Inglesham Church

Hubby George and Geoff visited Inglesham Church on the pack walk yesterday ...

(the text used is taken from the link above)

A short lane from the main road leads to this exquisitely beautiful and fascinating church, set on a slight mound just above the surrounding water meadows and close to the Thames.

 The church’s remote site protected it from the heavy hands of Victorian restorers. William Morris, who lived nearby at Kelmscott, recognising its uniquely unspoilt character, oversaw a modest campaign of repairs in 1888–89 and guarded against additions to the 13th century building

 An intriguing series of wall paintings cover most of the walls. These date from the 13th to the early 19th centuries, often with one painted over another, in places seven layers thick.

 While it is not always easy to puzzle out the subjects, you can see 15th century angels above the chancel arch, an early 14th century doom on the east wall of the north aisle, and several 19th century texts, as well as a 13th century masonry pattern throughout the chancel.

 Of Saxon origin, most of the building dates from the 13th century, and little has changed since the early 16th century.

 The unusual and powerful carving in the south wall of the Mother and Child blessed by the hand of God is certainly Saxon. Until 1910 it was on the outside of the south wall, used as a sundial, and its original position in the church is not known.

The woodwork of the roofs, the 15th century screens and the 17th and 18th century pulpit and box pews are all original to the church, and their arrangement is still much as it would have been in Oliver Cromwell’s time

Floor Tombs

 Here lieth the body of Patience the widow of Robert Bates Vicar of Maxey in the county of Northampton.  She died in firm belief of a joyful resurrection to life eternal on June the 14th 1783 in the 83rd year of her age. So she was born in1700 - a long time before the canals were built.