This week the Church Explorer revisits St Peter & St Paul Wantage where I have been to a could of times but felt the photos were not quite up to what I take now, the problem is the church is dark inside so you need a camera that is capable of taking photos in low light or as I did then use a tripod. Most of the time now I use an iphone 14 pro which copes very well. There is a little history below but click on the link to read a longer history. This is a coffee and cake read, it's long
Wantage has been the site of a church since at least the 10th century and the present Church of England parish church of Saints Peter and Paul dates from the 13th century, with many additions since. Saints' Peter and Paul contains seventeen 15th-century misericords.
Took the next photos with my camera which I found after I had the settings wrong making the photos darker. It did not help being a bit overcast that day
The east window from the market place road
North east of the church
Around the north side
Wider view of the north side
This is the west end of the church
Longer south west view, the porch is on the end here and has a room over the top, when you visit during the ween the door in the south transept is open from 10-12
Headstones around the north side of the church
Wide view of the nave and aisles from the back
This is in the crossover of the tower
Chancel
Nearer to the altar
The altar and east window
The stained glass looks amazing, the photo does not do it justice
Altar and reredos
Closer view of the reredos
Looking back through the chancel
Crossover looking out
One of my favorite photos showing the crossover and the north and south aisles
Looking out the crossover arch to the nave
South transept
North transept
The pulpit, I should have moved the candle out of the way
View out of the pulpit
Screen over the chapel of the south transept
The wood carving up there looked interesting
The ceilings in the chapels
East chapel
South chapel
South chapel window
East chapel window
The 15th-century misericords
Carvings on the entrance to one lot
Poppyhead on the 15th-century misericords. Hard to get it in your head that this was carved by a craftsman back in the 1400's
Beautiful you have to admit
One of the people looking after the church showed me the seat lifted (I forgot that bit about them) showing me the carvings underneath
Tomb effigy, shame the whole arch is missing
Sir William Fitzwaryn I cannot find out much at he moment but I think he was one of the marcher lords
Piece of history on him
He is covered in graffiti
This memorial also in the chancel really stood out
William the son along with William and Mary his parents
Carved eagle lectern
In the church there is some beautiful stained glass
Walk around the aisles and you can look at them as you walk around
They show saints
And have plaques dedicated to people under them
Some have scenes from the life of Jesus
Even looking up at the windows around by the roof of the nave are more windows with stained glass
These memorials are almost hidden in the north transept
Looking west up the north aisle
A children's area and I missed getting a photo of the priest
At the west end of the north aisle is the Roll of Honlour
Closer view of the Roll
The crucifixion scene at the top of the Roll of Honlour
East down the north aisle
Collage of the church brasses you can see
The font and cover
Above the counterbalance weights
The font cover looks like it took some making
The base of the font looks older than the top
Memorial to Stamp family
Another Stamp family memorial
Brass chandelier
Look up and around the church are faces on the corbels
More carved on the ends of the hammer beams
The south aisle
The brass must have come of a tomb and shows the guy had two wife's between them they had five children. No doubt one of the wife's died, it's not east to read what is written
I will leave you with this view from the Bible
Till Next Time have a peaceful week
