The Church Explorer: St Peter ad Vincula South Newinton

St Peter ad Vincuna in South Newington was the third church on my visit I had thought of going to Broughton which would have been a failed visit as after I found out it was locked. The fourth I had hoped to fit in I decided to skip as I felt tired, I had been out a long time and wanted to get home for some lunch

"South Newington's Church of England parish church is one of only 15 in England dedicated to St Peter ad Vincula ("St Peter in Chains"), after the basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome. It was originally a small late Norman church. At the end of the 13th century it was considerably extended and the bell tower was added. Further additions were made in the second half of the 15th century. The tower has a ring of five bells, the oldest of which was cast in 1656.

Around 1330–40 several very fine wall paintings were painted in the north aisle, probably commissioned by Thomas Giffard, lord of the smaller manor in South Newington, and his wife Margaret Mortayne. Over the chancel arch there are fragments of a Doom painting from the same period, but very little of it has survived. In the 15th or 16th century a Passion Cycle was painted in the nave above the arches to the north aisle. Its artistry is not of the same standard as the paintings in the north aisle, but it is of interest and some of its pictures show scenes not seen in passion cycles elsewhere.

St Peter ad Vincula was granted to the Benedictine abbey at Eynsham in the 1160s, and remained one of its possessions until the abbey was suppressed in the dissolution of the monasteries in 1538. In 1565 the advowson was passed to Exeter College, Oxford, which retained it until 1979. St Peter ad Vincula is now part of a single Church of England benefice with the parishes of Bloxham and Milcombe."

Main article: St Peter ad Vincula, South Newington

St Peter looking at the south side from the path

East end

North east view

North west with the tower

The bell tower

West door and window

Gargoyles on the porch

The empty plinth hits that once a statue of St Peter stood here

Gargoyle looking like a monkey on the corner of the porch

Porch and tower

South east view across the churchyard

South looking up the path

The village war memorial

Near the porch the original preaching cross stump

Looking west from the path

^{Three of the headstones I took, I did not go around the churchyard like I have done}

^{Being rather more interested to see inside the church}

^{Inside the porch the doorway which is of a simple design, one thing you need to watch is the stem down}

^{Inside from the porch}

^{South Aisle}

Nave to north aisle

^{The nave to chancel arch}

The painting you see above the chancel arch is a doom I have seen others on better condition

This board explains what you see on the doom

^{Wide view of the chancel with choir stalls}

Altar and rails the area looking very neat and simple

^{Towards the back from about midway along the nave, a screen hides the bell ringing area}

^{The organ at he back on the north side of the nave}

^{The pulpit}

View of the nave from the pulpit, I forgot to take photos of the kneelers which look well made

Collage of the wall painting, the top one you can see shows the crucifixion

South aisle

South aisle window

^{Below the altar which I like how simple it looks, the small panels in the top of the tracery look like medieval glass}

I cropped the photo as to show this wall paining of the Murder of St Thomas Becket the link takes you to the Wikipedia page on him

This window has the medieval glass reset in panels that are fitted in the window

Window with medieval wall art on the side

Collage showing the window with medieval glass

^{The south aisle window painting}

I liked the window in the south aisle with the candles in it

I spotted this showing a coat of arms in another south aisle window

The panel is behind the heart shaped wreath in the window you can see behind the Bier

The coffin bier looks well used and was used as trolley of from the look could be lifted

Selection of the old memorials one has a date of 1630 in it

A memorial stand over an old plaque. The memorial a reminder of disasters that happen in another part of the world you read about and never think it would happen to you. I was at school when the SS Heraklion sunk but not one I can remember, I am glad it is remember here