Friday morning, time for a walk. I’ve mapped it out on my satnav and nearly all the way markers at the footpath junctions are churches ...
First we walk down the towpath past Thrupp wide and over the canal bridge to the Holy Cross Church at Shipton-on-Cherwell
Unfortunately there was no information inside relating to the church and I couldn’t find anything useful on internet either!
The shields, names and dates are on all the supports and at first I thought they were all kings but soon realised they weren’t. The one on the right Turner 1804 - I discovered that the artist Joseph Turner lived in Shipton-on-Cherwell Manor house and married Elizabeth Ilott at The Holly Cross Church, so I’m assuming that all the other great and good had connections over the centuries with the area.
War memorial in the church yard
Looking back at Shipton-on-Cherwell church framed by the trees as we continue our walk ...
... over the River Cherwell via this simple but effective suspension bridge ...
... the river is still running quite fast under the railway bridge
The next waypoint marker was this church which was not open to the public and had no information outside to inform what it was called but I’ve since found out that it’s St Giles
Two very pretty gates give entrance to the church yard, the one on the right was padlocked but we were able to use the left-hand one going up the very tight steps
The church has a very intricate wind vane on the tower ...
... and is very close to what I’ve now discovered is the remains of Hampton Gays 16th century manor house - (info below from Wikipedia)
The Barry family built the manor house in the 16th century.[4] It has an E-shaped plan with gabled wings and a battlemented central porch.[4] Its Elizabethan form remained unaltered until the 19th century, including original Elizabethan panelling in its principal rooms, but in 1809 it was reported to be in a neglected state.[3] In the 1880s the house was divided into two tenements[3] but in 1887 it was gutted by fire.[4] It has never been restored and remains an ivy-clad ruin. It is a Grade II listed building and a scheduled monument.[5] Early in the 21st century English Heritage placed the manor house ruins on its register of historic buildings at risk, listing its priority as "A" and its condition as "very bad".[5
Just look at those mullioned windows ...
... especially the one on the top floor - it’s even still got it’s window frame!
Anyone got a spare couple of millions (££) to purchase and renovate this deserving pile?
We continue to walk - through the fields of horses ...
... towards The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin at Hampton Poyle ...
... via the two more stiles
Again, the church was locked, such a pity ...
... but it does have this interesting bell tower
On our way back to R’n’R now, crossing the River Cherwell again, this time over a very different bridge
Our next way mark ...
.... accessed via this leafy archway into the churchyard ... The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin built in 1220 in the early English style ...
I thought that the main entrance door was rather bizarre, but no mention of the actual style of this door is mentioned on the website (below) ...
" The outside niche contains a modern figure. This is the work of the sculptor Water Ritchie and symbolises the figure of the Virign Mary with the hand of God pointing down to her. "
(I’m sorry but I don’t like the statue at all, I don’t like the modernity of it on the ancient church and I really don’t understand it’s meaning.)
The Parish Church of Kidlington
Kidlington Cenotaph ...
... and the old priest house
Continuing back towards our mooring at Thrupp now crossing the bridge over the railway line ...
... where in the hedgerow there are the last of the beautiful blue cornflowers ...
... and a single blood red poppy
Bridge 223 over in the corner of the recently ploughed field ...
... from which we can see the Jolly Boatman and home - narrowboat Rock ’n’ Roll - a great walk (without getting wet) of about 5 miles.
Friday evening found us having dinner in the hostelry with lots of fellow boaters and bloggers - Maffi, Bones, Kath and Neil, Val and Bernie of NB Tesla, Mark and Sue NB Dusty (fuel boat) and several of Maffi and Bones friends. A great evening was had, lots of laughter and chatter - just as boaters do!
Anyone got a spare couple of millions (££) to purchase and renovate this deserving pile?
... towards The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin at Hampton Poyle ...
... via the two more stiles
On our way back to R’n’R now, crossing the River Cherwell again, this time over a very different bridge
Our next way mark ...
.... accessed via this leafy archway into the churchyard ... The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin built in 1220 in the early English style ...
I thought that the main entrance door was rather bizarre, but no mention of the actual style of this door is mentioned on the website (below) ...
(I’m sorry but I don’t like the statue at all, I don’t like the modernity of it on the ancient church and I really don’t understand it’s meaning.)
The Parish Church of Kidlington
Kidlington Cenotaph ...
... and the old priest house
Continuing back towards our mooring at Thrupp now crossing the bridge over the railway line ...
... where in the hedgerow there are the last of the beautiful blue cornflowers ...
... and a single blood red poppy
Bridge 223 over in the corner of the recently ploughed field ...
Friday evening found us having dinner in the hostelry with lots of fellow boaters and bloggers - Maffi, Bones, Kath and Neil, Val and Bernie of NB Tesla, Mark and Sue NB Dusty (fuel boat) and several of Maffi and Bones friends. A great evening was had, lots of laughter and chatter - just as boaters do!
You must enter that Kingfisher photo into some compotition. its wonderfull.
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