St Peter Marsh Baldon

St Peter has been on my list for a while and I managed to get along to it while visiting a nearby redundant church. Marsh Baldon is part of the area called the Baldons near Oxford.
 Some history

"The Church of England parish church of Saint Peter dates from the 12th century, with 14th and 15th century alterations. St Peter's was restored in 1890 by the architect Somers Clarke and builder J.T. Micklethwaite. It is a Grade II* listed building.

Above the south portal is a very fine example of a 12th century canonical sundial.

In the north aisle is a painting of the Annunciation by the Italian master Pompeo Batoni (1708–87) after Guido Reni. It hung in the chapel of Corpus Christi College, Oxford until 1794, when Sir Christopher Willoughby had St. Peter's church remodelled and donated the painting. Marsh Baldon is not the only Oxfordshire parish church to have a painting by Batoni. The parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Weston-on-the-Green, 12 miles (19 km) north of Marsh Baldon, has a Batoni altarpiece of the Ten Commandments.

St. Peter's 14th century bell tower has a ring of five bells, the oldest of which was cast by John White of Reading in about 1480. Ellis I Knight of Reading cast two more, including the tenor bell, in about 1628. Mears and Stainbank of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast another bell in 1902 and finally the treble bell in 1954. There is also a Sanctus bell that was cast in about 1760 by Robert Wells of Aldbourne, Wiltshire."

Fist view of the church from the entrance

The church looks large with the North aisle the same size as the rest of the church

The stunted tower is an unusual feature looking as though they forgot the spire

South side of the church

Another view with the tower joining the nave

Above the entrance porch with older headstones nearby

Looking from the east end of the church

Looking west

The east end

Porch

which shelters the  doorway and 12th century sundial

Near buy the Roll of Honour for Marsh & Little Baldon

You enter the church through a door on the west end of the North asile 

at the end of which you see the font and this painting

The nave leading to the chancel which does not have the usual arch

Look on the chancel foor and you can see a church brass Father John Bridges

The chancel window







Looking around you ge a view back to the organ and to the left is the pulpit with canopy

I stood my tripod in the pulpit and too the shot rather that get in with it like I usually do, the pulpit was old
Right a view to the North aisle

The roll of Honour for Marsh & Little Baldon that you can see in the church

One of the stained glass windows near the puplit

More stained glass, the one one on the right a more modern glass

There are a number of Memorials around the church that seem to be of the Willoughby family

The back of the nave
 

Either side you can see these tablets on the wall

The organ

The window between the chancel and the North aisle looks to have been made  a feature after the aisle was added.
Right a nice floral display

The bequest was on the floor and its a pity that it is not on display.

Right memorial to Philip Charles Bevan

Final look in the chancel

and we go outside for a look around the churchyard

One of the newer headstones with inscription on the back

Right the front of the headstone with many other going back through the churchyard

Above this older one has been forgotten about and is over grown with snowdrops growing on the grave

Left the older part of the church yard on the North side

A couple of war graves in a family plot

They belong to Privates G.J. Gooding & I would think his brother A.W.Gooding   

Just along the path from them you see these older headstones & tomb

Further around near the West end another chest tomb and headstones

Going to the South side of the church you find even older graves and Tombs covered in Ivy

Towards the East end are Ivy covered headstones and tombs

This impressive family vault is still readable
though the headstones nearby are not and are becoming covered in Ivy

Another tomb with snowdrops growing nearby

The North side of St peter and the churchyard with the older headstones

Last look at the church

I will leave you this week with the snowdrops that are growing there
Till next Time
Wishing you a peaceful week