Churchyard Gate

The modern gate is of steel, whereas the gate from 1900 was wooden. There is still the metal hoop overhead, which now supports an electric light. Mains electricity did not reach the village until the early twentieth century. The church is now heated by electric overhead and wall heaters. Note that the churchyard wall is unchanged. There is no longer a hedge just inside it.

On the old drawing, note the shape of the roof and compare it to the present steeply-pitched roofline. The diocesan architect, G E Street, made this change in 1864 as part of a major renovation/repair, along with stripping the plaster from the walls and changing the pulpit and font (of which more later).

Just inside the gate to your right is a Sequoiadendron giganteum or Wellingtonia Tree. On older pictures it appears relatively small, but now is the tallest tree in the village. Feel the outer surface - the bark is quite soft and grows as the tree gets wider. Also nearby is a very mature Gingko Biloba or 'Maidenhair' Tree. Gingkos are widely regarded as living fossils, as they have existed for at least 170 milliom years. Note the fan-shaped leaves.