Waxwing

Waxwing
"To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour."

From "Auguries of Innocence"

by William Blake

Saturday 4 June 2022

Herefordshire - Part 2: St Michael's, Bockleton

 


On Thursday the weather was similar to Wednesday ie heavy drizzle at times but in the afternoon I ventured to another local church - St Michael's at Bockleton.  I have visited this church too before but could only see the exterior and churchyard as the church was closed but this time it was open.

The West Tower is 17th or early 18th century, the nave Norman and the chancel Early English. According to Pevsner the Rev. E Burgoyne tells of Saxon foundations in the churchyard on the north side.



15th century lychgate.












Norman doorway with blind arcading above and some fascinating carvings on the capitals.























South side of the church. I didn't explore the churchyard or exterior as much this time as I had had a good look round last visit.



Another Norman doorway - obscured somewhat by a portaloo!!!!!





Church Interior

There was a Woodyer Restoration in 1862 - I assume most of the furnishings date from then.  I only have an earlier version of Pevsner for Worcestershire and it doesn't have as much information as the new editions which I have for Herefordshire and Warwickshire.  






Font











Looking towards the chancel from the nave.






Biblical texts






War Memorial Tablets in the nave









Pulpit and lectern









The East Window by Kempe 1905









The Family Chapel

This tomb chest of a young man is interesting and is by T  Woolner London 1867.

The tomb is of William Wolstenhome Prescott died 1865 and has a marble effigy with below a carving of a young man holding the hand of a dying older man.  Prescott later died of the fever he contracted from the dying gamekeeper.

On the wall is a plaque which says The gamekeeper was James Brown from Northamptonshire. Died at Kyre 23rd October 1865 aged 42 years of typhus fever. He is buried at St Mary's Kyre.


I've been to St Mary's at Kyre for yet another brief visit but when we go to Kyre Park again I will go the church  and see if I can find the grave for James Brown.















At long last something not Victorian. Sorry a lot of photos of this monument but I found it so interesting and I am just fascinated by heraldry.

The sandstone monument is dated 1574 and the effigies are of Richard Barneby and his wife. Note the helmet between their heads.  The detail in the clothes is really quite amazing.





























The weepers above the effigies are their children.








Pevsner describes this carving as a boy blowing bubbles and in the photo below Old Father Time.













The nave









Mounting block by the second lychgate.













I walked a few hundred yards along the lane to the War Memorial.





















I hope everyone is staying safe and well.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330.  If anyone would like to use any of my photos I would appreciate an email - thanks so much.

Reference:"The Buildings of England Worcestershire" Nikolaus Pevsner Published 1968



9 comments:

Bovey Belle said...

Definitely a church worth coming back to, as so much of interest. I loved the outside sculptures and can see why you were fascinated by the tomb of Richard Barneby and his wife. Such attention to detail and wonderful carving. Obviously all those shields speak of a long and illustrious family tree with good marriages made along the way.

Rustic Pumpkin said...

What an oddly appointed portaloo! Conjuring images of leading to another Narnia~esque world!

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Really is a interesting church that and the Tomb effigy is in very good condition, is the lady's face covered by that lion

The Quacks of Life said...

nice to see you getting inside ;) I have survived the leurgy

Ragged Robin said...

Bovey Belle - thank so much! Its only about 2 miles away again and well worth the trip. I did try and learn a bit of basic heraldry in the first lockdown but sadly need to revise it all again!

Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much and good point :) Portaloos seem quite common in churchyards these days!

Billy Blue Eyes - Thanks so much. I think lady's face behind the helmet sadly I am not tall enough to get shots from above.

The Quacks of Life - Thanks so much. More and more churches open now at least in Herefordshire. So glad you have made full recovery and didn't suffer too much with it.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

I forgot to mention I have never seen anything like those Norman Doorways and like you I wonder what they were thinking putting a portaloo outside one of them, they must have taken leave of their senses to do that. To date this is the most incredible Norman doorway I have seen https://thechurchexporer.blogspot.com/2019/12/st-mary-iffley.html

Ragged Robin said...

Billy Blue Eyes - Thanks again. Portaloo is not well positioned!!!!! The most incredible doorway I have ever seen is at Kilpeck herefordshire - work by Herefordshire School of Romanesque Carvers. Church should be listed in the labels list - St Mary and St David Kilpeck. Thanks for the link will copy and paste and look at it now :)

CherryPie said...

The church looks really interesting. Thank you for taking me on a virtual journey :-)

Ragged Robin said...

CherryPie - Thank you.