St Leonard Sunningwell

This was the last of the three churches I visited near Abingdon which I was happy to see looked interesting from the outside. Some history from Wikipedia :-
"The oldest known record of the Church of England parish church of St Leonard is from 1246. The nave and parts of the chancel date from this time, and there is one blocked 13th-century window in the south wall of the nave. The east end of the chancel was rebuilt late in the 13th or early in the 14th century with a Decorated Gothic east window. Late in the 15th century the Perpendicular Gothic south transept and north tower were built and the nave was given Perpendicular Gothic windows and an embattled parapet. The Elizabethan polygonal west porch with Ionic columns is said to have been given by John Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury, who had been rector of Sunningwell St Leonard's in about 1551.
Samuel Fell was rector of St Leonard's from 1625 to 1649.
The west tower has a ring of six bells. Henry II Knight of Reading cast the tenor in the Commonwealth era in 1653. Charles and George Mears of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast the second, third, fourth and fifth bells in 1857. Mears and Stainbank, also of the Whitechapel foundry, cast the treble bell in 1933.
In 1877 St Leonard's was restored under the direction of JP Seddon, a friend of William Morris, who designed the stained glass in the east window. The church is a Grade II* listed building."

Above the view of the church as you  walk though the gate
Left the apse here in the West end is the entrance porch

The porch dates back to the 1550's
I did not realise what it was until I found the door opened

Going around to the East the chancel window is Decorated Gothic

Around the South side you find the transept where you can see the tree figures in the window there

At the North East side of the churchyard you get a good view of the tower

Inside the porch which is quite large

A welcoming smell hits you from this floral display

Waling in the church you get a wonderful view down the nave

The chancel is well lit and the stained glass by JP Seddon shows the colour beautifully

The chancel showing the altar lit from the sun

Few iphone photos

The East wall and window with the altar screen over on the right

View of the altar screen and floral display

Above looking back through the nave towards the entrance.

Right a screen splits off the South transept which is late 15th century

Above the altar table with a picture of the crucifixion on the wall beneath the stained glass window

The stained glass is Victorian and depicts St Leonard in chains , the Virgin Mary and St Edmund Rich (1175- 1240) he was born in Abingdon also known as Edmund of Abingdon

Above a stained window in the church

Left the banner is in the South transept

Where you can also see this floor tomb near the South wall

Above the screen looking back to the nave, the North transept is screened off with a door and locked so I presume it is a kitchen and vestry now

Above the pulpit on the South side of the church and a view of the nave from it

Above one of the clerks desk, there is one either side along with choir stalls

Left the carved poppy heads on the pews

They are shaped like Fleurs′-de-lis

The floor in the chancel is where you can see some interesting floor memorials with dates going back to 17th century

I like the simple carved heads and skull on them. The floor around looks like it was done in the Victorian restoration

The lectern opposite the pulpit looks very sturdy

Above the Roll of Honour for both wars

Listing the local men who died 

The memorial of a very brave Captain Clifford Whittington Green who died from his wounds in 1915

A poppy wreath and keeler under the plaque

Above the font which had a wooden cover

There are quiet  a few memorials you can view in the church the bottom one in the left photo being that of Major Sidney John Heath who was killed in action in 1945 and is buried in
REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY 

Above a family memorial of the Blower family dating to the 17th and 18th century's

An 19th century  memorial to Rev Henry Bowyer who was the son of Sir George Bowyer

Memorial of Rev B.G.Collett who belong to some interesting companies

Nice brass memorial to Richard William (Dick) Greening

On the way back out I passed these knitted dolls that the children in the crèche play with

When you walk in the churchyard look left towards the East end of the churchyard

Looking West you will see where the more recent  burials are

Further along the North side looking East

Looking North across an mixture of headstones

Above I liked the look of this headstone. Right the remains of a preaching cross base

Snow drops cover these graves

Moss covers the foot stone

Above Primroses by a headstone on the East end of the church.

Looking west along the North side

The commonwealth war grave of Gunner B.Carritt

The one memorial I did like was this one with four angels surrounding the grave, the moss gradually creeping up their bodies

I will leave you this week with a photo of the beautiful floral display beside the altar 

Till next time do have a wonderful weekend