The next couple of churches will be return visits which also may be the case with a few more as I try to get photos of the inside of churches that I visited in lockdown. I first visited St Nicholas Ickford a year ago to see if I could get a photo inside of a memorial unfortunately for me it was locked and I did not get a chance to revisit till April this year when were were emerging for lockdown. I did not expect to go inside but wanted to record the church and churchyard. Finally in August I went back to get photos inside the church. A recap of some of the history:-
"The Church of England parish church of Saint Nicholas dates from
the late 12th or early 13th century. The nave was built in about AD
1210, with a porch in the middle of the south side. Relatively narrow
three-bay north and south aisles
were added in about 1230, with the south aisle absorbing the original
porch and taking the porch's south wall for the limit of its width. The
north aisle has one Norman and Early English Gothic 13th-century lancet
windows, one of which has a later rere-arch with cusped spandrels, each
with a carved rosette.
The chancel has two 13th-century lancet windows in its north
wall. Near the westerly of these windows is a rectangular recess that
may have been a squint. In its south wall are another lancet window and a
13th-century doorway. The Decorated Gothic east window is 14th-century
and has reticulated tracery with ogees.
The south wall of the chancel has at its east end a window from about
1350 that is said to have been brought from elsewhere, and towards the
west end a 15th-century window with a depressed head. Some of the
stained glass windows are 20th-century work by Ninian Comper.
The bell tower is substantially Norman but the upper stages
were remodelled in the 14th century. The tower has a saddleback roof.
In the nave some of the seats are 16th-century and there is a
west gallery fronted with 17th-century panelling. The pulpit and its
tester are also 17th-century."
Before you read on I will warn you there is a lot of detail in this weeks blog so I'd advise a coffee & cake
Looking down the path to the church from by the gate
Inside the porch to a welcome
The joists above looked interesting
The carving in the centrer looks worn
One side of the original doorway
Walking in the door you look across to the North aisle
To your left you will see the font
To your right you look down the narrow south aisle
Look across to the chancel arch
Walking over to the centre of the nave you view the chancel arch and chancel
Turning around you see a loft space with a royal coat of arms
Into the chancel
The altar behind the rails
The chancel window at the east end of the church
The altar cross and candle holders simple
from behind the altar you look right down the chancel and nave
This I presume sounding board hangs from the roof above the altar
This is what I came to see in the church the memorial to Thomas Tipping and his wife. Thomas Tippings wife Margaret who is the daughter of John Latton from Blewbury
The inscription on the memorial
Found this pillar interesting in that it looked like the original paint was on it
Thomas & Margaret had four sons
and five daughters. I think the letters above the figures are the initials of their names
The pulpit with the sounding board above
Giving a good view of the Nave
Or even the south & north aisles as well
With the old font cover
The south aisle houses the Lady chapel
Models of houses sit on the top of the altar with the church in the centre
Above the altar a beautiful roll of honour on display
A rood on top of the joist by the chancel arch
This may have been the counterbalance for the old font cover
Memorial to William May Ellis
More elaborate on to Lye Thomas & his wife Mary
Not so easy to rad this one
Commemorative plaque
Not sure what this in is for, there seems to be different names in Latin but seems to be a memorial
The roll of honour for the village
The fallen with RIP against their names
A few of the memorial stones in the aisles
This one to Edmund Lawrence the oldest
There are some beautiful stained glass windows
This window a memorial to Edward Vernon Staley
Tow of the lancet windows on the north side of the church
This on given in thanks for the ending of WWII
At the west end of the south aisle two more unusual windows
This lancet with a jug on the sill
Sun reflection through the window
The coat of arms on it belonging to Canterbury & Lincoln
The arches on the north side of the nave
both have beak heads on them
The pillar of the chancel arch on the south side
A mouse guards some ones sunglasses
In this niche a tree of life
Statue of the Virgin Mary in what may have been a squint
Madonna & child in the lady chapel
I loved this one in a wooden case
A beautiful Candelabra along with candles
I will leave you this week with this shot of a church mouse.
Till next time I wish you all a peaceful weekend.
Remember Don Everly of the Everly Brothers and Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones who gave my generation a lot of pleasure with their music. I had the pleasure of seeing the Stones live twice
RIP