We planned to return home on the Sunday but it was such a lovely day we ended up staying until early evening. I'd seen a sign in the village of Hatfield that St Leonard's had a Harvest Festival Service on the Friday evening so on Sunday morning D and I went to look at any fruit and vegetable displays still there from the Service.
St Leonard's is the third oldest church in Herefordshire. The nave is C11th and may even be preConquest and is partly built of tufa which came from quarries near Stockton on Teme. The church was extended to the west in the C14th when the chancel was probably built. The bell turret is possibly medieval but the weather boarding dates from 1903.
The open timber west porch is partly C14th.
Lovely Harvest Festival displays in the porch.
Plain Norman tub font
The chancel was restored in 1878 and the nave in 1903. The Norman tub font was replaced with this one which in my opinion must be the worst font I have ever seen! Although the Harvest Festival decorations have improved it somewhat!
The more fancy monuments are mainly C17th tablets to the Colles family with cherubs and mourners.
Looking down the nave to the West Gallery. The box pews and gallery are Georgian.
The East Window is by Mayer and Company 1878.
Early Norman blocked north doorway with a lintel of three large joggled stones. The Typanum comprises Opus reticulatum (square stones set diagonally).
Late C11th herringbone masonry and
quoins made of tufa
Fox and Cubs still flowering on the churchyard wall.
St Leonard's is only about a quarter of mile away and I often go there just to wander round the churchyard which at the rear of the church is a delight in the summer with wild flowers and insects galore.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).
Reference: "Buildings of England Herefordshire" by A Brookes and N Pevsner Yale University Press 2017
8 comments:
I don't know why but the words sturdy and well built come to mind when I look at this church. Maybe it's the stockier construction of the bell tower? It certainly has a presence.
Of course, you know I enjoyed seeing the Pumpkins on the font. We must have had our harvest festival here. I don't know what has happened to them, they used to be full of produce which was distributed amongst the older people of the parish. These days, I think they get lots of canned goods which end up in the food banks. I remember when a member of the clergy used to call around and bring my grandmother a small selection of vegetables. Couple of carrots and onion a few potatoes, a leek. Maybe a Swede and a cabbage if she was lucky. It wasn't a lot but there was certainly enough to make a decent bowl of vegetable soup. And then some!
Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much. Its a really lovely church and only about half a mile away so easy to visit. I didwalk there once but its all uphill!
I remember when Harvest Festival items were distributed amongst the elderly not sure if they still do it but as you say no doubt cans these days! I remember when I was at school in the sixth form after school Harvest Festival we all had to distribute items to elderly people on a wardened site.
It looks a lovely church. I like the box pews and can imagine people sitting in those in the cold of winter listening to a seemingly endless sermon. It reminds me of harvest festivals in our village church that we used to go to from the school which was close by. That too was dedicated to Saint Leonard, I don't think there are too many of those across the country. P and I were married there and my mum and step-dad are in the churchyard. Good to see the Fox and Cubs still flowering:)
Rosie - Thanks so much. Its my favourite church by the caravan - so peaceful there and seems well loved by parishioners. I am struggling to think of another St Leonard tbh. Lovely that you were married in one with the same dedication. Fox and Cubs plant in the garden I planted failed to flower this year - it seemed to put all its energy into spreading! Hoping to see flowers on it next year - I love that plant :)
What a pleasant little church - some pretty glass, but I rather agree with you about the Victorian utalitarian font! Was that the original typanum do you know, or a later "infill".
Bovey Belle - Thanks so much. The font is not my cup of tea at all! I think, although not 100% sure, its the orginal tympanum.
The harvest festival displays are delightful.
CherryPie - Thank you.
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