Saturday, 14 December 2013

St Nicholas Marston



This story starts back in the 1970s. Back then I was a young guy working at Oxford Instruments in Oxford. The company was young and we had a close relationship with each other. One of the guys I worked with called Dave was a happy fellow who got on with everyone. He went to a wedding one weekend in Northern Ireland with some friends which included going on a stag night and watching a boxing match. While driving to the match along a motorway his car was forced off he road by a lorry and hit a bridge parapet and he was killed along with two of his friends. The fourth guy was thrown out through a window and survived but with a broken leg and other injuries. As you can imagine the whole workshop was numbed by the  event so much so that the day of his funeral the place was empty to a man we went along to the church to say goodbye.
I can still hear Dave's laugh & giggle it was so infectious and many times though of visiting the church again. The other week I had to take my son to Hospital in Oxford near the church so while he was with the specialist I went the  short journey down the road to pay my respects.
All the photos were taken Handheld with my compact camera.

This is the path leading to St Nicholas I remember walking all those years ago.
                                                           



The entrance to the churchyard is through this gateway

















Taking you down to the church porch



Looking up the bell tower at the clock where you can see gargoyles on each corner





The south side of St Nicholas church from across the churchyard.












I took this view of the north side from the road.









Looking down he nave to the chancel



















Near the entrance to the church is this stone font and beside the chancel a carved pulpit with a cover a beautiful piece of work.
If you look up above the chancel arch you can see this wall painting which was only uncovered a few years ago

Below is this simple but beautiful rood screen





















Inside the chancel you can view the altar and chancel window

You can also see a rather nice memorial on the chancel wall and this stained glass window which looks very old from the glass in it.





The south aisle still has an altar and to the side is a small window to view the minister giving the service. It was for the organist to watch through before the organ was moved to a loft.





 



The church organ in it's loft at the back of the nave












Behind the organ loft is the bell ringers area 





and you get a great view of the church from there as well



























In the nave you can see this window which looks like it was painted by a local artiest.
Off to the left hand side of the chancel arch I spotted what looks line the door to a rood loft, seems it had been filled it after it had been removed.





 One of the pews has a brass cross inlaid in memory of a parishioner 





The lectern with scripture













Looking across to the nave from the entrance to the church.











Outside you can wander the churchyard where you can view the headstones, like these old ones by the wall





or this old tomb being damaged by the tree. 




Other headstones are lined up along the wall because where they belong is lost



























The headstone on the left looks like it had had a different type of stone inlaid where as Bertrand Rippington Brasnett was chancellor of Edinburgh cathedral.




I never found Daves Memorial I assume he was buried by his family in Headington Cemetery  
 Rest In Peace Dave
Taking part in Taphophile tragics & Cemetery Sunday


22 comments:

Gerald (SK14) said...

That gargoyle looks like he's smoking a cigar

Billy Blue Eyes said...

He does rather, must check the other photos I took of them

Dzjiedzjee said...

A great post again Bill! :-)

Greetings from the Netherlands! ;-)
dzjiedzjee.blogspot.com

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Fantastic revisit, Bill, if poignant for you. That stone with the Edinburgh connection is intriguing... YAM xx

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Thank you Gert

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Thanks Yamini, I found it intriguing as well

Mo said...

I bet your friend was glad you finally went to visit him. Such a tragic accident. This is a lovely church and yard where he now rests.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

I like to think he was pleased with his send off and is at peace

Neesie said...

What a very moving post Bill,
But a beautiful place to rest. Thank you for sharing.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Thanks Nessie it is a nice church though I don't think people are buried there any more

SeaThreePeeO said...

So sorry for the loss of your friend.

What a beautiful little church. I guess I will have to give Oxford a visit in the near future.

Thank you for linking up with Cemetery Sunday.

Beneath Thy Feet

Billy Blue Eyes said...

It was a tragedy that happened a long time ago now but I was glad I visited the church

RedPat said...

A fine tour of a wonderful old church, Bill!

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Thank you Pat

Cynthia said...

A sad and nostalgic journey for you, I'm sure. It's a beautiful church and a peaceful graveyard.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Thank you Cynthia it was but I am glad I visited the church again

Elizabeth Edwards said...

geez Bill, it is too tough to pick a favorite part of this beauty. i was going to say the clock tower with the flag. but then you went inside, graveyard & i am like well i love that too. ha. ha!! great find. ( :

Billy Blue Eyes said...

The clocktower was used in the civil war by the Parliamentarians so no doubt Oliver Cromwell was watching the seige of Oxford from it

don said...

This makes a strong memorial. I'm glad you got to return to visit this place. A fine pictorial group of picture of the church and environs.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Thank you Don I was glad too

Louis la Vache said...

It is interesting to «Louis» that you post churches with rood screens. «Louis» lived in Paris for a time and there was only 1 church with a surviving rood screen, St.-Etienne du Mont in the 5ème.

Regarding your recent comment about wishing to see the interior of Church of the Assumption in Ferndale, «Louis» wishes he could see it as well! He would photograph it if he could. Ferndale is a 6 hour drive from Chez la Vache. The church only has 1 service and is not open during the day on Sundays as many Catholic churches are. Thus «Louis» has never gotten there early enough to see inside despite three trips to photograph the town.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Rood screens are not common and I have only ever been in one catholic church that had one http://graveplace.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/st-birnus-dorchester.html 6 hours some of the ones I visit are 15 mins away