St Michael Letcombe Bassett

Second of the Letcombe churches and one that dates to  the 12th century. Again Wikipedia failed to come up with any history but Britain Express came up with the goods so follow the link to read a very good history on the church. The church stands on the edge of the village beside a riding stables and from what I could see they were race horses, no dog to say hello though
After parking the car nearby I walked along the road to the churchyard  entrance

The church is set up on a bank on the edge of the village 

Above an old Norman Doorway  now blocked up but the door surround survives where you can see the orignal carvings on the door pillars, a little further along is the porch leading to the church

The East end of the church with some of the older headstones

Walking over to the South side of the church where if you walk up the bank away you get a nice view of the whole church. You can see that the church has been built in differing stiles with different roof structures

Go on to the West end and another perspective is shown

The belltower is not high like many other churches though it does have  windows in the end

The belltower which dates to the 13th century from by the nearby graves

Back around to the porch and time to go inside

The nave looks very simple with a small chancel arch at the end

Looking at the Norman chancel arch you can see alcoves either side which may have been windows at some time.

To the left at the top you can see what looks like a door leading to  a rood loft now blocked off

The Altar is covered but behind is a screen with the cross that is pure Victorian

Above the altar and behind the screen you can see the stained glass chancel window in the East end

On South side of the church is an Organ 

Right the choir stalls and a view to the back of the Chancel arch

The Nave from the chancel arch, at the back is a screen partitioning off the bell loft

The pulpit and a nice feature is the old candle holders on the side

Your view of the nave and south aisle from the pulpit

Left looking up at he roof of the nave. 

Right a door leading to the vestry and above a window that is either 12th or 13th century

Above the war memorial to the men lost in World War One, two of the from the same family one was lost when the SS Euterpe was sunk

Left a memorial to George Garland who was killed in Italy 1944

The stained glass windows you see in the church

The South aisle through one of the arches

The church font is one of the more unusual ones I have come across and dates to the 13th century

In the chancel is this arch, what was I could not tell you

Right part of the chancel arch with the Norman carving at the bottom of the photo

Above the Norman carving on the Chancel arch

The wooden collection plate on a table near the entrance of the church

One of the chest tombs near the old Norman Doorway 

The barrel-shaped Cotswold tomb chests

A skull on one of the Cotswold Tombs

Tomb Chests bu the North wall

More tomb chests at the East end

Did like the Geese carvings on this headstone which has a matching foot stone from the look

A couple of headstones, one leaning against a tree the other is a family vault

A fenced off Family vault

Headstones & tombs over on the West end of the churchyard

These graves are over on the East end of the churchyard

The grave of Private A.G.Walters Royal Army Service Corps 28th March 1918

Till next time have a peaceful weekend and I will leave you with a view of the East end of the church and churchyard.

St Andrew Letcombe Regis

A few weeks ago I thought I had better visit some more churches over Wantage was in the area of the Ridgeway, it's also the area of the King Alfred the Great Legends. After looking in Wikipedia for history on the church I was dumbstruck to find none but Britain Express came to my rescue and rather than cut and paste what has been said I would suggest you click their link and read the comprehensive history they have written but in case you do not the church dates back to 1086 but was rebuilt in the 12th century with additions in the 14th

Above the church looking from the footpath.

Left the tower















The South West side of the bell tower

The North side looking East

You can see here the East end of the church which is built on a slope

The South Side looking at the chancel end

South East end

This was the original entrance to the church

With I'm presuming was the Holy Water Stoupe

The porch and entrance to the church

View down the nave towards the chancel

The altar and East Window in the chancel

Above the altar with cancel holders and altar cross



Right looking back down the nave from the chancel

Above the pulpit and left the view from it

A screen blocks off the bell loft with the font in front which is 12th century and one of the only original parts that remain

At the back of the church is this plaque stating who the churchwardens are dated  1737

The Roll of Honour for those from Letcombe Regis who died in the First World War

Another Roll of honour to those from the Second World War

Memorial to William Reading and his Wife Elizabeth

Left an impressive memorial his is beside the pulpit.

Right memorial to Harriet Ellen Silver

Left a brass memorial which is hard to read due to its age.

Right another smaller memorial which I found hard to make out

In the chancel you can see this organ

which still have its old features on it and stands out with the painted pipes

Above the top of one of the windows in the church with stained glass

The windows are of plain glass though in the chancel window on the east end you can see some medieval glass

By the pulpit you can see these North windows

The churchyard on the South side beside the path

Above I wonder is this is a memorial of the remains of a preaching cross

Left a fenced off family vault

The churchyard looking to the west

The headstones in the churchyard are all old

and some still readable

others stand close together

Above a tomb of a notable person near the path. At the East end a few more headstones

Two family members buried beside each other

The headstone of James Butler who died in 1880

I will leave you with this view of the church from the roadside with the finger post pointing to was to the nearby villages

Till Next time I wish you a pleasant weekend 

Please remember in your thoughts and prayers those who have died and the people who have had their lives disrupted in the terrible fire that devastated the region of Paradise in Califoria