Saint Mary, Studley Royal by William Burges was built between 1871 and 1878. It is a masterpiece of High Victorian Gothic with an interior which is a visual delight.
The chancel and sanctuary are richly decorated with angelic hosts and golden lions.
This wonderful example of Anglo-Catholic architecture is often overshadowed by its neighbour Fountains Abbey but is well worth the 20 minute walk to see its interior delights
Wood in all its forms, sizes and shapes is a remarkably versatile material often used to trim, decorate elaborate and support the architectural form.
I've seen many examples of timber outlasting stone. On some of the timber framed buildings of Lavenham the wooden frame is often seen settling into the decaying stone foundations.
Medieval timber framed buildings are the precursor to our modern office blocks where the structure is supported by a frame and the infil to the frame is non-structural. It is held together by tension rather than compression.
I find wood quite difficult to photograph as it is often dark and set against a lighter background, so I up the stops on the camera and give it a little more exposure than the meter suggests.
Check out my WOOD SET on flickr - you'll not be disappointed!
I love this photo because it has so many different aspects. Firstly it works for me just as a photo - the pattern and decoration is beautiful in this church. Secondly it is an unusual angle and it takes time to get to grips with it - I like that. Thirdly it conveys the concept of the liturgical hierarchy of the building - from right to left (west to east) there is a change from simplicity (the nave) through to controlled excitement (the Chancel choir) and then unadulterated exuberance (the sanctuary).
Definitely one of the buildings you need to see before you die....
See more of this church in a slideshow
See more Church Architecture in a slideshow
My Victorian Church Architecture UK group
William Burges on my del.icio.us
Organ Staircase at Saint Mary Studley Royal,Yorkshire by William Burges
My delicious notes on William Burges
More from my blog on William Burges
William Burges profile on Wikipedia
1. Saint Mary's Studley Royal Yorkshire Interior HDR, 2. Stained Glass by Clayton and Bell, 3. Stained Glass by Clayton and Bell, 4. Dead Frosty, 5. Beverley Minster Choir, 6. Niche detail Beverley Minster UK, 7. Contemporary Stained Glass Beverley Minster UK, 8. Sanctuary, Beverley Minster Yorks UK, 9. Memorial, Beverley Minster UK, 10. Beverley Minster font detail, 11. Beverley Minster Nave, 12. York Minster Chapter House, 13. Door furniture Selby Abbey, 14. The Coffin Road, 15. Winged Lion of Judah, 16. Gothic Nave, 17. Angelic Detail from Choir Stalls, 18. Sainte Chapelle, Paris, France, 19. Romanesque Capital York UK, 20. Last Words, 21. Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire UK, 22. Pews, 23. Label stop head sculpture Bury Parish Church UK, 24. Union Flag Bury Parish Church UK, 25. Label stop head sculpture Bury Parish Church UK, 26. Stained Glass by Clayton and Bell, Bury Parish Church UK, 27. Stained Glass by Clayton and Bell, Bury Parish Church UK, 28. Choir Stall carving by Paley and Austin Bury Parish Church UK, 29. Alter Table Bury Parish Church UK, 30. Choir Stall carving by Paley and Austin Bury Parish Church UK
1. Organ staircase Saint Mary's Studley Royal, Yorkshire UK, 2. Sanctuary Upshot Saint Mary's Studley Royal, Yorkshire UK, 3. Remarkable it is: the floor at Saint Mary..., 4. Mini Planet: Piazzeta San Marco Venice, 5. Saint Mary's Studley Royal Yorkshire Interior HDR, 6. Guess Where - Manchester?, 7. Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire UK, 8. The Meeting Place, 9. Last Days of the Baptist Church, 10. Ambulance, 11. Mini Planet: Little Moreton Hall Cheshire UK, 12. Communion, 13. Mini Planet: Beetham Tower Manchester UK, 14. Stop the world I want to get off!, 15. Aumbry, 16. Manchester Cathedral and Wheel at night, 17. Last Days of the Rag Trade, 18. My own personal tureen, 19. York Minster Chapter House, 20. View from the Altar, 21. Mini Planet: Tatton Hall UK, 22. Last Days of the Rag Trade, 23. The Church Piano, 24. Double Yikes!, 25. Winged Lion of Judah
I'm hung up on the church at Bury (J. S. Crowther) at the moment - the range, quality and detail of decoration is remarkable. I think that the latest Pevsner states that the Minton mosaic floor is a tour de force. I took the pic above in the Chancel area which leads to the reredos by Gibbons.
Unlike William Burgess's church at Studley, the Nave floor is equally as sumptuous, with only subtle changes in the hierarchy of colour, pattern and detail as it leads you to the sanctuary.
It makes me dizzy with delight walking into the Church along the Minton mosaic, past the Kempe window and towards the Gibbons reredos. This is only the start of the stylistic saturation.
More to come...
Here's my del.icio.us tag for floors - includes a biog of the Mintons and a link to the Architectural Ceramics Society.
Here's my del.icio.us tag for Bury Parish Church - including a link to their site and directions on how to get there.
Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy
More about Andy Marshall
Contact Andy Marshall
Search all of Andy Marshall's Images
All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.
This is a photo I took for the National Trust Photo Library. It is a colonade at Tatton Hall, Cheshire.
From the NTPL website: "The National Trust Photo Library houses a unique collection of contemporary photography which vividly illustrates the rich diversity and historical range of properties in the National Trust's care, throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We commission leading specialist photographers who, with their creative and artistic vision, have collectively helped us form this premier heritage visual resource. We have an unrivalled choice of superior and timeless images suitable for a broad range of creative applications. The site is designed for picture professionals to search and order images"
I am an agency photographer for the National Trust which enables me to gain access to some wonderful locations throughout the UK and photograph some of my favourite historic sites.
Currently I have images of Fountains Abbey Yorkshire, Tatton Park and Gardens, Cheshire, and Little Moreton Hall, Cheshire UK.
You can see my images by going to the National Trust Photo Library Website and typing 'Andy Marshall' in the search engine.
Here are some links to NT property images I have shown on my photoblog:
Little Moreton Hall
Summer Meadow at Fountains Abbey
Lion of Judah Saint Mary's Studley Royal
Organ Staircase Saint Mary's Studley Royal
Chapel ceiling Saint Mary's Studley Royal
Tatton Portico
Tatton Park
Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy
More about Andy Marshall
Contact Andy Marshall
Search all of Andy Marshall's Images
All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.
The winged Lion of Judah (claws n' all) looks upwards towards the wondrously decorated sanctuary dome of Saint Mary's Studley Royal Yorkshire UK
Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy
More about Andy Marshall
Contact Andy Marshall
Search all of Andy Marshall's Images
All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.
The Golden Section self evident in organ steps at St. Mary's Studley Yorkshire UK 
Today marks the beginning of architecture week in the UK. I'm predominantly an architectural photographer so I thought that I would celebrate the week with a series of images which I just simply love.
I do have an upshot tick - ie I just love to take wide angled shots of architectural detail and this one is no exception. This is a beautiful church which is now desanctified and in the hands of English Heritage. It was built at a huge cost and no expense spared for the 1st Marquess and Marchioness of Ripon as a memorial to their son who was murdered whilst on a tour of Europe. The architect was William Burges a remarkably eccentric Victorian architect. All over the interior he has left signs of his presence such as carved mice and birds.
Go see at the Fountains Abbey World Heritage Site. An average church cost £15,000 to build at the time - this one cost £50,000. Sumptuous. This is a shot of the Chancel ceiling which is based upon a building in Padua Italy - it represents the Glory of Heaven.
Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy
More about Andy Marshall
Contact Andy Marshall
Search all of Andy Marshall's Images
All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.
