Today was the most beautiful day, pure Vitamin D at its best beaming down upon the wet and cold earth at last and all day long too.
Having been hiding away and waiting for warmer weather to appear, it's finally here. At last the time has come to venture out once again and that we did.
I am really feeling the need for adventure at the moment and am determined to make the most of every opportunity to get out and explore this wonderful place in which we live.
For many years now, I have know about a little church that stands alone in a field near Burford. So today, sun shining and snacks packed, I decided to take the children for an adventure. It's taken me about seven years to do this!
The church I finally discovered is called St Oswalds and it sits in a field at a place called Widford right next to Swinbrook near Burford. We parked in the car park of the Church in Swinbrook and followed the footpath through the churchyard across a couple of fields to this amazing little place.
At a first distant glance, the church appeared Victorian. I was basing that judgement on the little bell peak that rose above the hills. As we got closer, it looked much older and once inside it look rather ancient!
The church is tiny (not the smallest I've seen), well in comparison to most churches. But what is quite amazing and mystical is the fact that it doesn't seem to serve any place. The church just stands alone in the middle of a field. Literature within suggests that there may have been a village in the area perhaps wiped out by the plague of the 14th century. Interesting indeed!
The literature also suggested that there were Roman mosaics beneath the flagstone floors, even more amazing! I don't think I can begin to imagine any further and will just take from this place a sense of awe and wonder and enjoy it for what is was, a place of peace, tranquillity and beauty.
A walk back to the car park through the village, was full of talking points and interesting things, thoroughly recommended as an adventure to fill a couple of hours, longer if you stumble upon the pub on the way home!
I love this church, it has beautiful box pews in it. There is clear evidence of a large settlement of some kind, terraced gardens and ponds.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see that when I went. How can you tell, what are the signs?
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