Monday 2 April 2001
We make a
short visit to an interesting 12th Century church a few miles north
of
But today we
looked at the medieval church, which stands on the left of the road just before
the entrance to the abbey site.
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The
building is of stone under a stone tiled roof, and is small and simple, with
just nave and chancel. It
is a working church. A
single bell hangs in the bell tower. |
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The only extension to the building is the
south porch and doorway, through which we enter. Inside, there is a pervasive smell of damp
masonry, but the building is relatively light, as there is minimal stained
glass in the windows. |
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The aisle and screen, looking east. |
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Most
of the plaster walls bear faded decorations; notably, on the south wall,
there is a hunting scene, with the hounds about to set upon their prey. The
remainder of the murals have more traditional religious subjects. |
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At the west end, a lead-lined font. Around it, the floor is partly covered with
old ceramic tiles. |
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The
altar and east window. The floor
around the altar is also tiled. The
niches at either side of the altar are painted. |
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The wooden pulpit. (A later addition.) |
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We conclude by looking around the
churchyard. Though many of the graves are old and
overgrown, some are recent. |
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We leave on a poignant note. The flowers beside the two old tombs
decorate the grave of one of the victims of Fred West, the notorious mass
murderer from |
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