Wyck Rissington
Encyclopedia
Wyck Rissington is a village and parish in the picturesque Cotswold
hills of Gloucestershire
, England
. The village is located 1.5 miles north-east of Bourton-on-the-Water
. The name 'Wyck Rissington' translates from the Saxon as "A building of special significance on a hill covered with brushwood".
Wyck is one of four Rissington villages along with Great, Little and Upper Rissington
.
Stone House Garden is a notable local garden which is open to the public by appointment.http://www.stonehousegarden.co.uk/
There is a village hall, which was built recently of traditional Cotswold stone
and hosts a range of community events.
The long-distance Oxfordshire Way
footpath runs through part of the village.
, at the age of 17, was the resident organist for the church. The organ that Holst played is still in use.
Until 1984, there existed a liturgical maze in the garden of the Rectory
. This was built by Canon Harry Cheales, rector of the parish from 1947-1980. Once a year on St Lawrence's Day, August 10th, Canon Cheales would lead the congregation round the maze. Different points of the maze represented different Pilgrim
Stations. At each station was a wood carving, twelve of which now decorate the chancel of the church. The design of the maze was such that each point could be visited without turning back. A mosaic plan of the maze is embedded in the wall of the church. The maze was dismantled when the rectory was sold on Canon Cheales' death.
There is currently an appeal to raise £120,000 for urgent repairs to the church which includes replacing part of its roofing and making the bells safe.
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
hills of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The village is located 1.5 miles north-east of Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton-on-the-Water is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England that lies on a wide flat vale within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. The name 'Wyck Rissington' translates from the Saxon as "A building of special significance on a hill covered with brushwood".
Wyck is one of four Rissington villages along with Great, Little and Upper Rissington
Upper Rissington
Upper Rissington is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England, located about two-and-a-half miles east of Bourton-on-the-Water...
.
Local features and characteristics
The village is spread out along a long central village green of about half a mile from end to end. It is regarded as being an unspoilt Cotswold village with a number of attractive traditional-style Cotswold stone dwellings. Other features of note include a duck pond and Victorian drinking fountain, both situated on the village green.Stone House Garden is a notable local garden which is open to the public by appointment.http://www.stonehousegarden.co.uk/
There is a village hall, which was built recently of traditional Cotswold stone
Cotswold stone
Cotswold stone is a yellow oolitic limestone quarried in many places in the Cotswold Hills in the south midlands of England. When weathered, the colour of buildings made or faced with this stone is often described as 'honey' or 'golden'....
and hosts a range of community events.
The long-distance Oxfordshire Way
Oxfordshire Way
The Oxfordshire Way is a long-distance walk in Oxfordshire, England, with 6 miles in Gloucestershire and very short sections in Buckinghamshire. The path links with the Heart of England Way and the Thames Path....
footpath runs through part of the village.
Church and rectory
In the early 1890s composer Gustav HolstGustav Holst
Gustav Theodore Holst was an English composer. He is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets....
, at the age of 17, was the resident organist for the church. The organ that Holst played is still in use.
Until 1984, there existed a liturgical maze in the garden of the Rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
. This was built by Canon Harry Cheales, rector of the parish from 1947-1980. Once a year on St Lawrence's Day, August 10th, Canon Cheales would lead the congregation round the maze. Different points of the maze represented different Pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
Stations. At each station was a wood carving, twelve of which now decorate the chancel of the church. The design of the maze was such that each point could be visited without turning back. A mosaic plan of the maze is embedded in the wall of the church. The maze was dismantled when the rectory was sold on Canon Cheales' death.
There is currently an appeal to raise £120,000 for urgent repairs to the church which includes replacing part of its roofing and making the bells safe.