St Swithun Kennington

A last minute decision saw me visit three churches in the same benefice this week the first was ST Swithun Kennington a village just outside Oxford just beside the River Thames. There is very little history on the church but then the church was built in 1958 to replace the older one next door.
"The Church of England parish of St Swithun has two churches. The first is a very early example of the Norman revival, designed by the architect Daniel Robertson and built in 1828. The second was built alongside it in 1956-58, designed by a local architect, T. Lawrence Dale, and the vicar, Rev. S.S. Davies^. The 1828 building is now deconsecrated"

I had thought the church was older but when I first saw the brickwork I could see it was quite new

Going around to the South side you passed the foundation stone which was laid in 1956 by the Bishop of Oxford

This is the South side with it's Transept. The north is similar though I did not go around the East end. There is also no churchyard with headstones to see.

The Main entrance door to the church which I found locked, that puzzled me as I had been told it was open, not to be deterred I went around to the side which was open

I came in through the arch over on the left and went around to the West end to get this photo in the church

The altar above with its cloth dressing it along with a vase of Lily's, The smell was very welcoming I can say

This is the South transept

The choir stalls at the East end

This has to be the highest pulpit I have come across

and gives a wonderful view of the whole church including the South transept

North one

and Choir stalls

Looking from beside the choir stalls towards the West

Over to the North

and South

The east end does not have an East window

The North wall of the West wing has paintings on it done by the local children

The organ in the West end

The huge carving of Christ which dominates the East wall

The font with this beautiful carving of a dove on the top

The font stands at the West end in front of folding doors

Right a teddy from the children's Crèche . Left the canopy with a crucifix which hangs over the altar

Christ hanging from the cross

A last look at the altar cloth and the floral display

As you walk to the church you pass the church which the new one replaced. It looks older that is is and considering how many chairs that were in the new church this would be bursting at the seams