St Peter & St Paul Wantage

I originally published this blog back in 2013 and at the time decided I would revisit the church a week or so I did so in this update you will find some old photos mixed in with some of the new ones I took
 Wantage sits by the Berkshire Downs (now it is in Oxfordshire) and was once a prominent market town, they still have a market there every ween as you can see in the photo below taken back in 2013. The church itself dominates the town which is famous for  King Alfred the Great who in legend burnt the cakes . His statue  stands facing the church  in the market square (well he was born in the town) he also used to have the odd bit of underwear hung on him after school end of term party's.  The town it's self is quiet with many historical ties and has a small museum you can visit along with various coffee shops and tea houses or if you like the pubs. Wantage also was a spur for the old Wilts & Berks canal and much trade was done that way till it closed in the 19th century because of the Railway but even now the town does not have a nearby station. From Wantage you can visit much of the surrounding countryside & towns and lucky on both the days I visited it was sunny.

King Alfred the Great









  Looking towards the market square

The chancel end of the church which was having some renovation done at
 the time this has now been removed
 















And a gargoyle watching the proceedings

This is the church today

Gargoyles to pour rainwater on some unsuspecting person

The churchyard

Some of the older headstones in the churchyard.

The north side of the church

Where you can find some interesting history

and what looks like a memorial plaque

Towsey Memorial on the South Wall

 Going inside the church you are greeted by this view towards the organ

When the church was reordered about ten years ago the organ was restored and moved to the back with the loss of the view to some of the stained glass

Mind you there are some beautiful candelabras in the church

The altar in the centre of the tower and looking through towards the Chancel taken back in 2013

I had to adjust the color on this view looking to the chancel as it was very dark

The Cancel in St Peter & St Paul

The Altar and Chancel Window

Chapel with some superb stained glass windows, taken in 2013

This is the chapel when I visited in 

The Ormond Family Memorials in the chapel, the and the Mothers Union Banner

Choir stalls and rood screens 

Arches and stained glass

Tomb effigies to Sir William Fizwaryn  I think the tomb was covered with an arch at one time but some has been destroyed

The coat of arms of Sir William

There are some interesting memorials on the wall as well.

The font with font cover and the memorial near by

memorial to a Hopeful young Gentleman

The war memorial at the back of the north aisle

You can see some great stained glass in the church

The window at the end of the North aisle

 

 

The South Aisle on the left and North on the right

The Stamp family Memorial and the rater nice Pulpit

One of the floral displays in the church

couple of the very nice church brasses now on the walls

 The rood screen leading to the chapel

Floral arrangement by the Madonna & child statue

The War memorial near St Peter & St Paul

I will leave you week with a view of the sun reflecting through the glass which I took in 2013 which for some reason I could not recreate this time .
 Have a wonderful Sunday