This is a picture heavy post - so many things of interest.
The best place to go to see a church with a round tower is Norfolk - there are 124 in the County, here in Suffolk we have 38 and spread around the rest of the Country are just 18 more. How do I know? Because at the church I was visiting I picked up a leaflet from The Round Tower Churches Society.
Wortham St Mary, didn't feature in the 100 treasures in 100 churches book but the strange tower makes it unique. It's through a few villages and back lanes from home and the church itself is quite a way out of the village of Wortham.
Walking up through trees covered with spring blossom, the church is well hidden.
It once had a roof, but that fell down in 1780. There's no way into the tower now
The walls of the tower are incredibly thick and it's thought to date from the early 12th Century.
Inside the church I noticed this elaborately carved door into the vestry
A very chunky font
View down the nave to the altar
The East window has a few very older pieces of stained glass in among all the plain.
Then there are the bench ends.
All those on each side of the centre aisle have had an addition, animals and people with words from the Psalms on some. Each one is different and quite fascinating.
They are thought to have been done by Albert Bartrum a churchwarden and builder who did a lot of work on the building at the end of the 19th Century.
Finding interesting things in the churches closer to home is better than traveling miles to visit the remaining churches from the 100 churches book!
What an interesting church. I love the windows!
ReplyDeleteNice to see modern stained glass as well as Victorian
DeleteWhat a fantastic set of carvings! I can just imagine Victorian children, bored by long sermons, being fascinated by those creatures and making up stories about them during long, dull services.
ReplyDeleteThey are so unusual and perhaps would have helped children with knowing about different animals too
DeleteFascinating carvings, lovingly done and the wording is so neat.
ReplyDeleteVery unusual to have words
DeleteThis is a fascinating church! I love all the variety of carvings.
ReplyDeleteThey are special I think
DeleteWhat a fascinating church, thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea what a special church it was
DeleteWaw...the church path with all that blossom...amazing. x
ReplyDeleteI love the way the church was completely hidden from the road
DeleteYour post is a timely one. During my visit to Norfolk this week I have seen a couple of these round towers and wondered about their history. They are very unusual and do need to be preserved. This church has much to admire. I always enjoy the stain glass windows and the modern ones are just as interesting. The wooden carvings are very good. I have seen many wooden carvings at the ends of pews etc but they don't usually have anything written beneath them.
ReplyDeleteYes the writing on the bench ends must be almost unique. It would take a while to visit all the round towered churches in Norfolk
DeleteWhat a lovely church, and apart from the tower, in such a wonderfully preserved condition.
ReplyDeleteIt's fun to find out about these unusual features
DeleteFor anyone who isn't familiar with round towered churches this is not a typical example and rather squat and fat. As you say, Norfolk has the most, all doing well and preserved and loved. I have many photographs of them and publish from time to time. Those wooden carvings are marvellous.
ReplyDeleteYes certainly not typical. I shall have to find out which Norfolk churches close to border have round towers
DeleteI think this is about the most interesting church I have seen. You could stay there for hours so much to see. It was so nice to see so much of the later years in the church and to think that is still use today.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue.
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It's been an interesting time finding out about all the different churches over the last 5 years
DeleteI wonder why the rest of the country has hardly any round towered churches. I suspect they were built as a defence from seagoing raiders. Love the bench ends and modern glass. Fascinating post, thank you.
ReplyDeletePerhaps superstition - the devil hides in the corners!
DeleteWHAT a fabulous church, in looks and content. There's a round-towered church on the A40 between Llandovery and Brecon. The defensive tower on yours was certainly early. Wonderful carvings and beautiful stained glass. I think the lion was my favourite carving.
ReplyDeleteSuch thick walls - surely must have been defensive - perhaps invaders from Norfolk!!
DeleteJust amazing! the fact those pew carvings are still intact after everyone bumping them. That tower. I think about what it took to construct it in the 12 centry just amazing.
ReplyDeleteCathy
Just collecting all the flints and stones for the tower must have taken an age
DeleteThis church hidden in the woodlands emerges beautifully. Towers on churches are new to me. I love all the stonework. The carvings at the ends of the benches are wonderful and they would delight anyone. The windows are a beautiful mix of old and new.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing I knew the church was there as it is really hidden by the trees
DeleteI love those bench ends - how amazing! I have never seen a church with a round tower. I wonder if it is a Anglian thing? I'm fascinated.
ReplyDeleteWe certainly have the most in the country in Norfolk and Suffolk
DeleteThank you for another fascinating tour, Sue. If I ever get to England the list of places to see in person is growing! --Elise
ReplyDeletehe tower is neat but the carvings and writing on the ends of the benches is a treasure to behold. Nothing is done in modern churches like this anymore.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous - thanks for sharing since I'll never get over that way, probably.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue - what a really interesting post - I'd love to visit!
ReplyDeleteHow very interesting - that round tower looks as if it was originally part go a castle. Is that a possibility? What gorgeous pew ends - that ought to keep the little ones happy during the service! Or at least be the subject of drawing or colouring in! And you had a very pleasant walk up to the church too. How very satisfying. Thanks for including us.
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