St Nicolas Church Abingdon

 

This week we  Visit St Nicolas Abingdon, a church which dominates the market square in the town. Rather that cut and paste the history of the church from Wikipedia clock on the link above and you can read it's own page. There is not much to see around the church so the blog is going to be shorter that I normally provide. I am aiming to visit again as I found out when the church is open so I will write another blog showing the inside. The photos are all taken with my iPhone

St Nicolas from the market square

The tower

Bit further along is the chancel end of the church

This is what is over to the left of the last photo, the back of Abbey Gateway

But blurry this but shows the extent of the churchyard, not a lot as you can see

The board nearby tells you of the history of the church and a couple of tantalising  photos of the inside

Walking up the side at the end are a few headstones that look like they were moved from their original position

These may well have been here or like the others moved

Back out and I'm off to the next church with a view of the Abbey Gateway. There was an abbey in the town until Henry VIII decided to take all their wealth and tore it down, it would have been on the other side of that blue fence in the distance. You can still see parts of it in the Abbey Gardens

This is the centre piece of the Gateway

I will leave you with this view of the Church and Abbey Gateway which was taken from the top of the old Town Hall. Follow the link to see the inside on my revisit

Till next time have a peaceful weekend

St Andrews Headington

 

This week the Church Explorer visits St Andrews Headington on a return visit from when I first visited in May 2011 back then I found the church locked and vowed I would return for another visit. I walked up from the JR where my son was having his treatment and knew there was a morning service happening  and had been told I would be most welcome to come along. I came in when the service was nearly finished and waited to take my photos when the parishioners had gone. I found the service very similar to the catholic one.

Not much history on Wikipedia apart from this :- "The church was built c.1160 in the Norman style. A south aisle and tower were added in the 13th century. In 1862, J. C. Buckler lengthened the nave"though there is a link to the church on Wikipedia if you look at the link above"

Photos were taken with my Canon SX740 and iPhone

 St Andrews church from the roadside

The tower which is the older part of the church

The view of the church from the south west entrance to the churchyard

 

Builders mark on the bell tower

 

 

 

Old door mounted on the tower

 

Tower showing the clock

 

St Andrews Flag

 The memorial in the churchyard with the tower

The graves south of the church

Looking east from the footpath

This is a family memorial which has a sundial on it the main part is quite eroded

The sundial is more recent that the rest of it and in better condition

Looking east from the footpath

The tomb here looks sunk in the ground by the church

Older tomb chest among the headstones

Two more chest tomes one looks to have sunk

Old headstones on nearly lost in the ground

At the west end of the church by the wall

The stones may well have been placed here having been moved from elsewhere

The north side of the church, this part of the churchyard is not as large as the front

These old tombs are set off by the snowdrops

Part of the over grown churchyard left to nature

Looking west along the north side of the church, the extension holds the church rooms

Sun shining through the trees 

A chest tomb with a very eroded lid south of the church

Smaller chest tomb

A small rock garden has been planted near the sunken tomb by the church

headstones near the entrance to the churchyard

The porch, lets go in

Not the first photo I took but one from the back of the nave

Another along the nave towards the chancel arch

The organ at the back of the church is quite new and looks stunning

The church has been reordered with a new altar in front of the chancel arch making it stand out

The chancel arch which is was Norman,  and looks amazing considering how old it is.

The pointed area above was added to relieve  the weight of the gable wall

 

 View over the arch showing the detail

Pattern detail

 

 The chancel which is the older part of the church

 

Altar with east window

 

The east window is quite beautiful with a nativity scene
 

 

The altar cross and candles

 

Looking back through the chancel arch

 

Pulpit over to the right of the arch, note above the entrance  to the rood loft that was once there
 

 

The nave and north aisle from the pulpit

 

In the chapel over to the south of the arch you find the entrance to the stares that lead to the rood loft

 

The arch here takes you to the font

 

Most likely Victorian

 

 

Also has a beautiful carved lid

 

 

The lady Chapel in the south aisle

 

Simple altar

 

The stained glass window is beautiful

 

North aisle

North aisle looking west

Some of the various family memorials in the church

 

The stained glass is also something well worth viewing as well

 

The roll of honour from the first world war I am told was based on a shrine

 

The Crucifixion is superb in it's detail 

 

Cross of remembrance for Sgt R.K.Morris left on the shrine

The colours on the roof timbers really stand out

 

 View of the south aisle from the nave

 

 

View across the raised dais of the altar and the chancel arch

I took this shot because of the sunlight shining on the organ

 

 

The beautiful detail on the west window showing the chapter house of Westminster Abbey and Barton Manor

 

This shows Simon De Montford and Vashti Queen of Persia 

 The window shows  the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Anne

 

Wharton memorial
 

 

Beautiful quilt

 

Some of the items you can see around the church

I will leave you with this shot of this beautiful floral display in the church

Till Next time have a peaceful weekend