The church at Hoarwithy, Herefordshire has fascinating mosaics and carvings, funded by Thomas Hutchinson
Hoarwithy is a chapelry attached to Hentland Parish Church built in 1840 by Reverend Thomas Hutchinson, curate in charge. Prebendary William Poole was appointed vicar of the Parish of Hentland in 1854; following an inheritance in 1870 he started to beautify the Chapel, which he considered "An ugly brick building with no pretensions to any style of architecture". His friend Seddon, who designed the Vicarage and School at Hentland, was architect. The old chapel was not pulled down, but had its brick walls completely encased with local red sand: the line of the old wall can be seen by the offset on the outside of the North wall of the church and an Apse was built at the East End of the church to form the present sanctuary. The seasoned oak for the sanctuary stalls came from Poole's Homend estate and was carved by Harry Hems of Exeter. The figures on the Choir stalls represent British Saints of the district - Saint Weonard, Saint David, Saint Cynog, Saint Tysilio and the panels on the ends of the stalls and prayer desk depict scenes in the life of Saint Dubricius, Patron saint of the Mother Church at Hentland: - the birth of Dubricius, the saint exorcising the devil (who takes the form a bat) from a sick person and by some miracle connected with the broaching of a cask of wine; the carver's name is on the end of the barrel. The two floor slabs are of pale green and white marble with a deep red purple rim bordered mosaic. The white marble altar is inlaid with Lapis Lazuli, the central cross being of Chrysolite (Tiger-Eye). The Pulpit, similar to the one in Fiesole Cathedral near to Florence, is made of white marble with three panels green marble porphyry. The Font belongs to the original chapel and, hidden by the organ, installed in what used to be the vestry is tesserae of a large peacock. The Hanging Lamps are copies of those in Saint Mark's Cathedral, Venice. The ceiling over the altar has a mosaic of Christ in glory holding an orb in one hand and giving a blessing
Size: 4608px × 3456px
Location: Hoarwithy, Herefordshire, England, UK
Photo credit: © Philip Chapman / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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