St Nicholas Marston

This story starts back in the 1970s. Back then I was a young guy working at Oxford Instruments in Oxford. The company was young and we had a close relationship with each other. One of the guys I worked with called Dave was a happy fellow who got on with everyone. He went to a wedding one weekend in Northern Ireland with some friends which included going on a stag night and watching a boxing match. While driving to the match along a motorway his car was forced off he road by a lorry and hit a bridge parapet and he was killed along with two of his friends. The fourth guy was thrown out through a window and survived but with a broken leg and other injuries. As you can imagine the whole workshop was numbed by the  event so much so that the day of his funeral the place was empty to a man we went along to the church to say goodbye.
I can still hear Dave's laugh & giggle it was so infectious and many times though of visiting the church again. The other week I had to take my son to Hospital in Oxford near the church so while he was with the specialist I went the  short journey down the road to pay my respects.
All the photos were taken Handheld with my compact camera.

This is the path leading to St Nicholas I remember walking all those years ago.
                                                           

The entrance to the churchyard is through this gateway

















Taking you down to the church porch

Looking up the bell tower at the clock where you can see gargoyles on each corner

The south side of St Nicholas church from across the churchyard.

I took this view of the north side from the road.

Looking down he nave to the chancel

Near the entrance to the church is this stone font and beside the chancel a carved pulpit with a cover a beautiful piece of work.

If you look up above the chancel arch you can see this wall painting which was only uncovered a few years ago

Below is this simple but beautiful rood screen

Inside the chancel you can view the altar and chancel window

You can also see a rather nice memorial on the chancel wall and this stained glass window which looks very old from the glass in it.

The south aisle still has an altar and to the side is a small window to view the minister giving the service. It was for the organist to watch through before the organ was moved to a loft.

 

The church organ in it's loft at the back of the nave

Behind the organ loft is the bell ringers area 

and you get a great view of the church from there as well

In the nave you can see this window which looks like it was painted by a local artiest.
Off to the left hand side of the chancel arch I spotted what looks line the door to a rood loft, seems it had been filled it after it had been removed.

 One of the pews has a brass cross inlaid in memory of a parishioner 

The lectern with scripture

Looking across to the nave from the entrance to the church.

Outside you can wander the churchyard where you can view the headstones, like these old ones by the wall

or this old tomb being damaged by the tree. 

Other headstones are lined up along the wall because where they belong is lost

The headstone on the left looks like it had had a different type of stone inlaid where as Bertrand Rippington Brasnett was chancellor of Edinburgh cathedral.

I never found Daves Memorial I assume he was buried by his family in Headington Cemetery  

 Rest In Peace Dave

Taking part in Taphophile tragics & Cemetery Sunday

St Michaels Aston Tirrold

The Aston Tirrold is the sister village to Aston Upthorp where I took you last week, here you will find the church of St Michael. Now I had been here before but this time I returned with my tripod.

The entrance St Michael up the steps, the walls is cracked from subsidence

St Michaels church taken from by the other entrance to the churchyard

which will take you to the church porch

Looking up at the bell Tower with the clock facing the churchyard. One of the few clocks I have seen not placed over the louvers. Look a little further up to the left and you can see an even older clock. A sundial

Not sure how old the porch is but it is paneled and the porch also covers and even older doorway and alcove

Inside the church you get this view down the nave from the back by the font

which stands at the back under the bell tower

Here we look past the font to the nave

Through the arches you have the North aisle though the chapel at the end now houses the church organ

Walk down the nave to the chancel arch and to the right is this chapel with it's own small rood screen

I thought it better to take the photo of the altar from this angle as the chapel is quite small

There are a few family memorials, these two of David Erskine Langmore and  his father Herbert Richard Langmore. It must have been heart breaking to have is son lost so far from home with no know grave.

On the South wall an older memorial can be see. Near the altar is the village war memorial, interesting to note the two hand written plaques listing people from the village involved in the war effort

The list of the village fallen from the First World War

Coming out of the chapel and into the Chancel 

I think I should have used some fill in flash but you can see the paneled area surrounding the altar and really giving it a rich look

Above is this beautiful stained glass window

Mind you it's not the only one you can see, this one is in the bell tower  at the end of the nave.

 
The stained glass on the left is in the Chancel and the other on the right can be seen at the back of the nave

Family memorials in the chancel

were you can also see this superb looking organ

Just in front of the  chancel arch is this carved wooden pulpit

At the back of the nave is this tomb which you can see in floor. You can also see this memorial to Thomas Curtis on the wall

Looking up by the chancel arch is this chandelier complete with candles

 
Talking of which the advent candles were also out

The chancel arch has these painted finals

Flowers are always in evidence at most churches though those of you who follow my daily blog will have seen these on Wednesday

As I was about to go I noticed this alcove above a door by the chancel arch , it was the entrance to a rood loft the church once had.

My parting shot of the inside of the church.

Back outside and a quick look round the churchyard here looking towards what may have been the manor as there is a gate leading to it

Looking towards the road with a wall on the left that also has a gate which lead to maybe the rectory

On the side of the porch is this headstone

Look round and you can see many other headstones

Some which are becoming hard to make out

Near the chancel end are family graves

Other headstones are tipping 

And you can view others which have fallen along the side of the path to the church. The churchyard is small like the sister church so a new cemetery has been opened along the road which I have yet to visit.

Have a peaceful Sunday
Taking part in Taphophile tragics & Cemetery Sunday