Bedfordshire Times and Independent - Friday 09 July 1920 (page 11) reported: 'SHILLNGTON PARISH CHURCH OPENING OF THE CHAPEL OF THE WHITE LADYE. A memorial service was held on July 2nd (Visitation B.V.M.). to celebrate the completion of extensive work of repair and improvement, which had been carried out as a memorial to the men of Shillington who gave their lives in the great war. The work included the construction of an outside pulpit, the enlargement of the organ, the provision of a vestry, and the general restoration of the buttresses and roofs of the aisles. In addition the S. Chapel, formerly known as that of the White Ladye, and used in bygone days as a school and more recently as a vestry, was beautifully restored and equipped. The rafters over the sanctuary were painted with chevrons of red, white and blue to correspond with similar ancient work in the nave of the Church. Amongst the treasures dedicated were an antique altar cross of mother of pearl of chastest design, and crystal candlesticks and vases (the gift of the Countess Grosvenor), a copy of the famous picture of the Madonna della Sedia by Raphael, the ancient breviary some 500 years old, believed to have been part of a bequest to the Church from the Rev. Matthew de Assheton, who died in 1400, and the memorial tablet. The alterations have added immensely not only to the convenience, but also to the dignity and loveliness of an already beautiful Church. A large congregation was present at the service, in which nine clergy took part, viz the Revs Canon Glossop (St. Albans), J. Pycock, R.D., (Clifton), L. B. Ashby, R.D. (Hitchin), G. C. Rolfe (Biggleswade), A. T. Black (Silsoe), R. E. Cory (Higham Gobton), G. B. Gainsford (Hitchin), J. H. Spokes (Barton-le-Cley), and the Vicar of Shillington, the Rev. Langdale II (Postgate). Festal evensong having been sung, and the lessons read by the Rev. C. F. Cory and G. B. Gainsford, the Vicar read the following letter from the Bishop of the Diocese: - "Verulam House, St. Albans. My dear Mr. Postgate. I am sorry that I cannot come to you on July 2nd for the dedication of the Chapel of the White Ladye, but I should like to send, through you, my good wishes to your people, and the assurance of my prayers for God's blessing on your work and the fresh effort to do honour to Him and the Blessed Mother of Our Lord. I doubt if there has ever been greater need than there is to-day for those who profess Christ's Faith to uphold the sanctity of marriage and the home. Please God that those who worship in this now happily restored Lady Chapel may be inspired to play their part worthily in maintaining at all costs that which has been and must ever be one of the very foundations of Christian civilisation, the sanctity of the marriage tie and the purity of the home - Yours very sincerely, Michael, St Albans" A procession was then formed, headed by the jewelled cross. and entered the restored Chapel of the White Ladye, singing the hymn "Shall we not love thee, mother dear?" The Vicar solemnly dedicated the mensa or altar slab, the cross of Mother of Pearl, and crystal ornaments, the picture of the Madonna, and other gifts, and the Rev. Canon Glossop next unveiled and dedicated the handsome memorial tablet of repousse copper, surmounted by cross and crown, and palm branches outspread. It bears the following inscription: "This chapel was restored to the Glory of God and in grateful memory of the men of Shillington who gave their lives in the great war, 1914 - 1919. Alfred Ansell, Harry Ansell, John Brewer, Joseph Denton, William Grundon, Bertram Hyde, Robert Ingram, Lewis Jenkins, Charles Jepps, Bertram Albert Larman, Arthur Pearce, Percy John Pestell, Frank Prutton, John Richards, George Henry Swain, Ernest Tingey, William Tingey, Ernest Twydell, Frank Samuel Twydell, Horace Weeden, William West, Leslie Willmer, Cyril Frank Wilson, Herbert Stanley Womwell. Grant them, Lord, eternal peace." The friends and relatives placed a magnificent wreath of flowers before the shrine. The procession then reformed, and during the singing of the hymn "We love the place, O God," proceeded to the new vestry in the north aisle, where the Rev. J. Pycock R.D. of Shefford dedicated the open-air pulpit. After the singing of the hymn "Who are these like stars appearing?” Canon Glossop preached an impressive sermon, and the hymn "Now thank we all Our God,” and the benediction brought to an end this historic service of thanksgiving and dedication. The collection was for the Restoration Fund, for which about £180 is still needed, and amounted to £l6 4s. 1d. Amongst the congregation were noticed Mr Gainsford, Miss Mossop, Mrs. Cory, Sir James Hill, Bart., Messrs, W. B. Stonebridge (the architect) and C. Negus, Bedford (the builder), who are to be congratulated on the excellent way in which the work has been carried out, and many others. The young organist (Miss Rosie Hillyard) acquitted herself with great credit, and it was good to hear the bells pealing from the old steeple. On the following morning, for the first time for many generations, the Holy Eucharist was offered in the Chapel of the White Ladye, the Vicar being the celebrant'. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000749/19200709/211/0011

Luton Reporter - Tuesday 11 February 1919 (page 2) printed the following report (re the 'ancient breviary' installed during the restoration of the Chapel): 'The Archdeacon of St. Alban's contributes to the current number of the "Diocesan Gazette" an interesting account of the ancient portable breviary associated with early Shillington Church history which he has recently been the means of securing for the diocese and Shillington Church in particular at a cost of £28. is the sanctorale of a portiforium or portable breviary of usum Sarum, in M.S. which may be as early as the late 14th century. There are 141 leaves in it, measuring 5¾ by 4, and it has been somewhat cut down when it was re-bound in vellum. A printed breviary was divided as a rule into Pars Hiemalis and Pars Estivalis, each part having its sanctorale or saints day services, but this MS. has the sanctorale for the whole year. It is written on old parchment, 35 lines to a page, in double columns, and there are five large ornamental initials, with marginal elongations forming borders. painted in gold and colours. The MS. is thought to be English work. On the fly leaves at the end has been written in an early hand "An olde record for the makynge and reparynge of Shillyngton Churche pale. In primis Richarde Colman for ij yards. Item Matthewe Chamber di" (half a yard). And then follows a long list of names covering three pages and giving after each name the length of churchyard fence for which the person mentioned made himself responsible. The list seems to be signed Hy. Kelforde, and ends with Deo Gloria. Now it happens that in 1400 Matthew de Assheton, a former rector of Shillington, who, as previously remarked in these columns, did much to enrich Shillington Church and was buried in the chancel, and whose brass in the church represents him in full canonicals, died and left to his old parish his "missale antiquum" and his "Portiforium notatum." "The present Vicar of Shillington," says Canon the Hon Kenneth Gibbs, "clings to the hope that this MS may be part of the very book which was left to the church by its old rector, Matthew, more than 500 years ago, but I greatly fear that 'notatum' means 'with musical notes,' and there are none in this book. At all events it evidently belonged to someone (almost certainly the priest) in Shillington long before the reformation, and everyone will sympathise with the Vicar's desire to restore it to Shillington Church and place it in a glass case in a side chapel". https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002208/19190211/014/0002

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1312508?section=official-list-entry

https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/292343/