arch - take two

...yesterday, under the fairly cryptic title of arch, I started a triptych of what, I hope, will turn out to be a nicely conceived series of related blips. The first image featured the chapel that the 12th century arch, which was taken from the church at Holme Priory, was incorporated into, in 1746. So, today, we are back at the site of Holme Priory.

Denis Bond purchased the former Holme Priory estate in 1722. Whether the family were able to worship in the old priory church is doubtful and certainly, by the time it was demolished and, in part, recycled in the building of the chapel at Creech Grange, they needed to travel to the neighbouring village of East Stoke to attend services. Of all the Bond descendants to live at Holme Priory, it is perhaps the marriage between Lady Selina Jane Scott, daughter of the 2nd Earl of Eldon, and Nathaniel Bond in 1864 that is most remembered. In 1865, Nathaniel retained one John Hicks to build a new parish church, which, like the chapel at Creech, would be dedicated to St John the Evangelist. Lady Selina herself decorated the interior of the church, but she died quite young, in 1891, after blessing her family with eleven surviving children! The church has a beautiful lych gate that was erected as a memorial to Lady Selina by her brother, Lord Eldon, and her surviving sisters, Lady Cottesloe, Viscountess Boyne and Lady Eustace Cecil. Unlike her sister church at Creech, East Holme is still in use as a parish church today, though it is ministered by the team based at Wareham...