The Nave and Chancel © P.E. Blanche 2001 The Chancel, Barfrestone. © P.E. Blanche 2001 Memorial to those that lost their lives in the Great War. © P.E. Blanche 2001

This is a small Church. The Nave is only nine yards in length and possibly seems smaller because it has never had the addition of the almost statutory 14th or 15th Century tower. The Chancel is even shorter and is practically square. There is a bell but this hangs in a yew tree outside the Church. The interior, like the exterior is very much Norman in design and decoration. The only thing missing, that I assume would have been here at one time, are wall paintings. The magnificent wheel window at the East end of the Church shows, as far as I can determine, eight scenes from the time of the Crucifixion to that of the Ascension although I do not know the date of the glass. The top half of the carved stone surrounding the window shows mythical beasts which look like winged lions. Below the wheel window are three Norman lancet windows. Other side windows in both the Chancel and the Nave are of this same small design which would have been typical of the time. The classic rounded Norman Chancel arch is extremely powerful but yet is not out of place. Because the interior carving has not had to stand up to the extremes of wind and weather it is in pristine condition and can only leave to wonder how splendid the exterior must have looked when it was first completed at the time of Henry II. There are very few plaques inside the church and no monuments but it was nice to find that the Village had honoured six members of this tiny community that died in the Great War (picture bottom left). The plaque reads as follows: TO THE GLORY OF GOD IN MEMORY OF FREDERICK SWINFORD FRY ARTHIR WILLIAM MARSH PERCY MARSH WALTER GEORGE PHILPOTT HORACE HENRY RIGDEN THOMAS YOUNG WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918 Their name liveth for evermore - An example of the stone carving in the Nave See also: The exterior of Barfrestone Church