Church at Whitson

An early one today my car as got to go in for its final service,
Today's photo is of St Mary's. In the extra photo are two more photos of the Church from different angles.

St. Mary's Church
The tiny parish church,[7] with its distinctive "thimble tower,"[8] is situated to the east of the village at Porton. It is thought to have originally been a chapellage of the Benedictine Priory at Goldcliff. Although the original dedication is unclear, the church is known locally as St. Mary's (not to be confused with the church of St. Mary Magdelene at Goldcliff).

An ancient building of stone, in the Early English style, it consists of chancel, nave, south porch and a western tower, originally containing two bells. The inscription for the larger ball was "God save our King and Kingdom, and send us peace. W. and E. 1758" and for the smaller bell of the same date "Obedite".[9]

Prior to the 20th century the nave was restored and the chancel substantially rebuilt. There is a handsome Norman font and a stained glass memorial east window erected in 1884 by the family of Reverend John Beynon. In 1901 there were 100 sittings. The register of baptisms dates from 1744, marriages from 1729 and burials from 1728. In 1901 the living was a vicarage with a net income of £196, including 49 acres (20 ha) of glebe and residence, in the gift of Eton College and the Dean and Chapter of Llandaff alternately, and held from 1900 by the Reverend John Price.

Bradney (1933) notes the church as "remarkable for its fine tower with a pinnacle at one corner."[4] The church is now closed but the churchyard, which is well maintained, may still be accessed by means of a public footpath through private land