Our Lady & St Edmund Abingdon

Although I knew of this church and had passed it on occasion it was not high on my list until I found out of some War Graves I needed to visit for a blog I was writing about an air crash at Sutton Wick. I also knew at one time it was part of a  Convent of the Sisters of Mercy and St Lady's School and I was unsure if that was still the case. I stopped off after visiting the nearby cemetery to take photos around the church and was happy to find that the church was open as well. Some history I found on the church can be read in the link, it is worth looking at for the old photo of the church even if you do not read it.

Above the church looking from Radley road
Left the east end of the church

Above he west end with the  bell

Right looking towards the North side of the church with the the connecting link to the nearby school

Going back around to the east end you can see what was either the presbytery or the convent

it links with the covered walkway you see

Above a commemoration of the popes visit in the 1980s

These were the graves I had come to visit from the Sutton Wick air crash

There were a number of graves on the north side of the church

But  I  also noticed that there were a long double row belonging to the Sisters of Mercy

A crucifix watches over then with a plaque fixed under the cross

All the graves are on a cordoned off area in neat rows with the sisters name on the cross.

Right a couple  of old cast iron grave markers that have broken off and are fixed to the church. I have to wonder if they used nearby

The churchyard also had some other war graves. Captain G.J.Ellison and Sergeant P.P.Mcnee

The back of  Captain G.J.Ellison's headstone shows his wife's name 

Above a family vault

left  the headstone of L.A.C Vincent Collins R.A.F who was killed on active service

Looking over towards the corner of the churchyard by the convent

some older headstones beside the north wall

One monument that stands out

Over by the convent wall you find fenced off vault

Listing the names of some of the Sisters of Mercy who started the convent

Inside the church looking down the nave

The cancel with the altar and the chancel window

The chance window and the south chapel

Looking over to the north side of the church where no doubt the the Sisters of Mercy took the school children boarding

Left the shrine to Our Lady of Abingdon 

Right a crucifix with tow of the stations of the cross at the base

Above a view back into the nave from behind the altar

Right the south chapel

I will leave you with this view of the altar 

Have a wonderful weekend