St Leonard Waterstock

 

St Leonard Waterstock was the first church I had intended to visit on this foray to the edge of Oxfordshire but on getting to the road to the village I found it closed so went off to see if I could get to it from the other side of the village only to be thwarted when I found the road work was being done that end. I then went off to visit the church at Shabbington  and Ikford for some more photos. I the was back I thought I would try to see if the road to the church was clear and I am happy to say it was. Some history of Wikipedia :- 

"Waterstock seems to have had a parish church since at least 1190. The current Church of England parish church of Saint Leonard was built at the end of the 15th century. The nave and chancel were rebuilt in 1790, and in 1858 the Gothic Revival architect G.E. Street restored the building. It is the burial place of the early-17th-century Puritan writer William 'Eternity' Tipping. Remnants of mediaeval window glass were recovered after the English Reformation and have been inserted above the armorial Ashurst window. This window, together with monuments in the church, records the families of local squirearchy who inhabited the manor house and retained its patronage until 1957.As well as regular church services, meetings and concerts are held in the church."

 

 The church is set back off the road a short way

Gate leads that takes you to the churchyard

Then to the porch, the doors were locked

Towards the bell tower

Near the west end, the window lets light into the bell pulls

Around the north side a porch the no doubt was from the house behind and an entrance to the north aisle

Looking left towards the chance a small vestry has been added

The North side showing the north aisle and chancel

Around to the east end

around to the south looking west

The cancel looks to have had the windows covered with black plastic and there is a large crack running down the wall towards the window.

Here we look west along the south of the church

Back to the west end of the churchyard

Against the wall and old headstone has been placed

The west churchyard looking south

This is along the north side of the church

A family tomb chest in the corner of the chancel and north aisle

One more look as we walk away to the car. I intend to revisit the churches in the area when lockdown is lifted and the churches are one again 

Till next time have a wonderful weekend and stay safe

I returned a couple of months later and posted the photos in a revisit blog click on the link to view

 

Remember in  your thoughts and prayers HRH Prince Philip who died on Friday, who met once at the opening of Diamond Light Source I found it a very Humbling Experience

Rest In Peace