St James Bix

 

I have visited this church on a number of occasions and always found it locked. I originally went to visit Old Bix Church a few miles away and stopped on the way back. I posted photos along with the Blog I wrote on Old Bix which this church replaced. After finding the church open I decided to write a blog on St James. Some history on Wikipedia  

" Bix Brand's original parish church of Saint James is a small Norman building in Bix Bottom, about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the village. It has a nave, chancel and several Norman lancet windows. Later additions include the Perpendicular Gothic east window and another Perpendicular window in the south wall. In 1874 the architect John Gibson completed the village's new Church of England parish church, closer to the centre of the village, also dedicated to Saint James. The new church has a north aisle and transept as well as a nave and chancel. Two of the north aisle windows contain sections of late 15th century Flemish stained glass. The old church was abandoned in 1875 and became ruined and overgrown."

St James church in 2021looking unchanged since my last visit

First time I saw St James back in 2013

The churchyard looking quite grim in the February when I visited

The north side across the churchyard

Three or the more recent headstones from the same family

 

These along near the path are from when the church first opened the footstones moved by the headstone for ease of grass cutting no doubt

From the from the have worn well listing members of another family

Nearer the footpath another set of family plots

Today the door is open

 

 

 and I get my first view inside

By the door the remnants of the font for the old church carved by Norman Craftsmen

 

The new one made by Victorians

Looking down the nave to the chancel

Then through the arch and the chancel

The altar in a plain green cloth

Behind the altar are the chore stalls and the tiled wall that would have been behind the altar until it was moved

The east window showing the Good Shepherd as the main figure in the centre flanked by two others

Over to one side another stained glass window can be seen

Looking back from the later to the west end

On the north wall of the chancel is where the organ has been fitted

Not often you see glass doors showing the keyboard

To the north side of the chancel arch is the pulpit

Where you can see the nave

Nearby the north aisle

Looking east along the north aisle to the where a vestry is now and the back of the organ

This stained glass window has an inscription

 

 

 In memory of Charles Wykeham

 

The verse at he top

 

 

Memorial to Malcolm Percy Eyre Broad
 

 

The War Memorial in the north aisle

 

Listing the names of the locals who died

It is quiet an outstanding memorial

 

Roll of Honour which lists people who served those who dies are marked with a cross

 

Beside this stained glass window 

 

A memorial plaque to John Alastair Holland Robinson

 

At the back in the west window another beautiful stained glass can be seen
 

 

This window as reset and looks to have older stained glass in it

The inscription at the base informing you it was in Memory of a former churchwarden

 

 As I went I noticed the sun shone through the windwo

 

 

The banner from the church

 

Sun reflecting through the colours of the stained glass

I will leave you this week with the altar cross facing the old wall where it used to be.

Till Next time Have a peaceful weekend

All Saints Rotherfield Peppard

 This church I came across while doing some field work for a Lady who was writing a book on her Mothers life as a Mental Nurse back in 1939. She had been working at a nearby Mental Hospital and worshiped at this church. I went along to get a few photos of the church to send off for the book. As you can see it was a cold January when I visited

The Lych gate you see in the photo above has this plaque attached to it. Going though you get a better view of the church we are about to Visit

 Headingover the South East end of the churchyard gives this view of the church

 Then round the East to see the chancel end

Going on round the north side shows a small extension for the office

Heading in through the door you will see this view

but turn round and you can view this great stained glass window

In the center stands the church font

Going on to the chancel provides you with quite a choice of what to view

the carved wood altar with inlays or the backdrop mural of the altar

From the chance you can get a great view of the church

The font is quite simple

to one side is the north aisle with the lady chapel

and on the back wall are a few bequeaths

but I think it is the amount of stained glass windows that surprised me with this church

A lot  of the stained glass seems to revolve around the nativity as with above the annunciation

the on eon the right are the three magi and the birth of Our Lord

Another beautiful small window

Another with the birth of Jesus and a knight praying before the crucifix

This is the chancel window, which I find quite stunning

Back outside near the west end you can see the village war memorial

The churchyard is quite large

with quite a few old headstones

even on the north side

Love the carvings on these which date back to around 1700














Coming out of the lych gate if you turn right you see another taking you to the village cemetery.
On the gate pillars are a couple of more dedications

The cemetery has the newer graves than the one in the churchyard

and there are a couple of war graves there both from the RAF

Though this marker was the find of the day to me. I had to look up Old Contemptible.  J.H.Cumberland  M.M was with the Royal Field Artillery and fought in the first stages of World War one. I know of three other Old Contemptibles and they are buried at Old Reading Cemetery

Hope you have enjoyed the visit to this church. Have a great Sunday.

Taking Part in Inspired Sunday