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I got home at 5.30 tonight, after another hugely enjoyable StRide. What a privilege to visit such a range of churches and chapels, walking through the lovely Oxfordshire countryside.

I started at St Mary's Cogges in an early and rather damp morning - it was raining quite heavily as I walked out of Witney, but by the time I got to North Leigh it was already clearing. I'd made an early start, but was still fortunate enough to find St Mary's North Leigh being unlocked, so that I could spend some time enjoying the beautiful interior. Fascinating to see, in this year of the 600-year anniversary of Agincourt, that the Wilcote Chapel was originally built by Elizabeth Blackett as a chantry chapel for her first husband, Sir William Wilcote, and their two sons - one of whom was killed at Agincourt.

Picking up the Wychwood Way, I walked over the fields towards Long Hanborough, before turning off for Freeland. Across the Bladon road and down the lane brought me to St Mary the Virgin, a gem of Anglo-Catholic Gothic Revival built in 1869 and still with all its fixtures and fittings. (Apparently the statue of Our Lady over the porch caused some concern among those whose liturgical practice was more Protestant.) The architect was John Loughborough Pearson, who was also the architect for St Nicholas Chiswick and St George's Cullercoats - both churches with which my dear godson's family has connections. What a small world.

The Methodist Chapel was already flourishing in Freeland when St Mary the Virgin was built, and I called in there next. Then I followed the lanes to SS Peter and Paul at Church Hanborough, a beautiful Norman church which celebrated its 900 anniversary a few years ago. It has a wonderful tympanum in the North porch showing St Peter with his keys, as well as many other treasures. 

Freeland and Hanborough are linked with St Peter's Cassington, so that was my next objective - partly walking along the road, and partly (gratefully) by field paths. A pause to admire the spire and the fine Norman tub font, and then it was across the A40 to Eynsham, where St Leonard's Church is the focal point for the market place. The font there was once, it's thought, a capital from the Abbey - it has a green man peering out from one of the faces, with protective angels spreading their wings overhead.

The S1 bus back to Witney was something of a temptation, but the sunny afternoon was too good to waste. I walked over the fields to my last church, St James the Great at South Leigh, with its wonderful wall paintings. When I came out I sat for a bit in the churchyard, enjoying the view of the tower against a blue sky.

Finally it was back to Witney, and I called in again at our St Mary's, and then Newland Methodist Chapel, before getting home. 

Church and chapel buildings are not only a precious heritage, they are centres helping communities to flourish today. 

As always, I'd had a fascinating day, enjoying the buildings, the countryside, and the people I met. It is always so interesting to see how other congregations are working to serve their communities - what an amazing range of initiatives! And how hospitable they are, and how generous too are all the people who kindly sponsored me. The money will be put to very good use, shared between St Mary's Cogges and OHCT, and I am so grateful for what people have given.

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