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Still in Tardebigge after visiting the Windsors' extravaganza of a new country seat on Saturday. Robert Windsor-Clive added an apsidal chancel in 1879 to the Georgian estate church & its progressive beautifying is an #ArtsandCrafts #Cotswolds #churches story.
Images: Rex Harris
Images: Rex Harris
Amy Walford was an important connection between the church and nearby Bromsgrove Guild, though her stained glass window of 1894 predates the Guild's formation. She was born in the village, an artist and teacher who left her mark here, initially in stained glass.
Nothing could look less like Arts & Crafts work than this Germanic Renaissance style window, but it would have been seen as appropriate for a church of this date. It's a woman's window, a female artist depicting women to commemorate the two wives of a local man. ID scenes anyone?
Despite the classical baroque church, the Renaissance palace masquerading as a Tudor prodigy house, the apparent mix of styles & philosophies, there is an elusive #ArtsandCrafts glimmer here. Pevsner twice mentions local workshops; these 1907 furnishings were made on site.
Amy Walford contributed a zinger to this episode of chancel enrichment - described by Pevsner as "Excellent Art Nouveau", her lectern in enriched hammered copper is a showstopper.
Returning to the chancel, the carved oak stalls and canopied priest's desk are also designed & detailed in a manner to respect the Georgian church. A brass plaque records the fact that they were the gift of the parishioners to commemorate their vicar's 50 years of incumbency.
A pulpit was not added to the ensemble until 1965, but was still crafted in exactly the same respectful fashion, harmonising with the church & replicating the design of the 1907 woodwork. The carver was a man of impeccable A&C credentials: Celestino Pancheri (sic, Pevsner)
Celestino Pancheri was no longer alive in 1965, but it is likely the work was carried out - or completed - by his son, Robert. They worked together as Pancheri and Son.
Frederick Etchells re-paved the chancel in a chequered design around 1923, and installed communion rails. A finely carved Westmorland slate ledger commemorates the parishioners' gift in memory of Robert Windsor-Clive, by then Earl of Plymouth.
Images: Sally Lloyd, PicturePrince
Images: Sally Lloyd, PicturePrince
If someone would like to make me a nice strong cup of black coffee at this point, it would be much appreciated.
The sharp-eyed will have noticed Detmar Blow's gilt oak reredos. Billerey & Blow designed the stupendous cedar vault in the Grange's private chapel c.1914, so it's likely the reredos was worked on around the same time. Craftspeople? Pevsner comes up empty. As do I, *for now*
Let's look at the external expression of the chancel extension that has made all this adornment of an "uneventful" (Pevsner) church possible. Commissioning it seems to have been one of Windsor-Clive's first acts on reaching his majority.
Images: Aidan McRae Thomson, Andrew Farmer
Images: Aidan McRae Thomson, Andrew Farmer
There are hints of Byzantium, of a Romanesque basilica, an indication of artistic tastes that become clearer later in the design of the E window. Pevsner feels the apse sits well in the C18 church, "despite its modestly medieval foliated shafts". Am I talking through my hat?
The E window is a window of two halves. It is one of three lights that are described by commentators as being designed by Robert Windsor-Clive, Earl of Plymouth and made by Alfred L. Pike around 1922. Two are in Plymouth's private chapel in Hewell Grange, see thread 06/02/21
A. J. Davies of the Bromsgrove Guild designed this window in memory of Major Peter Dixon M.C., who was killed in action in 1945 & is buried in the Reichswald War Cemetery. At the time of his death he had left QOWH & joined No. 4 Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery Royal Artillery Rgmt
Which leads us to the war memorial of 1920-1 by Plymouth's architects of choice, Detmar Blow & Billerey. A splendid piece credited to the Bromsgrove Guild and adapted superbly well to post WWII needs. One of the Windsor-Clive sons is there (WWI) & Maj. Dixon with full moniker.
I seem to have lost a tweet! Just as well, as it was nonsense. Here's a final carved & lettered memorial plaque, before we leave the church. It could maybe *just* have been the work of the Bromsgrove Guild; they closed up shop in 1966.
Image: Sally Lloyd
Image: Sally Lloyd
Alberta Victoria Sarah Caroline Paget, always known as Gay, was Plymouth's wife of 40 years & partner in their building endeavours. In the early days at Hewell Grange she set up Arts & Crafts workshops, re. which I need to know more. Her parents lie in the churchyard Paget plot.
I have no information on the craftsperson responsible for the c1929 Paget headstones - status vs legibility, eh? @StroudStory. Similarly, Pevsner & all other sources I have so far encountered say nothing on this remarkable Plymouth tomb in the churchyard's Windsor family plot.
And so we say farewell to St. Bartholemew's Church, Tardebigge, the church on the hill above the locks, with my thanks to the photographers of the Paget & Plymouth graves: PicturePrince, Bobbie & nicnac1000.
