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Ratley is a charming village perched atop the southern slopes of Edgehill, its church with the unusual dedication of St Peter ad Vincula nestling amid the lush foliage of its churchyard at the southern end of the settlement. It is built of the richly hued local ironstone and is a fairly modest building of mainly 14th to 15th century date with a square tower at its west end and a single aisle added to the nave on the south side.
Within it is a light an airy building, white rendered walls with exposed stone left only on the arches and windows which emphasises their attractive colouring. Most of the windows are plain-glazed which further increases the brightness inside. The church underwent some restoration in the Victorian period which is most apparent in the chancel, with its richly tiled floor and rather more austere reredos.
Ratley church is happily normally kept open and welcoming to visitors, like most of the Edge Hill area cvhurches.
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).
Bromsgrove parish church stands on high ground overlooking the centre of the town, it's tall proud steeple being very much a local landmark. St John the Baptist's is a largley 14th & 15th century building on a grand scale, its red sandstone giving it a warm hue.
The interior is broad and spacious and holds much of interest, most importantly several tombs with effigies from the late middle ages onwards. There was much restoration in the Victorian period and most of the glass dates from this time though shows an interesting mix of different studios.
St John's church is open to visitors at certain times but otherwise is often kept locked so it is best to check before planning a visit.
www.worcesteranddudleyhistoricchurches.org.uk/index.php?p...
Marden church sits close to the River Lugg some distance to the south west of the main part of the village. The site chosen was apparently where King / St Ethelbert was murdered by King Offa and originally buried (his remains were later transferred to a shrine in nearby Hereford). Such thoughts of a violent moment in history are far from one's mind at this pleasant and peaceful spot today (my only encounter here was with a very friendly local cat!).
Most of the present building is of 13th and 14th century date, the most noticeable feature is the tapering spire at the north west corner which is almost detached (though it touches the north aisle there is no direct access to it from within the church, it is entered instead by an external door on the east side and is often open to visitors). The proportions of the church seem a little odd at first glance with the nave roof being unusually high, but the rarest feature of all is the polygonal apse to the 14th century chancel, a common form on the Continent but quite unusual in England.
Inside the nave impresses with its sense of space height in particular, a very much vertical emphasis, whilst by contrast the chancel arch is low, revealing only a glimpse of the apsed chancel beyond. Most of the windows are clear glazed so the interior is fairly light. There are a few minor memorials of interest in the chancel, including a brass of an Elizabethan lady wearing a spiky tiara.
Marden church is normally kept open and welcoming to visitors and is well worth a look, particularly if one finds the tower open and is intrepid enough to climb it.
www.mardenvillage.co.uk/around-village/marden-parish-church/
The mostly 14th century St Andrew's church at Kegworth. Sadly it is generally kept locked without keyholder information (as are the majority in Leicestershire) so I reluctantly gave up and moved on (after a short refreshment break in the churchyard).
Tomar, Portugal.
There is a well preserved aqueduct just beyond this ruined part of the convent. I was unable to reach it so here is a photo:
www.conventocristo.gov.pt/pt/index.php?s=white&pid=19...
The convent was founded by the Order of Poor Knights of the Temple (or Templar Knights) in 1118. Its construction continued until the final part of the 12th century with the construction of the oratory, in one of the angles of the castle, completed some time around 1160. Around 1190 it was encircled and resisted the armies of caliph Abu Yusuf al-Mansur who was successful in taking strongholds in the south.
During the second quarter of the 13th century, Tomar was transferred into the control of the Templars, becoming its seat. The castle became an integral part of the defense system created by the Templars to secure the border of the young Christian Kingdom against the Moors, which at the time occupied the area to approximately the Tagus River. But, following the dissolution of the Templar Order, on 14 March 1319, and following the request of King Denis of Portugal, Pope John XXII instituted the Order of Christ. The seat of the former Knights Templar was converted in 1357 into the seat of this new order.
The famous round church (rotunda) of the castle of Tomar was also built in the second half of the 12th century. The church, like some other templar churches throughout Europe, was modelled after the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which was believed by the crusaders to be a remnant of the Temple of Solomon. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem may also have served as model.
Following the dissolution of the Templar Order, in 1319 (following the request of King Denis of Portugal), Pope John XXII instituted the Order of Christ. The Templar order had been suppressed during most of Europe from 1312 to 1314, but in Portugal its members, assets, and partly its membership were transferred to the Order of Christ. The seat of the former Knights Templar was converted in 1357 into the seat of this new order. As a result, at about the first half of the 15th century, work was completed to adapt the Templar oratory, introducing an open choir to the western niche, about half-way up the wall. What remains of this adaptation was the colonnade frame with interior arch.[1] At the same time the main palace was constructed.
During the internship of Prince Henry the Navigator as its leader (1417–1450), the Order of Christ initiated the construction of two cloisters. Prior to these large works, Henry began work on constructing the Chapel of São Jorge sometime in 1426 and was responsible for urban improvements in the town of Tomar.
In 1484, King D. Manuel (who became Master of the Order in 1484 and King of Portugal in 1495) ordered the construction of a sacristy (today the Hall of Passage), that connected the choir to the Chapel of São Jorge, linking the choir with the wall of the stronghouse. By the end of the century the convent's chapterhouse, main altar, ironworks for the niche/archway, paintings and sculptures and the choir were all expanded or remodeled.
The successor of Manuel I, King John III, demilitarized the order, turning it into a more religious order. He also ordered the construction of a new cloister in 1557, which is one of the best examples of Renaissance architecture in Portugal.
In 1581, after a succession crisis, the Portuguese Nobility gathered in the Convent of Christ in Tomar and officially recognized Philip II of Spain (Philip I of Portugal) as King. This is the beginning of the Iberian Union (1581–1640), during which the Crowns of Portugal and Spain were united in a dynastic union. The aqueduct of the Convent was built during this period and completed in 1614.
The castle and Convent of Christ have examples of Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline and Renaissance architectural styles."
Throughout all my years of visiting relatives in neighbouring Woolpit the handsome tower of St John's at Elmswell has been a distant landmark, staring across at us invitingly and making me all the more curious about it. We dropped by to have a closer look at it on one occasion in my youth but alas had no luck getting inside, finding the church firmly locked. Elmswell church thus remained a bit of a mystery to me (despite its familiar face) for so long, only knowing what I missed inside from photos posted on the internet in more recent years (in fact this curiosity is how I initially stumbled upon Simon's excellent Suffolk Churches site linked below) but as luck would have it the timing of my most recent visit to the area changed all that at last.
The church sits by the road leading out of the sprawling modern village of Elmswell, but is easily missed,being set back behind a screen of foliage with a sharply angled drive leading up to it. I approached knowing that my chances of finding it open were slim as I glanced up at the eccentric flushwork patterning on the end wall of the aisle that I recalled from my childhood visit, and couldn't help feeling history was about to repeat. In the south porch however I glimpsed movement, and arrived just in time to find a gentleman emerging from inside and locking the door behind him, so I introduced myself and asked if it would be possible without delaying him too much further to have a quick look inside. He kindly agreed and showed me around, which I appreciated immensely, grateful both to him and that fate had smiled on me for once as had I turned up a minute later I would have missed out.
Inside the church is light and airy, the nave being fairly lofty for its length, but overall this interior feels very much Victorian, having been heavily restored and extended in at least three phases during the mid 19th century, the south aisle having been rebuilt and the northern one added at this time. The chancel too is largely of this date as are the most prominent furnishings, in fact it all comes as a bit of a surprise for Suffolk, given how many ancient churches in these parts remain little altered structurally at least. There are earlier features that stand out however, some fine late medieval benches remain in the aisles (though sadly shorn of their figurative arm-rest carvings by iconoclasts) and an astonishing early 17th century monument to Sir Robert Gardiner (Lord Chief Justice of Ireland under Elizabeth & James I) that dominates the east end of the south aisle (blocking the space formerly occupied by the east window which was thus replaced by the quirky patterned flushwork I admired outside).
Elmswell church isn't normally open outside of services and doesn't have a keyholder listed so getting inside requires either prior arrangement or some luck with one's timing! The locals however are friendly and accommodating regardless and the church is clearly well loved.
Tucked away in a quiet corner close to Packwood House, St Giles church is every bit as rewarding., a handsome medieval church with some interesting features and lovely glass.
The outstanding feature of the exterior is the imposing 15th century tower (of a similar design to certain others in the area) which greets the visitor. The rest of the building consists of an aisless medieval nave and chancel with an 18th century north transept in brick, built as a mortuary chapel.
Inside it can take a moment to adjust to the low light level, but the eye is drawn towards the curiously low chancel arch, around which are remains of 15th century painting showing the 'Three Quick & the Dead' (three figures in costly garments encountering three skeletons, now mostly faded, a reminder of Man's mortality then popular in art). The small chancel beyond is a lighter space that still retains a few fragments of ancient glass (though so heavily corroded to be difficult to discern) but it is the stunning east window by Richard Stubington which draws focus here, a dramatic composition of the dead Christ on the Cross with a seated angel below confronting the viewer, a beautiful example of glass of the Arts & Crafts movement (and not the only one in this church either). The north chapel contains another stained glass crucifixion but a much earlier one dating from the 14th century, while the walls here are adorned with some richly ornamented 18th century memorials.
Packwood church is a modest-sized building but one full of interest and happily normally kept open and welcoming to visitors (outside of pandemics of course, but it appears to be open again now).
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
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.
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.
Tostock is a name I'd seen on road signs so many times from childhood en route to visiting relatives in a neighbouring village and yet I'd never set foot in the place until now. I had heard the church was worth seeing, especially for its wood carvings, and was not disappointed.
St Andrew's at Tostock stands at the eastern edge of this peaceful village, enclosed in its delightfully rural churchyard set back from the road. It is a fairly small building and externally most features point towards a 15th century / late medieval date. It is a building of real charm on a small scale, though whilst the nave is fairly short it is exceedingly wide despite the lack of aisles, an unusual arrangement.
Inside the width of the nave is all the more apparent, it almost seems as wide as it is long, and all under its handsome original double-hammerbeam roof (sadly shorn of its original embellishments by post-Reformation iconoclasts, though the headless remains of the small carved post-figures of saints remain on the pendants. Originally there would most likely have been angels looking down from the sawn off rafters). It has to be said the interior on the whole has a surprisingly Victorian feel to it thanks to restoration and many of the fittings, and yet the greater part of the woodwork in here is medieval.
The real treasure of this church is its collection of late medieval benches, all carved with figurative (mainly animal) adornments and poppyheads as are found in several of the better known churches in this part of Suffolk. As in other such cases these have been augmented by cleverly matched Victorian work but this is mostly concentrated at the front few rows of the nave and the bulk of the rest is genuine original work. The only disappointing factor is the condition of some of them, many of the figures have suffered damage over the years (wear & tear rather than deliberate vandalism) and quite a few of the creatures lack faces or limbs; it should be remembered however that more famous sets nearby look so complete because they have seen careful restoration of their more timeworn elements, whereas at Tostock the originals have been left untouched by the carvers who only added newer figures to augment them.
Tostock church is well worth a look for anyone who enjoys the carved animal benches of East Anglia (they are the main attraction here), and happily normally seems to be kept open for visitors to admire.
Woolpit church is one of Suffolk's finest and also an all time favourite of mine. I have loved this church since I first set eyes on it as a young child in the late 1970s whilst attending the wedding of one of my cousins here. I was mesmerized by the riot of wood-carving within, the angels gazing down from the ceiling and the animals perched on the bench-ends, it was so unlike the austere 1960s building we attended mass in at home!
You could say my interest in churches began here; though it had been sparked by an earlier visit to Norwich (which I still recall despite only being at the age of three), Woolpit church and the artwork within it galvanised my resolve to see and learn more, pushing me in the direction of churchcrawling and even choosing a related career as a stained glass artist.
Woolpit was the family home of my Uncle, Aunt and cousins so has been familiar over many visits since childhood. Later the ashes of my maternal grandparents (the only ones I knew) were buried here in the churchyard close to the north door, and more recently my Uncle Rod joined them nearby following his funeral here. He spent his last years living in the cottage next to the churchyard. It is a place full of memories to me.
Back in the late 1990s I submitted a design for a Millennium window for this church based on the famous local legend of the Green Children of Woolpit. It received some support and even Diocesan approval but was rejected in the end on the understanding that the village needed to mark the event with something for everyone, not just the church so an allotment was provided instead. My late Uncle's calligraphic text on the Green Children legend has hung in the church for many years.
So why is this church otherwise so special? It is a beautiful mostly 15th century building, distinguished externally by a handsome two-storied porch and an elegant tower and spire (a 19th century addition after the collapse of previous towers). Within however the real glory is in the medieval roof, the double-hammerbeam angel roof over the nave is one of the finest anywhere (the angels are skillful Victorian recreations by Henry Ringham after the originals were lost to iconoclasts centuries earlier but restore the intended effect beautifully).
The medieval benches are particularly special here, all of which feature animal carvings at either end which were spared by the iconoclasts since animals didn't offend them the way saints and angels did. The benches nearer the front of the nave are careful recreations following the originals but the whole set works as a united whole and the parade of quirky creatures up the aisles is a delight to behold.
The church is usually kept open for visitors and shouldn't be missed, it is in my opinion one of the loveliest in East Anglia.
Bruges (Dutch: Brugge, stemming from Bryggja, which assumedly used to signify 'landing stage' or 'port') is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country.
The historic city centre is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. It's egg-shaped and about 430 ha in size. The surface of the complete city amounts to more than 13,840 ha, including 193.7 ha off the coast, at Zeebrugge ("sea-Bruges" in literal translation). The city's total population is more than 117,000, of which around 20,000 live in the historic centre.
Bruges has a significant economic importance, thanks to its port, and is also home to the College of Europe.
Only the tower remains of All Hallows church, but it remains a relatively rare reminder of the many medieval churches that formerly existed in the City of London before the Great Fire of 1666.
The church survived the Fire but much of it collapsed in the following years and was rebuilt aside from the tower. The whole church was earmarked for demolition in the 1870s but thankfully the medieval tower was saved.
Currently the tower is surrounded by a vast demolition / building site as a major redevelopment gets underway from which will rise another towering office block (see link below).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Hallows_Staining
Future plans of the regeneration around the church tower :-
One of a pair of decapitated figures flanking the doorway in the south wall of the transept.
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.
South aisle window by C.E.Kempe, 1895, depicting the preaching of St John the Baptist, heralding Christ.
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 be glad that being put to other uses at least preserved the structure through it's centuries of hibernation.
The church possesses 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 generally 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...
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.
Situated on the northern edge of Northamptonshire very close to the Leicestershire border, Marston Trussell is most noticeable to the traveler for the handsome tower of its medieval church, a building of mainly 13th - 14th century date. This tower seems to have a greater height than the nave has length, and the chancel being only fractionally shorter than the nave makes the building appear slightly oddly proportioned. The north porch is notable for its timber-framed outer structure, including a strangely-shaped arch partially cut through the wooden lintel.
The neat interior is bright and cheerful with its walls mostly white rendered aside from the south aisle (stripped to bare stonework). The proportions give it a more intimate feel, given the relative shortness of the nave. There is a mixture of Victorian glass in many of the windows, though a few genuine medieval fragments survive patched into the easternmost window of the south nave clerestory. The most notable feature otherwise is a fine Jacobean wall-mounted monument in the south aisle depicting the deceased gentleman kneeling at prayer.
This church is normally kept locked outside of service times and thus may require advance arrangements to see inside.
britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101216629-church-of-st-nicho...
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!
St Peter's is one of the most prominent of Ipswich's churches, its tower is a landmark at the hub of the busy road network on the southern edge of town near the waterfront. The area was once heavily industrial but is now more full of apartment blocks; regardless it does still feel a bit out of place in this rather unforgiving location (as does its near neighbour, St Mary at Quay which stands a short distance to the east).
St Peter's is one of Ipswich's many surplus churches having been made redundant in the 1970s. The following decades saw the building abused and neglected and its future in serious doubt until its more recent conversion into a concert venue for local musicians, which has seen the building restored and a stage set up in the former chancel. This use happily not only gives the church a sustainable future but respects the spatial integrity of the building with the interior otherwise retained in its original form.
The church was very heavily restored in the Victorian period when large parts of it were rebuilt and the interior we see today does appear to mostly belong to the 19th century makeover. There is however an important exception that reminds us of the church's ancient past, a superb Norman font situated at the west end (and happily the first thing one sees on entering the church via the main door under the tower). This is one of only a handful of surviving Romanesque fonts in the country carved from black Tournai marble, and the carving (depicting three feline beasts in a row on each side) has come down to us in good condition. An important survival that deserves to be better known.
After a long period of closure St Peter's is happily now open to visitors on most days of the week and is well worth visiting for its ancient font above all else.
Early 16th century carving in the one of the upper chantries of the Lady chapel in Gloucester Cathedral.
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.
View from the tower roof at GloucesterCathedral.
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.
Eltham Palace in south east London is the place where high medieval architecture and the art deco styling of the 1930s collide.
www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/sets/72157594230012929/ for the full set.
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.
After tackling some rather hilly ground just east of Daventry I arrived at Newnham, a village I'd not visited for nearly four decades. It is a pleasant place with some attractive buildings and a rather handsome church whose appearance remained ingrained in my memory for the unusual way the tower and spire sit above a base open with arches on three sides, making it look as if the whole edifice is about to stride into the street on its 'legs'!
The present church is of mostly 14th to 15th century date and built of the attractively coloured local ironstone. The tower with its open lowest stage is a remarkable feature, the space underneath being covered by a vaulted ceiling. The south porch is clearly later, a somewhat rustic addition from c1619. Most of the aisle and chancel windows are fairly large with Perpendicular style tracery.
Within the church is spacious and light, thanks largely to the aforementioned generously sized windows. Aside from two early Victorian windows at the west end there is a surprising lack of imagery in most of the 19th century glass here which may suggest a fairly low-church congregation at the time; much of the glazing is patterned and decorative rather than pictorial, with just the traceries containing iconography. A couple of ancient elements remain mixed in with these but are easily missed. Otherwise the main medieval feature of note is the mid 15th century brass of Lady Letitia Catesby affixed to the wall by the pulpit at the east end of the south aisle.
Newnham church is a very picturesque building worth a look and happily is normally open and welcoming to visitors.
britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101076538-church-of-st-micha...
In most other town's St Mary's church would be the star attraction, a splendid cruciform late medieval building in the Perpendicular style that is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the country, but in Beverley it is somewhat eclipsed by the far grander edifice at the other end of the town (the one that really draws the visitors, many of whom likely never know or think to seek out its smaller sibling at the northern edge of town).
That St Mary's is a joy in its own right is attested by many things, the architecture is a fine example of late Perpendicular crowned by a spiky central tower, while clerestories punctuate the nave, choir and transepts to flood the interior with light. The south wall of the transept is propped up by flying buttresses which add a touch of drama, while the doorway in the south porch (the main entrance) is adorned with some amusing carved faces.
Within an impressive space is revealed, both nave and choir are flanked by substantial aisles and the ceilings above are enlivened with colour, that in the choir being especially renowned for its depiction of various kings of England from the mythical Lochrine (now repainted as George VI) to Henry VI, one shown in each panel; all were however repainted by restorers in the 1860s so the effect of the original medieval work can only be guessed at (the designs were likely closely followed while the colouring was probably brightened up a fair bit).
One of the joys of St Mary's is the profusion of carvings found throughout the church, some of the best being in the roof bosses while others of note can be seen in the sumptuously vaulted north east chapel. In the nave is the 'minstrel's pillar' with a set of small figures of the men who donated it, while in the choir is a fine set of carved misericords that rewards study (and are fortunately usually on show).
Of course if the visitor only has time to visit one church in Beverley then it has to be the Minster, but St Mary's is a real gem in its own right and deserves to be better known, thus Beverley can proudly boast that both its medieval churches are first rate and shouldn't be missed.
View from the tower roof at GloucesterCathedral.
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.
Having previously visited a few either very restored or rebuilt churches on my way over here it was refreshing to arrive at Church Broughton and find a complete medieval church, and a rather attractive one too, with its neat little stunted spire poking up above the parapet of its sturdy west tower. The church is a long, low building that was basking rather handsomely in the sun by this time (a contrast to the dull weather I'd had earlier that day) and the churchyard was looking particularly attractive, a chap was mowing part of it some distance off so we exchanged cheerful waves as I approached the door.
St Michael's is a mostly 14th century building but with much evidence of earlier work, particularly inside where some Norman work remains. The interior is light and spacious, stripped back to the bare stone but this at least is pleasantly and lightly hued. One Norman pillar with a distinctive scalloped capital remains at the end of the north arcade and the curious font with its simple carved pattern is also of this period. The fittings are mostly more recent in date and most of the glazing is clear which allows more light to flood in; the only exceptions are the eats windows of the chancel and south aisle, both fairly late works by Hardmans respectively.
This was a very pleasant church to explore and good to find it open and welcoming. Before I left the chap who was mowing outside came in and we had a long chat about the glass as he said they may need to spend some money on it. I did a quick assessment of the windows' stability and advised that there was no urgent need for such expenditure as their stained glass should be sound for some time yet, which is what I'd expect of early 20th century Hardman glass. He asked if I could send some of my photos so we exchanged details accordingly.
About a week later I got a rather terse phonecall demanding to know why I hadn't emailed these photos. The intervening days had been rather traumatic for me, first losing much of the text for the book I was writing and then learning of my father's death which hit me very hard and left me unable to think of much else. I explained this and little else was said, thus I dutifully sent the photos with a covering email but never got an acknowledgement back. A pity as that's what sticks in my mind now when I think of Church Broughton nearly six years later. I hope the photos were of use, but at least if they didn't get them they'll be here for all to see now.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Michael_and_All_Angels%27_Church...
Ratley is a charming village perched atop the southern slopes of Edgehill, its church with the unusual dedication of St Peter ad Vincula nestling amid the lush foliage of its churchyard at the southern end of the settlement. It is built of the richly hued local ironstone and is a fairly modest building of mainly 14th to 15th century date with a square tower at its west end and a single aisle added to the nave on the south side.
Within it is a light an airy building, white rendered walls with exposed stone left only on the arches and windows which emphasises their attractive colouring. Most of the windows are plain-glazed which further increases the brightness inside. The church underwent some restoration in the Victorian period which is most apparent in the chancel, with its richly tiled floor and rather more austere reredos.
Ratley church is happily normally kept open and welcoming to visitors, like most of the Edge Hill area cvhurches.
Halesworth is an excellent launchpad for exploring some of Suffolk's best churches by bike from the local station with some of the most celebrated being situated a few miles to the east. It is something I intend to repeat in the near future, following the rich rewards of this trip.
St Mary's church in Halesworth is a pleasantly welcoming place, I found both north and south porches left wide open to encourage visitors to step within. What struck me most was the width of the building, with double aisles either side of the nave, a highly unusual arrangement making five in all and an almost square interior, making for some interesting lateral views punctuated by arcades and columns.
There has been significant Victorian restoration here and most of the furnishings are of this period, though the medieval font remains at the west end and is a good example of a classic 15th century East Anglian font (still a novelty to me, being less familiar with the region) carved with angels and evangelist symbols above and lions and wodehouses below. The oldest features however are the fragments of Saxon sculpture set in the chancel.
St Mary's can't compete with some of the medieval gems nearby but is worth a visit nonetheless and clearly a much used and much loved building.
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.
Warmington church stands proud on high ground overlooking the main road up the north-eastern fringe of Edgehill. The church is of mainly 13th to 14th century date and is built of the local ironstone which always adds such character with it's delightful golden-brown hue.
The colouring of the stonework is also most apparent within the nave and aisles, which are separated by solid Transitional style arcades (the pillars are Norman in character, while the arches they carry are pointed, though still partially Romanesque in spirit). There is some interesting tracery in the north aisle, particularly the pentagram design in the east window. The chancel betrays later detailing from the 14th century, most notably the fine sedilia with its cusped canopies. Frustratingly I missed the chance to see inside the two-storey extension on the north side on this visit, assuming it to be just another locked vestry, but externally it seems to be a more significant structure.
The windows of the church are largely plain-glazed, though there is stained glass of the Victorian period in the chancel and west window of the tower (none of it terribly exciting).
St Michael's church is normally kept open for visitors during the day, and is well worth a look.
All Saints church at Braybrooke is a handsome sight, standing on high ground surrounded by trees with conceal most apart from the fine steeple until one draws closer. The earliest parts are 13th century but with later features such as the 14th century tower and spire and the ample Perpendicular south chapel from the Tudor period with its large four-light windows, quite grand for a village church.
There is much of interest within, though initially the view down the nave disappoints as the church has been subdivided internally for several decades with a blank partition wall inserted to block the chancel with the altar placed here instead (I do hope this can be reversed some day). The chancel itself is accessible through the screen in the south aisle but the entire east end seems to be decommissioned and used only for storage nowadays. The south chapel (a much more impressive space than the chancel) also looks rather unloved but holds the most interesting features, with a grand Elizabethan Renaissance monument to the Griffin family and an oak effigy of a 14th century knight. On the wall here also a large Renaissance relief medallion of a moustached man, presumed to be a relic of Braybrooke Castle which once stood opposite the churchyard.
Back in the nave there are other features of note, the wooden aisle screen having some quirky carvings worth noticing, while at the west end of the aisle is a very fine square Norman font, richly carved with foliate patterns, interlacing scrollwork and a peculiar image of a mermaid next to a cross. While the font is the oldest relic here, the church's newest artwork is also rewarding, a very fine window in the north aisle depicting the Virgin & Child surrounded by the Evangelist emblems installed in 1967.
Braybrooke church is well worth a visit but alas normally kept locked. There is a keyholder but it may be easier to pre-arrange a visit with them to guarantee seeing inside the church.
A large, early gothical castle founded around 1059. This is just the southern part, the whole castle can´t be captured in whole. It´s rich history contains many sieges and reconstructions, but the worst damage came in the communist era with damaging unsensitive restoration work, but in the modern time it´s being restored to historically true state.
St Michael & All Angels church at Bugbrooke dates back mainly to the 13th & 14th centuries and is an attractive structure with a west tower and spire built of warm toned and richly patinated stone.
Inside the surfaces have been stripped back to the stonework though it retains more light than some, despite having much late Victorian glass. The chancel is a rather gloomier space adorned with memorial tablets to members of the Whitfield family.
The church is generally kept open and welcoming to visitors via a new entrance in the north porch.
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:-
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 be glad that being put to other uses at least preserved the structure through it's centuries of hibernation.
The church possesses 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 generally 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...