St Mary Iffley

This is the last post from me this year and from the Church Explorer. This week we visit St Mary Iffley a Church in the suburbs of Oxford. The church is a Romanesque church was built in 1160 and considered one of the finest examples of Norman Architecture in the country.

 Till next Year May I wish you all a Merry Christmas

Newbury Sky

During the week my wife & I went to Newbury for some Christmas Shopping while she went off to find some stocking fillers I went down the canal to get a few sky shots.

 Newbury Lock on the River Kennet

 From the lock looking towards West Mills

 Another look along the Kennet to West Mills

Back across the lock towards Town

That is the last one from me this year I'll be back in the new year with more photo's from around Oxfordshire & Berkshire

May you all have a Happy Christmas & New Year

Merry Christmas

Santa's Grotto

Couple of weeks ago we visited a Garden centre and while looking around the Christmas fair noticed Santa's Grotto

 He was there outside waiting for you to go in

 The place looked magical with lights and animals

 In the corner Santa's Grotto

But the man himself was not at home

 We left the place waiting for the children eagerly going to see Santa

With that I will leave you for year, I'm taking a break till the new year

Merry Christmas Everyone

Rose Hill Cemetery

This week the Church Explorer visits Rose Hill Cemetery in Oxford, one of the of five cemetery's around the city

Worcester sky

I was in Worcester the other day for some business I was sorting out and too a train ending up at the wrong station, Foregate Street
Lucky it did not matter as the next train for Oxford stopped there. While waiting I took a couple of photos from the bridge looking towards town.

Looking South over the city towards the Cathedral you can see the tower centre photo

Looking North the near spire belongs to the Baptist church the second I think is redundant and is now St Mary's Court so maybe Offices or flats

Looking through the station towards Shrub Hill the main station

Finally the way home with blue sky overhead

Happy Skywatch

Happy Snowman

Iffley (Oxford)

 I happened to be visiting the Church in Iffley near Oxofrd last week and while there took a few photos of the village near the church. Iffley dates back to before the Domesday book and you can read a little on the village in the link.

Walking through the churchyard you pass this house that backs onto it, may well have been the rectory

From the churchyard gate you look down the road through the village called Church Way

where you can see this thatched building

There are a couple of doors leading into it which is now used as a church hall it used to be the Parochial School 

the second door tells you it was the Infant School established in 1854 so it was divided into two schools

 Looking further down Church Way

Iffley Glebe

This looks like come conserved area for the local people to use

Mill lane passes a building called the Vestry and the one in the distance I passed by in the churchyard.

Nice little village full of history

Taking Part in Our World Tuesday

St James the Great South Leigh

This week the Church Explorer takes you to St James the Great South Leigh a church with wall paintings that date from the 15th century

Various skys

Last month I purchased a filter for my camera and went out to try it at the local churchyard

It was graduated filter and I took this photo across the fields near the old railway

The North side of the church was next as this always vexes me with the light

Looking East you saw the clouds on the horizon

 I liked the way I could get photo's with the sun in the picture

 The clouds with blue sky above

 This headstone made a good subject

I walked off home across the field taking this photo back towards the church with puffy clouds behind. Think some more experiments are needed with the filter but I was pleased with it.

Taking Part in Skywatch Friday

Ring the Bells