Saturday 22 October 2016

St Lawrence Toot Baldon



St Lawrence is a church I have had my eye on visiting for a while  (the  reason you will read about in the blog) and the opportunity arose one Saturday when I went to a seminar with my Son and decided it was not for me so as the church was in the vicinity I was off.
The church has been here since the 13th century was restored to designs by the Gothic Revival architect Henry Woodyer in 1865.







After arriving at the church along the long drive to the manor house you are greeted with this fine looking Lych Gate, the path leading to the porch









Walking along through the churchyard on the south side











 




affords you some nice view of the churchyard and church












while you walk around to the East end of the church














The North side churchyard is more sparse of graves and memorials












While looking at the west end you can see the two bells in the cote















back to the start of my walk round





The first headstones you see when arriving at the church are quite old like this one of Sophia who died in 1834














Wandering round the churchyard you can see quite a verity of differing headstones and tombs














here looking a the South Transept are more older headstones while on the left is a family vault












Looking towards the Lych Gate















East up the churchyard















Another of the Tomb chest you can see and the remains of a cat cross

















The North side Churchyard














Where I spotted this wooden memorial of a cross and a couple of graves forgotten by their family's along time ago











Looking up the South side of the churchyard














Turning round and you can see the new churchyard extension











Looking North by the West end of the church
















This cross is laid out and each section gives the name of one of the Fruin family and when they passed away









 One cross which stands out


and a headstone sinking away in the ground







The porch where you can see the Village Roll of Honour carved on a wooden tablet hung on the wall









Inside from the nave aisle you get a wonderful view along the church taking in the font


Across the chancel is a rood screen 

standing above is the rood




Past the scree you come to the altar with the rail in front















The altar back partly obscures the stained glass window behind but you are drawn more to the screen behind the altar








The flash I used to take this photo tends to over enhance the altar back









Either side are paintings of saints





















Turning round you see the back of the rood screen while over on the north side of the chancel is the organ behind a screen in front of which are the choir stalls.










on top of which you can see the carvings of two painted angels









The rood from the Chancel














the choir stalls on the south side of the chancel















Looking back down the nave
















The carved wood pulpit of wine glass design and the view you get of the church from it




One of the most noticeable things you see when walking in the church is the memorial to  the Little Baldon air crash which is in the north aisle draped either side by the flag of the RAF and Parachute Regiment. I remember reading about the crash when I was at School





 









Poppy wreaths placed in front of the memorial





 

You can read the dedication on the memorial












Nearby you can see the list of names of the men who were killed in the crash











Remembrance cross below the memorial







Couple of the memorials in the church, one to William Fruin and the other to Frederick Richard Pitson











On the left is the north Transept and the stained glass window inside. Also on the wall one thing I failed to notice at  the time is the Roll of Honour








Lancet window to St Stephen








Stained glass window in the nave














Another lancet window









Couple of view of the church font and cover












The local Ladies flower arrangements in the church looked beautiful










Views down both North & South aisles












As you come in the door you see this bucket of flowers welcoming you


I also loved this wood carving of hands clasped in prayer





I took this as I walked out to show the view you got as you walked in













The sky looking out over the Baldons where just beyond the trees the Air Crash happen back in 1985









The church is behind and must have been ever watching when it happened. Their lives taken away with in sight of the church RIP

This blog is dedicated to my Friend Ivan who died the other week and who's funeral I went to while writing this May You Rest In Peace


13 comments:

  1. That's a lovely post, Bill; there are so many stories in our parish churches. Your final photo I though particularly good. Sorry to hear about your friend, Ivan. Take care.

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  2. Great relation Bill!!!
    I am delighted with your photos.
    Greetings.
    Happy Sunday.
    Lucja

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  3. Very very great report. Thanks
    Graciel·la (from Aminus3)

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  4. Great post,as always....interesting architecture and beautiful trees!
    Happy Sunday!

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  5. Bill, spectacular images of this beautiful church. I like the gateway to the grave yard.

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  6. Schöne Bilder von der Kirche und den alten Grabsteinen. Die Bilder aus dem Inneren der Kirche mit den vielen Details sehr schön.

    Gruß
    Noke

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  7. Metal fatigue on two bolts - and so much loss of life. Truly awful.

    The church is lovely with lots of interesting details. what I like best of all though is the way there is no missing the memorial to all those men.

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  8. Stained glass are awesome.. pictures are awesome..

    Please visit: http://from-a-girls-mind.blogspot.com

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  9. Once again thank you for giving us a tour of another beautiful church. There is a lot of fine wood carving. It's good to see the box pews and the view down the main aisle in the nave with the font part way down it. In the churchyard the memorial stone slabs set in the shape of a cross in the grass is unusual. I believe Henry Woodyer designed a church in Reading and another in Woodley that I know.

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  10. stain glass, the details, the moss on the every thing. so lovely. have a nice week. ( :

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  11. Sorry about your friend. The church looks very solid but the inside is full of light.

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  12. First: my condolences on the loss of your friend.
    Second: it's always a pleasure to see inside these old churches, as they are often much more elaborate than I expect them to be.

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  13. Have you researched how many churches there are in the UK. Your trips indicate thousands

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