Wyck Rissington
| Wyck Rissington | |
| Gloucestershire | |
|---|---|
 The village pond | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SP189216 |
| Location: | 51°53’36"N, 1°43’34"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Cheltenham |
| Postcode: | GL54 |
| Dialling code: | 01451 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Cotswold |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
The Cotswolds |
Wyck Rissington, otherwise written Wick Rissington, is a village in the picturesque Cotswold Hills of Gloucestershire. The village is a mile and a half north-east of Bourton-on-the-Water, and north of its sister villages, Little Rissington and Great Rissington.
Wyck is one of four Rissington villages along with Great, Little and Upper Rissington.
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.
There is a village hall, which was built recently of traditional Cotswold stone and hosts a range of community events.[1]
The long-distance Oxfordshire Way footpath runs through part of the village.
The Village
The name Wyck Rissington originates from the Saxon 'wic' for a small farm, and 'hrisen dun', meaning a hill overgrown with thickets of wood. The village was mentioned in the Domesday Book as belonging to the Norman knight Roger de Lacy. The entry reads:
The same Roger holds Wyck Rissington, and Hugh holds of him. There are 8 hides paying geld. Alweard and Eskil and Alweard and Wulfwig held them as 4 manors. In demesne are 7 ploughs and 4 villans with 2 ploughs. There are 12 slaves and 2 female slaves. There is a mill rendering 10s. It is and was worth £7 and £10.[2]
Gustav Holst connection
In 1892, at the age of 17, Holst became the organist at St Laurence's Church, a post he held for just one year. The organ at which Holst played is still used today.
St Laurence Church and Maze
The Grade 1 Listed church dates from the 12th century with a squat tower rising on a base over 9 ft thick. It is most famous for the East Window of the Chancel described as "the finest in Gloucestershire".
Until 1984, a liturgical maze existed 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, 10 August, 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.[3]
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Wyck Rissington) |