julia Augusta Maria Edenc H | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 Children | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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