The spire of St Oswald's church is the dominant landmark in Ashbourne, and the church beneath it one of the most rewarding in the county, being especially rich in stained glass and monuments. The earliest parts of the present building date back to the 1240s and the rest was added over the next century. It is a well proportioned cruciform building on a scale that befits a small town.

The chancel and transepts betray their 13th century date with their series of lancet windows while the nave is clearly later. The central tower and spire are of 14th century date and a particularly handsome specimen, considered the very finest by George Eliot. The building stands in a pleasant churchyard set back from the main road and is a delight to explore.

Inside the church is equally impressive and spacious, though the nave has a curiously lop-sided appearance, owing to the aisle and fine arcade on the south side but absence of anything to balance them to the north (along with the fact the south arcade doesn't quite line up with the arch beneath the tower). The prinicpal windows in the chancel and transepts are now large Perpendicular style traceried affairs full of Victorian glass, but originally would have been more consistent with the rows of lancet windows in the side walls of these parts of the church, a good example of Early English style.

Most of the furnishings date back to the Victorian restoration, as does much of the glass, though there are substantial medieval pieces remaining in the north transept and then a couple of lovely Arts & Crafts windows on the south side, most prominently the delightful St Cecilia window by Christopher Whall. The monuments are mostly to be found in the Boothby chapel on the east side of the north transept and, a fine collection of recumbent effigies, all medieval and Tudor with one notable exception.

Happily Ashbourne church is normally kept open and visitor friendly, and is well worth exploring. I am again indebted to my friend Sam for both my visits here over the years (a difficult one for me to get to otheriwse). I only wish I had a better set of photos as I was limited to handheld shots only, mostly in conditions that required something a bit more considered, thus I hope to return one of these days.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Oswald%27s_Church,_Ashbourne

Tags:   Ashbourne church Derbyshire medieval architecture

© All Rights Reserved

The spire of St Oswald's church is the dominant landmark in Ashbourne, and the church beneath it one of the most rewarding in the county, being especially rich in stained glass and monuments. The earliest parts of the present building date back to the 1240s and the rest was added over the next century. It is a well proportioned cruciform building on a scale that befits a small town.

The chancel and transepts betray their 13th century date with their series of lancet windows while the nave is clearly later. The central tower and spire are of 14th century date and a particularly handsome specimen, considered the very finest by George Eliot. The building stands in a pleasant churchyard set back from the main road and is a delight to explore.

Inside the church is equally impressive and spacious, though the nave has a curiously lop-sided appearance, owing to the aisle and fine arcade on the south side but absence of anything to balance them to the north (along with the fact the south arcade doesn't quite line up with the arch beneath the tower). The prinicpal windows in the chancel and transepts are now large Perpendicular style traceried affairs full of Victorian glass, but originally would have been more consistent with the rows of lancet windows in the side walls of these parts of the church, a good example of Early English style.

Most of the furnishings date back to the Victorian restoration, as does much of the glass, though there are substantial medieval pieces remaining in the north transept and then a couple of lovely Arts & Crafts windows on the south side, most prominently the delightful St Cecilia window by Christopher Whall. The monuments are mostly to be found in the Boothby chapel on the east side of the north transept and, a fine collection of recumbent effigies, all medieval and Tudor with one notable exception.

Happily Ashbourne church is normally kept open and visitor friendly, and is well worth exploring. I am again indebted to my friend Sam for both my visits here over the years (a difficult one for me to get to otheriwse). I only wish I had a better set of photos as I was limited to handheld shots only, mostly in conditions that required something a bit more considered, thus I hope to return one of these days.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Oswald%27s_Church,_Ashbourne

Tags:   Ashbourne church Derbyshire medieval architecture

© All Rights Reserved

The spire of St Oswald's church is the dominant landmark in Ashbourne, and the church beneath it one of the most rewarding in the county, being especially rich in stained glass and monuments. The earliest parts of the present building date back to the 1240s and the rest was added over the next century. It is a well proportioned cruciform building on a scale that befits a small town.

The chancel and transepts betray their 13th century date with their series of lancet windows while the nave is clearly later. The central tower and spire are of 14th century date and a particularly handsome specimen, considered the very finest by George Eliot. The building stands in a pleasant churchyard set back from the main road and is a delight to explore.

Inside the church is equally impressive and spacious, though the nave has a curiously lop-sided appearance, owing to the aisle and fine arcade on the south side but absence of anything to balance them to the north (along with the fact the south arcade doesn't quite line up with the arch beneath the tower). The prinicpal windows in the chancel and transepts are now large Perpendicular style traceried affairs full of Victorian glass, but originally would have been more consistent with the rows of lancet windows in the side walls of these parts of the church, a good example of Early English style.

Most of the furnishings date back to the Victorian restoration, as does much of the glass, though there are substantial medieval pieces remaining in the north transept and then a couple of lovely Arts & Crafts windows on the south side, most prominently the delightful St Cecilia window by Christopher Whall. The monuments are mostly to be found in the Boothby chapel on the east side of the north transept and, a fine collection of recumbent effigies, all medieval and Tudor with one notable exception.

Happily Ashbourne church is normally kept open and visitor friendly, and is well worth exploring. I am again indebted to my friend Sam for both my visits here over the years (a difficult one for me to get to otheriwse). I only wish I had a better set of photos as I was limited to handheld shots only, mostly in conditions that required something a bit more considered, thus I hope to return one of these days.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Oswald%27s_Church,_Ashbourne

Tags:   Ashbourne church Derbyshire medieval architecture

© All Rights Reserved

The spire of St Oswald's church is the dominant landmark in Ashbourne, and the church beneath it one of the most rewarding in the county, being especially rich in stained glass and monuments. The earliest parts of the present building date back to the 1240s and the rest was added over the next century. It is a well proportioned cruciform building on a scale that befits a small town.

The chancel and transepts betray their 13th century date with their series of lancet windows while the nave is clearly later. The central tower and spire are of 14th century date and a particularly handsome specimen, considered the very finest by George Eliot. The building stands in a pleasant churchyard set back from the main road and is a delight to explore.

Inside the church is equally impressive and spacious, though the nave has a curiously lop-sided appearance, owing to the aisle and fine arcade on the south side but absence of anything to balance them to the north (along with the fact the south arcade doesn't quite line up with the arch beneath the tower). The prinicpal windows in the chancel and transepts are now large Perpendicular style traceried affairs full of Victorian glass, but originally would have been more consistent with the rows of lancet windows in the side walls of these parts of the church, a good example of Early English style.

Most of the furnishings date back to the Victorian restoration, as does much of the glass, though there are substantial medieval pieces remaining in the north transept and then a couple of lovely Arts & Crafts windows on the south side, most prominently the delightful St Cecilia window by Christopher Whall. The monuments are mostly to be found in the Boothby chapel on the east side of the north transept and, a fine collection of recumbent effigies, all medieval and Tudor with one notable exception.

Happily Ashbourne church is normally kept open and visitor friendly, and is well worth exploring. I am again indebted to my friend Sam for both my visits here over the years (a difficult one for me to get to otheriwse). I only wish I had a better set of photos as I was limited to handheld shots only, mostly in conditions that required something a bit more considered, thus I hope to return one of these days.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Oswald%27s_Church,_Ashbourne

Tags:   Ashbourne church Derbyshire medieval carving capital

© All Rights Reserved

The spire of St Oswald's church is the dominant landmark in Ashbourne, and the church beneath it one of the most rewarding in the county, being especially rich in stained glass and monuments. The earliest parts of the present building date back to the 1240s and the rest was added over the next century. It is a well proportioned cruciform building on a scale that befits a small town.

The chancel and transepts betray their 13th century date with their series of lancet windows while the nave is clearly later. The central tower and spire are of 14th century date and a particularly handsome specimen, considered the very finest by George Eliot. The building stands in a pleasant churchyard set back from the main road and is a delight to explore.

Inside the church is equally impressive and spacious, though the nave has a curiously lop-sided appearance, owing to the aisle and fine arcade on the south side but absence of anything to balance them to the north (along with the fact the south arcade doesn't quite line up with the arch beneath the tower). The prinicpal windows in the chancel and transepts are now large Perpendicular style traceried affairs full of Victorian glass, but originally would have been more consistent with the rows of lancet windows in the side walls of these parts of the church, a good example of Early English style.

Most of the furnishings date back to the Victorian restoration, as does much of the glass, though there are substantial medieval pieces remaining in the north transept and then a couple of lovely Arts & Crafts windows on the south side, most prominently the delightful St Cecilia window by Christopher Whall. The monuments are mostly to be found in the Boothby chapel on the east side of the north transept and, a fine collection of recumbent effigies, all medieval and Tudor with one notable exception.

Happily Ashbourne church is normally kept open and visitor friendly, and is well worth exploring. I am again indebted to my friend Sam for both my visits here over the years (a difficult one for me to get to otheriwse). I only wish I had a better set of photos as I was limited to handheld shots only, mostly in conditions that required something a bit more considered, thus I hope to return one of these days.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Oswald%27s_Church,_Ashbourne

Tags:   Ashbourne church Derbyshire font medieval

© All Rights Reserved