The #BestofTheRiverAxeChurches #Somerset: Loose ends. Churches with truly wondrous windows #FromInsideOut #StCongarBadgworth #StPeterBleadon #StMatthewWookey

Sometimes #JustPlainGlass is all you need

(to see more of each church just click the named #)

The #BestofTheRiverAxeChurches #Somerset: Loose ends. Churches with heavenly hagioscopes (or superlative squints) #StJohnAxbridge #HolyCrossMark #StMatthewWookey

No. It's not lepers

(to see more of each church just click the named #)

The #BestofTheRiverAxeChurches #Somerset: Places to find a perfect #Pintle #HolyCrossMark #StLeonardRodneyStoke #StPeterBleadon #HolyCrossMark #StMatthewWookey #FerrousFriday

You didn't think you'd get away that easily

(to see more of each church just click the named #)

The #BestofTheRiverAxeChurches #Somerset: Churches with the enduring allure of #ChurchDoorFittings #StMaryWedmore #HolyCrossMark #StMatthewWookey #FerrousFriday

If this is your thing, check out Wedmore. Truly beautiful

(to see more of each church just click the named #)

The #BestofTheRiverAxeChurches #Somerset: Churches with a delectable #Doornucopia of doors #StMatthewWookey #StMaryWedmore #HolyCrossMark #AdoorableThursday

Texture of stone. Patina of wood. Contrasts.

(to see more of each church just click the named #)

The #BestofTheRiverAxeChurches #Somerset: Churches with #GloriousGateage #StLawrenceWestbury #StMatthewWookey #StGregoryWeare #Thursgate

Gates of all shapes and sizes. All with one thing in common. Beauty.

(to see more of each church just click the named #)

The #BestofTheRiverAxeChurches #Somerset: Churches with stunning stair turrets #StPeterBleadon #HolyCrossMark #StMatthewWookey #TowerTuesday

Another signature of churches on the River Axe; polygonal stair turrets. Lovely

(to see more of each church just click the named #)

And so the #ScamperDownTheAxe comes to an end. A total of 16 churches spread across 28 miles over 16 weeks. And here they are: #ChurchesOfTheAxe (1 of 4) #StMatthewWookey #StLawrenceWestbury #StLeonardRodneyStoke #StAndrewCheddar

Another example of a #StandingCross, this from the last church Mouse visited #StMatthewWookey. These crosses were placed in markets, villages and churchyards largely C13 onwards. The shaft and head here renewed C19 but often the original heads were smashed during the Commonwealth

A font and a confession. The font, C13 goblet with shaft ring (and some rather wilted greenery) #StMatthewWookey #Somerset. The confession, against her principles Mouse use generative erase to remove a shed load of hazard tape off the floor. Seamless. Clever Mouse #FontsOnFriday

It feels like it's been a while and Mouse guess it has been. But here it is. A #Lychgate at last.
#StMatthewWookey #Somerset #Thursgate

It's a beauty, though Mouse say so herself.

Starkly beautiful....

Almost what the word Gothic was invented for. Pointed west door #StMatthewWookey #Somerset #AdoorableThursday #DoorwayThursday

Simply gor-ge-ous planked, studded and filleted door set in a 4-centred arch recessed into a square headed chamfered doorway. Bring the noise #AdoorableThursday #DoorwayThursday #StMatthewWookey #Somerset

Located south wall of C16 south chapel snuggled against a buttress

Mouse rarely encountered a niche above a church door, never mind one with an actual statue in it (racks brains for single example) on her Wiltshire rivers scampers. But here we are on the River Axe at church one. All feels a bit pre-Reformation to Mouse #StMatthewWookey #Somerset

The enduring allure of #ChurchDoorFittings (well for Mouse anyway). Mouse love the nexus of practical and aesthetic. It's a handle, but it's a beautiful handle against beautiful wood #IronworkThursday #StMatthewWookey #Somerset

Even down to the modern repair with a nut and bolt

Door to south porch (interior) #StMatthewWookey #Somerset #AdoorableThursday

A good insight into door construction of this period showing that it is single planked and ledged

South door under porch #StMatthewWookey #Somerset #AdoorableThursday

Close up or far away this is a beautiful door. Planked, studded and filleted (stop tittering at the back now boys) Mouse suspects it predates the doorway by upwards of 300 years

Rather fine porch gates with a rather lovely design #StMatthewWookey #Somerset #Thursgate

The Listing seems to refer to these as Dog Gates, a term Mouse has never encountered in this context. Is it just Mouse?

East elevation of south chapel to left of east window (as facing) #StMatthewWookey #Somerset

A tiny hint of wall decoration. C16 south chapel. A fragment of an arcade of pointed arches, a flower and (probably) some heraldry with text #WallsOnWednesday #WallPaintingWednesday

North elevation of north aisle #StMatthewWookey #Somerset #WindowsOnWednesday

The leading in this 2-light window is very attractive thinks Mouse

Fine C15-style square labelless 4-light window with cusped ogee lights set to south elevation of C16 south chapel #StMatthewWookey #Somerset #WindowsOnWednesday

West elevation of north aisle adjacent to tower stair turret #StMatthewWookey #Somerset

Square (headed) 2-light window with cusped lights and label with plain stops. C15 style #WindowsOnWednesday

A 2-light Perpendicular-style pointed window with cusped lights, The predominant style of window at #StMatthewWookey #Somerset #WindowsOnWednesday

South chapel #StMatthewWookey #Somerset

Built C16. Adjacent to C13 chancel but somewhat loftier and more impressive. Also imbued with this curious purple glow as if Lenny Henry was about to show up any minute

Chancel tiles #StMatthewWookey #Somerset

Chancel arch through choir (left) and from choir to altar rail. Mouse often bemoan the lack of good tiles for #TilesOnTuesday during her visits but here her tile-based cup overfloweth. All rather lovely, Mouse think

The one that got away?

Chest tomb south of #StMatthewWookey #Somerset #TombTuesday #ItsTheOneThatGotAway

Rather lovely tiling to the choir and in front of the sanctuary. The chancel #StMatthewWookey #Somerset #TilesOnTuesday

The chancel isn't really this colour and Mouse didn't use a filter but something in the lighting affected the camera. Not sponsored by well-known hotel chain

Polygonal stair turret. North east corner. West tower #StMatthewWookey #Somerset

Somewhat incongruous spirelet suggesting the tower has secret dreams of Austrian schlossdom. Decorated-style 2 light windows to bell stage with louvred cusped lights #TowerTuesday #TinyWindowTuesday

West tower #StMatthewWookey #Somerset

Tower of three stages. String courses. Diagonal buttresses with offsets to three corners reducing to pilaster buttresses with pinnacles at parapet. Battlemented #TowerTuesday

One of the more peculiar hagioscopes or squints that Mouse has encountered, cut straight through the easternmost pier of the south arcade to view the chancel. You can see vestiges of the clustered shafts #StMatthewWookey #Somerset #MasonryMonday