Henley Road Cemetery Reading

Reading Cemetery & Crematorium opened around 1927 and took over from Old Reading Cemetery which by then was starting to run out of room. The Henley road cemetery also has a crematorium which the old one did not. I had been here before to a cremation service but this was the first time I had come to look around, and I was looking for the graves of some of the people who died in the Reading Bombing in 1943

The entrance to Reading Cemetery with the gatehouse over to the left

The Main cemetery road leading to the crematorium and carpark 

As you can see it is tree lined

along which ever road you take

The Crematorium and Chapel 

One of the first places I spotted was the Commonwealth War grave cemetery

With a wall containing the list of fallen from the Second World War who were cremated

The Cross of Victory dominating the cemetery

Some of the graves of the fallen

Corporal C.E. Coston Royal Air Force 24th April 1944 Age 24

One of the Polish War Graves alonside that of a Merchant Navy Seaman

This is another war grave but you need to read the inscription to realise how unlucky the guy was

There are other war graves scattered around the cemetery in Family plots but this is another I find odd but I did read something about a tragedy happening at the place

One place I felt I would be intruding to photograph at the time was the memorial to the baby's who died, I just said a prayer and went on

as you can see the place is huge

 This is a memorial fro Paymaster  Lieutenant Harold James Luddington Appleyard RN of HMS Eagle  who was lost off the cost of Spain in 1957

One grave with an anchor on it and another with a pointing angel

Rather striking cross with winged angel

I never did find the graves I was looking for, I ended upcoming back to find them. It has been a while since I visited this cemetery so I may well return for a future visit.

Have a peacful Sunday

St John the Evangelist Wallingford

St John the Evangelist Catholic Church Wallingford to give it's correct name
Before there was any Mass centre in Wallingford, a handful of Catholics would have attended Mass at either Dorchester to the north or Goring to the south.
In the autumn of 1924 the Catholic Community of Wallingford purchased an old Congregational chapel which had been built in the market place in 1799. Some years before it had ceased to be a place of worship, and had been used as a furniture store and bazaar. It was repaired, refurbished and re-opened as a Catholic Church in late 1924.
Eventually the need for larger accommodation proved a challenge. In 1958 it was decided to rebuild on the same site. While this work was going on, Mass was said in the Town Hall. The original chapel was demolished and the new and enlarged church was built.  It has had quite a few priests since it was purchased.

James Doran (served from Abingdon) 1924-1934

James Campbell (served from Didcot) 1934-1937

Arthur Olney 1937-1947

Abraham Jacob 1947-1957

William J Kearney 1958-1970

John D Dwyer 1970-1989

Donal O’Brien 1989-2006

David O'Sullivan 2006 -?

Since writing this I have found out Father David has moved on and Father Philip Harris has taken over.

(The history came from the church website)

This is the church as you see it today and the porch is a recent addition which a few years after building had a toilet added over to the right. I often wonder why it was never made the full width.  The front has been in the photograph of many marriages

So what do I remember of the church. Well just about remember Father  Jacob but fondest were of Father J Kearney who I used to serve mass for. At confessions Sat morning I could be kneeling at altar rails with my mate Dominic and Father J Kearney would walk up behind us and skelp me round the ear playfully  and slip my friend Dominic a bar of Chocolate, I was very sad when I heard he passed away. He retired in 1970 and  Father Dwyer took over. He was a nice priest and quite spoken  He buried my Father from her and a few years later  my wife & I were married here.  Father O’Brien was another nice priest who I met when I took my Mother to Mass he was also the priest who buried my Mother, it was a shame he moved to a  position elsewhere. The last Priest I met was Father O'Sullivan or Father David as he likes to be called is a very happy person who I found very helpful even though I don't visit his church as often as he would like.  

 

 The photo along the aisle was taken a number of years ago

 

 But recently I went in to esquire on a funeral that was happening the following week
The Altar had changed a little

 

 with the beautiful marble table now on show

Above is the Crucifix which I remember from my childhood though the figure of Christ is the same I think the cross has been changed 

 

 The Church Tabernacle  now sits on it's own plinth between the cancels and icon pictures either side

 

 2016

 

 

2024

 

The altar with crucifix above, it was shortened because I remember it being longer

The altar I remember after it was first moved was white and the legs a different shape

Looking to the entrance where the organ loft used to be, I feel it took away some of the feeling of the church

Stations of the cross along the walls

 

Our Lady with Jesus

Funny thing is the candle holder does not seem to have changed much

 

The inside of St John the Evangelist this has changed over the years. The pews you see were originally the pews from the Congregational chapel and when it was rebuilt in 1958 my Father got one of the pews and made a garden bench out of it we had for years. The pews you see in the photo have been in the church since it was rebuilt. The church was modernised in the 1990's to how you see it now. The altar rails were removed and no doubt sold off though I do still have one of the spare wrought brass pieces made for it. The blue and green glass frame you see was added and above where I am stood was a balcony which had become unsafe and was also removed. The roof beams above had top be fixed as they are laminated and had started to come apart, hopefully the church will survive a good few years more. since I wrote this some changes have been made to the church which I think have made an improvement.  One of these days you will see me at the back again during mass as the church still has a special place for me as I remember walking down the aisle with my new wife and big grin.

 

Till Next time have a peaceful week

 

 

St Mary-Le-More

St Mary-Le-More dominates the Market Place in Wallingford, it sits just behind the Town Hall between two roads. I Have passed it many times over the years and it is only of recent years that I have ventured in. The Church is not the oldest one in the town but is probably the best known and one has stood on the site since Norman times. It was rebuilt at the end of the 13th Century and what you see now rebuilt in 1854.Today I will share with you some views I took of the church.

St Mary-Le-More seen from the Market Place, I've used the wide angle to get in the hole church, the road on the right is St Martins Street

Viewing the chancel end of the church from St Marys Street.

The bell tower  that dominates the town, the tower was rebuilt in 1653 after a thunderstorm caused serious damage, the flint came from the old castle

The churchyard is quite small compared to some I have visited

Most headstones being very old

with the words on them worn or eroded away

The odd one stands out though

Now the churchyard is unused but kept looking neat. The front churchyard has been partly paved over incorporating two of the slabs as part of the area, the other part on St Martins Street is still grassed.

The paved area has a seat and an information board on the church there now.

The entrance is a welcoming one with glass doors leading into the church.

Inside the church has been changed from the Victorian pews to having chairs like have seen in other churches. The rood screen you can see was made in 1925 in memory of the two Miss Hedges a family who are remembered well in the church.

The rood screen in one of the best examples I have seen todate though it it is relatively young

The rood screen was based on the medieval screens.

Through the rood screen we come to the chancel which I found difficult to ge a good shot of.

 Taken just before Christmas 2013

The altar and marble work behind.

The superb chancel window

Some of the detail on the chancel window.

The memorial to John Kirby Hedges in the chancel

Along with another which is on the wall

There are other memorials in the chancel which are well worth looking at

coming out  of the chancel you can see this Italian marble Pulpit, unfortunately I could not move the puzzle board out of the way to get a better photo

 I took this one while visiting at Christmas time so gives you a better idea as to how it looks
 

To the right you can see a carved stone font which dates to the 15th century

Walk round the church you can see some beautiful stained glass windows

The south aisle and the nave roof

Have a peaceful Sunday