ALDWORTH † St Mary the Virgin
10m/16km N.W. of Reading
OS SU554793 GPS 51.5107N, 1.2030W
Huge 14th-century stone effigies of the De La Beche family occupy the interior, set beneath wonderfully carved cusped canopies along the N. and S. walls and under the arcade in the nave.
ASHAMPSTEAD † St Clement
8m/13km N.E. of Newbury
OS SU564767 GPS 51.4873N, 1.1888W
Originally a chapel of ease to St Bartholomew’s in Basildon, St Clement’s main interest is in its extensive 13th-century wall-paintings, including the Annunciation and Christ in Majesty. In a county not noted for medieval wall-paintings, these are very good – possibly of the ‘Windsor School’.
AVINGTON † St Mark & St Luke
2m/3km E. of Hungerford
OS SU372679 GPS 51.4095N, 1.4654W
A delightful small church of the 12th century, with nave and aisle, all unspoiled. The S. doorway and chancel arch are decorated with zigzags and beak heads, and there is a fine Norman font with blind arcading and carved figures.
BISHAM † All Saints
3m/5km N.W. of Maidenhead
OS SU848854 GPS 51.5612N, 0.7779W
The church setting is superb, best seen from the other side of the River Thames. It was heavily restored by Benjamin Ferrey, 1849. The tower is 12th-century, embellished in the 15th century with a parapet and brick quoins. The Hoby Chapel contains family monuments of the 16th and early 17th century, and and a 1609 heraldic window of enamelled glass. In the churchyard are several burial stones of interest.
BRADFIELD † St Andrew
3m/4km S.W. of Pangbourne
OS SU603725 GPS 51.4490N, 1.1332W
In a brick and timber village and public school in a high, gravelly district, the church was almost wholly rebuilt by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1847–8, and turned into something which, inside, is long-drawn, mysterious and vast in his transitional style, known as ‘square abacus’.
BUCKLEBURY † St Mary
6m/10km N.E. of Newbury
OS SU553708 GPS 51.4341N, 1.2058W
The church is mostly 15th-century flint and chalkwork, with an early 18th-century interior, high box pews and hatchments, and good Stuart Royal Arms over the chancel arch. The S. doorway is Norman – well and interestingly carved – and on the tower are more carvings, of the 15th century. The glass in the chancel windows (1912) and N. aisle (1917) is by Frank Brangwyn.
EASTHAMPSTEAD
† St Michael and St Mary Magdalene
S. district of Bracknell
OS SU863676 GPS 51.4013N, 0.7601W
J. W. Hugall rebuilt the church in 1867, at the behest of the incumbent, Osbourne Gordon, who was a keen follower of the Anglo-Catholic revival. It has exceptional Burne-Jones windows, some produced jointly with William Morris. The largest and finest of them, the E. window, depicts the Last Judgement and was installed in 1876. There are 15th- and 16th-century brasses and ledger stones, and a very verbose monument to Sir William Trumbull, d. 1716.
EAST SHEFFORD † St Thomas
By East Shefford Farm, 1m/2km S.E.
of Great Shefford
OS SU390746 GPS 51.4697N, 1.4391W
Churches Conservation Trust
A small, simple rustic church with wooden bell-turret, the church is set well in meadows by the River Lambourn. A fine wall-painting over the chancel arch was discovered by Eve Baker, and there are good 14th- and 15th-century monuments to members of the Fettiplace family. Now almost clear of pews, it has a lovely and peaceful atmosphere.
FAWLEY † St Mary
4m/6km S. of Wantage
OS SU391813 GPS 51.5300N, 1.4374W
Well set on the Berkshire Downs, this is a fine church by G. E. Street, 1865–6. Sombre in rock-faced ashlar, the high apse and offset S. tower are reminiscent of France. It has excellent contemporary furnishings, and the stained glass in the W. window is by Morris & Co.
GREAT SHEFFORD † St Mary
5m/8km N.E. of Hungerford
OS SU380753 Gps 51.4761N, 1.4540W
This is a Norman church with a round tower, rare in Berkshire, with a tub-shaped font of the 12th century on a 19th-century base. Lovely setting in the North Wessex Downs.
HAMSTEAD MARSHALL † St Mary
4m/6km W. of Newbury
OS SU420667 GPS 51.3982N, 1.3977W
An adjunct of a vanished country house, whose large brick-walled garden and sculptured piers remain, this is a little rustic and medieval church, mostly Jacobean and Georgian inside with some old high pews, three-decker pulpit and brick floors.
HURST † St Nicholas
5m/8km E. of Reading
OS SU794729 GPS 51.4502N, 0.8575W
Set among trees and old brick and timber cottages, the church is Norman and later; the brick tower was added in 1612. The interior is full of 17th-century woodwork – of note being the painted and gilded chancel screen – and there are many grand 17th- and 18th-century monuments.
LAMBOURN † St Michael and All Angels
12m/19km N.W. of Newbury
OS 51.5086N, 1.5316W
Set in a small downland town of racing stables, this is a grand cruciform medieval church of various dates, starting with late Norman, to which were added the 15th- and 16th-century chapels. Running around the chamfer of an arch in the S. transept is a small but lively carving of hounds coursing a hare. There is a fine memorial to Thomas and Anne Garrard on the N. Chancel wall. Street’s chancel restoration of 1861 destroyed the 15th-century oak beam ceiling and raised the floor (now restored to its original level).
LANGLEY MARISH: ST MARY THE VIRGIN – a very private pew, leading through to the Kederminster Library; the door to the right leads into the main body of the church
LANGLEY MARISH
† St Mary the Virgin
E. district of Slough
OS TQ004795 GPS 51.5058N, 0.5536W
The church is sandwiched between two lovely groups of brick and plaster almshouses – the old on the S. built by Sir John Kederminster in 1617; the new on the N. by Sir Henry Seymour about 1670. It is not far beyond the tentacles of Slough but packed with interest. The 17th-century tower is brick; there are remains of a nave arcade, c. 1200, replaced by a timber one dated 1630 and a spacious and rich 14th-century chancel. Above all, though, is the Kederminster and Seymour transept, pew and library, all of the first half of the 17th