Saturday 20 September 2014

St Helen's Berrick Salome


Visited a while ago after looking for some places in the area around where I live. Berrick Salome was quite a small village and was a place I had not visited. The church looked quite isolated and I felt worth a look at. Think you will find It was.
The church is quite unusual in it's looks and is steeped in History


Someone told me that there were were only two churches that had this type of tower in Oxfordshire







Looking at the porch and tower which share the same wood frame design
The entrance porch




Looking across from the south side of the churchyard
The chancel end of the church



This is round the north side of the church



North side looking east















Inside the church looks very light
The altar & altar rails





Looking back to the 17th century galley




The font which is of Romanesque design
A second set of rails which may have been part of a rood screen at one time or just separating the chancel from the nave







View up to the roof and a floral display under a crucifix












Looking down from the gallery to the nave and chancel





 View of the roof beams from the gallery









Another shot down looking towards the chancel














decoration on one of the roof truss supports and a memorial you can see in the church













George the II Hatchment which dates it between 1760 &1820






Back outside to the churchyard on the SOuth side




Quite a lot of newish & older graves here





Some of the newer headstones




and a few of the older ones in the churchyard





along with a couple of old tomb chests
This one is old & damaged with the inscription eroded away




even the tomb chest is eroded and the top breaking up
I did like the way the inscription was written on this headstone, seems so fitting to who he was.
The Weather vane on the church

Last look at St Helens.
As a footnote I'd like to say thanks to everyone for taking me over 20,000 views of this blog, it gives me the encouragement to keep it running

http://inspiredsundaymeme.blogspot.co.uk/







14 comments:

  1. i love the roof inside & out ... i guess you would call a ceiling inside. but it is so lovely. ( :

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  2. It's such an interesting church Bill.
    Not your usual church building until you step inside!
    It's beautiful - I would seek it out when I'm next in the UK.

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  3. Bill, you continue to out do yourself each and every week. Thanks for the tour. Tom The Backroads Traveller

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  4. What a fabulous place! The inside is so rustic but inviting.

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  5. I so enjoy these trips with you!!! This church reminds me of one in Russia.

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  6. Wow...how very unusual. Next time I'm in Oxfordshire I might have to track this one down. I really enjoy visiting churches in the U.K.

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  7. I've never seen anything like it before! The bright inside was a bit of a surprise.

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  8. That really is an unusual tower. Tudor? Love the roof too. And, as usual, a great tour, Bill - thanks!

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    Replies
    1. It could well be http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berrick_Salome

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  9. I have never seen a church like that before, fascinating architecture. Your photos are great and give us a wonderful look at this place. Thanks Bill!

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  10. WOW. What a fabulous church, never seen one like it and I should have, I used to live in Oxfordshire!

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  11. Great old church! The trusses are impressive. Wow!

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  12. Having just discovered some distant ancestors baptised and buried here in the 1700's, it was wonderful to be able to see the church. Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Some of the headstones date back to around 1700 though you would be hard pressed to read any thing on them.

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