Douai Abbey

This is the only Catholic Abbey I have visited and just happened to be beside something else I wanted to see so I parked up and took some photos of the Abbey and nearby Church.

Douai Abbey as you drive in the entrance, no worry I was stood outside taking this

Quite an imposing place

and reminds me of new and old

But I can't help thinking it looks like a stealth bomber

Inside the building, this is the only photo I have at the moment, I may go back and take some more sometime.

 Nearby is St Mary's church which was having a mass at the time but I managed to go in for a few moments at the end and found it a nice church inside though I did not get any photos as they were ina hurry to close up.

Beside the church is the small curchyard

With quite a few interesting old graves 

that go along the north side as well

with a few leaning against the wall having been removed for some reason or other.

 Further along the road you can see the grand entrance to the Abbey School

which as you can see is very grand indeed though not used much now from what I can see. I did not have a lot of time round the Abbey but hopefully will get the chance to go back again. 

Have a great Sunday

Back to St Thomas

A while ago I took you to St Thomas of Canterbury in Elsfield Well I had the opportunity to visit the church again and this time the door was open.

View from the back of the Nave

Chancel arch and chancel

This is the back of the church and a new rood screen partitioning off the Village room

At the back of the nave is the church font and village war memorial

Like many churches it is  hand written and framed for all to see, it adds a more personal feel to the church & village

The village room is very light

with a plain glass window that has a small part done in stained glass

On it are the coat of arms of Christ Church College and a dedication to the restoration of the church 

At the back you can see a pair of stained glass windows and the rope which pull the bells above

Walk down the nave and you pass this stained glass window

Near the chancel arch is this partly stained glass window

Turn round and you can see down the nave to the village room

The Chancel is impressive

But its the chancel window that takes you eye in the church

This is some superb stained glass

Look down though and feast your eyes on this mosaic of the Last Supper

The mosaic is wrapped round the walls either side

and the detail is quite superb

 When I looked though the windows on my last visit I could not see this only the side wall mosaic

Look round and view the chancel arch

Either side in the chancel are more stained glass windows

 

That give great reflections

There are wall paintings to be seen which look as though the same artist who painted the Holy Rood church not far  away was used

There are a few memorials on the wall of the church

Others on the floor

Carved pulpit  and wrought iron candle holder

More stained glass

Happy Easter Everyone

St Mary's Cholsey

I know there are many churches with that name around the country but this one is in the Village of Cholsey and local to me. The church is like many others you see and dates back to Saxon times being founded in 986. It's also the churchyard where Agatha Christie is buried. There used to be a fine Yew tree in the churchyard at one time but it was blown down. It used to be near the South Trancept you can see what it looked like Here

 It was only of late that I managed to look round the church and that was only by chance while up the churchyard I was chatting with a lady who was doing the Easter flower arrangement. I happened to have my camera in my pocket and took the time to get a few photos inside.

 

This is the oldest part of the church which dates to Saxon times

 

 

Services are held looking to the west end of the church now I have seen a photo of the nave before the re-ordering and there used to be an organ that went across the west end of the church

Looking down the nave to the crossover arch and the chance

 The old alter is still in the Chancel with some beautiful tiles on the floor. I failed to get a photo  of the chancel due to the light. Surprising the chancel window is not in stained glass. though there are other memorial stained glass window in the side.

 

 The window sill decorated for harvest festival in the chancel

 

Window sill decoration

This is the dedication on the base of one of the  tall windows in the chancel 

On the opposite side is another. There are six stained glass windows in the chancel.

 

 One of the stained glass windows in the chancel

 

 

The west window

 

These impressive windows are in the nave of the church with the one on the right being at the end.

 

 The reflections off the window when the sun shines

 

The church has few memorials on the walls  though the war memorial takes pride of place in the nave. The one above is another though I must find out what happened to the Children's library.

 

 

This wonderful memorial in in the chancel.

 

On the east window sill you can find two angle satues

 

I could not say were they came from but could be from the original church

On another windowsill you can find this lead work which was saved off the roof when it was re done 

Edward Giles was a bit of a graffiti artist.
 

 

But this one is the best showing a train going along The GWR. note the name what you see is an original broad gauge train which first ran on the railway built by Stevenson. 

The old Church chest which I could not tell you the age of and a fretwork of the lords prayer

Close up of the lords prayer

 

 

 The south Transept was a little messy last time I was in it but is used for a creche, the screen you see behind was in the process of being made then but looks very nice now it is finished 

 

 This was also in bits and I am glad to see it restored also

 

 Below the south transept window you will find the effigy of an unknown lady, the transept may well have been her chapel and I think she may have been on a tomb chest but she is worn way from either people sitting on her of walking over her. She was in prayer and no doubt had a dog or lion at her feet

 You can also see this plaque to Reverend Richard Knight

If you are here to visit Agatha Christie then take some time to look at the other headstones and memorials

 

Which you can find in he churchyard .

 

But if you are there to see Agatha Christie she is over in the far right hand corner of the churchyard behind the church.