I finaly managed to return to St Peter Little Wittenham after finding the church looked on my first visit. I admit I had been here before and had forgotten what the church looked like inside
Since my last visit the churchyard had become very overgrown with only paths cut for people to walk in but as the main aim was to photograph the inside I did not linger
The view you get of the nave from the doorway
The view you get from the back of the nave by the belltower alcove
Near the entrance door is the font which has an enormous cover suspended above it
The font is octagonal in shape with a plain cover
Looking towards the chancel arch and chancel beyond
The altar with a marble back wall and Stained glass window above
The altar simple and unadorned
The stained glass Chancel Window
On either side of the chancel arch you will find the stone pulpit and wooden lectern which was the original pulpit made in 1634. It was moved to a church in Didcot when the church was restored then returned in 1980
By the altar on the north side is a receded tomb of Geoffrey Kidwelly who died in 1483
Opposite is a stepped seat let in the wal
At first looking at the receded tomb of Geoffrey Kidwelly, you would think little of it
Unless you looked lower and saw the brass, the two coats of arms seem to have been removed
Turn round and you get a good view right along the chancel and nave to the belltower at the West End
Not far away is a memorial to Henrietta Hillard
There is another by the lectern
The church organ has a recess of it's own
and nearby is the step up to the pulpit
Along the nave near the entrance you can see this painting
The windows in the church are mostly plain apart from one which was done with glass panels for the Millennium
I've left this part till last as it is the best feature of the church St. Peter's has a number of monuments to members of the Dunche family who lived in Little Wittennham. The most notable is a large monument to Sir William Dunche (died 1611) and his wife. The monument is missing a canopy and supports, but it retains alabaster effigies of Sir William and Lady Dunche, a pair of obelisks that would have surmounted the canopy and a pair of tablets commemorating the couple's children.
On the floor you can see this tomb by the step leading to the bell loft
I took the step away then rotated the photo so you could read the insription
On the opposite side is another tomb
with plaque on top though I have doubts that this one is the original
Above you can see all these memorials
This one is another to the Dunche family
You can read more on it here
as are these two
Above is a morial to John Sheen
and finaly Henry Carter & his family
Back to the amazing effigies you see of Sir William & Lady Dunche
Lady Dunche lays below Sir William
she was the aunt of on Oliver Cromwell who came her to attend the wedding and also gave a speech in Long Wittenham
Sir William laying in repose below the window
Could almost say he was asleep
On eitherside of the window are a couple of tablets which are in latin so I cannot tell you what it says but I can make out the name Cromwella on the left tablet
I was happy to see the metal fence in front opened out so I could get a good shot of the kids
Sir William & His wife were very busy having 9 children, 4 Boys & 5 girls
though I think two of the griles may have diesd youg as they are laying down on a skull
The other girls and boys survied from the look of them all lined up kneeling
Thats nealy it for this week. I took a few shots of the candilarberas that were along the church
The one down low in the aisle
But I will leave you with this mural that was on the lectern showing St Peter and made by some local school kid which I thought was quite sweet.
Before I go I'm wondering if I should split some of my longer posts in to two parts in future like this one has been. Let me know in your comments if you can
Have a good Weekend
5 comments:
What an attractive church. I wonder if they left the graveyard grass long in order to help wildlife, a lot of churches do that and I am sure it makes a lot of difference. Seems to have a particularly fine collection of tombs. I think the posts are a good length, so long as it is mostly pictures and not words, which is what you do anyhow. Glad you found it open this time, it's always rather sad to me if a church is locked, although I know so many have to be these days specially if they are near or in a large town.
Thank you for the photos of your tour around St. Peter's, Little Wittenham. It's such a privilege to be able to look around because these churches are kept open. I'm quite happy for long posts as I like to take my time looking at what you have shared. I would love to visit these churches in person, but your blog is the next best thing. This church has so many interesting features, quite restrained in style, but the memorials give the sense of its age. The close-up photos you have been able to take of the Dunche memorial are excellent and touching. I like the marble wall behind the altar, the painting, the candle holders, the mosaic on the lectern and the board where folk can write prayers, which gives me a sense that it's a place of worship for the local community today. Have a good Sunday and week, Bill.
Bill, once again you have found a gem!
Great tour, Bill - as always. Those effigies are amazing - they do give one a slightly odd feeling. Love that tower too. Not a church I know.
The church is a little off the track
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