A few days in Swindon (where else?), meant a Sunday morning at the Outlet Centre. If this is what normal people do on a Sunday morning, I’m glad I do church. What made it bearable is that the Outlet Centre is in the old Great Western Railway works, and they have done a good job of keeping some of the history. I also had the pleasure of listening to the Watchet Silver Band – very good, just sad no one in the Centre had the brains to turn the piped music off!
After three hours shopping (or, to be precise, sitting and waiting for the shopper) we went for a drive out of town to try and find a pub for a late lunch. We drove through Ogbourne St George, and I remembered we stayed at the Inn with the Well en route to the Hungerford interview. Sadly the pub wasn’t doing food. We went and had a look at the church – SU 195747. There is a new village website, with a section on church history here.
The church dates to late C12 early C13 – in 1148 Maud of Wallingford gave the church to the Abbey of Bec. Later it ended up in the gift of the St George’s Windsor. Pevsner tells me the porch is C15 – with sundial and mass dials (missed those). It was lovely to find the church open – I said “thank you” to the gargoyles, and enjoyed the sign.
The church was restored in 1873 and the roofs are all C19. I like the carving around the pillars. The font is C15, pulpit etc C19. A wonderful Commandment Board and Royal Arms.
Interesting Victorian work on the east wall, and I like the townscape behind Golgotha in the east window – looks more Flemish than Middle Eastern.
A War Memorial that would re-pay closer study, family memorials that would re-pay closer study, and an angel – what date is he/she/it?
Outside we have an incredible ugly heating system which wouldn’t be out of place in an out of town warehouse (I hope it works), one thick grave, one bird bath, a war grave (a 1919 death), and a lovely headstone. An interesting explore.
