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Fiona Chartres

@chartresfi.bsky.social

Former picture framer who loves churches, art, history and cheese...

1,015 Followers  |  210 Following  |  444 Posts  |  Joined: 08.10.2023  |  1.8005

Latest posts by chartresfi.bsky.social on Bluesky

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The altar frontal at St George's, Kelmscott is made up of two 17thC Turkish hangings stitched together and was given to the church by Jane Morris. The subtle, faded colour really suits the church, nothing garish here!
#TextileTuesday

11.11.2025 10:50 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Although this unknown lady of c.1400 at St John the Baptist, Barnack is now much damaged enough still remains to show how beautifully carved it was. Her headress and the plaited hair beneath it is shown in such stunning detail.
#MonumentsMonday

10.11.2025 09:02 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Sadly I think they calculated wrong πŸ™„

09.11.2025 14:44 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

The pointed arch is definitely on the wonk!

09.11.2025 14:44 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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They didn't panic at St Mary's, Tansor when they realised their round headed tower arch had gone out of fashion, they just built one of those new fangled pointy ones inside it!
#SundayStonework

09.11.2025 13:57 β€” πŸ‘ 30    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2
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The diminutive fleche on the roof of St John the Baptist, Leicester is a lovely decorative touch with its tiny dragons.
Built by Goddard and Paget in 1884-5 it's a complete contrast to the nearby Italianate St James by H.L.Goddard, a different experience entirely.
#SteepleSaturday

08.11.2025 10:38 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The door at Ampney St Mary is a thing of beauty, patched and repaired and surrounded by fragments of 13/14thC wall paintings.
#Adoorableday
#AdoorableThursday

06.11.2025 08:46 β€” πŸ‘ 33    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Such beautiful light!

05.11.2025 22:54 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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It's quite full..
In my defence most of it gets used over the Christmas period.

02.11.2025 20:22 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Ha, I have one.... When we bought the house as the lady owner had gone into a home we also bought a fair amount of the furniture. I have serious amounts of inherited China as my Grandad was one of 13 and not all of them had children. I had a plethora of idiosyncratic great aunts and uncles!

02.11.2025 20:19 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

That is rather lovely actually, much nicer than the 4 or 5 coffee pots of similar vintage I've been given because of houses being cleared and.. 'we know you like old things'.. I've forwarded all of them onto charity shops after about a month of the box sitting in the corner of the spare room

02.11.2025 19:48 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It's a pity the base is half hidden by the pew, there must be a lion under there wondering who turned the lights out!

02.11.2025 16:38 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I've been to Ledbury, I only remember the small ones either side of the main door. πŸ€”

02.11.2025 16:04 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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A column swallower at St Andrew's, Eastleach Turville looking furious at being relegated to the column store.
#SundayStonework

02.11.2025 14:59 β€” πŸ‘ 28    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

I think I read that his toes were missing because they were probably originally made of silver.

02.11.2025 14:59 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Well I wholeheartedly agree with you!

31.10.2025 23:50 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I thought exactly the same but was far too polite to mention it..

30.10.2025 10:52 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Or the main prize in the raffle this evening, buy your tickets now Ladies and Gentlemen or miss out!

28.10.2025 20:08 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Silly boy juggling them and not eating them then!

28.10.2025 09:53 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Resited Saxon carving at St Kyneburgha, Castor. Apparently it's Christ pointing at the moon and the sun, not learning to juggle like I first thought..
#TympanumTuesday

28.10.2025 09:41 β€” πŸ‘ 52    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 3

Luckily I wasn't scared!

27.10.2025 22:00 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Sometimes there's even a surprise waiting..

27.10.2025 17:47 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I have a feeling there would be lots of banged knees and ankles if that were the case!

26.10.2025 12:50 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A very bulbous and knobbly lectern at St Michael and St Martin, Eastleach Turville which was made up in the 1930s from either Elizabethan table legs or bed posts or maybe both, repurposing at its finest!
#SundaySermons

26.10.2025 12:39 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1

Now there's a thought!

26.10.2025 09:38 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Absolutely, I think it's the simplicity of the carving that makes it look modern.

26.10.2025 09:17 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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The late saxon rood set into the porch at St Matthew's, Langford is a thing of beauty.
Simple and striking although sadly now headless, such a rare survival and a treat to see.
#SundayStonework

26.10.2025 09:08 β€” πŸ‘ 31    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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St Andrew's, Cotterstock has a very fine perpendicular font, they certainly liked their quatrefoils! The detail of the trailing vine around the base is a lovely touch too.
#FontsOnFriday

24.10.2025 07:49 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Maybe the area was plagued by itinerant porch sellers in the mid 19thC, they'd go door to door with a cart full of knock offs and the vicar at the time bought one just to make them go away.

24.10.2025 05:52 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

I would have put it earlier than 1840, that surprises me too!

23.10.2025 17:08 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 0

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