We have many examples of Perpendicular style in Berkshire, but by
far the best is the Chapel of St George in Windsor Castle (pp. 69,
71). The greater part of this chapel was built in the time of Edward
IV. The windows are large and the nave consequently very light. The
stone roof of the nave was added by Henry VII, and that of the
choir by Henry VIII. In the choir are the stalls of the Knights of
the Garter, and installation ceremonies of the Order are performed
here. St Helen's Church, Abingdon, is our best Berkshire parish church
in the Perpendicular style (the tower is Early English). It is large,
with five aisles, as will be seen in the illustration here given. The
church at Bray is chiefly celebrated on account of a vicar, one Simon
Aleyn, who died in 1588 after holding the living under Henry VIII,
Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth and altering his views as occasion
required. The church is however of itself interesting, and in it will
be found examples of Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular
work. The tower belongs to the latest of these styles and is but
badly joined on to the aisle of Edwardian date. It is mostly built of
flints, but a broad band of chalk will be noticed about half-way up
(p. 149). There is a good example of a church in this style at Newbury.
Brick church towers are a feature of eastern Berkshire and many of
them date from the seventeenth century. One of these, at Finchampstead,
is shown in the illustration on page 98.
There are crosses or their remains in many of the churchyards and
villages. At Ardington there is both a new cross and the shaft of
an old one. There are crosses at Denchworth, Goosey, East Hagbourne,
Inglesham, North or Ferry Hinksey, Steventon, etc.
At Harwell the rood-screen still remains; there are interesting lead
fonts at Childrey and at Long Wittenham; and stands for hour-glasses
still exist in the churches at Binfield, Hurst, and Inglesham.
In former times it was very common to keep books in the churches
fastened to the shelf or reading-desk by chains, and a few of them
still remain. There are several in St Helen's Church, Abingdon. A
chained Bible of 1611 is in Cumnor church, and until recently
there were several at Denchworth, but they have been removed to the
vicarage, and Caxton's Golden Legend of 1483 which used to be chained
in Denchworth Church is now in the Bodleian Library.
18. ARCHITECTURE--(B) RELIGIOUS HOUSES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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