St Peter Wilcote

 

After my revisits to some local churches I thought it was time I filled in a few churches that I missed when I was visiting Oxfordshire Best Churches, turns out there were three all near one I wanted to go to the first was St Peter Wilcote that turned out not so easy to locate because I drove right past the turning to it having to double back to get there

"The Church of England parish church of Saint Peter was built in the latter part of the 12th century, and the blocked Norman south doorway is the most notable feature from this period. Its jamb shafts have cushion capitals. The earliest record of a parish priest is of one Geoffrey, who was installed between 1209 and 1219.

The chancel east wall and chancel arch were rebuilt in the 13th century. The arch is Early English and is carried on head corbels. Early in the 14th century a south chapel was built onto the nave, the north doorway was rebuilt and new windows were inserted in the north and west walls. Also in the 14th century, a small three-light east window was inserted in the chancel and the present Decorated Gothic piscina, credence table and aumbry were installed. In 1545 the church had a rood screen. There is a squint between the nave and the chancel.

By 1844 the south chapel had been removed. In that year the Oxford Architectural Society surveyed the church and recommended rebuilding it in the Decorated Gothic style. Henry Woodyer supervised a restoration in 1853 but already by 1868 it was reported that only the walls were "fit to be left up" and a new restoration was begun under the supervision of Arthur Blomfield. Both the nave and chancel were re-roofed, the porch was rebuilt, a bellcote was added to the west gable of the nave and a bell was hung. The east window of the chancel was replaced by a larger one in a 13th-century style. This was glazed and the nave west windows were re-glazed with stained glass by Heaton, Butler and Bayne of London. The church doors were replaced and new pews installed.

St Peter's is a Grade II* listed building. The parish is now part of the same Benefice as Finstock, Leafield and Ramsden. Despite the very small size of the parish, St Peter's is an active church within the wider Benefice with services currently taking place every Friday (Evening Prayer) and any fifth Sunday in a calendar month (Holy Communion)"

 The church from the gate

 The west end with bellcote and a central buttress

 

 

Blocked south doorway which as you can see is of Norman origin

 

 

This blocked arch was where the south chapel used to be before it was removed

 

 

East end

 

Going back to look at the north side

North side showing the porch and priests door in the east end

 

 

 

The graves at the east end of the church the truth be known there are not that many headstones to see in the churchyard

 

Going around the east end showing the graves there

From the east end looking  over to the south side churchyard

Forgotten tomb covered in moss

 

 

Couple of headstones nearly lost in the shrubbery

 

South side looking north 

 

The porch

 

Entrance doorway

 

View down the nave to the chancel arch

 

Going in closer

The chancel arch

Inside the chancel

Altar and east window

The altar

View down on the altar showing the mosaic at the back

The east window is quite magnificent

Looking back west through the arch

The nave from the chancel arch

Some large kneelers on one of the pews

The pews and the only shot I have of the pulpit

I did not forget to get a view from it though

 

Memorials in the church

Which are all dedicated to a few families

The south east corner of the chancel

This was hanging in the corner of the nave and I m wondering if it is part of the old rood screen decoration

 

Decorated Gothic piscina

 

 

Which is near the chair on the south side of the chancel

Aumbry behind the second chair

Headstops on either side of the arch

They are quite impressive to look at

Windows at the west end

 

There is stained glass and coloured glass in the windows

 

It is nice to look at

And ads to the windows

 

Making the a  lot more interesting 

 

The nave roof (not my best photo)

 

The chancel roof

One of the bosses

Blocked south door now with converted lamp

 

This one may still run on oil

 

The font, I find it hard to age these

 

I will leave you with this photo of an oil lamp with the cross over the chancel arch in the background

Till next time may I wish you all a peaceful week