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
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
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
Either side you can see these tablets on the wall
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
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
Till next Time
Wishing you a peaceful week
8 comments:
....what a delight, the interior and the graveyard are wonderful.
Hello Bill!
A magnificent, historic church.
Its architecture and equipment arouse my admiration.
Greetings.
So quaint and beautiful! I love the details that you captured.
What a brilliant church! The interior is marred only by those awful pews! The bequest board really does deserve to be properly displayed, does that canal still exist, I wonder. It looks light and loved, packed with remnants of history. Thank you for such a wonderful tour.
The church looks quite normal outside, but the inside of it is beautiful, especially with the lights on.
Lovely, sort of haunting. I like the spring flowers popping up amongst the graves, while the trees are still leafless. Is this church functioning, or is it largely a preserved site?
The "forgotten grave" shown in your pictures are one of a matching pair of my grandmother and grandfather of the edney family and the s headstones were created by one of my uncles who was a stone mason
The gravestones shown of the "forgotten grave" shown in your picture is one of a matching pair belonging to my grandparents of the edney family, the headstones were created by one of my uncles who was a stone mason
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