Editing Weybridge (section)

===Early church===
[[File:Image taken from page 6 of 'F. S.'s Pleasure Excursions. Walton and Weybridge, on the South Western Railway' (10430069346).jpg|thumb|right|Weybridge Parish Church (published 1847)<ref>{{harvnb|Cole|1847|page=4}}</ref>]]
There is no mention of a church at Weybridge in the Domesday Book<ref name=Weybridge_Domesday/> and the first record of a place of worship is in 1175, in which a chapel in the town is listed as a dependent of Chertsey Abbey.<ref name=Kempster_1997_pp4-5>{{harvnb|Kempster|1997|pp=4–5}}</ref> During the [[English Reformation|Reformation]], several valuable items, including [[chalice]]s and a [[paten]] were seized from the Weybridge church by the King's commissioners. The [[baptismal font|font]] was buried under the floor of the building at around the same time, possibly to prevent it being confiscated.<ref name=Kempster_1997_p7>{{harvnb|Kempster|1997|p=7}}</ref>

Major renovations to Weybridge church were carried out in 1722, including the construction of a south aisle.<ref>{{harvnb|Kempster|1997|p=15}}</ref> The congregation increased in size in the first half of the 19th century, as the population of the town expanded. By the middle of the century, it was clear that a larger building was required and so the church was demolished in 1848 and replaced by the present St James'.<ref>{{harvnb|Kempster|1997|pp=32–34}}</ref> A portion of a [[fresco]] from the old church was saved and is held by Elmbridge Museum.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/portion-of-fresco-from-east-wall-of-old-st-james-church-13643/search/venue:elmbridge-museum-3413/page/2 |title= Portion of Fresco from East Wall of Old St James' Church |author= <!--Not stated--> |publisher= ArtUK |access-date= 26 August 2021 |archive-date= 28 August 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210828171313/https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/portion-of-fresco-from-east-wall-of-old-st-james-church-13643/search/venue:elmbridge-museum-3413/page/2 |url-status= live }}</ref>