An excursion to the remote medieval church of Tixover in Rutland

A motorcycle ride off-road to the ancient and remote medieval church of Tixover in Rutland. Join me as I find the place after identifying the exact spot that a favourite, but slightly mysterious photograph was taken in 1954.
Commentary
Today I’m riding with a grainy old photograph in mind. This is it, from a book published in 1954, entitiled Northamptonshire, by Tony Ireson.
Ireson simply entitled this photograph, Upland Country, near Wakerley.With a little map research I discovered it to be a photograph of the isolated medieval church of Tixover.
The photo has long intrigued me, and I want to stand where Ireson had stood with his camera, to compare past with present. In other words, has much changed in the last seventy years.
I worked out that the photograph was taken from the lane I’m now riding, not surprisingly, near Wakerley in Northamptonshire.
You may just see Tixover church in this next break in the hedge. It’s on the far left of the image.
This looks like the spot that Ireson stood upon.You can make out the church to the left on the horizon.I do have Ireson's photo to compare the view.
Nothing has change of much significance in the landscape certainly.
The church is in fact on the other side of the River Welland, which marks the county boundary. In his book about Northamptonshire, Ireson actually included a photograph which was largely made up of Rutland, which is where Tixover church is.
Here are my attempts at a photograph.This is the more exact angle of the original camera shot.
That slotted fence post on the right, now redundant, is surely a survivor from the fence in Ireson’s photograph.
One last look at the view.Having scratched that itch to replicate the photograph, I’ll now take a closer look at Tixover’s isolated church.Having crossed the River Welland over the old bridge at Duddington, I’m now turning left off the A47 into Tixover.
That lovely old 17th century manor house coming up on the right is where I’m supposed to collect the key for the church. It hangs by a hook from the door.So… having unhooked the key, it’s time to head for the fields…
Passing Manor Farm on the right here.
Not a soul to be seen anywhere.
The tarmac has petered out now into the rough track.
Someone has kindly erected a little sign there, pointing me towards the church, which is down this even narrower track.
You know, the distance from the village and the views all around just emphasise just how remote this church is. Which raises the question why.Having no historical information, I can only assume that the village dwellings, must once have been around the church. The church would not have been deliberately built miles away from the dwellings that people lived in.
Flooding, or land enclosures and the introduction of sheep, may have had something to do with the depopulation of the immediate area around the church. The remaining villagers might have been then drawn in later years towards the passing traffic on the turnpike created in the 18th century, now the A47 along which I rode earlier.
Who knows what happened. All I know is that I’m left alone in the middle of this lovely countryside with a medieval masterpiece to wonder at.
And there it comes into view, that remote church, from the other side this time.
The grill here, often on church porches, is here to keep the birds out, when the inner door is open.
Just look at that door arch. It screams Norman at you. Nearly a thousand years old.A turn of the great key to enter.
There’s a beautiful Norman arch between the tower and nave.The nave has been enlarged by side aisles.
These are the 12th century rounded arches of the south aisle.
The north aisle is 13th century, and is entered through pointed gothic arches.
One of the arches ends at this rather truncated body, which probably lost its head during the Reformation.
And that font is rough-hewn out of solid local ironstone.
There is an interesting memorial to Robert Dale erected by his wife in 1623.
Strangely, all the hands of the figures on the memorial have been lopped off.
Outside, there’s no doubt about the tower’s Norman credentials, with all the round arched windows pre-dating the later gothic style. Look at the decoration on that round-arched window.It’s from over there that I photographed the church. From one of the gaps in the hedge, in front of the field which is in front of the trees.
Now I must get that key back to its hook by the door of the manor house. So that’s a little bit of map work, photography, history, geography, all in the fresh air by motorbike. What a pleasant afternoon.
Thanks for riding with me.And if you’d like to know when I’m next out and about, please Like, Subscribe and perhaps even Share. I would welcome your company again.
For now, I’m done.

[@davidhall3503]

Very Interesting John, Lovely old church,

[@drjohndunn2898]

Thank you. Wonderful location too.

[@puddinggeek4623]

Excellent video, I have visited this church a couple of times, a lovely peaceful place.