Adderbury Church; St Mary the Virgin
"St Mary the Virgin, the Parish Church of Adderbury, is by common consent, the finest parish church in the County of Oxfordshire and no list of outstanding churches in the whole of England would be complete without reference to this glorious monument. It is Charlotte's church......
Having been brought up with this church and it playing such an integral part of her life, Charlotte has yet to take an objective view of the superlative quality of the masonry in honeyed and golden local stone. She has, without the slightest disrespect, taken for granted the glory of the chancel, the jewell in the church's crown and the Corbel Table Friezes, a wonderful collection of 14th century musicians and instruments, monsters and grotesques which are carved on the exterior friezes of the north and south corbel tables. There are some sixty here and they are unmatched anywhere else in the country either by quality or quantity.
....the Green family pew, situated towards the front of the nave beneath the chancel steps affords breathtaking views of the oldest part of the church, the 13th century north and south transepts and the stained windows depicting the life and times of Christ. Charlotte gazes too upon the great east window high above the altar and it's awe inspiring glass depicting at its centrepiece the Crucifixion. Many of the original carvings, created by Richard of Winchcombe, in about 1419 when he rebuilt the chancel in the perpendicular style were destroyed at the time of the Reformation in 1538. But some astonishing examples of his carvings remain. Charlotte also enjoys the work of late 19th century masons depicting the twelve apostles flanked by life-size figures of the Virgin Mary and the Archangel Gabriel. She is proud of her church and of its association with New College, Oxford within whose gift it has been for very many years."
So writes Robin Barker in the opening pages of chapter 7 in the new romantic novel "Aynho Junction".
The fabric has now been renovated, the local community having raised £250,000. The honeyed and golden ironstone is again revealed in all its glory. Pictures of the exterior have now been posted.
Having been brought up with this church and it playing such an integral part of her life, Charlotte has yet to take an objective view of the superlative quality of the masonry in honeyed and golden local stone. She has, without the slightest disrespect, taken for granted the glory of the chancel, the jewell in the church's crown and the Corbel Table Friezes, a wonderful collection of 14th century musicians and instruments, monsters and grotesques which are carved on the exterior friezes of the north and south corbel tables. There are some sixty here and they are unmatched anywhere else in the country either by quality or quantity.
....the Green family pew, situated towards the front of the nave beneath the chancel steps affords breathtaking views of the oldest part of the church, the 13th century north and south transepts and the stained windows depicting the life and times of Christ. Charlotte gazes too upon the great east window high above the altar and it's awe inspiring glass depicting at its centrepiece the Crucifixion. Many of the original carvings, created by Richard of Winchcombe, in about 1419 when he rebuilt the chancel in the perpendicular style were destroyed at the time of the Reformation in 1538. But some astonishing examples of his carvings remain. Charlotte also enjoys the work of late 19th century masons depicting the twelve apostles flanked by life-size figures of the Virgin Mary and the Archangel Gabriel. She is proud of her church and of its association with New College, Oxford within whose gift it has been for very many years."
So writes Robin Barker in the opening pages of chapter 7 in the new romantic novel "Aynho Junction".
The fabric has now been renovated, the local community having raised £250,000. The honeyed and golden ironstone is again revealed in all its glory. Pictures of the exterior have now been posted.
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The dominant chancel
I have written at length about the church in the introduction to this gallery. It is simply glorious. But it is really difficult to photograph as the land falls away around the east, south and west sides leaving the photographer stranded. There is a high wall around the Old Vicarage to the south-east. I wonder if I shall be able to persuade the owner to let me scale the wall to get a much better picture!
Location: West Adderbury
Photographer: Robin Barker