St Mary the Virgin Kington

Kington was the next place on my list to visit in Herefordshire and St Mary is one I have been looking to visit. After wondering where to park I noticed a parking place by the church which is where I started my tour with the photo below.
St Mary's church dates back 1300 when it was established and I found it has it's own Wikipeda page so I would ask you to go there to find the history. One little bit it does not tell you is "In the chapel of St. Mary's Church, there is the alabaster tomb of Sir Thomas Vaughan of nearby Hergest Court, slain at the Battle of Banbury 1469, and his wife, Elen Gethin. The ghost of Sir Thomas, and also that of the Black Dog of Hergest are said to haunt the area around Hergest Ridge. The Black Dog's sighting reputedly presages death. It is also rumoured to have been the prototype for The Hound of the Baskervilles as Conan Doyle is known to have stayed at nearby Hergest Hall shortly before he wrote the novel."
The church was quite large inside but the one thing that hit me most was the overpowers scent of fresh cut lilies that were in the church. Sorry I cannot provide that in my blog

Above the back entrance to the church where I parked.

Left the Lych gate which is the main entrance to the church yard when you walk up from the Town

Walking up the path you get a nice view of the church

Head around the North side shows the North aisle

Along which you can see the North Porch. Further along is the West end

But you have to go around to the South side for the Bell Tower and the main entrance porch

Inside the porch you find a screen before going through the main door

This brings you out in the South aisle

Walking on further you come to the nave .
Turn around for a view of the West window

The West window with two lights above and right the Chancel arch leading to the Chancel

With the altar and East windows

Above the Wooden cross on the altar, left the tree East windows with right the church organ

Above here you look out of the chancel past the choir stalls to the nave.

Go back to the South aisle and walk along it takes you to the chapel where you can see the tomb of Sir Thomas Vaughan and his wife Elen.
The lived in Nearby Hergest court.
You might recognise the name because Mike Oldfield made an album called Hergest Ridge while staying there

On the tomb you find a frame with some history on Sir Thomas

Sir Thomas and his wife Elen in repose

One of the memorials in the chapel

The chapel also holds some super stained glass

Back out in the main aisle is the Pulpit which gives a super view of the nave

And north aisle

This is the north chapel or maybe another name for part of the church

Which has a superb stained glass window in the West end.
Off along in the North wall of the chancel is even more stained glass

The windows are tall narrow lancet

Which depict saints

More stained glass can be seen in the church depicting scenes fro the life of Jesus

The Nativity

More saints

A memorial near the Vaughan Chapel

One of the memorials in the Thomas Chapel.

Right the North aisle

Plans of the church from the Victorian restoration

The North aisle with the memorials you can see along the walls

Two of them on the East wall

The altar in the North Aisle with ever rudimentary cross.
Right a table in the North chapel

The screen at the end hides  a vestry where the Choir change

A copy of the Mappa Mundi the original is in Hereford Cathedral

A vase of Lillies on the font and eagle lectern from the aisle

The lectern again looking towards the organ

The font above with carvings round the outside looks like it dates back to the middle ages

Back outside the churchyard is a reasonable size though looking around there are not that many headstones to see

On the South side is a memorial garden

Where you can see the remains of a preaching cross

Right Church House B&B

the long path to St Mary

A few miss placed headstones by the wall on the North side

One thing that is prominent is the Tomb Chests

There are quite a few around the churchyard

Showing the local people that they were wealthy and could afford one
Other people had to make do with a simple headstone

The bell tower and porch

A last view of this beautiful church. Next week I will be showing a church from over the boarder in Wales.

Till then do have a blessed and peaceful weekend