Saturday 8 August 2020

St Lawrence Tubney


The first photos for the were taken in 2020 three years later I dropped in and found it open for cleaning  and having flowers aranged for the harvest festival so I took the opportunity to get photos inside.
This is a church I never realised was there till finding it on a map one day, best of it is I only worked a mile or so away from the place many years ago. I took the opportunity for a quick visit on my way back from Longworth. Due to what has been happening of late it was locked.  The only bit of history I could find was this
" The new church, designed by A. W. Pugin and dedicated to St Lawrence, was consecrated in 1847, with a font given by Queen Adelaide."

 

St Lawrence from the wall





The church is right beside the A420 going to Swindon and is quite a pretty little church


The church does not take up a lot of space
  

The porch is right at the West end

 
You pass this sign. 
 

The West end was a little dark in the photo due to the sun but I edited the picture to make it clearer 


 The north side showing the vestry



Above looking West along the South side 

 
This monument is over to the right from the gate

 
Looking down the North side of the church 

 
Above the Commonwealth War Grave of Pilot Officer D Macg Brown.  The headstone is erroded
His parents came from  Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
 

Looking back West along the North side


As you walk around the East end you pass this seating area 

 
 I stopped to have a look at these two headstones. Richard Blackwell is the Son of Sir Basil Henry Blackwell who ran Blackwells Book shop in Oxford. Sumner Francis Austin was an opera singer.
 
 
Looking down the nave, to the left of the is the organ, the original is now in the church at Kingston Bagpuize

 
Chancel arch

 
Choir stalls in the chancel

 
 Altar rails & east window

 
The altar and east window


 Some of the plain stained glass

 
The church may be small but it has some beautiful stained glass to see

 
Especially these two windows


The vestry 
 

The Roll of Honour and memorial  to Katharine Parsons
 
 
Cross and candle holders

 
Carving on one of the choir stalls
 
 
The roof looks quite amazing
 

 Font 

|Floral arrangement by one of the windows
 

St Lawrence is a beautiful little church in danger of being made redundant and the fact is is of Pugin design makes it one worth saving for the local people 
Till Next time Stay Safe and Take Care


10 comments:

♥ Łucja-Maria ♥ said...

Hello Billy!
I admire another beautiful, sacred gem.
Your photos are as great as ever.
I wish you good health and a happy week.
Lucja

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Pity it was locked, the entry on the Historic England website - https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1048405
- sounds interesting. It also states that, despite the many churches designed by Pugin, this is his only Anglican commission.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

I never think to look on that site, thanks for the link

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Thank you have a god week

Linda P said...

Pugin was well known so it's interesting that he had a hand in this church. It looks attractive from the outside. It would be interesting to see inside. The main roof is quite low pitched. I wonder whether that's a chimney on the vestry wall? Have a good week Bill.

Linda said...

That's a very pretty church!

Billy Blue Eyes said...

I have come across a few of the churches he has had a hand in and they are all beautiful

Billy Blue Eyes said...

It is just a pity it was locked

Linda P said...

I meant to say that you'll know St James' RC church in Reading well and it was designed by Augustus Welby Pugin who also designed The Houses of Parliament.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

I remember it well, I used to go to mass there every Wedensday when I was at School next door