This week I've made a change to the order in which I post my blogs and showing an updated version on this one of St Johns Burford which I published in 2015 as I popped back in to get a few photos of something I missed the first time. In truth it's an amazing church and you see things you missed the first time so there may well be another visit yet
The Spire on St John's Burford is one that can be see for miles from along the A40 on the top of the of the Windrush Valley. The church dates back to the 12th century being built in 1175 and since then has been added to many times to make it what you see today. I visited it on a cold January day. You can read some history on it's own Wikipedia page in the link above
Be warned this is one of the longest blogs I have written in a while and I pondered wither to do it in two parts but I decided to leave it long, so get yourself a coffee or tea plus cake and enjoy the tour.
Be warned this is one of the longest blogs I have written in a while and I pondered wither to do it in two parts but I decided to leave it long, so get yourself a coffee or tea plus cake and enjoy the tour.
And the main entrance
Looking to the south side of the churchyard you can't help notice of the tombs
over to the west end more headstones
One of the bale tombs you can see
This is the first time I have seen bale tombs
Now the presents of all these bale tombs indicates that the person or family buried were wealthy merchants that gives an indication of what you might expect to see inside
On the wall near the entrance is this plaque to Three Levellers . The church at the time was used as a prison for the Banbury Mutineers three of them were shot and buried in the churchyard. Each year they are remembered on Levellers Day
Going round the churchyard to the east you pass this tomb
This one is in such good condition I suspect it has been restored
Solitary cross among the bale tombs
They must have been falling over each other to be buried here
Headstones crammed in with tombs
The only war grave I came across which is to Private A Search
Surprisingly I did not take many of the church, probably because it was so cold and I did not want to change to the wide angle lens
The Main entrance is through this porch here
I did not notice the ceiling on my first visit
Look up and be amazed and the beauty of it
Which when you go in and look down the aisle you see this view
Looking up the this is the mural that you can see
On the north aisle you can see a wonderful covered font which is beautifully carved
At the back is the town war memorial listing the fallen from the first war, there is another for the second war though not so large
On the side is the Guild Chapel that became the Lady Chapel which was built around 1200 but was Incorporated into the new porch in 1400
The Reredos was another thing I could not view as a whole the last time
The Lady chapel
Wider view of the lady chapel looking over to the nave
West view up the lady chapel
I have say it is the most impressive chapel I have come across yet for memorials and there was more to come elsewhere in the church
But across in the North Aisle is this Memorial to Edmund Harman who was Barber & Personal Servant to King Henry VIII
The inscription on the side of his memorial
The inscription on the side of his memorial
And this is what is written on the side of the memorial in English that you can understand
The North aisle where the memorial is, what I did not realize at the time through the far arch was another which you will see is amazing
The North aisle where the memorial is, what I did not realize at the time through the far arch was another which you will see is amazing
In the center is the small chapel of St Peter
The stunning east window
On my fist visit to the church I came across this chapel at the end of the north aisle, inside this amazing tomb with effigies, this was about as good as I could get with showing it
This time I took a shot with my Iphone on wide setting, no doubt I could have done the same with my camera using the wide angle Lense
This memorial to Sir Thomas Lawrence and his wife Elizabeth was through the arch I mentioned earlier and was quite stunning being the most amazing tomb effigy's I've seen yetThe fellow kneeling is their grandson Lucius Cary 2nd Viscount of Falkland
compare this with the first view I took of the tomb years ago, it's huge
View of Sir Thomas and his wife
Elizabeth and Sir Lawrence
This is what I missed the first time as I never though to look down, it's one of only three I have come across in Oxfordshire, the other two are at Ewelme and Fifield
The clock was made in 1685 by Hercules Hastings for the sum of £10.
There are a few more chapels to see but this one was worth looking at with the memorials and the boards listing gifts to the poor
with this fellow taking pride & place on the wall
who is John Harris who was alderman & mayor of Oxford. He was also a benefactor of the town.
West window in the nave
Another more recent view of the window
Crossover roof view
View from it
The stained-glass windows in the church are stunning.
With various scenes shown in them
This one is in memory of a family who are mentioned in the bottom right
I cropped the inscription out for you to read
Entrance to the bell tower
I spend about 15 minuets this time but in all honesty, I could have spent a few hours looking around.
Burford is a but if a tourist town and if you visit make time to look around the church
Till Next time have a peaceful weekend