Saturday 26 September 2020

St Mary the Virgin Great Milton

 

I had noticed a church in Great Milton when I drove though the village one day & added the church to my list of ones to visit. Now lockdown has eased I decided to go along and visit while I had a chance. There are no internal views as the church was locked but I will return when I can find the church is open. Some history from Wickipedia:-

"The nave and chancel of the Church of England parish church of Saint Mary were built shortly after the Norman Conquest of England. The building was damaged by fire in the 13th century. During the 14th century the chancel was enlarged and the north and south aisles were added. At this time the church served a parish including the villages of Chilworth Valery and Chilworth Muzzard, the hamlets of Combe and Little Milton, and the manor of Ascot. In 1850 St Mary's was restored at a cost of £2,000.

In 1552 St Mary's had four bells plus a Sanctus bell, and in 1631 Ellis I Knight of Reading, Berkshire cast a ring of five bells. It now has a ring of eight. Ellis II & Henry III Knight recast what are now the fifth and eighth bells in 1673. Thomas Rudhall of Gloucester cast the treble, second and third bells in 1771 and the tenor bell in 1772. In 1848 William Taylor of Loughborough, who at that time also had a foundry at Oxford, cast the sixth bell. In 1825 W & J Taylor also cast the present Sanctus bell.

St Mary's has a church clock that was made in 1699 by Nicholas Harris of Fritwell."


I did not know what to expect when I came to visit this church but it was a nice surprise to see one different to what I usually come across

The church looked most impressive with a tower that looked quite small in comparison to others I have Visited 


The tower was not much bigger than the rest of the church. The porch looked huge in comparison with the room over the entrance









Waling around to the North side you could see the North aisle and entrance in the side




Going down the churchyard you got a nice view  showing the tower at the West end and the staircase spire higher that the rest of the church


At the East end you could see both the South and North aisle either side

In the corners of the porch and aisle gargoyles stuck out





 
  On the West side a human looking one watched over the churchyard

  

 

 On the corners of the church you find recesses that would once have held a statue

 

 

 

 

 

 

The porch on the South side has a wonderful arched roof


 

 

 On the West wall you find a tomb slab

 

 

 

In the corner between the tower and the porch you find the village war memorial




Over to the West was the churchyard



Around the North side



Looking around you can see some interesting graves, not often you see a Head and foot-stone like this



At the far end of the churchyard near you find more graves and crosses



Above cast iron crosses lined up by a wall 


Left looking North across the East end of the churchyard



Turning West towards the Church

Above tombs and a fenced tomb chest

I spotted this headstone with a pheasant on it and below I noticed spent shotgun cartridges, made me think he used to shoot


Above an old headstone


Right looking West near the Porch



Looking back East


Looking along the path to the second entrance to the churchyard



I noticed an old headstone used as a slab over a gully by the church



The South side held a lot of old headstones

Some in better condition than others
The words carved in this one clear still today over three hundred years later

I will leave you with this view of a few of the older headstones.

Till Next time stay safe and have a wonderful weekend

Since writing the blog I have returned and taken photos inside of the three churches in the parish. I will publish the photos from St Mary the Virgin in the next blog.

Saturday 19 September 2020

St Peter Charney Bassett Return


After the disappointment of the weather in my last blog I found out that St Peter was open for Prayer on a Tuesday so as I had the chance I went back and took some more photo's, this time the weather was more pleasant and I had a look inside. The church may be small but there was a loot to see there It was well worth my time




The church looked so much different on a nice day in the sunshine




The walls much brighter though I often wonder why they get rendered over












I came out the door here on the North side so took a photo along it and walked around the back

















This tie when walking in the churchyard my feet did not get wet in the grass















Over in the North East corner is an area where all the old headstones are laid flat lost from the original place













Leaning against the wall a couple of cast crosses with the names of the people who were buried under them some where in the curchyard.

The churchyard looking to the church




Couple of headstone from the same family















The tomb where you can still read the inscription on the side











Last week I did not notice the floral display in the porch






Inside the church looked bigger that outside, the cancel arch having a rood screen across it







Here you look across the nave to the North aisle





The back of the church from the centre where you come in, this area was cordoned off
Going down the front to the chancel where you can see the altar and East window
The top portion of the tracery has some stained glass, could not tell you how old this is
The East window with the altar cross below, to the right is an old candle sniffer
The back of the rood screen taken using a pano setting on the phone
This is what I had come to see the tympanum in the church which looks to be over an old North doorway, I might add there are a few in Oxfordshire but I have only seen one other at Church Hanborogh
It is really detailed though I'd love to know what the protrusion is, a Kights Head?
I read this was depicting Alexander with a griffin either side
Detail of the figures
and the scroll work around the outside
The pulpit
And looking out of it across the nave




















The font stands in the North aisle it's age I could not tell you. Right looking down the North aisle
On the east wall of the North aisle is this beautiful plaque of the maddona & child




















Under it a  table in memory of a person from the parish. Right a doorway forming a huge Squint
On the shelf under the madonna plaque is this lovely cross made from old buttons
























In the back of the nave which is cordoned off are a couple of memorials, one is the Roll of Honour for Charney & Lyford from World War One.
On the opposite side of the nave to the pulpit is this lectern
With the carving of an Eagle on the front




















The chancel window letting in lights right one of the old lights hanging from the roof
The North door my exit from the church
Till next time take care, stay safe and have a great weekend
Please remember in your thoughts and prayers those affected by those awful fires in California & Oregon.