St Faith’s Church, Overbury

6 September 2005

 

Jay began her sixth-form course today, after a long break from school following GCSEs.  It was a fine, sunny morning, so Roger and Teresa decided to visit the church in Overbury, close to Roger’s bowls club.  The village and the surrounding area still form a private estate, and are well-preserved and picturesque as a result.  St Faith was  3rd century martyr, and this is one of the few churches in the country dedicated to her.

 

 

Entering the Lychgate from the south

 

 

St Faith’s Church in Overbury is approached from the south through a Lychgate erected as a memorial to the men of Overbury and Conderton killed in the two World Wars

Looking south through the Lychgate

 

 

 

 

 

A stream skirts the churchyard on the east

 

 

 

 

 

St Faith’s dates from the 11th century: the earliest parts of the structure are Norman

 

The tower is from the 14th/15th centuries and is in the Perpendicular style

 

 

 

The main remaining Norman features are the massive pillars and arches in the nave, topped by clerestory windows (not visible in the picture)

Looking west into the nave

 

 

The chancel was built mainly in the 13th century Early English period and is a good example of this style on a small scale

 

Much of the nave, West end and the south porch was rebuilt in the 19th century, in the case of the porch using the original Norman arch and mouldings

 

 

 

The font is Norman, the picture seen of a bishop with two croziers probably represents the 11th century Ealdred, Bishop of both York and Worcester

 

The Overbury estate is owned by the Holland-Martin family, and on the right is one of the many memorial stones in the church to members of this family

 

 

 

 

The south-west part of the churchyard has been laid out as a garden of remembrance (left), from which, looking north, can be seen Overbury Court, the home of the Holland-Martin family (right)

 

 

 

In addition to the church buildings, Roger and Teresa were very interested in the Millennium memorial binder available in the church, recording the life of the village in 2000.  Of particular interest was the page on Overbury Bowling Club, giving a brief history of the club, and photographs of the team and officers five years ago.

 

Home    Diary 2005