Weston Colville, Cambridgeshire

St Mary was locked with no sign of a keyholder when I visited and felt like a redundant church. It's a strangely ugly building set in a lovely churchyard surrounded by trees and a large part has been set aside as a wild garden. I rather suspect a Victorian makeover is involved somewhere along the line.

August 2012 UPDATE: The incumbent vicar has recently persuaded his flock to open the church and I salute him for doing so. As indicated by Mee this is a fascinating church with great brasses and a fine pulpit - hats off for the decision to keep it open.

ST MARY. About 1825 much was rebuilt, especially tower and chancel. The building is characterized by the rare effect of flint in a kind of grey brick framing; The chancel must have been Dec - see its arch towards the nave with the typical group of three shafts as responds  and the typical moulded capitals. The arch was altered in the C19. On the S side of the nave tall Perp two-light windows with C17 (?) mullions. Perp S porch. Nice niche in the N wall of the nave. - BRASSES. Robert Leverer d. 1427 (?), with wife and a son who appears as a priest. The figures of the parents 28 in. long. - Abraham Gates d. 1636 and wife, small kneeling figures with a long Latin inscription and as decorative enrichments two cherubs’ heads, two skulls and the Baroque figure of an angel blowing the trumpet.

WESTON COLVILLE. It is sheltered by fine woods, and its church is set among chestnuts, having for company in the churchyard part of the 15th century cross with a kneeling stone, two coped and ancient coffin lids, and a sundial which has counted the sunny hours since the Great Plague year. What is left of the old church is mainly 14th century, with a chancel arch on clustered shafts, two piscinas, and an aumbry. We come in by a door 200 years old, hanging in a 14th century doorway. The chief possession of the church is a pair of brasses; one of Robert Leverer of 1427, a knight in armour with Bowers growing about his feet, his wife in a graceful gown and flowing headdress and their son between them; the other of Abraham Gates of 1636 kneeling with his wife at a prayer desk. Their brass is adorned with cherubs and skulls and an angel racing away blowing a great horn.

Flickr set.