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The weather has changed finally, after the wettest June ever! So took a trip down to Oxfordshire to relax and take a few snaps. I thought I'd share the church ones as there were a few gems down there.
Medieval church architecture is traditionally divided into 4 periods with distinctive styles, namely Norman, Early English Gothic, Decorated and Perpendicular. They correspond very roughly with the 12th century (1101-1200), the 13th century (1201-1300), the 14th century (1301-1400) and the 15th century (1401-1500). It is very common to find all four styles in the same church as the buildings were altered, repaired, extended and modernised over the centuries.
Prior to the Norman period was the Anglo-Saxon or pre-conquest period, around 600-1066. There are practically no complete Anglo-Saxon churches though and surviving remains are rare enough to generate a frisson of excitement even in the seasoned church visitor when discovered.
The Perpendicular style merged into the post-medieval Tudor style which was in turn superseded by the various periods of classical revival, until the gothic found favour again in the 19th century. Church building became much less frequent after the middle ages and before the 19th century so most of the upstanding church fabric across the land is either Medieval or Victorian and it is not so easy to tell the difference at first glance.
On to our first church:
St Kenelm's Church, Minster Lovell. The church was substantially rebuilt in the 15th century by the Lovell family who occupied Minster Lovell hall, a grand building that stood just behind the church.
The typically 15th century/perpendicular font, with it's rectangular panelled decoration.
A perpendicular style window, with some surviving medieval glass.
Another perpendicular window, with ancient glass fragments. The name perpendicular is derived from the way the window mullions pass right through the tracery to meet the window head.
And another.
View through the central crossing tower to the East End.
Some very detailed medieval painted glass in that perpendicular east window.
A fine altar tomb to Francis, 9th baron and 1st Viscount Lovell, and adherent of Richard III, for whom he fought at Bosworth Field, 22 Aug. 1485. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Lovell,_1st_Viscount_Lovell
This little door presumably provides access to the belfry in the central tower via a passage within the flying buttress.
St Mary's Witney. A rather impressive church but there was an event going on inside so the interior was not open for viewing. The large window in the north transept is late Decorated, The narrow lancet windows in the chancel to the left are Early English in style but could be Victorian. The high windows in the nave clerestorey to the right are Perpendicular.
Some unusual chest tombs in the churchyard.
Abingdon: The gatehouse to the long gone Abingdon Abbey. Beside it is the church of St. Nicholas, which was built in the 12th century, though the windows in the south wall are 15th century and the east window is Victorian.
Door from the gatehouse into the church.
A royal coat of arms in this early 14th century window. I imagine the glass is 18th century or thereabouts.
More old glass in a 15th century window.
Back out into the country again, St Michael's church, Cumnor. The clerestorey windows are late Perpendicular.
In the churchyard, a restored Easter Cross.
Early 14th century window.
Superbly preserved Norman corbels! It's quite unusual to find these, which originally ran just under the eaves of the roof. The wall was extended upwards in the 15th century to form a clerestorey, the windows of which provide extra light to the Nave.
Below the corbels, this rustic, blocked, square-headed doorway. Anglo-Saxon?
The west tower is entirely Norman and almost unaltered.
Inside the Victorian porch is this medieval, or at least very old, door.
A 15th century font in front of the 12th century tower. The arch though, above the capitals, is a later remodelling.
Inside the tower, stretching up to the belfry, is this amazing oak newel staircase. On the newel post are carved initials and the year 1685.
The scalloped Norman capitals below the tower arch.
The late Norman north arcade. There is no south aisle.
A Norman Window
North Leigh church, which has an intact Anglo-Saxon tower! The steep roof line of the original Anglo-Saxon church can be seen against the tower.
These coffin-shaped grave slabs are quite rare elsewhere but there are quite a few in this churchyard.
One of the distinctive Anglo-Saxon belfry openings in the tower.
The arcades are Norman but the thinness of the wall they are cut through suggests that it is Anglo-Saxon.
Above the stone rood screen is a dramatic doom painting.
Next to the chancel is this beautiful perpendicular chantry chapel with a fan-vaulted ceiling. The East window contains a substantial amount of high quality medieval glass.
The medieval glass.
Nice 15th century stone tomb bearing the alabaster effigies of Sir William Wilcotes (d.1410) and his wife Elizabeth (d. 1445).
Hope you like!
Medieval church architecture is traditionally divided into 4 periods with distinctive styles, namely Norman, Early English Gothic, Decorated and Perpendicular. They correspond very roughly with the 12th century (1101-1200), the 13th century (1201-1300), the 14th century (1301-1400) and the 15th century (1401-1500). It is very common to find all four styles in the same church as the buildings were altered, repaired, extended and modernised over the centuries.
Prior to the Norman period was the Anglo-Saxon or pre-conquest period, around 600-1066. There are practically no complete Anglo-Saxon churches though and surviving remains are rare enough to generate a frisson of excitement even in the seasoned church visitor when discovered.
The Perpendicular style merged into the post-medieval Tudor style which was in turn superseded by the various periods of classical revival, until the gothic found favour again in the 19th century. Church building became much less frequent after the middle ages and before the 19th century so most of the upstanding church fabric across the land is either Medieval or Victorian and it is not so easy to tell the difference at first glance.
On to our first church:
St Kenelm's Church, Minster Lovell. The church was substantially rebuilt in the 15th century by the Lovell family who occupied Minster Lovell hall, a grand building that stood just behind the church.
The typically 15th century/perpendicular font, with it's rectangular panelled decoration.
A perpendicular style window, with some surviving medieval glass.
Another perpendicular window, with ancient glass fragments. The name perpendicular is derived from the way the window mullions pass right through the tracery to meet the window head.
And another.
View through the central crossing tower to the East End.
Some very detailed medieval painted glass in that perpendicular east window.
A fine altar tomb to Francis, 9th baron and 1st Viscount Lovell, and adherent of Richard III, for whom he fought at Bosworth Field, 22 Aug. 1485. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Lovell,_1st_Viscount_Lovell
This little door presumably provides access to the belfry in the central tower via a passage within the flying buttress.
St Mary's Witney. A rather impressive church but there was an event going on inside so the interior was not open for viewing. The large window in the north transept is late Decorated, The narrow lancet windows in the chancel to the left are Early English in style but could be Victorian. The high windows in the nave clerestorey to the right are Perpendicular.
Some unusual chest tombs in the churchyard.
Abingdon: The gatehouse to the long gone Abingdon Abbey. Beside it is the church of St. Nicholas, which was built in the 12th century, though the windows in the south wall are 15th century and the east window is Victorian.
Door from the gatehouse into the church.
A royal coat of arms in this early 14th century window. I imagine the glass is 18th century or thereabouts.
More old glass in a 15th century window.
Back out into the country again, St Michael's church, Cumnor. The clerestorey windows are late Perpendicular.
In the churchyard, a restored Easter Cross.
Early 14th century window.
Superbly preserved Norman corbels! It's quite unusual to find these, which originally ran just under the eaves of the roof. The wall was extended upwards in the 15th century to form a clerestorey, the windows of which provide extra light to the Nave.
Below the corbels, this rustic, blocked, square-headed doorway. Anglo-Saxon?
The west tower is entirely Norman and almost unaltered.
Inside the Victorian porch is this medieval, or at least very old, door.
A 15th century font in front of the 12th century tower. The arch though, above the capitals, is a later remodelling.
Inside the tower, stretching up to the belfry, is this amazing oak newel staircase. On the newel post are carved initials and the year 1685.
The scalloped Norman capitals below the tower arch.
The late Norman north arcade. There is no south aisle.
A Norman Window
North Leigh church, which has an intact Anglo-Saxon tower! The steep roof line of the original Anglo-Saxon church can be seen against the tower.
These coffin-shaped grave slabs are quite rare elsewhere but there are quite a few in this churchyard.
One of the distinctive Anglo-Saxon belfry openings in the tower.
The arcades are Norman but the thinness of the wall they are cut through suggests that it is Anglo-Saxon.
Above the stone rood screen is a dramatic doom painting.
Next to the chancel is this beautiful perpendicular chantry chapel with a fan-vaulted ceiling. The East window contains a substantial amount of high quality medieval glass.
The medieval glass.
Nice 15th century stone tomb bearing the alabaster effigies of Sir William Wilcotes (d.1410) and his wife Elizabeth (d. 1445).
Hope you like!
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