St John the Baptist Kingstone Lisle

This week The Church Explorer takes to to Kingstone Lisle and the church of St John the Baptist which was built in 1200 and still has the 14th century murals on the walls.

Spring Daffodils

Childrey

On my visit to Childrey church a few weeks ago I stopped off for some photos around the Village pond

The village sign was most impressive

Made to commemorate the Millennium

Nearby was the village War Memorial with painted stones at the base

By the pond you could read the story of the pond and the wildlife on it

The geese were obliging in standing there posing. Before I went I stopped off to get a photo of the Coventry Almsehouses built in 1912

Childrey sky's

The other week I visited a church in Childrey which is a very pretty village, I took the opportunity to  stop for a few photos of the village, while taking them I could not help taking some views of the sky as well.

The local Methodist church showed off the sky a treat

Nearby the local woking men's club and reading room set off a blue sky

Nearby the Almshouses sat under a clear blue sky

Out the back of the church you got a wonderful view of the Vale of the White Horse with a cloud decked sky.

Happy Skywatch

Holy Cross Sparsholt

This week the Church Explorer takes you the Holy Cross Sparsholt where you find Wooden Tomb Effigies as well as stone ones

Skytrails in the clouds

So the other week we were out for a walk to the church when I looked up and saw the clouds, they looked like they had fingers going through them

Spreading out like a hand

This is one of the culprits causing them

Happy Skywatch

Cow on a roof

Walking to Bow Bridge

This week we conclude my walk to Bow Bridge along the Thames.

That ominous looking building is one of these, a Pillbox, this on is not far from the pond I showed last week

On the opposite side of the river is this one. Last time I was here you could hardly see it because of the trees here. I went and had a look at it a few years ago and it was in danger of slipping in the river, now the bank has been strengthened  so it cannot go in, might see if I can return again
These pillboxes are all along the Thames between Pangourne and go as far as Lechlaid. I have seen them all. If you want to read more then visit this link Pillboxes along the Thames It needs updating a bit which I will get around to sometime.

Going along the path a bit you come to Cholsey Marsh which I will show you another time

Walking the other way you might notice this raised area of ground, That is the spoil from the river Thames that was dredged  back in around 196, there was huge mound of it where the barges unloaded the spoil then it was bulldozed flat

This is what we call bow bridge beside it is this finger sign, you can see a footbridge in the distance

Go along a bit and you pass another pillbox. If you do look at the blog I linked you can see my Dad stood by the bridge with his in the background and and one of me where you cannot see the pillbox

Further along you may come across this going on

They are rowers from Brooks University Boathouse

If you take the footpath from the Thames you follow Cholsey Brook, it enters the Thames under the footbridge. The footpath will bring you out at Bow Bridge Bend, this was the old A3229 to Reading. The road was straightened out due to the number of accidents that happened through the bends. Many a car ended up in the woods  in the distance by the tree to the right. The bridge crosses the Brook you see here.

After this photo my Battery ran out and though I did manage to coax a few more photos I'll leave them for another blog. Taking Part in Our World Tuesday

St Mary Childrey

This week the Church Explorer takes you West of Wantage to St Mary Childrey the first of Eight Churches I will be visiting along near the Ridgeway

Photo bombed

 I have been watching out for a plane to be flying close to the moon so I could get a reasonable photo of the two. This is the nearest I have managed so far

I missed this Red Kite photo bombing , had it been a little more to the left it would have been perfect

Happy Skywatch everyone