Batsford Church

Heaven`s Gate (John) has added a photo to the pool:

St. Mary`s Church, Batsford village, The Cotswolds, England.

St. Mary's Church was rebuilt by W.F. Poulton & Woodman of Reading in 1860-62, a late example of the Neo-Norman style. It is an expensive building, dramatically sited on steeply rising ground near the entrance to the drive of the mansion - Batsford Park.

The church is of dressed stone, now re-roofed with machine-made tiles. The low tower has a spire with an octagonal drum, four large pinnacles, and cyclopean gabled spire-lights of French-Romanesque character. The chancel is apsidal with ribbed ashlar tunnel vaulting. The chancel arch is very ornate and has correct Anglo-Norman details. The font and pulpit introduce coloured marble into the Neo-Norman style of the church. There are stained glass windows by Kempe and several very ornate wall tablet memorials.