As I mentioned in the last blog post Saturday was really far too hot. Anything over 20 degrees and I start to melt so I persuaded D we should pop to a nearby church to see if it was any cooler inside. I go to St Leonard's in Hatfield a lot so I decided we would travel a bit further and revisit St Michael's at Bockleton. I have visited several times in the past but not for quite a while now.
There are foundations of walls under grass in the churchyard to the North side of the church suggesting the presence of a Saxon church before the current church was built. The present church was built in 1160 but there have been changes since. There is a Norman nave and Norman North and South Doorways. There are two Norman windows either side of the the doorways and the remaining windows are C13th. Around the middle of the C13th the chancel was built, the tower was added in the C16th and the family chapel in 1560.
The whole church interior was restored in 1867.
The church is in the county of Worcestershire but is in the diocese of Hereford. The church serves the parishes of Bockleton and Hampton Charles.
There are two C15th lychgates and there is an interesting old custom that weddings enter by the West Gate (the one in the photo below) and funerals enter by the East Gate.
Mounting Block
The Norman doorway has two orders of colonnettes with decorated scalloped capitals and two thick rolls in the arch. There is crenellation and a lozenge chain on the hood mould. Above is blind arcading with five interlaced arches. The arches have billet decoration with heads carved on the capitals.
There were two huge boot scrapers by the door.
Churchyard at the rear and the other Norman doorway is obscured by a Portaloo!!!!
And so into the church which was a litte cooler but not as much as I would have liked!
Font probably from the 1867 restoration.
Looking down the nave towards the chancel.
Rather horrible tiles. I must admit at times I really do not like the Victorian restorations of many churches although some are better than others.
List of church vicars
Biblical texts
War Memorials
Chancel arch
Pulpit again dating back presumably to the restoration.
Chancel
East window - stained glass by Kempe 1905.
Reredos
Then into the Family or Barneby Chapel built in 1560 with two very impressive monuments.
The chapel seems to have its own font?
Tomb chest by T Woolmer London 1867. It is the tomb of William Wolstenholme Prescott and there is such a sad tale attached to it. There is a marble effigy of William and then below a carving of a young man who is William caring for a dying older man who was his gamekeeper James Brown. The gamekeeper was suffering from typhus fever which William caught and which led to his death. James Brown was from Northamptonshire and he died at Kyre on 23rd October 1865 aged 42. He is buried at Kyre churchyard and I must look for his grave when I am next there.
The other impressive monument is made of sandstone and dates back to 1574. The effigies on the Elizabethan tomb are of Richard Barneby and his wife Mary.
Sadly the front of the tomb was obscured by a pew which we tried to move without much success - it was heavy!
Boy blowing bubbles
According to Pevsner this is Old Father Time
The couple's children are presented as weepers.
A helmet between the man and his wife.
The detail on the clothes the effigies are wearing is just amazing.
A church within a church!
Churchyard Wall
On the way back I stopped off at St Leonard's Hatfield. I finally had some change and wanted to buy a set of cards they do with a handpainted image of St Leonard's. I will frame one to keep at the caravan and another to bring home to remind me of my favourite church.
It was even hotter on the Sunday and after doing some cleaning and watering of the garden and pots we came home early afternoon.
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 of mine or my sons I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).
Reference
Church Guide Book
"Buildings of England Worcestershire" by Nicholas Pevsner published 1968. Sadly I don't have the latest edition which is possibly more detailed? The only new Pevsners I have are for Herefordshire and Warwickshire.
11 comments:
It's quite fascinating how some carvings retain even the finest detail, while others just seem to diminish over time.
Seeing your boot scraper has just reminded me I have one attached to a rather large chunk of stone. Might be worth a bob or two!
Thanks so much Debbie. The Barneby chapel in the church was particularly interesting.
I envy you your boot scraper :) These were ginormous - about 4 x the size of a normal one!!!
What an interesting church. Those tombs are so detailed and have survived the Reformation. Friends in high places perhaps?
I never knew that the mourning children were called Weepers.
What a place to put a portaloo!
What a beautiful church to visit, that Elizabethan tomb is superb. You would be a puddle here the temps are getting to over 30 this weekend. Check Sundays blog I found a rood loft at last
Thanks BB. Dreadful place for portaloo and so was that pew blocking view of Barneby monument!
Thanks Billy. Its going to be over 30 in Herefordshire and WArwickshire too - I am dreading it. Will check out your last blog post when I get home - thank you.
The detail in the carving on the man and wife effigy has kept wonderfully clear. I too have learned from you that mourners below a monument are called weepers, never knew that. Seems an odd place for a portaloo, I suppose there must be a reason. I always find war memorials so sad, those generations who had a different life than they might have expected thrust upon. Stay cool over the next few days, I'm not looking forward to the expected heat:)
Thanks so much Rosie. The carvings on the effigies are so good I totally agree. I do read a lot of books about churches which is why I knew about the weepers. If the child is carrying a skull it means they have died. I agree war memorials are very sad for the reason you mention. I too am dreading weather over the next few days. We are back in Herefordshire just for a few days to water plants and yesterday was awful. We went into Hereford and I spent hours in the cathedral which was a bit cooler but the streets there and caravan here are SO hot. Going home today.
That portaloo spoils the view of the church and how annoying that the pew was placed inappropriately.
I find the waste bins often obscure views of churches these days. I am sure there is a much better solution.
Thank you and it was annoying.
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