[New post] Surprising effects at St Mary’s Melcombe Regis (Weymouth)

Sophia Jones and the Revd Francis Daubeny were wed here on October 14th 1843. She was Jean’s 3-greats aunt, and he went on to be Rector of Mepal near Woodhall at Hilgay where the Joneses had lived.

Melcombe was but a chapelry in the Middle Ages and the church we see now was a new build after royal patronage (George III had a pew there) rather increased the congregation... This also explains why the fine painting above the altar which would have been in Sophia’s sight as she married was by Thornhill who painted the dome at St Paul’s.

Or perhaps not, depending on when the massive central pulpit and organ case was moved (unless of course it was moveable anyway like the one at St Cuthbert Carlisle).

As you can see the church looks very different now with screened off aisles providing useful meeting and gallery space - and rather surprising light and sound effects, but all signs of life so three cheers for that.