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Inside Memorials Windows Monuments: 'Golden Cavalier' Katherine Mompesson Nicholas & Elizabeth St. John 'Rysbrack' St. John Tomb Triptych |
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The village of Lydiard Tregoz disappeared over 300 years ago and all that remains of it is the church.
Lydiard Mansion was built adjacent to the church - guide books state a house could have been here from the Middle Ages,
although the earliest record dates from the 1700s. Today, what is left of the estate is run by Swindon's Borough
Council.
Although the name is now spelt Lydiard Tregoze, according to John Jackson (in the Wiltshire Collections book) it has gone under
various names over the years: "Lydiard Tregoz, or South Lydiard, is in the old Hundred of Blackgrove, now included
in Kingsbridge. The name occurs in a multitude of forms: as, Lydeyerd, Lidegherd, Lideyert, Lidiarde,
Lydyarde, Lydeyarde, Lidyard, Ledyerd, Lydeard, Liddiard, Ladyhart, Lidyhart and Lediar. The derivation is
Anglo-Saxon; from Leod, people, and geard, enclosure."
Locals now refer to the estate as Lydiard Park. The park has beautiful and extensive grounds (some 244 acres)
where you can just sit and admire the scenery, or follow one of the trails through the woodland. For the youngsters
there is an adventure playground and toddlers play area, and for the more energetic a cricket and football pitch.
There is also an 18th century lake, picnic and barbeque area, an arboretum and a visitors centre. During the summer
there are outside events held, including Shakespear in the Park, the annual Wiltshire Festival (held in August) - the
'Party in the Park', held over successive evenings and has mix of classical and pop music with a spectacular fireworks
display staged in front of the mansion house.
The State rooms are open daily to visitors - a small entry fee applies - £2.00 adults, £1.00 under 15s, and under 5s free,
(as of December 2004) - and is well worth the money. Opening times are: weekdays 10am-5pm, Saturday 10am-5pm and
Sunday 2pm-5pm - with early closing time of 4pm November to February. The former Swindon Corporation bought Lydiard
Park back in 1943 when the house was in a terrible state. Over the years parts of the house have been impressively
restored. This is an on-going project as conservation and restoration is a slow and expensive task.
To enter the church of St. Mary you will need to first obtain the key from the house (note opening times above) or from
the vicar. There is a short guide available inside the church (written by D. Attwood) which sums up the atmosphere
in its Introduction with: "As you step into the little parish church of St. Mary's, Lydiard Tregoze, it seems as if
you step back hundreds of years into the past." The impressive monuments to various members of the St. John
(pronounced 'sin-gin') family must look as good today as they did when they were erected. Although it would be easy
to view this building as a museum to the St. John family when visiting it during the week, this is misleading as it still
has a thriving worshipping community. Do pick up a copy of the guide which, in its own words, sets out to attempt to
answer some of the most frequent questions that visitors ask about the church, but it also mentions smaller, less obvious
things that you might otherwise miss. We have used this guide, a booklet about Lydiard House and the Wiltshire
Collections book as our source for information given on these web pages.
For such a relatively small church there is so much to see inside - wall paintings from the 1400s, the splendid Royal
Coat of Arms, the elaborate chancel rail, the monuments and the wonderful stained glass windows. We still have
some more photographs waiting to be processed and added to these pages.
Click on thumbnail to see full size picture
| Outside |
Taken from the West Swindon to Lydiard Millicent road November 2004 (886k) |
November 2004 (822k) |
St. Mary's Church November 2004 (494k) |
July 1999 (557k) |
The building behind the church is the former home of the St. John family June 2000 (548k) |
November 2004 (677k) |
November 2004 (632k) |
January 2004 (830k) |
South Porch January 2004 (444k) |
Sundial located over the South Porch November 2004 (788k) |
South wall of tower November 2004 (491k) |
November 2004 (833k) |
January 2004 (677k) |
January 2004 (436k) |
January 2004 (314k) |
January 2004 (314k) |
Figures on the Tower are rather weather worn January 2004 (542k) |
West side of tower January 2004 (779k) |
West Door January 2004 (662k) |
South wall January 2004 (996k) |
Door into the St. John Chapel January 2004 (784k) |
November 2004 (689k) |
January 2004 (745k) |
November 2004 (249k) |
November 2004 (No.050 - 898k) |
November 2004 (973k) |
November 2004 (346k) |
January 2004 (501k) |
East window January 2004 (828k) |
November 2004 (256k) |
January 2004 (175k) |
January 2004 (162k) |
Name unreadable With next photo, 338 January 2004 (436k) |
Other side of previous grave, photo 043 November 2004 (No.338 - 626k) |