Woodston. CHURCH : ST AUGUSTINE
August Bank Holiday Sunday and drab skies and drizzle in the morning has given way to some beautiful sunshine. Took the opportunity to get out and about on the cycle in the afternoon, visiting three village churches right on the edge of Peterborough. One of these was the church of St Augustine at Woodston. Right on the edge of Peterborough, Woodston (or Woodstone as I have seen it written down on occasions in the past) had a population in the mid 140's in 1801. This had risen to over 2,800 100 years later due mainly to an influx of migrant workers brought in to work the brickyards.
This wasn't a church that I was particularly looking forward to visiting. No disrespect at all to St Augustines but it now shares its locality with a variety of fast food establishments and is not one of the nicest places possibly to visit. On the opposite side of the road stands the Oundle Road Baptist church, with its very unusual art deco style of design.
According to a small piece of internet research there was a church here when the Domesday book was compiled in 1086 and a small piece of window from a very early church here can be found in the west side of the tower. The church was completely rebuilt in Victorian times.
There are no views of the front of the church here at this present time. This was due to a combination of blinding sun immediately behind the church and a few trees blocking the frontage. The lych gate in front of the church though is absolutelty beautiful and it doubles as a memorial to those who fell from Woodston in the First World War.
Lovely statue of the crucifiction also to be found in front of the church, which will be farmiliar to many who drive past on the A605 in to Peterborough. There was a stone with a carved head on it in the grounds in front of the church as well. Pictured second from bottom on the right hand side of this page.
The rear view of the church is not going to win any arcitechture awards with a large pipe running vertically slap bang up the middle of the tower. That apart though, the rear of the church is a lovely oasis of calm. Whether the same can be said when Peterborough United are at home, some 300 yards up the road, is up for debate though!
One or two delights here. Deaths head stones (stones symbolising man's mortality through images of skulls) are quite rare in this area. I was delighted to see a superb example here. Skull on the left, an hour glass on the right and two winged cherubs in the middle. Columns going up both sides of the grave. Lovely work. By the way, the columns can symbolise the head of the family and sometimes they are broken to symbolise death.
I had expected this church to be locked,and so it was to be. Nice church and a pleasant enough half an hour spent here.
