Powdered arches

Down Ampney, Gloucestershire is the birthplace of Ralph Vaughan Williams. The beautiful village church has a transitional north arcade, c.1200, with very early stiff leaf capitals. The arches are delightfully stencilled with a rather erratic powdering of ochre roses. This decoration is so wonderfully rustic and haphazard, notice the stencilling of the centre arch hasn't even been completed!

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The Religious Pícaro said…
Any idea as to when the stenciling dates?
5 May 2010 at 03:38
Davis d'Ambly said…
Notably it's also present on the north (later) arcade.
5 May 2010 at 21:01
Allan Barton said…
Indeed it is Davis, they really went to town with it. To hazard a guess I suspect it's late 13th or early 14th century.
6 May 2010 at 09:15
Minnie said…
Despite loving Ralph Vaughan Williams's music, have never visited his birthplace. What a fascinating and enlightening introduction to his father's chuch. The stencilling looks rather timeless: beautiful.
7 May 2010 at 19:53
Daniel Graves said…
Thanks for the photos. Down Ampney is my favourite tune. Nice to have some visuals associated with it now.
Fr. Dan
10 May 2010 at 13:00
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