Grafham

All Saints, open, was definitely a contender for the title of church of the day, not for any especially outstanding feature but for its intimacy. I particularly liked the low rise arcade columns and the nave dormer windows.

ALL SAINTS. Not a large church. The W tower turns octagonal at the very top, for the short length above the springing of the arches of the bell-openings. The spire has two tiers of lucarnes in alternating directions. On the square lower part are four C17 obelisk pinnacles. Late C13 chancel with Y-tracery, and intersecting tracery, the E an adaptation of this tracery made probably in 1803. The DOUBLE PISCINA is late C13 too, and so is the N arcade of four low bays with round piers and double-chamfered arches. The S arcade of standard elements is Dec. - FONT. Octagonal, Dec, with quatrefoils of three varieties and simple blank-arched panels. - ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENTS in the S porch. - BELL. One by W.Dawe, c.1400. - MONUMENT. Upper part of an early C14 effigy of a priest (S porch).

GRAFHAM. We remembered it for the story of two brothers who died far apart and will long be remembered here. Their grandfather lived  in the lovely 14th and 16th century rectory and preached from the Jacobean pulpit of the 13th century church. The pulpit has an altar table which has been here with it all the time, and there are pews with woodwork in them older still. One of the bells has been ringing in the tower since Agincourt, and the fine old roof was built over the nave in the same generation; the stone heads its beams rest on are the work of 15th century masons. Older than all these things is the bowl of the font, which was probably carved 600 years ago; it would be new when they brought here the quaint figure of a 14th century priest who lies in the porch with his head on two cushions.

The two Buckle brothers, whose grandfather was rector for 29 years, were adopted by their uncle, who was rector for 39 years, and they spent all their early childhood at the rectory; there are beautiful memorials in the church to their memory. They used to love the old home and their explorings in the country round about. Then came the war, and Thomas fell fighting with the Camerons and John went down in a transport ship torpedoed off the coast of Greece. He was in command of the troops on board, and it is the proud memory of his people that he was last seen at his post on the bridge.

Flickr.