Daglingworth, Holy Rood
Leaving Elkstone, I planned to drive to Duntisbourne Rouse, a distance of 12 miles. Easy, I thought. However, It soon proved to be anything but. I turned off of the main road, not far from Cirencester, and followed the signs to Duntisbourne. The route took me down a narrow lane and into the village of Daglingworth. From there I proceeded through the beautiful Duntisbourne valley. I was enjoying the scenery very much, but pretty soon I realised that I must have missed my target. There are four villages called Duntisbourne - Leer, Rouse, Middle and Abbotts, and I had driven through all of them, and was soon heading back towards the main road. I decided to do another loop, and drove back to Daglingworth.
The village seemed deserted this particular Saturday afternoon, but I spied a man cutting a grass verge some way down a side street. I decided to ask for directions and headed towards him. He turned out to be a very nice bloke, and gave me straightforward instructions on how to get to Duntisbourne Rouse church. He then mentioned that the local church was just around the corner, and that it was ancient, and had some interesting Saxon carvings. So I decided to have a look seeing as I was in the area.
I parked outside the church and got chatting to a charming local lady who was tending to the churchyard. I told her I was from Essex, she said that she had lived in the village all her life. Her late husband had been the sexton, a task now performed by her son, and that she had not travelled much, and didn't know exactly where Essex was. I asked her if she had ever watched TOWIE, but she looked at me quizzically and said no - with a slight smile on her lips. Shut the front door! I thought to myself. She then told me that the church door was heavy and tended to stick, and invited me to look inside.
This area of Gloucestershire is particularly rich in ancient churches which have Saxon or Norman fabric. My guidebook for Elkstone church mentions that there are 30 or more in an area of no more than 10 square miles. Daglingworth is a prominent member of this group. The dedication is unusual, although again locally there are seven churches called Holy Rood or Holy Cross. From the outside, the church doesn't look all that ancient, the tower is 15thc. and the windows were also renewed in that period. But on closer inspection, the cornerstones are typical Saxon long and short work (stones laid alternately flat and upright). And the door inside the porch is of the round arched Saxon type, and has a sundial of the same period (10thc.) above it. The interior is light and airy, with a norman arcade to the north, a nice 15thc. font and a saxon chancel arch. However, the real jewels of this church are the four Saxon sculptures, which were rediscovered in 1850 during restoration work. They are now mounted on the walls. The stripped down, linear plainess of these sculptures, gives them an almost modern look. This is the type of primative art that inspired Epstein, Eric Gill and Henry Moore in the 1920's & 30's.
I was pleased that I had taken the advise of a stranger and had a look at this church, it was very rewarding.
Daglingworth, Holy Rood
Leaving Elkstone, I planned to drive to Duntisbourne Rouse, a distance of 12 miles. Easy, I thought. However, It soon proved to be anything but. I turned off of the main road, not far from Cirencester, and followed the signs to Duntisbourne. The route took me down a narrow lane and into the village of Daglingworth. From there I proceeded through the beautiful Duntisbourne valley. I was enjoying the scenery very much, but pretty soon I realised that I must have missed my target. There are four villages called Duntisbourne - Leer, Rouse, Middle and Abbotts, and I had driven through all of them, and was soon heading back towards the main road. I decided to do another loop, and drove back to Daglingworth.
The village seemed deserted this particular Saturday afternoon, but I spied a man cutting a grass verge some way down a side street. I decided to ask for directions and headed towards him. He turned out to be a very nice bloke, and gave me straightforward instructions on how to get to Duntisbourne Rouse church. He then mentioned that the local church was just around the corner, and that it was ancient, and had some interesting Saxon carvings. So I decided to have a look seeing as I was in the area.
I parked outside the church and got chatting to a charming local lady who was tending to the churchyard. I told her I was from Essex, she said that she had lived in the village all her life. Her late husband had been the sexton, a task now performed by her son, and that she had not travelled much, and didn't know exactly where Essex was. I asked her if she had ever watched TOWIE, but she looked at me quizzically and said no - with a slight smile on her lips. Shut the front door! I thought to myself. She then told me that the church door was heavy and tended to stick, and invited me to look inside.
This area of Gloucestershire is particularly rich in ancient churches which have Saxon or Norman fabric. My guidebook for Elkstone church mentions that there are 30 or more in an area of no more than 10 square miles. Daglingworth is a prominent member of this group. The dedication is unusual, although again locally there are seven churches called Holy Rood or Holy Cross. From the outside, the church doesn't look all that ancient, the tower is 15thc. and the windows were also renewed in that period. But on closer inspection, the cornerstones are typical Saxon long and short work (stones laid alternately flat and upright). And the door inside the porch is of the round arched Saxon type, and has a sundial of the same period (10thc.) above it. The interior is light and airy, with a norman arcade to the north, a nice 15thc. font and a saxon chancel arch. However, the real jewels of this church are the four Saxon sculptures, which were rediscovered in 1850 during restoration work. They are now mounted on the walls. The stripped down, linear plainess of these sculptures, gives them an almost modern look. This is the type of primative art that inspired Epstein, Eric Gill and Henry Moore in the 1920's & 30's.
I was pleased that I had taken the advise of a stranger and had a look at this church, it was very rewarding.