St John the Baptist Church, Upper Boddington

The Church of England parish church of Saint John the Baptist in Upper Boddington includes two tomb recesses dating from about 1300. The chancel windows and the south window of the south transept are Decorated Gothic. The west tower is Perpendicular Gothic and the south porch was added in 1629.A simple, quiet and friendly village church dating from the 13 century, standing in a wildlife friendly churchyard.This much loved village church is sited atop a hill, with views for miles around. References to a priest in Boddington were made in the doomsday book, and the base of a preaching cross thought to date from around this time can be found in the churchyard.The church is believed to date from the 13th century, but has more recent additions. The porch over the south door is dated 1628, and below and to the left of the dated stone is a mass sundial, Now much weathered.Inside the church, at the west end of the nave is an eight sided font of 14th century design. It sits on a more modern concrete base at the entrance to the bell tower. The oldest bell was cast in 1621, and there was a ring of 5 bells in 1821. In 2004 the bells were silenced, until the tower was repaired, the bells refurbished, and a sixth bell added in 2009. A small door (leading up to the ringing chamber) is situated in the north west corner of the tower, and adjacent to this is carved Graffiti thought to date to before the Napoleonic wars. A number of medieval tiles are on display. These date from between 1300 and 1400 and were moved when the church underwent restoration after the civil war. Largely paid for by Revd Dr Edward Maynard (rector from 1694 to 1740), there were extensive repairs to the roof and windows, and generally putting the church back into good order. He and his wife are buried under the alter.Two tomb recesses, one on either side of the church date from the 13th or 14th century. An oak chest, iron bound, and hewn from a single piece of oak dates form the 16th century. It may have belonged to the Washington family and has served as 'safe' for the church for several centuries! The organ pipes date from the mid Victorian era, but the organ was replaced with a modern digital organ in 2014. A number of mouldings and grotesques are evident inside and outside the church.