Detail from the magnificent chantry chapel of Prince Arthur at Worcester, a masterpiece of late medieval architecture and sculpture and the last resting place of Henry VIII's elder brother.

Worcester Cathedral is the commanding presence on the skyline of the city, perched on high ground overlooking the River Severn. It is one of England's most rewarding cathedrals, though denied first rank status owing to the heavy handed Victorian restorations it underwent, an unavoidable consequence of being built of soft red sandstone (a problem shared with Chester and Lichfield) and thus a 19th century feel pervades inside and out in it's mostly renewed external stonework and furnishings.

The cathedral impresses with it's scale, one or our longer churches, crowned by a magnificent central tower (originally surmounted by a lead spire, lost sometime after the Refomation; subtle alterations to the tower's design were made when it was refaced in the Victorian restoration) and with a secondary pair of transepts flanking the choir (as at Salisbury, Lincoln, Rochester & Canterbury). Of the former monastic buildings the cloister and Norman chapter house have survived (along with the refectory, now part of neighbouring King's School), making this a more complex and enjoyable building to explore.

The earliest parts are of the Norman period with the superb 12th century crypt under the choir. The west end of the nave is also Norman work, though very late and unusual in design, with transitional pointed arches. However the bulk of the building we see dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, the east end in Early English gothic style (where most of the windows were restored to stepped lancets by Sir George Gilbert Scott during the Victorian restoration, having been altered over the centuries), whilst the remainder of the nave and tower largely of the Decorated period (the cathedral originally also possessed a detached octagonal bell tower with a lead spire, which stood near the north east corner but was demolished in 1647).

Of the original furnishings little remains beyond the fine set of misericords in the choir stalls. The stained glass too is nearly entirely Victorian (only some meagre, much restored medieval fragments survive in traceries of the south aisle). Much of the Victorian glass is quite impressive, particularly the great east and west windows by Hardman's of Birmingham.

Worcester is however especially rich in tombs and monuments of all periods, with medieval effigies of bishops, knights and ladies, not all in good condition but worth seeking out. There are also several large tombs from the post-Reformation period (especially in the cluttered south aisle) and some fine Baroque work in the north transept.

The most significant of the monuments here are Royal; in the centre of the choir lies the fine 13th century effigy of King John, best remembered for signing the Magna Carta. Nearby is the superb chantry chapel of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, whose premature death aged 15 changed England forever (one of the most pivotal moments in our history, had he survived the Reformation may never have happened). The gorgeous late Perpendicular gothic chapel stands to the south of the High Altar and is remarkable for it's rich sculpted detail.

www.worcestercathedral.co.uk/

Sion is the captial of the Canton (Valais) and has kept much of its attractive medieval architecture.

The small walled city of Kotor is located on the inner most part of the Bay of Kotor, a deep indentation off the Adriatic Sea which is surrounded by mountains.

Formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to St Werburgh, since 1541 it has been the seat of the Bishop of Chester and now dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The building dates from between 1093 and the early 1500s, although the site may have been used for Christian worship since Roman times.

All the major styles of English medieval architecture, from Norman to Perpendicular, are present in the building.

Chester Cathedral is a Grade I listed building.

St Anselm [detail]

Alabaster tomb of Sir Thomas Erdington (d.1433) & his wife Joan or Anne Harcourt (d.1417). The tomb itself dates from c1460, probably erected by the couple's son.

A familiar landmark in north Birmingham, Aston's parish church of SS Peter & Paul is also the most substantial piece of medieval architecture left anywhere near the city centre, or rather would have been had it not been so completely rebuilt in 1879-90 by J.A.Chatwin (whose work seems synonymous with Birmingham's older churches!), leaving just the 14th century west tower (with it's curiously designed upper stage, adorned with deeply recessed blank arcading) and spire. It is nonetheless a splendid sight in this otherwise not too glamourous area, and Chatwin's work is a solid exercise in neo-Perpendicular, adorned with much fine carved detail and an apse reminiscent of old St Michael's in Coventry.

The interior is most impressive, somewhat dark but richly decorated, with a mixed bag of Victorian glass (Hardman's in the apse, where I was shown the pink giraffe!) and very much of it's time, all under a fine hammerbeam roof, more elaborate over the chancel, as is the stonework generally with dramatic cusped ogee arches providing a setting for some of the many tombs. There are several good medieval monuments with effigies, mostly to the Holte family and the bulk concentrated in the Erdington Chapel on the south side. None are of the highest quality or best condition, but a worthy collection nevertheless. The largest monument is the 1620s Devereux tomb with it's canopy but rather difficult to see in it's somewhat blackened state in a dark corner. There are also many Baroque and later wall tablets adorned with putti etc distributed throughout the aisles.

What would have been the most important piece of stained glass is currently stored in a crate in the north aisle, it is a large single-arched composition by Francis Eginton from 1798 with a female figure ascending to Heaven. It had been originally installed in the Erdington Chapel, but relocated in the Victorian rebuilding and hidden behind the organ for years, until more recently being removed following vandal damage. The church has no funds to restore it with and no space to put it in, but it is clearly an important work that needs to be back on display somewhere, perhaps the City Museum & Art Gallery, since they have an extensive stained glass display?

I'd been intending to visit this church for some time, but had heard it was rather difficult to get inside. I'd phoned the parish office before I left home and a very helpful young lady answered and said it'd be no problem whilst she was around (till 12ish) so I broke my journey to Erdington and made the shortish walk from Aston railway station. After struggling to find which door to knock on she emerged and kindly escorted me through the offices into the church, and after a brief introduction left me to snap away by myself. I'm afraid I got a bit carried away and when nobody arrived at 12 to lock up I pushed my luck and carried on a bit longer, only to find the poor girl was waiting patiently around the corner! I apologised and should add how grateful we should be to such individuals who generously give their time for our enjoyment of the buildings in their care.

St Mary's church in Lapworth is one of the most rewarding and unusual medieval parish churches in Warwickshire. The visitor generally approaches this handsome building from the north where the sturdy tower and spire stand guard like a sentinel. It is unusual in standing apart from the main building and was originally detached but is now linked by a passageway to the north aisle, making the church almost as wide as it is long. The west end too is remarkably configured with a chantry chapel or room set above an archway (allowing passage across the churchyard below).

The church we see today dates mainly from the 13th / 14th centuries, with an impressive fifteenth century clerestorey added to the nave being a prominent feature externally, but within it is possible to discern traces of the previous Norman structure embedded below in the nave arcade. There is much of interest to enjoy in this pleasant interior from quirky carvings high in the nave to the rich stained glass in the chancel and north chapel (which has benefitted immensely from a newly inserted window where the east wall had previously been blank). The most interesting memorial is the relief tablet in the north chapel by Eric Gill.

Lapworth church has consistently welcomed visitors and remains militantly open now despite being surrounded by churches largely reluctant to re-open after Covid. Happily since Tony Naylor's fine new window was installed the previous alarm system that restricted access to the eastern half of the church (which I inadvertedly set off on my first ever visit, deafening the neighbours!) has been relaxed so that visitors can now enjoy the full extent of the interior and its fittings.

stmaryslapworth.org.uk/

Brailes is one of the more picturesque villages of south Warwickshire, and its church of St George is justly renowned as one of the county's grandest parish churches. It is an impressively large building in a delightfully coloured golden-brown ironstone, dating mainly from the 14th century and terminated by a lofty west tower (finished in the following century), a handsome edifice that announces the building's presence from afar.

The main body of the church impresses more with its substantial length and width than height, and once inside the sense of space punctuated by arches and columns is impossible to ignore. The wooden roof above seems to stretch forever onwards and is supported by some amusingly carved head-corbels. A fine 14th century font stands at the west end adorned with geometric designs like traceried windows, as if each side was based on a page from some medieval mason's pattern-book. In the south aisle is a very heavily eroded medieval priest's effigy on a tomb chest, its condition explained by the fact it originally stood in the churchyard until being brought inside to protect it from further weathering only in 1933. There is an interesting mixture of glass in the windows, all Victorian or more recent but with a couple of above average pieces.

This was only my second ever visit to Brailes church (first was on a family day out in my early teens long ago). It made a fitting end to a day's cycling in the area, and being late in the day I was lucky to find it still open, which I believe it normally is during the day..

www.britainexpress.com/counties/warwickshire/churches/low...

A final word of thanks here is due to my mate Tim Clevely who came to my rescue as I made my way home after leaving here only to have an inner-tube on my bike fail apparently beyond redemption a few miles on. I could have faced a very long walk home (would have missed last train too), so that lift back (and the subsequent social evening) was hugely appreciated!

Wells Cathedral is a magical place to me, having cast a spell over me from the very first time I laid eyes on it as a seven-year old when it started to be a regular break on our journeys south west for childhood holidays. Although it wasn't the first cathedral I'd encountered it was the first I'd seen after developing a more conscious interest in church art and architecture and it seemed to me like something from another world (which in many ways it is). I never forgot the impression it made, its beauties inside and out, and having not visited for nearly three decades I decided getting reacquainted was long overdue.

Described as England's 'Queen amongst cathedrals' it is not as huge as some but it is as beautiful as any, and its setting within the enclosure of a charming cathedral close that constitutes a large part of this modestly-sized but picturesque cathedral-city just adds to its qualities. Its three towers beckon the visitor through the turreted gates that connect the close to the market place and to walk through these and behold the west facade for the first time is an unforgettable experience. The central tower is a beautiful example of Somerset's pinnacled late Gothic masterpieces, and yet it almost disappears, practically forgotten, when one encounters the rich display between the two western towers with their curiously flat parapets. These towers are also mainly 15th century work, but below them, and built two centuries earlier, the facade unfolds like a huge screen covered with niches, most of which remarkably retain their original statues, the largest display of medieval sculpture surviving in England.

Currently visitors are directed to enter via the cloisters on the south side rather than through the surprisingly small, almost apologetic doorways burrowed through the base of this astonishing facade, so it is important to spend some time absorbing it before entering the building. Once inside the effect is rather calmer than the riot of ornamentation on the west front, and the scale a little more intimate and inviting than many cathedral interiors. Most of it is early 13th century and harmonious in style, but it is a later addition that draws the eye looking down the nave, the unique 'scissor arches' installed to brace the crossing in order to stabilise the central tower following signs of movement. The transepts beyond are of the same date and design as the nave, whilst further east the more ornate choir is a little later, being completed in the early 14th century. Beyond this the retrochoir and polygonal Lady Chapel with their delicate pillars and vaults form one of the most delightful and visually satisfying of English medieval interiors.

Furnishings and features of interest are plentiful as one explores the church admiring the beauty of its architecture, with much medieval glass surviving at the east end, the east window and the adjoining clerestories having survived almost intact (more survives in the choir aisles and lady chapel though aside from the traceries most is in a fragmentary state). Many medieval bishops effigies are to be seen (many forming a posthumous 13th century commemoration of earlier Saxon bishops) along with three chantry chapels. In the north transept is the famous medieval astronomical clock with its painted dials and jousting knights marking the quarter hours.

One of the most exquisite features is the chapter house also on the north side, approached via a delightfully timeworn staircase and covered by a particularly attractive vaulted ceiling. It is one of the highlights of the building and shouldn't be missed. The cloisters on the south side are also a delight to wander through and were one of the last major additions to the cathedral.

Wells Cathedral is without a doubt one of the country's greatest treasures and in my mind one of the most beautiful churches anywhere and even its surroundings are a joy to explore. Happily it now at last appears to be reopening after the long hiatus of lockdown, it deserves to be visited and enjoyed again by all once the present crisis is over.

www.wellscathedral.org.uk/

A section of the city walls of Trogir, Croatia.

Trogir, is a small town of about 10,000 located twenty miles from the larger city of Split. Situated on a small island in the Adriatic sea just off the Croatian coast, the town's history dates back to the Greeks in the 3rd century B.C. Over the centuries the island has been ruled by The Romans, Hungarians and Croats the Venetian Empire, the Austrian Empire, and the French. After World War I, Trogir was part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (which became Yugoslavia), although was occupied by Italy during World War II. In 1991, the town was part of Croatia when it declared its independence.

The ruins of Kirkham Priory are situated on the banks of the River Derwent, at Kirkham, North Yorkshire, England. The Augustinian priory was founded in the 1120s by Walter l'Espec, lord of nearby Helmsley, who also built Rievaulx Abbey. The priory was surrendered in 8 December 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Legend has it that Kirkham was founded in remembrance of l'Espec's only son who had died nearby as a consequence of his horse being startled by a boar. The area was later used to test the D-Day landing vehicles, and was visited by Winston Churchill. The ruins are now Grade I listed and in the care of English Heritage.

Gatehouse ruins

Kirkham Priory gatehouse ruins. The armorials of various benefactors are visible sculpted on stone escutcheons

The Gatehouse of Kirkham Priory, built c. 1290–95, is a specimen of English Gothic medieval architecture. It is a rare survival of such a gatehouse, comparable to that of Butley Priory in Suffolk. It has a wide arch of continuous mouldings with a crocketed gable running up to the windows, with sculptures of S.George and the Dragon on the left, and David and Goliath to the right. Above the arch is Christ in a pointed oval recess, plus two figures below of St. Bartholomew and St. Philip, in niches. There are also many escutcheons with the armorials of the various benefactors of the Priory, including the arms of de Ros, Scrope, de Forz, Vaux, FitzRalph & Espec (3 cart-wheels, each with 6 spokes).

This is an entry into the CCCX Medieval Architectural Detail category:

THE PORTAL OF LOST SOULS

This side entrance into the Cape Condice Cathedral (CCC) was comissioned by the administrators of a new movement who wanted to help those who could not help themselves. They comissioned Shmailardo, architect to the kings, to create a symbol of the new movement. It has been a shining example of Medieval Architecture ever since.

Enjoy!

The grandest village church in south Nottinghamshire, St Mary's church dominates the centre of the quirkily named village of Bunny, its tapering spire crowning a tall west tower making the building very much the local landmark (along with the curious tower of the nearby hall). It is a building of considerable length, both the aisled nave and the chancel seem are of impressive dimensions. Much of it appears to be of 14th century date, though later interventions are indicated here and there, such as the strangey domestic-looking east window of the chancel that must have been a 17th century alteration. The south porch is remarkable inside for its corbelled stone roof, a most unusual feature that gives it an almost fortified appearance.

The interior seems almost as broad as it is long, the aisled nave has been scraped of its plaster-finish in the Victorian period and is now in marked contrast to the chancel beyond where the walls are still white-rendered and the windows mostly plain glazed, making it a much brighter space. There are a few monuments to members of the Parkyns family but none compete with the largest and most famous of them which is now located in the north aisle (originally in the chancel) and uniquely depicts a over-large figure of Sir Thomas Parkyns in an aggressive wrestling pose balanced by a much smaller figure of his eventual defeat by Old Father Time.

Bunny church is normally kept locked outside of service times though may have limited open hours on certain days, but it is best to check ahead or make arrangements if travelling to see it. For more see its article on the highly commendable diocesan website below:-

southwellchurches.nottingham.ac.uk/bunny/hintro.php

Tomb of William Holte (d.1514) and his wife Joan in the north aisle. The carving is of inferior quality to the other, earlier medieval tombs here.

A familiar landmark in north Birmingham, Aston's parish church of SS Peter & Paul is also the most substantial piece of medieval architecture left anywhere near the city centre, or rather would have been had it not been so completely rebuilt in 1879-90 by J.A.Chatwin (whose work seems synonymous with Birmingham's older churches!), leaving just the 14th century west tower (with it's curiously designed upper stage, adorned with deeply recessed blank arcading) and spire. It is nonetheless a splendid sight in this otherwise not too glamourous area, and Chatwin's work is a solid exercise in neo-Perpendicular, adorned with much fine carved detail and an apse reminiscent of old St Michael's in Coventry.

The interior is most impressive, somewhat dark but richly decorated, with a mixed bag of Victorian glass (Hardman's in the apse, where I was shown the pink giraffe!) and very much of it's time, all under a fine hammerbeam roof, more elaborate over the chancel, as is the stonework generally with dramatic cusped ogee arches providing a setting for some of the many tombs. There are several good medieval monuments with effigies, mostly to the Holte family and the bulk concentrated in the Erdington Chapel on the south side. None are of the highest quality or best condition, but a worthy collection nevertheless. The largest monument is the 1620s Devereux tomb with it's canopy but rather difficult to see in it's somewhat blackened state in a dark corner. There are also many Baroque and later wall tablets adorned with putti etc distributed throughout the aisles.

What would have been the most important piece of stained glass is currently stored in a crate in the north aisle, it is a large single-arched composition by Francis Eginton from 1798 with a female figure ascending to Heaven. It had been originally installed in the Erdington Chapel, but relocated in the Victorian rebuilding and hidden behind the organ for years, until more recently being removed following vandal damage. The church has no funds to restore it with and no space to put it in, but it is clearly an important work that needs to be back on display somewhere, perhaps the City Museum & Art Gallery, since they have an extensive stained glass display?

I'd been intending to visit this church for some time, but had heard it was rather difficult to get inside. I'd phoned the parish office before I left home and a very helpful young lady answered and said it'd be no problem whilst she was around (till 12ish) so I broke my journey to Erdington and made the shortish walk from Aston railway station. After struggling to find which door to knock on she emerged and kindly escorted me through the offices into the church, and after a brief introduction left me to snap away by myself. I'm afraid I got a bit carried away and when nobody arrived at 12 to lock up I pushed my luck and carried on a bit longer, only to find the poor girl was waiting patiently around the corner! I apologised and should add how grateful we should be to such individuals who generously give their time for our enjoyment of the buildings in their care.

Peterborough Cathedral is one of England's finest buildings, an almost complete Romanesque church on an impressive scale sitting behind one of the most unique and eccentric Gothic facades found anywhere in medieval Europe. The church we see today is little altered since its completion in the 13th century aside from inevitable 19th century restorations and the serious depradations of Civil War damage in the mid 17th century.

The bulk of the church is 12th century Norman, retaining even its apse (a rarity in England) and even the original flat wooden ceilings of nave and transept. The nave ceiling retains its early medieval painted decoration with an assortment of figures set within lozenge shaped panels (mostly overpainted in the 18th and 19th centuries but the overall effect is preserved). The 13th century west facade is the most dramatic and memorable feature of the building, with three vast Gothic arches forming a giant porch in front of the building, a unique design, flanked by small spires and intended to be surmounted by two pinnacled towers rising just behind the facade, though only that on the north side was finished (and originally surmounted by a wooden spire which was removed c1800). The central tower is a surprisingly squat structure of 14th century date (with a striking vaulted ceiling within) and along with its counterpart at the west end makes surprisingly little presence on the city's skyline for such an enormous building. The final addition to the church prior to the Reformation is the ambulatory around the apse, a superb example of late medieval perpendicular with a stunning fan-vaulted ceiling.

Given the vast scale of the building it is perhaps surprising to learn that it has only had cathedral status since 1541, prior to that it had been simply Peterborough Abbey, but it was one of the most well endowed monastic houses in the country, as witnessed by the architecture. It was once the burial place of two queens, Katherine of Aragon lies on the north side of the choir and Mary Queen of Scots was originally interred here before her son James I had her body moved to the more prestigious surroundings of Westminster.

Sadly the cathedral suffered miserably during the Civil War when Parliamentarian troops ransacked the church and former monastic buildings in an orgy of destruction, much of which was overseen by Cromwell himself in person (which helps explain its thoroughness). Tombs and monuments were brutally defaced, and nearly all the original furnishings and woodwork were destroyed, along with every bit of stained glass in all the vast windows (only the merest fragments remain today in the high windows of the apse). Worse still, the delightful cloisters on the south side, once famed for the beauty of their painted windows, were demolished leaving only their outer walls and some tantalising reminders of their former richness. The magnificent 13th century Lady Chapel attached to the north transept (an unusual arrangement, similar to that at Ely) was another major casualty, demolished immediately after the war so that its materials could be sold in order to raise funds for the restoration of the cathedral following the Cromwellian rampage.

In the following centuries much was done to repair the building and bring it back into order. There were major restorations during the 19th century, which included the dismantling and rebuilding of the central tower (following the same design and reusing original material) owing to impending structural failure in the crossing piers.

What we see today is thus a marvel of architecture, a church of great beauty, but a somewhat hollow one owing to the misfortunes of history. One therefore doesn't find at Peterborough the same clutter of the centuries that other cathedrals often possess (in terms of tombs and furnishings) and there are few windows of real note, but for the grandeur of its architecture it is one of the very finest churches we have.

For more history see the link below:-

www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/history.aspx

Detail from the magnificent chantry chapel of Prince Arthur at Worcester, a masterpiece of late medieval architecture and sculpture and the last resting place of Henry VIII's elder brother.

Worcester Cathedral is the commanding presence on the skyline of the city, perched on high ground overlooking the River Severn. It is one of England's most rewarding cathedrals, though denied first rank status owing to the heavy handed Victorian restorations it underwent, an unavoidable consequence of being built of soft red sandstone (a problem shared with Chester and Lichfield) and thus a 19th century feel pervades inside and out in it's mostly renewed external stonework and furnishings.

The cathedral impresses with it's scale, one or our longer churches, crowned by a magnificent central tower (originally surmounted by a lead spire, lost sometime after the Refomation; subtle alterations to the tower's design were made when it was refaced in the Victorian restoration) and with a secondary pair of transepts flanking the choir (as at Salisbury, Lincoln, Rochester & Canterbury). Of the former monastic buildings the cloister and Norman chapter house have survived (along with the refectory, now part of neighbouring King's School), making this a more complex and enjoyable building to explore.

The earliest parts are of the Norman period with the superb 12th century crypt under the choir. The west end of the nave is also Norman work, though very late and unusual in design, with transitional pointed arches. However the bulk of the building we see dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, the east end in Early English gothic style (where most of the windows were restored to stepped lancets by Sir George Gilbert Scott during the Victorian restoration, having been altered over the centuries), whilst the remainder of the nave and tower largely of the Decorated period (the cathedral originally also possessed a detached octagonal bell tower with a lead spire, which stood near the north east corner but was demolished in 1647).

Of the original furnishings little remains beyond the fine set of misericords in the choir stalls. The stained glass too is nearly entirely Victorian (only some meagre, much restored medieval fragments survive in traceries of the south aisle). Much of the Victorian glass is quite impressive, particularly the great east and west windows by Hardman's of Birmingham.

Worcester is however especially rich in tombs and monuments of all periods, with medieval effigies of bishops, knights and ladies, not all in good condition but worth seeking out. There are also several large tombs from the post-Reformation period (especially in the cluttered south aisle) and some fine Baroque work in the north transept.

The most significant of the monuments here are Royal; in the centre of the choir lies the fine 13th century effigy of King John, best remembered for signing the Magna Carta. Nearby is the superb chantry chapel of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, whose premature death aged 15 changed England forever (one of the most pivotal moments in our history, had he survived the Reformation may never have happened). The gorgeous late Perpendicular gothic chapel stands to the south of the High Altar and is remarkable for it's rich sculpted detail.

www.worcestercathedral.co.uk/

Wells Cathedral is a magical place to me, having cast a spell over me from the very first time I laid eyes on it as a seven-year old when it started to be a regular break on our journeys south west for childhood holidays. Although it wasn't the first cathedral I'd encountered it was the first I'd seen after developing a more conscious interest in church art and architecture and it seemed to me like something from another world (which in many ways it is). I never forgot the impression it made, its beauties inside and out, and having not visited for nearly three decades I decided getting reacquainted was long overdue.

Described as England's 'Queen amongst cathedrals' it is not as huge as some but it is as beautiful as any, and its setting within the enclosure of a charming cathedral close that constitutes a large part of this modestly-sized but picturesque cathedral-city just adds to its qualities. Its three towers beckon the visitor through the turreted gates that connect the close to the market place and to walk through these and behold the west facade for the first time is an unforgettable experience. The central tower is a beautiful example of Somerset's pinnacled late Gothic masterpieces, and yet it almost disappears, practically forgotten, when one encounters the rich display between the two western towers with their curiously flat parapets. These towers are also mainly 15th century work, but below them, and built two centuries earlier, the facade unfolds like a huge screen covered with niches, most of which remarkably retain their original statues, the largest display of medieval sculpture surviving in England.

Currently visitors are directed to enter via the cloisters on the south side rather than through the surprisingly small, almost apologetic doorways burrowed through the base of this astonishing facade, so it is important to spend some time absorbing it before entering the building. Once inside the effect is rather calmer than the riot of ornamentation on the west front, and the scale a little more intimate and inviting than many cathedral interiors. Most of it is early 13th century and harmonious in style, but it is a later addition that draws the eye looking down the nave, the unique 'scissor arches' installed to brace the crossing in order to stabilise the central tower following signs of movement. The transepts beyond are of the same date and design as the nave, whilst further east the more ornate choir is a little later, being completed in the early 14th century. Beyond this the retrochoir and polygonal Lady Chapel with their delicate pillars and vaults form one of the most delightful and visually satisfying of English medieval interiors.

Furnishings and features of interest are plentiful as one explores the church admiring the beauty of its architecture, with much medieval glass surviving at the east end, the east window and the adjoining clerestories having survived almost intact (more survives in the choir aisles and lady chapel though aside from the traceries most is in a fragmentary state). Many medieval bishops effigies are to be seen (many forming a posthumous 13th century commemoration of earlier Saxon bishops) along with three chantry chapels. In the north transept is the famous medieval astronomical clock with its painted dials and jousting knights marking the quarter hours.

One of the most exquisite features is the chapter house also on the north side, approached via a delightfully timeworn staircase and covered by a particularly attractive vaulted ceiling. It is one of the highlights of the building and shouldn't be missed. The cloisters on the south side are also a delight to wander through and were one of the last major additions to the cathedral.

Wells Cathedral is without a doubt one of the country's greatest treasures and in my mind one of the most beautiful churches anywhere and even its surroundings are a joy to explore. Happily it now at last appears to be reopening after the long hiatus of lockdown, it deserves to be visited and enjoyed again by all once the present crisis is over.

www.wellscathedral.org.uk/

Peterborough Cathedral is one of England's finest buildings, an almost complete Romanesque church on an impressive scale sitting behind one of the most unique and eccentric Gothic facades found anywhere in medieval Europe. The church we see today is little altered since its completion in the 13th century aside from inevitable 19th century restorations and the serious depradations of Civil War damage in the mid 17th century.

The bulk of the church is 12th century Norman, retaining even its apse (a rarity in England) and even the original flat wooden ceilings of nave and transept. The nave ceiling retains its early medieval painted decoration with an assortment of figures set within lozenge shaped panels (mostly overpainted in the 18th and 19th centuries but the overall effect is preserved). The 13th century west facade is the most dramatic and memorable feature of the building, with three vast Gothic arches forming a giant porch in front of the building, a unique design, flanked by small spires and intended to be surmounted by two pinnacled towers rising just behind the facade, though only that on the north side was finished (and originally surmounted by a wooden spire which was removed c1800). The central tower is a surprisingly squat structure of 14th century date (with a striking vaulted ceiling within) and along with its counterpart at the west end makes surprisingly little presence on the city's skyline for such an enormous building. The final addition to the church prior to the Reformation is the ambulatory around the apse, a superb example of late medieval perpendicular with a stunning fan-vaulted ceiling.

Given the vast scale of the building it is perhaps surprising to learn that it has only had cathedral status since 1541, prior to that it had been simply Peterborough Abbey, but it was one of the most well endowed monastic houses in the country, as witnessed by the architecture. It was once the burial place of two queens, Katherine of Aragon lies on the north side of the choir and Mary Queen of Scots was originally interred here before her son James I had her body moved to the more prestigious surroundings of Westminster.

Sadly the cathedral suffered miserably during the Civil War when Parliamentarian troops ransacked the church and former monastic buildings in an orgy of destruction, much of which was overseen by Cromwell himself in person (which helps explain its thoroughness). Tombs and monuments were brutally defaced, and nearly all the original furnishings and woodwork were destroyed, along with every bit of stained glass in all the vast windows (only the merest fragments remain today in the high windows of the apse). Worse still, the delightful cloisters on the south side, once famed for the beauty of their painted windows, were demolished leaving only their outer walls and some tantalising reminders of their former richness. The magnificent 13th century Lady Chapel attached to the north transept (an unusual arrangement, similar to that at Ely) was another major casualty, demolished immediately after the war so that its materials could be sold in order to raise funds for the restoration of the cathedral following the Cromwellian rampage.

In the following centuries much was done to repair the building and bring it back into order. There were major restorations during the 19th century, which included the dismantling and rebuilding of the central tower (following the same design and reusing original material) owing to impending structural failure in the crossing piers.

What we see today is thus a marvel of architecture, a church of great beauty, but a somewhat hollow one owing to the misfortunes of history. One therefore doesn't find at Peterborough the same clutter of the centuries that other cathedrals often possess (in terms of tombs and furnishings) and there are few windows of real note, but for the grandeur of its architecture it is one of the very finest churches we have.

For more history see the link below:-

www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/history.aspx

St Thomas Becket's church at Skeffington lies tucked around a corner off the narrow lane leading through this quiet village. It is an attractive ironstone building of 14th-16th century date though there was significant rebuilding during the Victorian restoration in 1860 which is more apparent inside.

The interior feels more restored owing to the rebuilding of the nave aisles and chancel but the north chapel with its monuments to members of the Skeffington family remains from the Tudor period and additionally contains some important fragments of late medieval Renaissance glass.

This church is apparently normally kept locked outside of services, we visited during Heritage open day in September.

For more information see the article below:-

www.leicestershirechurches.co.uk/skeffington-st-thomas-a-...

Combination of a Benedictin monastery and a chateau - the monastery was founded in 1101, and was a very important seat of power and economical centre for many centuries. It was often expanded, the main part today is the St. Procopius Basilica from 13th Century. Because of it´s importance, the monastery was often under attack, and also the main educational centre of the whole county. It was occupied by Hussites in 1421-1426, after the Hussite wars heavily fortified, and was the last defense position in 1468, after the city of Třebíč was conquered by Hungarians. Czech defenders under the command of king´s brother held out i the monastery for many weeks, until they had to vacate it because of no chance for a victory. The monastery was heavily damaged, the church burned down. The whole complex was taken from the church and give to the Pernštejn family after 1486, and extensive repairs began - the last monks were driven out in 1525. Damaged parts have been demolished, and new renaissance buildings were built, to change it into a chateau. The basilica was changed into a brewery. The chateau was maintained the whole time until 1945, when it was confiscated by the state from its German owner, it was not devastated in the communist era, new repairs were done in the modern era, and the whole complex became a UNESCO world cultural heritage site in 2018. There are also numerous museums, including a Jaguar car museum.

Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.

The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.

The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.

The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.

The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a seperate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.

There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.

Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.

My visit coincided with the major 'Crucible' exhibition of contemporary sculpture (September-October 2010), examples of which I will upload in due course.

Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.

The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.

The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.

The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.

The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a seperate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.

There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14 th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.

Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.

My visit coincided with the major 'Crucible' exhibition of contemporary sculpture (September-October 2010), examples of which I will upload in due course.

Detail from the magnificent chantry chapel of Prince Arthur at Worcester, a masterpiece of late medieval architecture and sculpture and the last resting place of Henry VIII's elder brother.

Worcester Cathedral is the commanding presence on the skyline of the city, perched on high ground overlooking the River Severn. It is one of England's most rewarding cathedrals, though denied first rank status owing to the heavy handed Victorian restorations it underwent, an unavoidable consequence of being built of soft red sandstone (a problem shared with Chester and Lichfield) and thus a 19th century feel pervades inside and out in it's mostly renewed external stonework and furnishings.

The cathedral impresses with it's scale, one or our longer churches, crowned by a magnificent central tower (originally surmounted by a lead spire, lost sometime after the Refomation; subtle alterations to the tower's design were made when it was refaced in the Victorian restoration) and with a secondary pair of transepts flanking the choir (as at Salisbury, Lincoln, Rochester & Canterbury). Of the former monastic buildings the cloister and Norman chapter house have survived (along with the refectory, now part of neighbouring King's School), making this a more complex and enjoyable building to explore.

The earliest parts are of the Norman period with the superb 12th century crypt under the choir. The west end of the nave is also Norman work, though very late and unusual in design, with transitional pointed arches. However the bulk of the building we see dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, the east end in Early English gothic style (where most of the windows were restored to stepped lancets by Sir George Gilbert Scott during the Victorian restoration, having been altered over the centuries), whilst the remainder of the nave and tower largely of the Decorated period (the cathedral originally also possessed a detached octagonal bell tower with a lead spire, which stood near the north east corner but was demolished in 1647).

Of the original furnishings little remains beyond the fine set of misericords in the choir stalls. The stained glass too is nearly entirely Victorian (only some meagre, much restored medieval fragments survive in traceries of the south aisle). Much of the Victorian glass is quite impressive, particularly the great east and west windows by Hardman's of Birmingham.

Worcester is however especially rich in tombs and monuments of all periods, with medieval effigies of bishops, knights and ladies, not all in good condition but worth seeking out. There are also several large tombs from the post-Reformation period (especially in the cluttered south aisle) and some fine Baroque work in the north transept.

The most significant of the monuments here are Royal; in the centre of the choir lies the fine 13th century effigy of King John, best remembered for signing the Magna Carta. Nearby is the superb chantry chapel of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, whose premature death aged 15 changed England forever (one of the most pivotal moments in our history, had he survived the Reformation may never have happened). The gorgeous late Perpendicular gothic chapel stands to the south of the High Altar and is remarkable for it's rich sculpted detail.

www.worcestercathedral.co.uk/

Formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to St Werburgh, since 1541 it has been the seat of the Bishop of Chester and now dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The building dates from between 1093 and the early 1500s, although the site may have been used for Christian worship since Roman times.

All the major styles of English medieval architecture, from Norman to Perpendicular, are present in the building.

Chester Cathedral is a Grade I listed building.

Chapter House

The ruins of Kirkham Priory are situated on the banks of the River Derwent, at Kirkham, North Yorkshire, England. The Augustinian priory was founded in the 1120s by Walter l'Espec, lord of nearby Helmsley, who also built Rievaulx Abbey. The priory was surrendered in 8 December 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Legend has it that Kirkham was founded in remembrance of l'Espec's only son who had died nearby as a consequence of his horse being startled by a boar. The area was later used to test the D-Day landing vehicles, and was visited by Winston Churchill. The ruins are now Grade I listed and in the care of English Heritage.

Gatehouse ruins

Kirkham Priory gatehouse ruins. The armorials of various benefactors are visible sculpted on stone escutcheons

The Gatehouse of Kirkham Priory, built c. 1290–95, is a specimen of English Gothic medieval architecture. It is a rare survival of such a gatehouse, comparable to that of Butley Priory in Suffolk. It has a wide arch of continuous mouldings with a crocketed gable running up to the windows, with sculptures of S.George and the Dragon on the left, and David and Goliath to the right. Above the arch is Christ in a pointed oval recess, plus two figures below of St. Bartholomew and St. Philip, in niches. There are also many escutcheons with the armorials of the various benefactors of the Priory, including the arms of de Ros, Scrope, de Forz, Vaux, FitzRalph & Espec (3 cart-wheels, each with 6 spokes).

Memorial to Bishop Charles John Ellicot (d.1905) in the south choir aisle.

Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.

The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.

The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.

The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.

The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a separate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.

There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.

Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.

Detail from the magnificent chantry chapel of Prince Arthur at Worcester, a masterpiece of late medieval architecture and sculpture and the last resting place of Henry VIII's elder brother.

Unusually, most of the medieval statuary of the chapel has survived both Reformation and Civil War though the main reredos figures have been defaced, though it seems the primary motive here was to remove the extremeties of the sculptures, allowing a flatter surface to board or plaster over! Nonetheless enough survives to give a good indication of their quality.

Worcester Cathedral is the commanding presence on the skyline of the city, perched on high ground overlooking the River Severn. It is one of England's most rewarding cathedrals, though denied first rank status owing to the heavy handed Victorian restorations it underwent, an unavoidable consequence of being built of soft red sandstone (a problem shared with Chester and Lichfield) and thus a 19th century feel pervades inside and out in it's mostly renewed external stonework and furnishings.

The cathedral impresses with it's scale, one or our longer churches, crowned by a magnificent central tower (originally surmounted by a lead spire, lost sometime after the Refomation; subtle alterations to the tower's design were made when it was refaced in the Victorian restoration) and with a secondary pair of transepts flanking the choir (as at Salisbury, Lincoln, Rochester & Canterbury). Of the former monastic buildings the cloister and Norman chapter house have survived (along with the refectory, now part of neighbouring King's School), making this a more complex and enjoyable building to explore.

The earliest parts are of the Norman period with the superb 12th century crypt under the choir. The west end of the nave is also Norman work, though very late and unusual in design, with transitional pointed arches. However the bulk of the building we see dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, the east end in Early English gothic style (where most of the windows were restored to stepped lancets by Sir George Gilbert Scott during the Victorian restoration, having been altered over the centuries), whilst the remainder of the nave and tower largely of the Decorated period (the cathedral originally also possessed a detached octagonal bell tower with a lead spire, which stood near the north east corner but was demolished in 1647).

Of the original furnishings little remains beyond the fine set of misericords in the choir stalls. The stained glass too is nearly entirely Victorian (only some meagre, much restored medieval fragments survive in traceries of the south aisle). Much of the Victorian glass is quite impressive, particularly the great east and west windows by Hardman's of Birmingham.

Worcester is however especially rich in tombs and monuments of all periods, with medieval effigies of bishops, knights and ladies, not all in good condition but worth seeking out. There are also several large tombs from the post-Reformation period (especially in the cluttered south aisle) and some fine Baroque work in the north transept.

The most significant of the monuments here are Royal; in the centre of the choir lies the fine 13th century effigy of King John, best remembered for signing the Magna Carta. Nearby is the superb chantry chapel of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, whose premature death aged 15 changed England forever (one of the most pivotal moments in our history, had he survived the Reformation may never have happened). The gorgeous late Perpendicular gothic chapel stands to the south of the High Altar and is remarkable for it's rich sculpted detail.

www.worcestercathedral.co.uk/

Former monk's lavatorium in the ruins of the cloisters at Peterborough.

Peterborough Cathedral is one of England's finest buildings, an almost complete Romanesque church on an impressive scale sitting behind one of the most unique and eccentric Gothic facades found anywhere in medieval Europe. The church we see today is little altered since its completion in the 13th century aside from inevitable 19th century restorations and the serious depradations of Civil War damage in the mid 17th century.

The bulk of the church is 12th century Norman, retaining even its apse (a rarity in England) and even the original flat wooden ceilings of nave and transept. The nave ceiling retains its early medieval painted decoration with an assortment of figures set within lozenge shaped panels (mostly overpainted in the 18th and 19th centuries but the overall effect is preserved). The 13th century west facade is the most dramatic and memorable feature of the building, with three vast Gothic arches forming a giant porch in front of the building, a unique design, flanked by small spires and intended to be surmounted by two pinnacled towers rising just behind the facade, though only that on the north side was finished (and originally surmounted by a wooden spire which was removed c1800). The central tower is a surprisingly squat structure of 14th century date (with a striking vaulted ceiling within) and along with its counterpart at the west end makes surprisingly little presence on the city's skyline for such an enormous building. The final addition to the church prior to the Reformation is the ambulatory around the apse, a superb example of late medieval perpendicular with a stunning fan-vaulted ceiling.

Given the vast scale of the building it is perhaps surprising to learn that it has only had cathedral status since 1541, prior to that it had been simply Peterborough Abbey, but it was one of the most well endowed monastic houses in the country, as witnessed by the architecture. It was once the burial place of two queens, Katherine of Aragon lies on the north side of the choir and Mary Queen of Scots was originally interred here before her son James I had her body moved to the more prestigious surroundings of Westminster.

Sadly the cathedral suffered miserably during the Civil War when Parliamentarian troops ransacked the church and former monastic buildings in an orgy of destruction, much of which was overseen by Cromwell himself in person (which helps explain its thoroughness). Tombs and monuments were brutally defaced, and nearly all the original furnishings and woodwork were destroyed, along with every bit of stained glass in all the vast windows (only the merest fragments remain today in the high windows of the apse). Worse still, the delightful cloisters on the south side, once famed for the beauty of their painted windows, were demolished leaving only their outer walls and some tantalising reminders of their former richness. The magnificent 13th century Lady Chapel attached to the north transept (an unusual arrangement, similar to that at Ely) was another major casualty, demolished immediately after the war so that its materials could be sold in order to raise funds for the restoration of the cathedral following the Cromwellian rampage.

In the following centuries much was done to repair the building and bring it back into order. There were major restorations during the 19th century, which included the dismantling and rebuilding of the central tower (following the same design and reusing original material) owing to impending structural failure in the crossing piers.

What we see today is thus a marvel of architecture, a church of great beauty, but a somewhat hollow one owing to the misfortunes of history. One therefore doesn't find at Peterborough the same clutter of the centuries that other cathedrals often possess (in terms of tombs and furnishings) and there are few windows of real note, but for the grandeur of its architecture it is one of the very finest churches we have.

For more history see the link below:-

www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/history.aspx

Eltham Palace in south east London is the place where high medieval architecture and the art deco styling of the 1930s collide.

Originally a royal palace the site had belonged to Bishop Odo, half brother of William the Conqueror in 1086. Anthony Bek, Bishop of Durham, certainly built a defensive wall around the site in the 1290s. Edward I, Edward II and Edward III all visited or lived here, Bek having given the site to young Edward II. Edward III spent most of his youth here.

The Order of the Garter, Europe's oldest surviving order of chivalry may have been founded here by Edward III in 1348. Later kings added to the site but it was Edward IV who built the magnificent Great Hall in 1470s which can still be seen. It has the third largest hammer beam ceiling in England.

Tudor kings Henry VII and Henry VIII favoured the site for many years as it was one of only six palaces which could house the entire royal court of 800 people. However Eltham was largely replaced by the now lost Greenwich Palace which was nearer the river but still had access to the good hunting around Eltham.

It later became a farm and the Great Hall narrowly avoided demolition in the 19th century.

In the 1930s the lease was acquired by the wealthy Courtauld family who proposed a radical rebuild of the site, which was still owned by the Crown. After some controversy architects John Seely and Paul Paget go the go-ahead in 1933 and work started.

The interior is furnished in the art-deco style and modern features of the new house included a centralised vacuum cleaner system in the basement with outlets in every room, heated towel rails and radios in the staff bedrooms.

The Courtaulds lived in the house from 1936 until 1944. Conservative minister Rab Butler lived at Eltham with the Courtaulds and much of the 1944 Education Act is thought to have been written here.

Although the family still had 88 years left on the lease the Second World War prompted the Courtaulds to leave and the building became the headquarters for the Army Educational Corps from 1945 until 1992. English Heritage had already cared for the Great Hall but took over the whole site in 1995 and began a restoration of the main house which, fortunately, had retained many of its art deco features and interiors.

More fittings and furniture have since been returned to the house - including a table and chairs which were found in the board room and the props department of Pinewood film studios. Stephen Courtauld had been on the board of Ealing Film Studios for 20 years.

A familiar landmark in north Birmingham, Aston's parish church of SS Peter & Paul is also the most substantial piece of medieval architecture left anywhere near the city centre, or rather would have been had it not been so completely rebuilt in 1879-90 by J.A.Chatwin (whose work seems synonymous with Birmingham's older churches!), leaving just the 14th century west tower (with it's curiously designed upper stage, adorned with deeply recessed blank arcading) and spire. It is nonetheless a splendid sight in this otherwise not too glamourous area, and Chatwin's work is a solid exercise in neo-Perpendicular, adorned with much fine carved detail and an apse reminiscent of old St Michael's in Coventry.

The interior is most impressive, somewhat dark but richly decorated, with a mixed bag of Victorian glass (Hardman's in the apse, where I was shown the pink giraffe!) and very much of it's time, all under a fine hammerbeam roof, more elaborate over the chancel, as is the stonework generally with dramatic cusped ogee arches providing a setting for some of the many tombs. There are several good medieval monuments with effigies, mostly to the Erdington family and the bulk concentrated in the Erdington Chapel on the south side. None are of the highest quality or best condition, but a worthy collection nevertheless. The largest monument is the 1620s Devereux tomb with it's canopy but rather difficult to see in it's somewhat blackened state in a dark corner. There are also many Baroque and later wall tablets adorned with putti etc distributed throughout the aisles.

What would have been the most important piece of stained glass is currently stored in a crate in the north aisle, it is a large single-arched composition by Francis Eginton from 1798 with a female figure ascending to Heaven. It had been originally installed in the Erdington Chapel, but relocated in the Victorian rebuilding and hidden behind the organ for years, until more recently being removed following vandal damage. The church has no funds to restore it with and no space to put it in, but it is clearly an important work that needs to be back on display somewhere, perhaps the City Museum & Art Gallery, since they have an extensive stained glass display?

I'd been intending to visit this church for some time, but had heard it was rather difficult to get inside. I'd phoned the parish office before I left home and a very helpful young lady answered and said it'd be no problem whilst she was around (till 12ish) so I broke my journey to Erdington and made the shortish walk from Aston railway station. After struggling to find which door to knock on she emerged and kindly escorted me through the offices into the church, and after a brief introduction left me to snap away by myself. I'm afraid I got a bit carried away and when nobody arrived at 12 to lock up I pushed my luck and carried on a bit longer, only to find the poor girl was waiting patiently around the corner! I apologised and should add how grateful we should be to such individuals who generously give their time for our enjoyment of the buildings in their care.

Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.

The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.

The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.

The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.

The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a seperate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.

There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.

Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.

www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk/plan-your-visit

A water fort from early 16th century, which underwent many changes, often becoming a wheat silo, later reconstructed into a chateau, only to become a silo again in the 19th Century. The bulding became part of the South Moravian museum in 1972, and a long restoration began. After 1990 a new owner finished the reconstruction, but then went bankrupt and the fort stood empty for many years. Finally a bicycle museum opened in 2018, which is the largest in Europe, and one of the largest in the world.

Worcester Cathedral is the commanding presence on the skyline of the city, perched on high ground overlooking the River Severn. It is one of England's most rewarding cathedrals, though denied first rank status owing to the heavy handed Victorian restorations it underwent, an unavoidable consequence of being built of soft red sandstone (a problem shared with Chester and Lichfield) and thus a 19th century feel pervades inside and out in it's mostly renewed external stonework and furnishings.

The cathedral impresses with it's scale, one or our longer churches, crowned by a magnificent central tower (originally surmounted by a lead spire, lost sometime after the Reformation; subtle alterations to the tower's design were made when it was refaced in the Victorian restoration) and with a secondary pair of transepts flanking the choir (as at Salisbury, Lincoln, Rochester & Canterbury). Of the former monastic buildings the cloister and Norman chapter house have survived (along with the refectory, now part of neighbouring King's School), making this a more complex and enjoyable building to explore.

The earliest parts are of the Norman period with the superb 12th century crypt under the choir. The west end of the nave is also Norman work, though very late and unusual in design, with transitional pointed arches. However the bulk of the building we see dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, the east end in Early English Gothic style (where most of the windows were restored to stepped lancets by Sir George Gilbert Scott during the Victorian restoration, having been altered over the centuries), whilst the remainder of the nave and tower largely of the Decorated period (the cathedral originally also possessed a detached octagonal bell tower with a lead spire, which stood near the north east corner but was demolished in 1647).

Of the original furnishings little remains beyond the fine set of misericords in the choir stalls. The stained glass too is nearly entirely Victorian (only some meagre, much restored medieval fragments survive in traceries of the south aisle). Much of the Victorian glass is quite impressive, particularly the great east and west windows by Hardman's of Birmingham.

Worcester is however especially rich in tombs and monuments of all periods, with medieval effigies of bishops, knights and ladies, not all in good condition but worth seeking out. There are also several large tombs from the post-Reformation period (especially in the cluttered south aisle) and some fine Baroque work in the north transept.

The most significant of the monuments here are Royal; in the centre of the choir lies the fine 13th century effigy of King John, best remembered for signing the Magna Carta. Nearby is the superb chantry chapel of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, whose premature death aged 15 changed England forever (one of the most pivotal moments in our history, had he survived the Reformation may never have happened). The gorgeous late Perpendicular Gothic chapel stands to the south of the High Altar and is remarkable for it's rich sculpted detail.

www.worcestercathedral.co.uk/

St Mary's sits upon its hillside perch at the aptly named Hill Croome, a village with only a handful of buildings. The church is small but very picturesque with its saddle-backed tower and is approached via a steep upwards path from the road.

The interior remains a mystery to me, I've passed through here a couple of times and tried the door but have always found it locked without a keyholder notice (according to the link below there is one nearby, but it's not advertised!).

www.worcesteranddudleyhistoricchurches.org.uk/index.php?p...

Floor plan of the Westbau. From Adenauer et al. 1943:289, fig. 236. Fig. 3.33 in: BANDMANN, Gunter (2005). Early Medieval Architecture as Bearer of Meaning. Columbia University Press, New York. ISBN 0-231-12704-9

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Maria Laach Abbey (in German: Abtei Maria Laach, in Latin: Abbatia Maria Lacensis or Abbatia Maria ad Lacum) is a Benedictine abbey situated on the southwestern shore of the Laacher See (Lake Laach), near Andernach, in the Eifel region of the Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. It is a member of the Beuronese Congregation within the Benedictine Confederation. The abbey was known for nearly 770 years as "Abtei Laach" ("Abbatia Lacensis" or "Laach Abbey", meaning the "Lake Abbey") until 1862 when the Jesuits added the name "Maria".

Founded in 1093 as a priory of Affligem Abbey (in modern Belgium) by the first Count Palatine of the Rhine Heinrich II von Laach and his wife Adelheid von Orlamünde-Weimar, widow of Hermann II of Lotharingia, Laach became an independent house in 1127, under its first abbot, Gilbert. Affligem itself had been founded by Hermann. Although the abbey was founded by a prominent (if not excommunicated) member of the imperial party (Investiture Controversy), Affligem became soon after a prominent member of the Cluniac reform movement.

The abbey developed as a centre of study during the 12th century. The 13th-century abbots Albert (1199–1217) and Theoderich II (1256–1295) added significantly to the buildings and architectural decoration, including the monumental tomb of the founder.

In common with most other German Benedictine houses, Laach declined during the 14th century in terms of its spiritual and monastic life, a tendency which was reversed only in the late 15th century, under the influence of the reforming Bursfelde Congregation, which the abbey joined, supported against a certain resistance within the abbey by Abbot Johannes V von Deidesheim (1469–1491).

The consequent improvement in discipline led to a fruitful literary period in the abbey's history, prominent in which were Jakob Siberti, Tilman of Bonn and Benedict of Munstereifel, but principally Prior Johannes Butzbach (d. 1526). Although much of his work, both published and unpublished, survives, his chronicle of the abbey is unfortunately lost.

Laach Abbey was dissolved in the secularisation of 1802. The premises became the property, first of the occupying French, and then in 1815 of the Prussian State.

In 1820 the buildings were acquired by the Society of Jesus, who established a place of study and scholarship here. Of particular note were Fathers Gerhard Schneemann, Theodor Granderath and Florian Reiss, who produced a number of important works: the "Collectio lacensis" ("Acta et decreta sacrorum conciliorum recentiorum", 7 volumes, Freiburg, 1870–1890); the "Philosophia lacensis", a collection of learned books on the different branches of philosophy (logic, cosmology, psychology, theodicy, natural law) and published at Freiburg, 1880–1900; and, perhaps best-known, the "Stimmen aus Maria-Laach" ("Voices from Maria Laach"), appearing from 1865, at first as individual pamphlets defending against liberalism within the Roman Catholic church, and from 1871 as a regular periodical. The Jesuits were obliged to leave during the "Kulturkampf" of the 1870s.

The Benedictines of the Beuronese Congregation moved into the monastery in 1892, and it was raised into an abbey the following year. The restoration of the church, at that time still the property of Prussia, was inaugurated by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1897.

In the first half of the twentieth century Maria Laach played a leading role in the Liturgical Movement.

The abbey structure dates from between 1093 and 1177, with a paradisium added around 1225 and is considered a prime example of Romanesque architecture of the Staufen period. Despite its long construction time the well-preserved basilica with its six towers is considered to be one of the most beautiful Romanesque buildings in Germany.

Due to a considerable reduction of the lake level in the early 19th century, serious and unexpected structural damages to the church vaults and roofs were detected. Three important renovation campaigns took place - the first in the 1830s to repair the structural damages including the removal of the paradisium's upper storey (it had an upper storey at that time for accommodation facilities), the second in the 1880s including repairs after a serious fire in the southern round tower in 1885, and the third in the 1930s. Many former changes to the buildings carried out in Gothic (e. g. steep tower roofs) and Baroque style (e. g. wider windows) have been re-altered to Romanesque style.

The Maria Laach Abbey has been at the center of a controversy over its relations with the Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945. In particular Heinrich Böll, depicting in Billiards at Half-past Nine a Benedictine monastery whose monks actively and voluntarily collaborated with the Nazis, is generally considered to have had Maria Laach in mind (Wikipedia).

Formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to St Werburgh, since 1541 it has been the seat of the Bishop of Chester and now dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The building dates from between 1093 and the early 1500s, although the site may have been used for Christian worship since Roman times.

All the major styles of English medieval architecture, from Norman to Perpendicular, are present in the building.

Chester Cathedral is a Grade I listed building.

Social Butterflies art project

Tatev Monastery is another masterpiece of Armenian medieval architecture. It is a 9th century Armenian monastery located on a large basalt plateau close to the city Goris in Syunik Province of Armenia 280 km far from Yerevan. It reflects the classical style of the earlier Armenian architecture, but stands out by innovations contrived by the architects of the Syunik School. The monastic ensemble stands on the edge of a deep gorge of the Vorotan River. Tatev is known as the bishopric seat of Syunik and played a significant role in the history of the being a centre of economic, political, spiritual and cultural activity. It used to be the wealthiest medieval monastery in Armenia. According to tradition, Tatev Monastery is named after Eustateus, a disciple of St. Thaddeus the Apostle, who preached and was martyred in this region. Popular etymology includes a legend telling of an event that is tied to the construction of the main church, where an apprentice secretly climbs to the top of its steeple intending to place a cross of his own design. However, the apprentice is spotted by his master during his descent. Shocked by his discovery, the apprentice loses his foothold and falls into the abyss as he calls upon God to grant him wings, which, in Armenian is: “Ta Tev”. His name has evolved to Tatev. In the 14th and 15th centuries Tatev Monastery hosted one of the most important Armenian medieval universities, the University of Tatev, which contributed to the advancement of science, religion and philosophy, reproduction of books and development of miniature painting. Scholars of the Tatev University contributed to the preservation of Armenian culture and creed during one of its most turbulent periods in its history. All the premises of the monastery have almost survived, and you can fully visualize the routine of the monasteries of the medieval Armenia. In the Vorotan River valley, not far from the Tatev Monastery there is another beautiful monument called Tatevi Anapat. It is a 17th century Armenian monastery. It belongs to the late medieval valuable complexes of the military significance and used to be a religious and educational center located in Tatev village. The trip to the Tatev Monastery is an adventure, going through gorges and valleys and then riding above mountains on the world’s longest reversible rope way which has 5750 m length. This link, named “Wings of Tatev” connects the village of Halidzor with the Tatev Monastery. The project is executed by the Swiss competence centre of the Doppelmayr/Garaventa group and cost US$25 million. In 1995, the monasteries of Tatev, Tatevi Anapat and their adjacent areas of the Vorotan Valley were added to the tentative list of World Heritage Sites of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Memorial tablet to Sir Charles Holte (d.1722).

A familiar landmark in north Birmingham, Aston's parish church of SS Peter & Paul is also the most substantial piece of medieval architecture left anywhere near the city centre, or rather would have been had it not been so completely rebuilt in 1879-90 by J.A.Chatwin (whose work seems synonymous with Birmingham's older churches!), leaving just the 14th century west tower (with it's curiously designed upper stage, adorned with deeply recessed blank arcading) and spire. It is nonetheless a splendid sight in this otherwise not too glamourous area, and Chatwin's work is a solid exercise in neo-Perpendicular, adorned with much fine carved detail and an apse reminiscent of old St Michael's in Coventry.

The interior is most impressive, somewhat dark but richly decorated, with a mixed bag of Victorian glass (Hardman's in the apse, where I was shown the pink giraffe!) and very much of it's time, all under a fine hammerbeam roof, more elaborate over the chancel, as is the stonework generally with dramatic cusped ogee arches providing a setting for some of the many tombs. There are several good medieval monuments with effigies, mostly to the Holte family and the bulk concentrated in the Erdington Chapel on the south side. None are of the highest quality or best condition, but a worthy collection nevertheless. The largest monument is the 1620s Devereux tomb with it's canopy but rather difficult to see in it's somewhat blackened state in a dark corner. There are also many Baroque and later wall tablets adorned with putti etc distributed throughout the aisles.

What would have been the most important piece of stained glass is currently stored in a crate in the north aisle, it is a large single-arched composition by Francis Eginton from 1798 with a female figure ascending to Heaven. It had been originally installed in the Erdington Chapel, but relocated in the Victorian rebuilding and hidden behind the organ for years, until more recently being removed following vandal damage. The church has no funds to restore it with and no space to put it in, but it is clearly an important work that needs to be back on display somewhere, perhaps the City Museum & Art Gallery, since they have an extensive stained glass display?

I'd been intending to visit this church for some time, but had heard it was rather difficult to get inside. I'd phoned the parish office before I left home and a very helpful young lady answered and said it'd be no problem whilst she was around (till 12ish) so I broke my journey to Erdington and made the shortish walk from Aston railway station. After struggling to find which door to knock on she emerged and kindly escorted me through the offices into the church, and after a brief introduction left me to snap away by myself. I'm afraid I got a bit carried away and when nobody arrived at 12 to lock up I pushed my luck and carried on a bit longer, only to find the poor girl was waiting patiently around the corner! I apologised and should add how grateful we should be to such individuals who generously give their time for our enjoyment of the buildings in their care.

Much of the city's medieval architecture remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. Its centre is the largest carfree area in Belgium. Interesting highlights are the Saint Bavo Cathedral with the Ghent Altarpiece, the belfry, the Gravensteen castle, and the splendid architecture along the old Graslei harbour. Ghent established a nice blend between comfort of living and history – it is not a city-museum. The city of Ghent houses also three béguinages and numerous churches, among which the Saint-James' church, the Saint-Nicolas' church and the Saint Michael's church are the most beautiful examples.

In the nineteenth century Ghent's most famous architect, Louis Roelandt, built the university hall Aula, the opera house and the main courthouse. Highlights of modern architecture are the university buildings (the Boekentoren or Book Tower) by Henry Van de Velde. There are also a few theatres from diverse periods.

The beguinages, as well as the belfry and adjacent cloth hall, were recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1998 and 1999

I only had time for a quick glance as visitors were being ushered out but it seems this chapel was locked anyway for whatever works were ongoing.

Originally founded as an Augustinian abbey in 1140, Bristol Cathedral has had a more chequered history than most, having only been elevated to a diocesan church in 1542 following the dissolution of the monastery. At the time it was granted cathedral status the church was also incomplete, a major rebuilding of the nave was underway but the Dissolution brought work to a halt and the unfinished parts were demolished. The new cathedral was a truncated church consisting of choir, transepts and central tower, (already on a smaller scale than many) and so it remained until the Victorian period when renewed interest in the Middle Ages reignited the desire to rebuild the nave. The work was done between 1868-77 to the designs of architect George Edmund Street (largely imitating the genuine medieval architecture of the choir) whilst the west front with its twin towers wasn't finished until 1888 (to the design of J.L.Pearson). Only then was Bristol cathedral a complete church again, after a gap of more than three centuries.

Architecturally this is also a rather unique building in England, since it follows the German pattern of a 'hall-church' where the main vessel (nave & choir) and the side aisles are all of the same height, thus there is no clerestorey and the aisle windows rise to the full height of the building. Externally this gives the building a rather more solid, muscular look, whilst within there is a greater sense of enclosed space, with the columns merging into the vaulted ceilings like trees sprouting branches. There are many striking architectural innovations here that don't seem to have been repeated elsewhere in 14th/15th century England, such as the distinctive designs of the choir aisle vaults which appear to rest on pierced bracings and the 'stellate' tomb-recesses punctuating the walls below. Further eccentric touches can be found in some of the side chapels of the eastern arm. Another unique feature is the fact the cathedral has two Lady Chapels, the major one being below the east window behind the high altar, whilst a further chapel (one of the earliest parts of the church) is attached to the north transept.

Beyond its impressive architectural features the cathedral contains much of interest, with its late medieval choir stalls surviving along with a few much restored elements of its 14th century glass (along with an interesting mixture of windows from later centuries) and several monumental tombs of note. Parts of the monastic complex remain too, with two sides of the cloister remaining and the superb Norman chapter house (one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture and carving in the country with some wonderfully rich-non-figurative decoration).

Frustratingly this visit was cut rather short by an impending service so I had to leave before making a full circuit of the building (it wasn't my first visit fortunately but my first opportunity to use a decent camera here) so much will have to wait until I find myself in Bristol again. I got around the bulk of the church but had to leave before I could get any shots of the north choir aisle and lady chapels (and had to miss the superb chapter house altogether). Unfinished business, an excuse to return.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Cathedral

Much fuller photographic coverage here:-

paulscottinfo.ipage.com/england/cathedrals/bristol/

Memorial in the north nave aisle at Gloucester to Sarah Morley who died at sea in 1784. The sculptor was John Flaxman.

Gloucester Cathedral is one of England's finest churches, a masterpiece of medieval architecture consisting of a uniquely beautiful fusion of Norman Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic from the mid 14th century onwards. Until the Reformation this was merely Gloucester's Abbey of St Peter, under Henry VIII it became one of six former monastic churches to be promoted to cathedral status, thus saving the great church from the ravages of the Dissolution.

The most obviously Norman part is the nave, immediately apparent on entering the building with it's round arches and thick columns (the exterior is the result of Gothic remodelling). Much of the remainder of the building is substantially the Norman structure also, but almost entirely modified in the later Middle Ages inside and out, the result of the great revenue brought to the abbey by pilgrims to the tomb of the murdered King Edward II in the choir. It was this transformation of the Norman church that is credited with launching the late gothic Perpendicular style in England.

The gothic choir is a unique and spectacular work, the walls so heavily panelled as to suggest a huge stone cage (disguising the Norman arches behind) crowned by a glorious net-like vault adorned with numerous bosses (those over the Altar with superb figures of Christ and angels) whilst the east wall is entirely glazing in delicate stone tracery, and still preserving most of it's original 14th century stained glass. The soaring central tower, also richly panelled with delicate pinnacles, is another testament to the abbey's increasing wealth at this time.

The latest medieval additions to the church are equally glorious, the Lady Chapel is entered through the enormous east window and is itself a largely glazed structure, though the original glass has been reduced to a few fragments in the east window, the remainder now contains beautiful Arts & Crafts stained glass by Christopher and Veronica Whall.

The early 16th century cloisters to the north of the nave are some of the most beautiful anywhere, being completely covered by exquisite fan vaulting, with a seperate lavatorium (washing room) attached to the north walk as a miniature version of the main passages.

There is much more of interest, from 14th century choir stalls with misericords to the comprehensive collection of tombs and monuments of various dates, including the elaborate tomb of Edward II and that of Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of William the Conqueror. The stained glass also represents all ages, from the 14th century to the striking contemporary windows by Tom Denny.

Further areas of the cathedral can be accessed at certain times, such as the Norman crypt under the choir and the triforium gallery above.

My visit coincided with the major 'Crucible' exhibition of contemporary sculpture (September-October 2010), examples of which I will upload in due course.

St John's sits at the entrance to Spon Street, that rare enclave of medieval architecture in Coventry's mostly post-war city centre. Being on the fringe of city's heart it generally gets less attention from visitors, thus one feels that in any other setting it would be far more celebrated, George Gilbert Scott, who restored the church in 1877, considered it 'one of the most beautiful churches in England'. The church luckily escaped major damage in the November 1940 Blitz that destroyed so much else in the city, beyond the loss of much (but not all) of it's Victorian stained glass.

The church was founded in 1342 by Queen Isabella, mother of Edward III, but most of what we see today is 15th century work, though evidently of different phases. The church sits on a relatively small site, but what it lacks in length and width it gains in height, and with it's tapering and unusually narrow clerestorey windows and central tower it gives the impression of a cathedral in miniature. The tower has oddly corbelled-out turrets at it's corners, an over-exaggeration of the original design by Scott; his main intervention on the exterior otherwise was the renewal of much of the stonework, since warm red sandstone is one of the least resistant to weathering.

The interior is surprisingly light for a sandstone church, the result of the large Perpendicular windows and extensive clerestorey that creates a 'glass cage' effect in the higher parts of the church. It is also rather narrow, which accentuates the proportions and sense of height further, a good example of architectural limitations and constraints turned to an advantage. There are some good medieval carvings surviving higher up, but otherwise aside from the fine Perpendicular architecture itself the impression is largely of early 20th century High Church Anglican worship, as most of the furnishings appear to date from this time, though they are nonetheless attractive and sympathetic to the building.

The lack of any relics of the Middle Ages in wood or glass or monuments of later periods is explained by the history of the church, since it actually ceased to be used for worship in the 1590s and for several centuries suffered various indignities of secular use, such as a prison for Scottish rebels captured after the Battle of Preston during the Civil War in 1648 (these rebels, loyal to the King, were shunned in the Parliamentarian held city, thus the phrase being 'Sent to Coventry' was born!). Other uses included as a stables, a market and a winding and dying house for cloth, before being eventually restored to church use in the 19th century. We should at least be glad that being put to other uses at least preserved the structure through it's centuries of hibernation.

The church posesses an interesting mixture of stained glass, from Victorian and Edwardian pieces that survived the bombing, to the more prominent and colourful windows installed in the 1950s. However it is interesting to note how the postwar glass here predates the nearby Cathedral's windows by only a few years, but is still highly figurative and traditional in approach, thus still a far cry from the revolutionary new works that Coventry became famous for less than a decade later.

St John's is open on saturday mornings but otherwise kept locked owing to concerns over security. Sadly it has suffered attacks from stone-throwing idiots on several occasions in recent years (I have repaired minor damage to several of the windows here) but the parishoners remain welcoming and friendly in spite of a difficult environment. It is a lovely church and well worth a visit.

For more detail and images see it's entry on the Warwickshire Churches website below:-

warwickshirechurches.weebly.com/coventry---st-john-the-ba...

Wells Cathedral is a magical place to me, having cast a spell over me from the very first time I laid eyes on it as a seven-year old when it started to be a regular break on our journeys south west for childhood holidays. Although it wasn't the first cathedral I'd encountered it was the first I'd seen after developing a more conscious interest in church art and architecture and it seemed to me like something from another world (which in many ways it is). I never forgot the impression it made, its beauties inside and out, and having not visited for nearly three decades I decided getting reacquainted was long overdue.

Described as England's 'Queen amongst cathedrals' it is not as huge as some but it is as beautiful as any, and its setting within the enclosure of a charming cathedral close that constitutes a large part of this modestly-sized but picturesque cathedral-city just adds to its qualities. Its three towers beckon the visitor through the turreted gates that connect the close to the market place and to walk through these and behold the west facade for the first time is an unforgettable experience. The central tower is a beautiful example of Somerset's pinnacled late Gothic masterpieces, and yet it almost disappears, practically forgotten, when one encounters the rich display between the two western towers with their curiously flat parapets. These towers are also mainly 15th century work, but below them, and built two centuries earlier, the facade unfolds like a huge screen covered with niches, most of which remarkably retain their original statues, the largest display of medieval sculpture surviving in England.

Currently visitors are directed to enter via the cloisters on the south side rather than through the surprisingly small, almost apologetic doorways burrowed through the base of this astonishing facade, so it is important to spend some time absorbing it before entering the building. Once inside the effect is rather calmer than the riot of ornamentation on the west front, and the scale a little more intimate and inviting than many cathedral interiors. Most of it is early 13th century and harmonious in style, but it is a later addition that draws the eye looking down the nave, the unique 'scissor arches' installed to brace the crossing in order to stabilise the central tower following signs of movement. The transepts beyond are of the same date and design as the nave, whilst further east the more ornate choir is a little later, being completed in the early 14th century. Beyond this the retrochoir and polygonal Lady Chapel with their delicate pillars and vaults form one of the most delightful and visually satisfying of English medieval interiors.

Furnishings and features of interest are plentiful as one explores the church admiring the beauty of its architecture, with much medieval glass surviving at the east end, the east window and the adjoining clerestories having survived almost intact (more survives in the choir aisles and lady chapel though aside from the traceries most is in a fragmentary state). Many medieval bishops effigies are to be seen (many forming a posthumous 13th century commemoration of earlier Saxon bishops) along with three chantry chapels. In the north transept is the famous medieval astronomical clock with its painted dials and jousting knights marking the quarter hours.

One of the most exquisite features is the chapter house also on the north side, approached via a delightfully timeworn staircase and covered by a particularly attractive vaulted ceiling. It is one of the highlights of the building and shouldn't be missed. The cloisters on the south side are also a delight to wander through and were one of the last major additions to the cathedral.

Wells Cathedral is without a doubt one of the country's greatest treasures and in my mind one of the most beautiful churches anywhere and even its surroundings are a joy to explore. It is sad to think of it closed at present owing to the current lockdown, it deserves to be visited and enjoyed again by all once the present crisis is over.

www.wellscathedral.org.uk/

The church of St Mary at Stoughton is a handsome building standing on high ground in a rural setting a short distance to the east of Leicester's-outer suburbia. At first sight it appears to be a largely 14th century building thanks to the fine tower and crocketed spire that dominate the view and date from this period, however the rest of the building beyond the tower was mostly rebuilt in 1862, though it appears the north aisle with its large windows is original medieval work. The slender shaft of the 14th century churchyard cross still stands amidst the trees opposite the south porch.

After the disappointment of the previous church this one looked much more hopeful with the porch door ajar invitingly, however this turned out to be the only part of the church that was open, the inner doors being firmly locked and the ride & stride form (with quite a few signatures already) left here so that no one had to venture in any further (not the last time I'd see this arrangement but happily in most other cases the doors beyond yielded). I had to make do with peering through the plain-glazed windows (which at least enabled some decent internal views and a glimpse of the mid-16th century Farnham-tomb in the north aisle).

With a second disappointment and two churches that the published listed suggested would be 'open' and weren't I was wondering if I'd made a mistake coming out and I'd find them all this way, contemplating giving up if I came up against yet more locked doors! Thankfully my perseverance paid off before long.

Ely Cathedral is in the top rank of the great English cathedrals, and indeed earns its place among the best of medieval churches internationally for its unique architecture and astonishing beauty. It is a church I've visited several times over the years and never fails to impress, its form at once imposing and strikingly individual. Owing to the flatness of the surrounding countryside it is visible from afar as a major landmark, which makes approaching this tiny city all the more enticing.

The church was founded as an abbey by St Etheldreda in 672 and didn't achieve cathedral status until the foundation of the diocese in 1109. Much of the present building dates from the following years, with the nave and transepts still substantially as they were built (aside from a few altered windows and later ceilings) and a fine example of Norman / Romanesque architecture. A little later during the 1170s the soaring west tower and western transepts were added which would have created a magnificent facade when complete and of a type rarely seen in this country. The style is richer with more use of ornamentation than before, but also many of the arches (particularly the upper parts of the tower) are pointed, making it an early example of the transition to Gothic (the octagonal top storey is from two centuries later, but follows the original overall plan in form, if not detail). The north-west transept however collapsed in the late 15th century and was never rebuilt, leaving the front of the cathedral will the curiously lopsided but not unattractive west front we see today. The Galilee porch that projects from the base of the tower dates from the beginning of the 13th century, only a few decades later but now fully Gothic in style.

The Norman eastern limb had been fairly short so the next major building phases saw the great eastward extension of the presbytery built in Gothic style in 1234-50. It makes an interesting contrast with the earlier parts of the building being so rich in style, externally punctuated with pinnacles and flying buttresses and profusely ornamented withing, making the Romanesque nave and transepts seem somewhat austere by comparison. Then in 1321 an ambitious new lady chapel was begun at the north-east corner, but soon afterwards work was delayed by unforeseen events.

In 1322 the old Norman central tower collapsed, bringing down with it most of the old Romanesque choir (but not the recently built presbytery beyond). The aftermath left the cathedral with a gaping hole at its heart, but this must have inspired those charged with its recovery, and under the direction of Alan of Walsingham the crossing was rebuilt in a unique way; rather than build a new tower of a similar form the central piers that supported it were entirely cleared away along with the adjoining bay of nave, transepts and choir to create a much larger octagonal central space. This then rose to become the unique central tower that Ely is so famous for, the Octagon, a combination of a lower octagonal tower built of stone crowned by a delicate lantern built of wood and covered with lead externally. The result is an incredible, piece of architecture, and the view inside of the open space rising to the curved vaults above on which the glazed lantern appears to float is unforgettable.

After the Octagon and beautifully spacious and richly adorned Lady Chapel were completed there was no more major work at the cathedral. The transept roofs were replaced in the 15th century with the wooden hammerbeam structures we see today, adorned with large angel figures in the East Anglian tradition. The most significant late medieval additions are the two sumptuously decorated chantry chapels built within the end of each choir aisle, each a riot of later medieval ornament and Bishop West's also being remarkable for its fusion of Gothic and Renaissance detail. The cloister appears to have been rebuilt at a similar stage though sadly very little of it survives today.

Sadly the Reformation saw a wave of iconoclasm of particular ferocity unleashed here in Ely. The most telling reminder is the Lady Chapel with its richly ornamented arcading carved with hundreds of small scenes and figures, all brutally beheaded (not a single head survives). Free standing statues in niches have all gone without trace, but in the case of Bishop West's chantry chapel the topmost figures were carved in relief, so these were hammered away leaving the mutilated remains as a testament to zealotry and intolerance. Most of the stained glass appears to have also been removed around this time, so there was surprisingly little damage here during the Civil War a century later as the Puritan frenzy had already been unleashed.

A corner of the north transept collapsed in 1699 but was rebuilt almost identically, a rare early example of such an exacting approach to reconstruction. The classical form of a window and doorway below are the only reminders of the rebuilding, some say with advice from Christopher Wren whose uncle had been bishop here decades earlier (Wren knew the cathedral as a result, and the Octagon is believed to have inspired his plans for St Paul's, as the ground plans of the Octagon and his domed central space at St Paul's are remarkably similar).

The cathedral saw further changes in the 18th century when the structure was in need of repair. James Essex was called in to repair the Octagon and the wooden lantern was stabilised but its external was appearance simplified by stripping away much of its original detail. The medieval choir stalls had originally sat directly underneath the Octagon with painted walls on either side, but these were removed at this time and the stalls relocated further east to the position they are in now. Sadly the Norman pulpitum screen at the end of the nave was also removed (the earliest of its kind to survive in any cathedral).

By the mid 19th century tastes had changed again and the Victorian preference for richness over Georgian austerity saw the cathedral restored under the direction of George Gilbert Scott. He restored the Octagon lantern to something much closer to its original appearance and added new screens at the crossing and behind the altar. Stained glass gradually filled the cathedral again and it remains one of the richest collections of Victorian glass in the country. The ceiling of the nave which had been left plain for centuries was given a new richly painted finish with scenes from the Old & New Testaments, begun by Henry le Strange but finished by Thomas Gambier Parry after the former had died halfway through the project. Gambier Parry also undertook the lavish redecoration of the interior of the Octagon lantern.

The cathedral has remained little change since and is one of the rewarding in the country. There is much of beauty to enjoy here beyond the architecture, with many interesting tombs and monuments from the medieval and post-Reformation periods. There is a wealth of stained glass of unusual richness; not everyone appreciates Victorian glass (indeed Alec Clifton Taylor was quite scathing about the glass here) but while it is very mixed I find much of it is of remarkably high quality.

Since 1972 the Stained Glass Museum has been housed in the nave triforium (originally on the north side, it was later transferred to the south where it currently remains). This is the only collection in the country solely devoted to the medium and is a great ambassador for it, with fine pieces covering a range of styles and illustrating the development of the art through the various backlit panels on show in the gallery.

Visitors can usually take tours to ascend the Octagon and even the west tower on more select days. Tours do get booked up though so it took me many visits before I could make my ascent, but happily this time I finally managed it and it was a wonderful experience I won't forget. Frustratingly I was unable to ascend the west tower since I was at a symposium on the day when tours were held so I hope to have better luck next time.

For more historical detail and context see below:-

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely_Cathedral

For entry fees and tower tours see the cathedral's website below:-

www.elycathedral.org/