St Bartholomew, Vowchurch

St Bartholomew’s sits in a picturesque churchyard on the banks of the River Dore. The oldest parts of the building are Norman, including a round-headed slit window in the south wall and the font bowl. The church was extended in the 14th century and reconsecrated in 1348. The unusual 3-light windows are of a style peculiar to Herefordshire. An early two bowl piscina is in the sanctuary.

The wooden bell turret was built in the 16th century, with internal timber supports added later. Three 18th/19th century bells were restored in the 1980s. The external spire dates from 1871.

The chancel screen of 1613 has interesting carvings. The roof timbers of the chancel are mostly medieval. The nave roof was renewed in the 17th century, at which time the unusual internal timber posts were put in to provide added support. The coloured shields around the church represent the arms of local families (restored in the 19th century). Fragments of medieval wall paintings survive.

The wooden porch includes 17th century material, but was rebuilt to the original style in 1860.

The church was heavily restored in the 19th century, when many monuments were destroyed. It was refurbished in 1950, and extensively in 2004. The side windows in the chancel were re-leaded in 2015.

Wall monuments to local families include Bourne (1625), Lord Arthur Somerset (1743), Elfe (1749), Boughton of Poston Court (1794), Seabourne (1798), Wood of Whitehouse (C19-20), McMichael (local doctors, C20). The brass war memorial is on the north wall of the nave.

Revd Skeffington Hume Dodgson was a younger brother of “Lewis Carroll”, and was vicar here from 1895-1910. His grave is in the churchyard, and a display cabinet with documents and photographs of his time here is in the NW corner of the church.