Holy Rood Shilton

 

 The second church I had intended to visit in the book Oxfordshires Best churches was the Holy Rood Shilton which again was along some of the narrow roads in the area

"The earliest parts of the Church of England parish church of the Holy Rood are the Norman nave, south aisle and arcade, all of which were built in about 1150. The present Early English Gothic chancel was built in about 1250. The bell tower was added in the 15th century. The present side windows of the nave and aisle are also late Medieval Perpendicular Gothic additions. The Gothic Revival architect C.C. Rolfe restored the building in 1884–88, adding the present rood screen. The church is a Grade II* listed building. Holy Rood church tower has three bells, all cast in 1854 by W. & J. Taylor of Loughborough, who at the time also had a bell-foundry in Oxford. Currently for technical reasons they are unringable. Holy Rood also has a Sanctus bell that Henry III Bagley cast in 1730. Bagley was from Chacombe, Northamptonshire but also had a foundry at Witney. Holy Rood parish is now part of the Benefice of Shill Valley and Broadshire."

First look at the church told me it was worth looking around, parts looked unchanged

Going around the west to view the tower

From the churchyard extension you look up at the south west  of the church

Heading around to the north side

The east end

South east view

South west view of the church

From down the churchyard a south east view

A footpath runs through the churchyard taking you to a stile and on to a footpath out in the countryside

Headstones and a tomb on the north side of the church

Near the church porch

Collage of headstones, the Commonwealth War Graves belong to RAF Sargent A.F.Warbey and Flight Lieutenant G.N.Mackinnon 

Graves on the south of the church

Looking east from the church

Coffin tombs as I call them in a row near the south west end of the church

There must have been some wealthy merchants or landowners living  here from the bale tombs in the churchyard

The carving on them still visible

More ornate on the side

Primroses were flowering

A lot of them to be exact

Tomb near the north side of the church amongst the headstones

Primroses and headstones

Yellow and pink primroses

The graves near the porch

The porch on the north side of the church

You need to watch the step leading to the door

One the seats in the porch Easter scenes made by the local children

The nave looking to the chancel

The chancel arch which is narrow with rood screen and rood

The rood

The chancel from the screen taken in wide view

Altar and cross

The east window which has a frosted glass section in the center

Closer view of the frosted window

collage of the frosted window

Back of the rood screen and rood

This memorial in the chancel is old being dated 1652 from what I can make out as most of the words and faded

The winged skull at the base

Couple more memorable memorials

The choir stalls and more modern

View of the choir stalls in the chancel

The pulpit mad of stone

Pulpit view of the nave

The south aisle

South east corner of the aisle

The stainded glass window after I took the vase of flowers out shows St Bartholomew

Stained glass window "I am the Light of the World"

This lancet has very old glass inserts in it

The south aisle with blocked door and organ

The arches have medieval paint still showing

More so when you look under it

Head carvings on the arch ends

 A memorial to Broadwell Airfield was is a few miles away, it's now a solar farm.

Inside the tower

Collage of niches and the church chest dated 1674 which are in the chancel

View through the squint in the south aisle

Memorial to Charles William Maisea

At the back of the south aisle is is the stunning Norman font

The carvings around the outside depicting the crucifixion of Jesus

Flowers on the font

I will leave you with this floral display near the chancel 

Till Next time have a peaceful week

St Mary Holwell

 

On my way from from Westwell to Shilton I drove through some narrow West Oxfordshire roads which went right past this St Mary Westwell, I felt I had the time to have a quick look around the church but found the door locked. The village which is more of a hamlet of a few houses seemed quite small to even have a church of it's own but rather than walk away I took a few photos of the church and churchyard.

"During the time that Robert de Chesney was Bishop of Lincoln (1148–66), land at Holwell was given to the Cistercian Abbey at Bruern. The Church of England parish church of Saint Mary was built in the 13th century. It was rebuilt in 1842 and again in 1895. The latter rebuilding was designed by the architect Walter Mills of Banbury, using a Gothic Revival interpretation of Perpendicular Gothic. St Mary's parish is now part of the Benefice of Shill Valley and Broadshire, which includes also the parishes of Alvescot, Black Bourton, Broadwell, Broughton Poggs, Filkins, Kelmscott, Kencot, Langford, Little Faringdon, Shilton and Westwell"

My first thought on looking at the church was it was Victorian with a bell cote on the west end

West end with bellcote

North west view

South east view

The east end with window

 

North east view with the vestry entrance
 

The churchyard over by the north boundary wall

The tomb of Maria Fox

Headstones over at the west of the church

South side of the church

 

 

 South west churchyard

That's it for this church as it was locked I could not see inside, I think it's a case of arranging a visit to see inside though I'm not sure if it is worth it unless I am back around the area

This week you get two for one as after visiting Shilton I drove past St Britius  Brize Norton so I took a chance to stop off for a Quick look but again it was locked but I did find out the churchwarden lived nearby

A quick look of the churchyard showed a couple of bale tombs

Another further along a little eroded

This church begs a revisit so I will arrange a visit

I will leave you this week with a collage of headstones and tombs

Till next time have a peaceful week