Church of St Nicholas of Myra, Ozleworth

Newark Park house, a National Trust property, was our destination after we'd eaten lunch in town, as we thought Rosie, my sister, would enjoy visiting it. Sadly we found that there had been a bad plumbing accident back in the spring after a sudden thaw and most of the property was closed for repairs. We still enjoyed a brief visit to the two remaining open rooms on the ground floor but we'll have to come back again.

With time on our hands Helena suggested going to see the church at the bottom of the valley where the last owner of Newark Park house was buried when he died in 2000. He was a Texan man who fell in love with the house when he'd stayed there in the Second World War and having made his fortune he returned to buy it and completely renovate it into good condition again.

It took a while to find the remote little church which is now seldom used, nestled next to the 18th century Ozleworth manor house and its farm. You can just see the house in the background to the left of the picture. I liked the soft light as the sun broke through the thick cloud cover.

Inside the church I read this about its history:
'The Norman Church of  St Nicholas of Myra at Ozleworth (Osla's Land) is hidden away in a deep valley, little more than two miles from Wotton-under-Edge, with no village or hamlet, but scattered farms and two great houses nearby –  Ozleworth Park House and Newark Park.

Its remote situation and unusual circular churchyard, a remarkable ground plan, irregular hexagonal tower and its long history make it a memorable place. Its architectural development has made it the subject of a great deal of detailed study and speculation. Before the Norman Conquest the whole area was part of the manor of Berkeley. There may have been a Saxon church on the site of the present church though nothing remains of this and the circular churchyard indicated probable pagan use.

The Church is dedicated to St Nicholas, also called Nikolaos of Myra. He was an historic 4th-century Christian saint and Greek Bishop of Myra, in Asia Minor. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker.