Wing
Most
tourists pass through the little village of Wing without a second
glance as they make their way to Ascott, the ornate stately home
on the edge of the village. While Ascott is certainly worth a visit,
spare some time to stroll through Wing itself.
The
chief attraction
is the delightful Saxon church, which has been called the finest
in England. There was a monastery church here as early as the 7th
century, but the site was probably used for religious purposes much
earlier than that. The manor of Wing was the property of the kings
of Wessex, so it is likely that the church here was of some considerable
importance. The church was used by Wing Priory, which was the largest
landholder in the area until the Reformation.
The
oldest part of the church is the crypt, which incorporates Roman
tiles from a nearby villa in its ceiling. More Roman tiles are found
in the 15th century rebuilding of the tower. The north east and
south east walls have the original Saxon windows, and more Saxon
work is evident in the nave.
For
information on Asott House, click
here.
CONTACT
Ascott House
Estate Office
Wing
Leighton Buzzard
LU7 0PS
Phone : +44(0)1296 688242
Fax: +44(0)1296 681904
Email:info@ascottestate.co.uk
Website: http://www.ascottestate.co.uk/
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Amersham | Ascott
House | Aylesbury
| Brill | Buckingham
| Claydon House
|Cliveden | Eton
| Hughenden Manor
| Marlow | Stowe
Landscape Gardens | Waddesdon
Manor | Wendover
| West Wycombe
| Wing
FEATURE
An American visitor looks
at Amersham
Photos
of Wing church are courtesy of Philip at http://www.wingsaxonchurch.homestead.com/index.html
Text © David Ross and Britain Express 2001
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