The Fairmile Cemetery.

Go into the new graveyard at Cholsey Church and over on the far left hand side you will see this plaque commemorating the those who were buried there.

 "This Plaque is to commemorate all those who have been laid to rest in this churchyard and cemetery from Fairmile Hospital 1870 - 2003

"The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms"    

             Deuteronomy 33v27 

Underneath are two other plaques placed there in memory of who I assume were patients there. My parents would have known if they had been alive.
The original  cemetery was over on the south west side.

A few headstones can be seen in the area though there is one which watches over them.

The grave belonged to Dr James William Murdock who was the superintendent at the Hospital  His last wish was that he was buried with his patients so he could watch over them

The inscription reads
"Write me as one (who laboured for) Loved his fellow men the Angel wrote"
He died on 28th April 1917 His wife Celia who is buried with him passed away on 9th October 1962 aged 92 years.
The statue used to have a trumpet but that disappeared many years ago.
There are a few headstones left in that part of the churchyard though I think it would have been full of cast iron grave markers 

 

Like these in the photo's above, when I was young lad I used to cut the grass in the churchyard and was always coming across them.
When the churchyard ran out of room an extension was built next door  and the Fairmile cemetery went next door as well.

The is the second Fairmile cemetery with a few headstones  showing, no doubt provided by their estate and relatives. Most of them have no marker to remember them. I'm also not sure if the area was used for paupers graves as I seem to remember an open grave with planks on which I was told was for this purpose.

One of the headstones you see above is to Ronald Leslie Walker or Les as his friends knew him. He used to work with my Father  for many years
 

 Another person or persons who worked at Fairmile were Moses Nicholls and Avery Nicholls the latter who I think was the son of Moses. Both worked as Stewards of Fairmile.  Moses is buired with his Wife  Maria and Avery with his Sister Blanche who I knew as Miss Nicholls and remember her riding a bicycle round the village and visiting a lady who lived next door to  me

William or Bill Southby who is buried with is parents was another member of staff who worked at Fairmile and was a keen sportsman. He now has a close named after him New housing at Fairmile. His grave like the last is in the old Churchyard

The O'Brians were family friends and used to live in the Star Terrace before moving to the new housing built in 1960 along Papist way I went to school with the oldest son and was Friends with him for years till we lost touch. Last I heard was that he had moved to Ireland. His younger brother Paul young like his Mother.

 The name Ethel Mary Fetherstone is a name I recognise but I could not tell you any more at the moment. The cemetery here is still provided for by the NHS in maintenance costs though there are few headstones there to remind you of what the place was used for. When you walk round the cemetery you can recognise many of the staff who worked there including my parents. A few I have shown and will add more in future.
The plaque on the wall is the reminder of those who lay buried here RIP.

Nuffield Church

Nuffield is a small village between Wallingford and Nettlebed in Oxfordshire. It's along a country lane off the main London road. On the outside of the village you will find the Holy Trinity Church. I had gone over there to get a photo of a grave I had found out about. This was a revisit and by chance the church was open so I took the opportunity to get some photos of the inside. Since writing this blog back in 2013 Gerry Anderson who made Thunderbirds service was here before being cremated in Reading and Sir David Frost was buried in the churchyard. Some history from Wikipedeia

"The oldest parts of the Church of England parish church of the Holy Trinity are Norman.^[4] They include the baptismal font and some of the masonry in the south wall of the nave.^[4] Around the bowl of the font is a Latin inscription in Lombardic capitals.^[5] In the 14th century the church was rebuilt and the north aisle was added.^[4] In the 15th century a ceiling with moulded wooden beams and carved wooden bosses was inserted in the nave.^[5]

In 1845 the chancel was restored and the Gothic tracery in all the windows was replaced, to designs by Gothic Revival architect Benjamin Ferrey.^[4] The church is a Grade II* listed building.^"

Outside by the road you can see the village war Memorial

 The church itself is flint faced.

Inside I found there was a party of visitors being shown round by the rector.

The wooden pulpit in the church

 
It also has this wonderful graveslab in the aisle

You can also see a small brass memorial and some wonderful stained glass windows.

 The Nave and chancel which is plain and very simple

Like most church's the organ is addition crammed into one side 

 The stone font though is original and is simple with little carving on it.

Outside the churchyard is well kept and you can see the grave of William Morris or Lord Nuffield who started Morris Garages in Oxford.

Nuffield is a peaceful little village and if the church is open when you visit then take the time to go round and walk round the churchyard as well. 

  Holy Trinity Church

This will be the last edition of this blog I will be posting this year so may I wish you all a very

 Merry Christmas 

& 

Happy New Year.

St Peter & St Paul Church Hanborough

The spire of the Church of St Peter & St Paul can be seen for miles around and I had driven past it many times in the past but finally on this occasion I managed to stop off at the church for some pictures. The church is a grade 1 listed building and dates back 900 years being built in 1130. One of the surviveing things from the  12th century features include Norman tympanum. The parish is now part of the Benefice of Hanborough and Freeland

 Looking along the path leading to the church

Some of the older graves in the churchyard

A chest tomb in the churchyard

Detail on the chest tomb

Looking over the churchyard on the east end of the church

The porch leading to the church, inside you can see the Norman tympanum with the door leading into to the church

The Norman doorway with the tympanum

Closer view showing the  tympanum

Inside looking down the nave and 13th century chnacel arch

Looking up at the crucifix which hangs over the rood screen

Another view showing the rood screens.

Amazing rood screen top

Carved wooden pulpit

 Stunning stained glass chancel window

This is a depiction of a body in a shroud and dates back to medieval times



















 This is the war memorial for first Long & Church Hanbrough they lost a lot of men in the first world war

This I'm sure is the old cock from the top of the church spire.

 

Some old stained glass and a statue of the Madonna and child

At the back of the church you can see the stone font  and if you look at one of the pillars  you can see these old memorials.

 The chapel aisle has tombs that are old and worth looking at.

I'll leave you with a view of the crucifix over the rood screen

 This post was first published in 2013 and the photos are not quite as how I would like so at some stage I may go back for more but I hope you enjoy what I have shown