St Matthew Langford

 

This was the second of the Churches I visited in West Oxfordshire for my quest to visit the churches in the Book Oxfordshire Best Churches 

"The Church of England parish church of Saint Matthew is Saxon. In about 1200 the Early English Gothic north and south aisles were added, and in the 13th century the chancel was rebuilt. Some of the windows are 14th and 15th century Decorated Gothic and Perpendicular Gothic additions. Two flying buttresses were added to the north side of the church in 1574. The architect Richard Pace restored the building in 1829 and the Gothic Revival architect Ewan Christian restored the nave roof to its original pitch in 1864. The tower has a ring of six bells." For a more detailed history click on the first link

First thing I noticed was a preaching cross stump showing the church was here a long time

From over the churchyard using my phone the strange thing to me was the pink on the central tower which is though to be Saxon

Similar view with my Camera

The porch which has a Saxon rood over it

South view of the church

South west end looking east

Along the north side showing buttresses

North side view

North east view of the church

The east end

The porch showing the headless  rood

The headless rood though to be 8th century

Zoomed in view of the two small lancets windows and carving on the tower

Blocked Priest door on the south side and north door near the flying buttresses which date to 1574 the far one has an inscription on which I missed, I thought they had been added at a much later date

Phone view showing the south side of the church

One of the east end

Couple of more recent burials in the older part of the churchyard

Looking across the churchyard to the east end of the church

Looking along the south side of the church

Three chest tombs in various states of repair

Selection of old and new headstones

Decorated tomb chest though the inscription has eroded

Headstones and chest tombs

Grave with fence between the headstone and footstone

Over in the far north east side of the churchyard

A row of very similar headstones which I think date back to the 1700's

Inside the porch and the doorway

The church is pretty open at the moment as the pews have been removed for reordering If you look on the link which takes you to Oxfordshires Churches you will see what the nave looks like with pews in.

The arch leading through the crossover under the tower

The chancel

The altar looks lost here behind the altar rails

Looking back down the nave from the back taken with my phone, over in the north and south aisle  you can see the original pews

The 11th century arch in the tower with doorway above which makes me wonder if it had a rood loft

The chancel and choir stalls

Going nearer the altar

The altar with priests chairs either side

The altar which has some nice floral decoration on it and a wooded cross

Looking back to the arch

Looking through the cross over, there are no north and south transepts like on other churches with a central tower

Looking through the crossover at the west window

From the arch through the nave

The pulpit which is Jacobean mad in 1673

It gives a wonderful view of the whole church

Some older memorials two date to the late 1600's

Brass memorials

Nicely decorated 14th century window in the nave

A more modern stained glass one on the crossover

The west window depicting St Francis of Assisi

Blocked doorway and stairs that lead to an upper room over the porch

The workings of a clock that was made in 1680

Clock information

This tomb and brass is hidden under the altar

Painting in the north aisle

Some of the other tombs in the floor of the church

Tomb brasses dating to the 1600's

Various parts dating back to the 13th century

One if the two chairs either side of the altar

Church chest

Quite a small organ

pews in the north aisle

with some very nice candle holders on the ends

Choir stalls

Finals carving on the stall ends

Looking down the north aisle

At the end a screen with organ pipes above

The paintings on the screen

Collage of the screen paintings

South aisle

Again a screen at the end

On which are more paintings

15th century font

This was a wonderful church to look around with al the historic parts to it which date back to Saxon times, some of which I realize I missed. If I am back around the area again I will revisit the church. I will leave you with this photo of a Floral display from the church, till next time I wish you all a wonderful weekend.