St Mary the Virgin Church, Aldermaston
Heritage Open Days 2022
St Mary's, Aldermaston - a 12th Century church with wall paintings from 3 specific periods: Medieval, Post Reformation and Victorian. The wall paintings, a 16th century alabaster tomb and other artefacts make a visit to this church memorable.
The church can be said to be vanilla on the outside and tutti-frutti on the inside! St Mary's was built around 1150 and extended in the 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th centuries. The walls are highly decorated with several 13th/14th century wall paintings, post reformation texts wall paintings and extensive Victorian wall paintings, that includes the large east wall painting of Christ in Majesty.
The Victorian paintings in the church were commissioned in the 1890s by Charles Edward Keyser, Lord of the Manor of Aldermaston, a recognised expert on the wall murals of Great Britain. He commission his artist friend Philip Harry Newman to decorate the church. Further interesting artefacts exist in the church including a fine 16th century alabaster tomb, Jacobian pulpit and stain glass and painted glass windows.
