West Window, Dormington
West window depicting Fortitude and Justice by Morris & Co reusing earlier figure designs by Burne Jones, c1897 (certainly Justice is by Burne Jones, Fortitude may be the work of John Henry Dearle).
St Peter's at Dormington sits close to the road where this small but attractive building may be admired by many passers by. At a glance it may appear a fairly humble building, a simple two-cell structure of nave and chancel crowned only by a weather-boarded spirelet belfry at the west end, but there are rewarding things here for those who stop.
The chancel was mostly rebuilt in Victorian times but the nave is still largely late Norman, though this is not readily apparent from outside given the later windows. The first real sign of Norman work here is a very special one revealed upon entering the south porch: the door knocker is a rare piece of late Romanesque metalwork in the form of a feline head (nowadays a copy takes the place of the original which is kept in the treasury at Hereford)..
Inside the antiquity of the building is much more apparent, with the tiny chancel arch seemingly bored through the east wall of the nave revealing little of the space beyond. The style is transitional as the arch is pointed, but the proportions suggest a late 12th century date nonetheless. Various 17th century memorials adorn the walls with some details of sculptural interest.
The most memorable features inside the church however are the two very fine stained glass windows, that at the east end being a rare work by Mary Lowndes and Isobel Gloag depicting the Last Supper from 1901. Lowndes is famous for setting up the Glass House at Fulham to provide studio space for a number of renowned Arts & Crafts artists, Her glass here is a striking piece with faces full of character. At the west end is a late work by Morris & Co using cartoons by Burne Jones for the figures of Fortiitude & Justice, all in characteristic cool greens and warm orange.
Dormington church is normally open and welcoming to visitors and well rewards a visit for its antiquity and glorious glass.
West Window, Dormington
West window depicting Fortitude and Justice by Morris & Co reusing earlier figure designs by Burne Jones, c1897 (certainly Justice is by Burne Jones, Fortitude may be the work of John Henry Dearle).
St Peter's at Dormington sits close to the road where this small but attractive building may be admired by many passers by. At a glance it may appear a fairly humble building, a simple two-cell structure of nave and chancel crowned only by a weather-boarded spirelet belfry at the west end, but there are rewarding things here for those who stop.
The chancel was mostly rebuilt in Victorian times but the nave is still largely late Norman, though this is not readily apparent from outside given the later windows. The first real sign of Norman work here is a very special one revealed upon entering the south porch: the door knocker is a rare piece of late Romanesque metalwork in the form of a feline head (nowadays a copy takes the place of the original which is kept in the treasury at Hereford)..
Inside the antiquity of the building is much more apparent, with the tiny chancel arch seemingly bored through the east wall of the nave revealing little of the space beyond. The style is transitional as the arch is pointed, but the proportions suggest a late 12th century date nonetheless. Various 17th century memorials adorn the walls with some details of sculptural interest.
The most memorable features inside the church however are the two very fine stained glass windows, that at the east end being a rare work by Mary Lowndes and Isobel Gloag depicting the Last Supper from 1901. Lowndes is famous for setting up the Glass House at Fulham to provide studio space for a number of renowned Arts & Crafts artists, Her glass here is a striking piece with faces full of character. At the west end is a late work by Morris & Co using cartoons by Burne Jones for the figures of Fortiitude & Justice, all in characteristic cool greens and warm orange.
Dormington church is normally open and welcoming to visitors and well rewards a visit for its antiquity and glorious glass.