Assumption BVM Beckley

 

 

This week I am back on track with the church I would have shown last week. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Beckley which is north east of Oxford is a church I decided to visit while my son was at the JR hospital for some treatment. As it was only a short distance away it did not take long to get to. Some history off Wikipedia

" The Church of England parish church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was originally Norman, but was rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries. The interior has a number of 14th- and 15th-century wall paintings including a Virgin and Child, an Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the weighing of souls, the torments of the damned and 15th-century paintings of Saint Peter, Saint Paul and a Doom.

By 1552 the tower had four large bells and the church had also a Sanctus bell. The Sanctus bell has been lost but the tower bells have been renewed and increased to the present ring of five. Richard Keene of Woodstock  cast the treble bell in 1650 and the third bell in 1654. Richard III Chandler of Drayton Parslow, Buckinghamshire cast the fourth bell in 1705 and Henry III Bagley of Chacombe, Northamptonshire cast the second bell in 1707, possibly at his foundry at Witney. Mears and Stainbank of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast the present tenor bell in 1881. For technical reasons the bells are currently unringable.

The rectory and advowson of Beckley evolved into a second manor, which was bought by the Izard family in 1568. Memorials in Beckley church to the family include one dedicated to John Izard, 'Spanish merchant,' who died in 1694. Dorothy Izard of this family married the Rev. Nicholas Levet, priest of Westbourne, West Sussex and fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, who is buried in the chancel of the parish church. The Izard family seem to have sold the rectory to the Duke of Bedford. The Izard family also held the nearby manor of Charlton-on-Otmoor.

 In the early Middle Ages Beckley was reputedly the home of Saint Domnanuerdh, a Saxon saint known only from the Hagiography list of John Leland.^"

 

^{Main entrance is through this Lych gate on Church Street}

Leading to a gravel path that takes you to the church

^{After going through the gate and seeing the church my first thought was I hope it is open because if the outside is any thing to go by the inside must be even better, it was and it is}

The South side of the church, the bell tower is more or less central in the church

Looking from the south west end

Heading around to the north side

The west end of the church

West end door

Going further over the north side of the churchyard gives a good view of the church

 

 The east end

 

 Path leading to the porch

 The main entrance to the church

 The churchyard looking across the east end

 

 Part of the churchyard beside the porch

 

Typical chest tomb from around the Cotswold's

Looking along the churchyard on the south side near the porch

Looking back east
 

 

 Across the north side of the church

Some of the more recent headstones near the east end of the church

Nearby along the road cottages face the church
 

 

 Looking from the east end of the church towards the south

Before going in the porch look up and there is a small  statue of Mary & Jesus

The door leading to the church

 

On the left as you go in a hand bire  

 

Walk in the door and you view will be through the arches acorns the south aisle

 

To the right you can look along the south aisle

 

Going over to the nave looking towards the cross over and you can view this Doom
 

Through the cross over to the chancel

The chancel with the altar table below the east window

 

 

In the chancel you can look back through the cross over to the back of the church

At the back on the west wall you can see wall paintings there as well

 The stained glass  window the most prominent one in the nave

 

 

Looking across the modern altar to the nave
 

 

There is a wooden pulpit with sounding board over the top

Looking from the pulpit you can see this part of the church

In the south aisle is another altar

Above which is this stained glass window

On the wall some artwork showing the crucifixion

Looking across to the north aisle you can see the church organ which has been built in the end of the aisle

A squint from the south aisle looking towards the altar

Beside the altar in the chancel is this mural in memory of the lost from the first world war

The faces look real

The men show may well be the men who were lost from the parish

Listed in the roll of honour

Five men died

A stone tablet in the priest door

There are quite a few memorials in the church, this one is to the Ledwell Family

Another memorial is on the blocked off north door

In memory of Kate Lea

The Hibbert family memorial

A church chest

One of the stained glass windows in the chancel

This one has a cross mounted in it

A prayer tree stands in another window

The font with it's cover on

Painting depicting the assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary

I will leave you with this view of the chancel from the modern altar

Till next time stay safe and have a peaceful weekend