St Mary's Church, Ballinger
Welcome to the dedicated page for St Mary’s Church, Ballinger, one of two smaller churches within the Great Missenden Parish.
St. Mary’s Church is a place of peace for all, perfect for those who would like a contemplative moment alone with their thoughts.
Services
We have Said Eucharist with hymns on the first Sunday of every month and special services at Easter, Harvest and at Christmas. Refreshments are served after the 9.30 monthly Eucharist service.
We are licensed for weddings, blessings, renewal of vows and baptisms and can comfortably seat 40+ people.
Services at all of the Churches are detailed here, and other events can be found here.
History
St Mary’s is a small mission church, constructed in brick and flint with white interior walls.
The church was built by Mr A E Watson of The Lee Manor in 1873 "as a school and lecture room for the poor". He also commissioned two cottages (The Watson Cottages) in the grounds, to house the caretakers of the church.
One of these families, the Evans, had a long and close association with St Mary's beginning from 1920 and lasting for over 50 years. During this time, the building was used both by The Church of England and The Free Church with services alternating between morning and afternoon until the 1960s when The Free Church closed.
A Dame School was run for small children at St. Mary's during the week by a Miss Beeson. Dorothy Evans remembered putting their slates out and helping to light the stove, although she herself went to Lee Common School.
Before the War Memorial Village Hall was built after the First World War, St. Mary’s was used as the village hall.
Restoration
It was recently restored in 2023 when the rendering on the front was removed and the brickwork was repaired by expert stonemason, Jon Suttle.
The stained glass in the two memorial windows on the south side were restored by Bryony Benwell from The Glasshouse, Lee Common, whilst the frames were crafted by Alasdair Cunningham from Great Missenden. Finally the building was redecorated throughout, both internally and externally by Becky Bazzard and Vik Harris from Bazzard & Harris.
In the summer of 2024, our porch was repaired and the roof retiled by Carl Stevens a local builder and was funded by the Wilson Family who had a great deal to do with the Church especially Brian and Barbara who lived in South Heath. Brian was a lay reader and took many of the Services and Barbara ran the local playgroup. The porch has been named the Wilson Grey memorial porch in memory of the Wilsons and Dorothy Grey, a former organist.
The school bell was restored by Hadrian, an ex royal marine, when he was living in Ballinger Row in memory of his fallen comrades.
Fundraising
We have an ongoing programme of maintenance and repairs for this beautiful Victorian Church, whose architecture is typical of the hilltop villages in which it sits.
If you would like to help to preserve the Church for future generations, please consider donating to the St Mary’s charity:
Name: The Vicar and Churchwardens Watson Charity
Bank: TSB
Sort Code: 30-93-67
Account Number: 00117048
If you would like to offer your time and skills in helping with its upkeep, please contact the Church office.
Location
Directions from Great Missenden
Depart Great Missenden on the Chesham Road, and take the first (steep) left turn to Frith Hill, continuing through the hamlet of South Heath and after another mile into Ballinger. After passing Ballinger War Memorial on your left, take the next left turn into Blackthorne Lane, and park in the small car park adjacent to Ballinger Cricket Club. The Church is a short walk down the lane, on the right hand side.