taken 7 years ago, near to Avington, Hampshire, England
St Mary's Church, Nave
The inside of SU5332 : The Church of St Mary, Avington is surprisingly light and airy, helped by the light summer-blue barrel ceiling and all the windows are of plain glass, apart from a small Crucifixion scene in the East window.
The nave is dominated by its large, two-decker pulpit capped by a carved canopy. The rest of the nave is filled by high, richly carved mahogany box pews which have seats on three sides facing the centre aisle. The largest pew, with a carved interior and well-padded seats, was reserved for the manor house inhabitants. The pulpit and pews are made of Spanish mahogany reputed to have been taken from an Armada galleon captured by the Duke of Effingham (Link Hampshire History) although one wonders where and why the wood had been stored in the years between the Armada (1588) and the commencement of the building of the church (1768).
This square is quite unusual in that it has two parish churches within its 1km by 1km boundary. I can only think of TM2252 where there is another example. Please note I do not mean a CofE and a Methodist etc; there are plenty of examples of that.