St Mark Cold Ash

 

You travel through the village of Cold Ash on your way to Newbury along the Hermitage road, before 1800 the area was not very populated though it was used by used by troops camped on the common before the English Civil War it was considered a part of Thatcham till it was    separated as a parish in 1866

"The Church of England parish church of Saint Mark was designed by the architect C.N. Beazley and built in 1864–65. It is a brick Gothic Revival building with a polygonal apsidal chancel. The chancel windows have tracery in a late 13th-century Decorated Gothic style. The chancel windows have stained glass: the east window by Clayton and Bell and the north and south windows by C.E. Kempe."

^{I decided to drop in and visit the church on my was back from Shaw but did not have any hopes of seeing inside} 

The church from the South East end showing the Apse

As you come up the drive to the church it looks tall and narrow with the Village War memorial standing proudly in front of the church

The North side shows that it has been given an extension most likely the church offices and a meeting room

Going around the West end of the church and into the churhyard for this view

The church from the North East end

And a view of the North side. The extension has been built to fit in with the rest of the church
 

 

 

 

 

 

Above the porch with the doors locked

Right the churchyard North of the church

This part was a churchyard extension with more recent graves

Above looking down the Western churchyard which goes downhill

Right part of the North side churchyard

Above the path runs though the centre  churchyard, typical of most churchyards and cemeteries 

Some of the older headstones North of the church

I will take my leave of you this week which the one cross and angel I spotted

Till Next time have a great weekend and stay safe

St Mary Shaw

 

 Over the years I have passed this church many times as I drove along the A34 (now the A339) or through the village it is in. After starting the blog I now write I thought I should pop in and check it out when I get a chance, well I made that happen the other week.

The place is called Shaw cum Donnington  as it co-joins the neighbouring village. You have to come off the  A339 at Newbury of if you know the area like I do then you come along the B4009 and turn off to get to the church. Now the history on this church is sparse or non extant on Wikipedia but RBH history does have a little. 

"The building was erected in 1840, after the vicar had been on holiday to the Isle of Wight. Seeing a church there that he fell in love with, he returned home to build a copy, or at least a building inspired by it. I've been unable to discover which church on the island he saw. The results at Shaw are a not unpleasing Norman Revival building with a short spire.

The old church that he pulled down is said to have been Saxon in origin, but weren't they all? The new church has retained several of its monuments and added further ones of interest. Sadly the heraldic ledger stones to the owners of adjoining Shaw House have been relegated to outside the south wall and are now largely hidden by bushes: the Dolmans, the Andrewses and even the flamboyant Duke of Chandos' third duchess. Thomas Dolman still has a fine mural monument inside though. Other less impressive plaques include members of the Bacon family, some of the richest men in Britain. Anthony and his brother, Thomas, were great Welsh Ironmasters whose father made Merthyr Tydfil what it today."

I have to admit I was unsure if the church would be open but as I thought it turned out to be locked because of the Covid 19 restrictions

 Your fist view of the church would be like this on the left as you came along the road. 

As you walked  up to the church you are greeted by a Lychgate

 

 

 

 

The Lychgate is an impressive entrance to the Curchyard though the gates that once hung on them are now gone

Walk though the gate and you see the church tower and spire which dominates it.

Walking left takes you to the North side of the church

Above the porch on the South side the doors have chipboard screwed to them which makes me think they are damaged.

Left the path through the churchyard to the new church offices

 Above the entrance on the  West end under the tower.

Right the churchyard from across the road nearby

Above the grave of Sidney T Pocock MM  with the Royal Breconshire emblem on the top.

Left some of the chest tomes near the porch

Above the Commonwealth War grave of Private A.E.Richardson

Above the Commonwealth War grave of  Private RMLL J.F.Ayers

The Commonwealth War grave of  Gunner D.F.Deacon

This part of the cemetery is beside the North of the church

This is where you will find the Commonwealth War grave of Flying Officer E.E.V Barwood

The Commonwealth War grave of Serjeant W.C.Goodman

Looking East towards the chest tombs

Alongside the path that runs by the church on the South side are cremation memorials 

Unusual looking grave cross  

I will take my leave of you this week with a view of the Lych gate and St Mary's church from the opposite side of the road

Till Next time have a Great Weekend

All Saints Goosy

 

After visiting Denchworth my next destination was Goosey where I could see All Saints Church which is in a small village that was mentioned in the Doomsday Book. I came to the church not expecting to go inside so finding it locked was not disappointed by this. Just means I need to go back when I find it is open again. The history on Wikpedia  

"The Church of England parish church of All Saints' has an Early English nave that was built in the 13th century. The present chancel is a late 16th-century Tudor addition. The church has a king post roof. The vestry on the north side of the church and the bell-turret on the nave gable were added in the 19th century. All Saints' is a chapelry of the parish of St Deny's, Stanford in the Vale. All Saints' building is Grade II* listed."

Above and left the North side as you walk in the gate and along the path

Looking over to the East a small churchyard can be seen

From across the churchyard towards the entrance door

Here we look towards the entrance door, on the left what I assume is the stump of a preaching cross

Walking around the South side and a view towards the church

Back around to the North East side, old misplaced headstones lean against the wall 
 

 

 

 

A commonwealth war grave has been added to this family plot

It belongs to Private L.G.Goodchild

A closer look at the preaching cross stump

Above the memorial to Albert Booker along with the rest of his family mentioned below him

It stands with some older head stones 

Around by the West end a broken headstone leans against the wall

Look South along the boundary wall and you find more modern headstones

Turn East and the churchyard seems rather empty apart from headstones by the hedge

 Mixed in among them are some large family plots

My last look at All Saints till I get a chance to return and see inside

England will be in a four week Lockdown when you read this and after this blog I have two more churches to feature. I had hoped to visit a few more before this happened but other things intervened and it did not happen so I may have to come up with something.

Till Next time stay safe & take care.