St Nicholas Asthall

 

Following on from my last visit to Minster Lovell my next church was St Nicholas Asthall  which is in the Windrush valley  not far from the river itself. We are now getting into the Cotswolds where you start seeing that golden stone the houses are built from

"The Church of England parish church of Saint Nicholas was enlarged in about 1160, when the north aisle and north transept were added to an earlier church. The north transept arch and the arcade between the nave and north aisle are in the Transitional style between Norman architecture and Early English Gothic. The chancel was rebuilt in the 13th century in the Early English Gothic style. The west window of the north aisle is in the early Decorated Gothic style of the late 13th century. There is another Decorated Gothic window on the south side of the nave. In about 1350 the north transept was remodeled and its roof height increased above that of the nave. After this the remaining windows were added in the Perpendicular Gothic style. The west tower was built in the 15th century.

The church was restored in 1885, and the chancel arch was probably rebuilt at this time. The church is a Grade II* listed building. The tower has a ring of six bells. The Wokingham foundry cast the fifth and tenor bells in about 1499. John Taylor & Co cast the fourth bell in 1859, presumably at the foundry they then had in Oxford. Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast the treble, second and third bells in 2005. St Nicholas' also has a Sanctus bell, which was cast in 1640 by James Keene, who had foundries at Woodstock and Bedford. St Nicholas' parish is now a member of the Benefice of Burford, Fulbrook, Taynton, Asthall, Swinbrook and Widford."

 

^{Northeast view of the church from near where you come in}

 

Going around to the north side the church shows it's heritage

Northwest view of the church

West view of the tower which looks offset due to the north aisle

^{South west view}

 ^{Looking from the south side of the churchyard}

 ^{Looking from the southeast}

^{Back to the north side}

 The well trod churchyard path

One of the first things I noticed was this beautiful bale tomb

 

The carvings on it still clear to see

^{Most of the inscription worn away through age}

^{One panel you can still read what is written}

 

The deaths head a common theme on them

^{Nor far away another chest tomb}

 

There were quite a few old headstone to be seen along with chest tombs

I thought this headstone was in good condition till I looked at the inscription which told me the person dies in 1941

^{Cast cross in concrete base}

^{Four tombs in a family group on the southwest side of the church}

 

Headstones at the west end of the church

 

The headstones in the church yard are some of the oldest I have seen with dates going back to the 1600's on them

^{Over to the south side of the church I came across snowdrops that had gone over, I would love to see them when they are flowering}

The entrance door in the porch which I assume in Norman

The headstop is quite worn through age

The nave inside looking from the back

Inside the door looking across the church

Looking down the aisle to the chancel arch

The nave and north aisle

Zooming in

Inside the chancel

Turn the lights on and more is revealed

^{The altar and est window}

The east window does look very impressive

As do the other stained glass windows in the chancel

closer view of the window

^{Lancet window}

^{Looking back though the chancel to the nave}

^{Victorian pulpit}

 

View from the pulpit showing the nave an north aisle

Looking down the north aisle

 

At the end is this chapel which you can also access from the chancel

Which contains family tombs

In a recesses tomb the effigy of  a lady can be seen

Stained glass in the window behind

It does look old

But I need to find out if it is, the Victorians were good at fooling you over this

 

There is a small stone alter in the chapel

^{And another nice window in the east wall}

The wall painting in the chancel are worth viewing

It looks Victorian as I have see similar in another few churches

 

The figures in the paintings look in the arts and crafts stile of William Morris

 

But then Kelmscott is not that far from here

But they are worth going to see

 

You notice quite  a few memorials around the church

The roll of Honor

^{William Arthur Bayford Kirwan -Ward}

Couple of memorial brasses

Tomb of John Lawrence and his wife Ann

Th organ was unusual  as it was painted white 

Fragments of old stained glass

The font and base look like a Norman tub font

The original clock workings, quiet a few churches have these on show after new modern ones have been installed

^{Carvings on arch pillars}

^{The nave ceiling with more wall art over the chancel arch}

 

I will take my leave of you this week with a photo of the altar cross.

Till next time may I wish you all peaceful weekend