Monday 21 January 2019

St Mary Magdalene Boveney

This little church has stood by the side of the Thames since the 12th century originally serving the barge men working  the river.



I can remember it as a child, surrounded by thick coppice, you couldn't actually see the church until you were right beside it.


Nearby just down river is Boveney lock and the weir.


The church  is Grade 1 listed and much of the interior dates back to the 15th century when the tower and windows were added. There is a small section of decorative wall painting which predate the reformation when sadly most were lost from English churches.


Unusually there are two doors, on one side the river, and the other looking out to the old village, I guess hamlet would be a better description.


Intermediately beside the church as an old wharf, little more than river bank these days, but a place I knew very well growing up fifty odd years ago, it was really nice to go back.



St Mary Magdalene, Boveney, is a redundant Anglican church now under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches

2 comments:

  1. Nice post. It's always good to go on a pilgrimage of childhood places.
    I would have thought that priceless historical places such as this would have been taken care of by the National Trust? But I guess the UK is absolutely full of this type of history.

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  2. Alden, we sometimes take this for granted, the church over at Hound near Netey is 11th century and St Leonard’s at Bursledon is 13th century grade 2 listed, but records show a chapel there in 1129.

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