Saturday 16 October 2021

St Giles Newington

 

I hate to think how many times I have stopped of to see if St Giles Newington was open, when ever I past the church I would stop and walk along to the porch to see if the door was open but to no avail. I had made my mind up to find the churchwarden or key holder and ask if it was possible to look inside. I last weeks blog you Saw Rycote Chapel which is quiet a few miles away from St Giles and as usual I made a note to stop off quickly on the way back to check if it might be open. On the way back from Rycote I remembered it was the Ride and Stride where people could do a sponsored walk or ride around all the local churches, it made me think the church could be open. As I drew nearer the church I past a group of walkers heading in the right direction. So I stopped in the layby and walked quickly to the church to be welcomed by a couple of nice ladies who were looking after the church for the ride & stride event. They asked if I had ridden or walked and I said I walked from my car then told them why I was visiting. Funny thing was one of the ladies said she had seen my blog well your in the blog this week and I cannot say how happy I was to finally get to visit this church. Please forgive me if you appear in one of the photos shown in the church, your welcome to a copy if you want one.

  This is an old photo I took a while ago on one of my failed attempts

Again in 2020, as you can see it changed little

In September 2021 I get my first look inside St Giles

 
Chairs have replaced pews if they were there

 
The chancel with lots of memorials on the walls

 
The Altar with east window behind

Here we look back towards the nave through the rood screen

 
This would have been a chapel on the north side 

Right hand side of the chancel arch is the pulpit

 
Better view from the side

 
where you can look down to the nave

 
Or over to the chapel. The people you see are stood around an organist who is playing the harmonium he is seated at. They were part of a group who were on a pilgrimage to Dorchester Abbey
 
 
This is the other instrument which is some kind of organ 

 This is the harmonium the guy they organist was playing

 
You would think this window was just plain
 
 
Till you take a closer look and see some medieval glass in it 

There is even more in one of the North windows
 
 
Memorial to George Wroughton


These are all memorials to various members of the White Family


This is the most impressive memorial to Walter Dunch

Both of them shown in burial shrouds

 The couple head on, there tomb is in the floor nearby
 
 
Detail of the skull on the right hand side

Looking over to the left hand side

 
Memorials on the left of the altar

 
and on the right with a holy water stoup beneath
 
 
Over on the north side of the chancel is this recess which looks like it would have held an effigy once

 
The floor holds a few tombs in good condition

 
This one is of Walter Dunch who's memorial is on the wall nearby

 
Rev John Billingley and his wife Elizabeth

Small memorial to William Powell White


Tomb of Anna Dunch
 
 
Henry Dunch, I might add I come across the Dunch family quite often in churches

 
 Rather nice old candelabra with candles

 
The poster was behind an old church chest


 This tile square caught my eye
 

 Royal coat of arms
 
 
The painting of the angel is in the recess of the old north door

 
I will leave you this week with a photo I took of a cross made from wheat stalks and ears
Till Next time I wish you all a wonderful weekend
Take Care




5 comments:

  1. A wonderfully atmospheric old church. I don't think I've ever seen a memorial quite like the Walter Dunch one, or royal coat of arms made in that style.

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  2. I'm glad that the church was open and it was good to hear about the Ride and Stride event which meant that there were pilgrim people around. Thank you for noticing and including details such as the wheat straw cross, the floor tile, the angel mural, the medieval glass in the windows. The memorials are also interesting. You must get to become familiar with the history and family history of those connected with the churches you visit in an area. God bless. Have a peaceful week Bill.

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    Replies
    1. Yes I have come across the ride & stride before so I will have keep an eye out foe it next year to visit a few churches when it is on.

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  3. Marvelous! I'm glad you got in.

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