St Mary Bishopstone

 

 This week it will be Ten years since I Started writing the Church Explorer if you do not count the first couple as a different name. I will have published 488 blogs in that time from all around Oxfordshire, Berkshire , Wales and a few other places. My google map lists over 400 churches It would be hard to pick a favourite if I had to but I may write a blog on which churches I like the most sometime.

Bishopstone was the next church I got to on my trip around the Swindon area and we are now back in Wiltshire, By the time I got here I was beginning to feel it from the driving around and the heat that day  so it was a welcome break to have a walk in the shade to the church from where I parked. There is no history I can find on the church on Wikipedia or their website and the Parish Council website sends you to the  British History online website so I would advise you to visit it for more history, I can tell you a church stood here in the 11th century so it does date back along was and the church still shows a lot of features from different centuries

As I came up a path from the place I parked you go a nice view of the south of the church

Walking along the path to pause and take a photo of the south

The belltower with castellations, The bulge is the stairwell going up the side of the tower 

West view of the tower, the flag showing solidarity 

Viewing from the north west and you can see the porch with the north aisle beside it

The path from the village entrance is cut in to the ground

It's also lined with old hear or footstones 

The chancel has a rather nice Norman door, at least I hope it is

Turning to the right a little you can see the north aisle

The east end and window

Moving around to the south east for another view of the church

The churchyard here we look in a southerly direction, most of he graves being quite old

Looking west here

The churchyard south of the church 

Then tuning left to look west 

Around the north side again looking at some of the older graves

Think this was the only chest tomb but there were a couple of double headstones

I did not linger in the churchyard as it was hot so went to the porch to go inside

Going to the back a panoramic view of the church

Looking down the nave, the one thing that stands out is the organ pipes and how it has been built over the chancel arch. Any remnants will be hidden

Another view of the nave different camera

One of the chancel arch and magnificent organ

Into the chancel

The altar which is covered making me think there could be a wildlife problem or just to keep it clean

Looking back the opposite way to the west end

The bell playing loft,  I could not get up there as the door was locked, it would have been nice to get a view of the church from there

Bell ropes hanging 

Nice pulpit

Beside the beautiful carving an inscription to Elizabeth Ann Povey

View of the nave from the pulpit

Thought a panoramic as was in order as well

View from the north aisle to the chancel arch and organ

The south aisle

A view from behind the font

A scree cover what alter would have at the east end of the south aisle

On it a rather impressive carved Roll of Honour

Listing those who did not return in the two wars

Behind the scree the east window has inserts of older stained glass

The screen also hid the organ works and the wind pipe from the bellows or pump which ran up the rood stares confirming once there was a rood loft in he church

Looking over to the north aisle

The north aisle with another screen over the end

On my way down the aisle I passed the old clock workings

A plaque saying who gave the clock and there is a date on it 1654 

The screen across the north aisle 

Which has painted panels with scenes from the bible

Below a embroidered banner

That hides this amazing byre that has been restored by a local undertaker

Some of the older tooms in the floor, the carvings which stood out for me

Memorials which can be seen around the church

the brass plaques you can see as well

The font with beautiful carved cover, with light from the window reflecting on the floor

I will leave you with this shot of the stained glass window behind the font

On Friday Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away, 

She was our Queen for over 70 years

RIP