Photos from walk on Thursday 9th June from near Chieveley to Chaddleworth

On the path, right near the start: Small tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae)

Coffee stop at St James, Leckhampstead.

Here’s the research:

The present church was built as a replacement to the original Saxon church of St Edmund dedicated in 1050 AD and demolished in 1860, which stood at Chapel Farm Hill Green. Artefacts from that church were saved and incorporated into the Church, including the 11th century font, the Jacobean pulpit and the altar rails.

 

The church is the work of the High-Victorian Gothic revivalist architect Samuel Saunders Teulon and was designed midway through his career. The foundation stone was laid on 3rd May 1859 but it took another 18 months before the church was completed. All accounts suggest that it was a difficult contract; not only did Teulon have to work with a surprisingly small budget, but his original builder Mr Taylor of Sunbury went bankrupt during the contract and was succeeded by Messrs Child, Son & Martin of London. The work was finally completed at a cost of £1,745.0s.0d, met largely by the Rev John Robinson who was the Vicar of Chieveley at the time. The church was consecrated on 30th October 1860.

 

Teulon’s use of red brick, knapped flint and Bath stone quoins and window surrounds combine to give the church its outstanding appearance. While the exterior is distinguished the element which singularly transforms Leckhampstead to the status of ‘truly extraordinary’ is its interior, and in particular its vibrant use of polychromatic brickwork. When seen against the other churches being built in West Berkshire around the same time, with their standardised plastered and lime washed walls, Teulon’s use of coloured brickwork was both adventurous and amazing.

The church is listed grade II* and is of national importance.  [source]

It looks as if it has been reroofed. (but maybe not the top bit)

In the lane outside the church was this, most likely a speckled bush-cricket nymph (Leptophyes punctatissima).
Very pretty, whatever it is.

Quite a few fields had wildflower “borders”.

Lamium purpureum, known as red dead-nettle and Bombus terrestris, the buff-tailed bumblebee. (I’m told).

A fleeting sight of a hare on Peasemore Hill. I saw another at the start, plus skylarks, swallows, kites, seagulls and more.  Lovely countryside. (10 mile walk).

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