Let’s start 2018’s blogs with a day (Tuesday 16 January) to escape to Cumbria to see Clare. There was a light sprinkling of snow on the ground, and we drove out to Bampton – St Patrick’s church is at Bampton Grange, NY 521180. There is a village website – here – and a Parish Newsletter. I smile that Thursday’s event in the diary is “10 am Bus to Penrith” and Sunday’s is “10 am Holy Communion” – but it is sad that next Sunday’s service which, I assume, is in another church in a nearby village, isn’t listed.
The church was rebuilt 1726-8, and remodelled in 1884-5. Originally there may have been collegiate seating, and the woodwork is rather nice. The Victorian restoration was by C.J. Ferguson – Pevsner describes him as “a resourceful as well as a sensitive architect.” Wikipedia tells me he is Charles John, 1840-1904 – his work includes lots of churches, we mentioned him at Lanercost, and work on Bamburgh Castle. Shall we tell the good people of Bampton that Advent has ended?
At the west end is a portrait of Edmund Gibson. Born in Bampton, he was Bishop of Lincoln 1716-23, Bishop of London 1723-48, a friend of Robert Walpole, one of the trustees of the Foundling Hospital, and is buried in All Saints church, Fulham. His parents’ memorial is in church too.
A very detailed churchyard plan, and a rather nice painting – no idea of the artist.
A lot of names on the War Memorial, and some interesting memorials. I wonder if I’d have been happy spending 46 years ministering to one village?
There are two lovely angels carved in stone, and some lovely carved woodwork. The reredos was carved by Mr Grisenthwaite of Penrith, 1885.
There is a font, described by Pevsner as “a square tub, with circular cutaways at the base, dated 1662”, and two pieces of modern stained glass – St Patrick and St Christopher, by Ann Southeran of York. Her website is at here. Rather nice!
I like the Victorian glass – the Wedding at Cana, Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter. Harry has been making home brew for his sister’s wedding in July – I commented in my sermon on Cana that we could use Jesus’ help with the catering. (I can also imagine the discussion about the guest list – “well, how many disciples has he got? Who do we sit him next to?”)
The East Window is by Ward and Hughes, 1888.
There has been a large project to put six bells in the tower – and they recently travelled to the Taylor foundry in Loughborough to watch them being cast. A large project, a lot of work, a lot of money – how wonderful that there is still the willingness to make such an investment in a small village church. You can read about the project here. We had had a nice explore – and went to the village café. Time for coffee.
