After my visit to Hornton I followed the narrow roads to come to St Ethelreda Horley where I found another stunning ironstone church. You can read the history belowand it is quite long. Needless to say I had been looking forward to seeing this church for a while though I forgot it had a rood loft until I walked in the church
"The Church of England parish church of Saint Etheldreda, along with the church of St. John the Baptist, Hornton were dependent chapelries of King's Sutton until the middle of the 15th century. St. Etheldreda's is built of local Hornton stone. The church existed by the late 12th century and its Norman central belltower and much of its chancel date from about 1180. Early in the 13th century the nave was replaced with one with north and south aisles and a higher roof.
Early in the 14th century the chancel and both aisles were rebuilt and the south aisle and chancel were given new Decorated Gothic windows. Little of the 13th century nave and aisles now survives except the west wall and three Early English doorways. A clerestory was added to the nave and a porch was added to the repositioned south door. The tower buttresses may have been added at this time. Early in the 15th century the north wall of the north aisle was rebuilt, retaining the 13th century north doorway but gaining new Perpendicular Gothic windows. In about 1600 the west window was replaced with a three-light square-headed one.
Early in the 17th century the chancel was in disrepair and the lay rector was repeatedly asked to fund repairs. In 1621 the chancel was reported to be so "ruinous and much decayed" that the rain came in. In 1632 the rest of the church was alleged to be "ready to fall". The tracery, in part of the east window, was rebuilt c1760 and two of the north windows of the chancel was replaced. By 1879 St. Etheldreda's needed a thorough restoration and the vicar privately wrote that he feared for the safety of the tower. However, the tower was not put in good order until 1915, when the church was restored under the direction of the Scottish architect William Weir.
In 1947–50 the Oxford Diocesan Surveyor T. Lawrence Dale added a chancel screen and rood loft. Dale described this work as "One of the most enjoyable things he ever did", likening it to "putting new wine into an old bottle". St. Etheldreda's interior has Medieval wall paintings: a large and well-preserved one of Saint Christopher, on the north wall, and a rare one of Saint Zita, on the north nave pillar. The tower was repaired in 1785; a stair parapet was removed early in the 19th century. It had a ring of four bells, cast by William and Henry III Bagley of Chacombe in 1706. However two further bells, by John Taylor & Co, were added in 2013. St. Etheldreda's is now one of eight ecclesiastical parishes in the Ironstone Benefice."
South east view of this beautifully colored church
East end of the church with graves of people who wanted to be buried there in the past
North east view
Not easy to get a view of of the north side what the sun is out
South west from the road
South west view
I did not notice the sundial till I looked at the photos so I cropped this from the original photo I took. It was around 3:18 when I took the photo so I'm not sure what time the dial was set to when it was first place where it is
North west view from the road
Windows and door in the west end
I noticed what looks like a sculpture of a bird on this buttress at the west end of the church
Baroque memorial on the wall
Churchyard form the south path
Looking east over the churchyard
I find it quite incredible the inscription is so legible after 350 odd years, the date of Thomas Savel's death was March 6th 1671
From the south looking north
East end graves and memorials
Looking west up the north side of the church
East on the south side
East on the north side
Tomb chests south of the church
Looking over at the graves and tomb chests under the tree on the south side of the church
Looking west
East with a tomb chest in the foreground
The porch
Leading into the door
I did not take a photo of the view from the door after I spotted the rood loft I went and took some from the back of the church. The first three you see are taken with my camera using the wide angle lens
Closer shot
Chancel arch and rood loft
Rood loft and canopy
Loft with rood
Through the cross over
The chancel
Altar and east window
Looking back through the crossover to the nave
Sorry if there are more rood loft shots but I was really taken with it
The rood
Rood and canopy
Closer view of the rood
Altar table with screen behind, I know the rood loft was made in the 1950's but I feel it is let down by the wrought iron screen
Close view of the top of the screen
Painted pulpit
Looking back through the nave
Down from the pulpit
The window really let the light in
These two tomb covers are in the recess on the crossover
I like carving around the stoup
10 commandments
The I Believe prayer
Beautiful how the light come through this window
Another tomb top in a recess
This one was covered with a carpet so I took it off to see what it looked like, you can just make out the carvings on it
Not sure what the painting represented
At the end you can see some medieval floor tiles
The north aisle
Another bier, north Oxfordshire has a lot of them still
This is probably the best medieval painting of st Christopher I have seen
The altar at the end of the north aisle
Behind which you can make out a reredos
Looking west up the north aisle
You will also find the roll of honor here as well
Carved with the names of those lost in both wars
More wall art on the south aisle
Though not in such good condition
The south aisle
The altar and east window
Closer view
East window
Memorial to Mr John Edwards
Other things of note in the south aisle
Looking west
On one of the pillars is this medieval wall painting
Norman font
Window with medieval glass
Another which both are in the north aisle
Ironstone banner
Last look at the rood loft and pulpit
Till next time may I wish you all a peaceful week
