St Swithun's Church

This morning as it was dry and not windy,  we went for another bike ride (14 miles) mostly on quiet lanes, via Sparsholt, Headbourne Worthy, Winchester cathedral and St Cross. This is St Swithun's church in Headbourne Worthy. It was the first time we had stopped to look at it properly. Unfortunately, it wasn't open but its exterior and its situation beside a chalk stream are of interest in themselves. The oldest part of the church is Saxon dating from 1043 and built from flint rubble, and limestone brought from Quarr on the Isle  of Wight. Since then it has been enlarged and altered on several occasions with the bell tower being added in 1280. I have also since read that inside, on the original west wall, is a real treasure: an 11th century  rood carved from Quarr stone depicting the  crucified Christ, the Virgin Mary and St John with the hand of God reaching down from heaven.St Swithun's Church, and  St Swithun's church