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.