We spent the day – a most beautiful warm, June day – driving roads less travelled – the narrow country lanes connecting small villages off the beaten track and with breathtakingly beautiful vistas and views of rolling hills, green field, hedgerows and the lovely cottages and farmhouses along the way.
We came across a marker for “historic church” and followed the lane to discover this unusual church which we discovered is St. Andrew’s, Winterbourne Tomson. From www.visit churches.org.uk:
A Dorset gem saved by the ghost of Thomas Hardy
This tiny chapel, built of flint and stone, with a tiny weatherboarded bell turret, has barely been altered since it was built in Norman times. The inside is simple, bright and beautiful – with uneven limewashed walls and a flagged floor.
The early eighteenth-century oak fittings were provided by William Wake, then Archbishop of Canterbury, whose family lived nearby. The silvery-grey box pews, the pulpit, the screen, the communion rails and matching table, the font cover and the west door all date from this refurbishment. The wagon roof is unique in that it curves round the apse, with finely carved bosses where the oak ribs intersect.
The church escaped total ruin in 1931 only when The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings sold a collection of Thomas Hardy manuscripts to pay for repairs. Hardy was once an architect’s assistant in this part of Dorset, but this church does not seem to have featured in any of his novels. The restoration work was supervised by the architect A R Powys, Secretary to the Society. It is thanks to him that this lovely church has survived in such a wonderfully unspoilt condition. A plaque in the church commemorates Powys’ work.
The story your shared almost brought me to tears. It survived and that is wonderful and a blessing. I would have loved photos of the interior just to see the uneven walls and the floor. Maybe next time. Charming place Chris. Was this area home? Family? What is the cost of living there?
Yes – this area is my English home.
Glad to see you made it back Christine. Lovely photos of the place I lived in my teenage year’s long ago. I always go to my haunts when we go back to the UK for a holiday 😊