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The visitor to this unusual and very imposing church immediately gets the impression that here are two churches built side by side, with the one on the north side being older than the one on the south. There was once a priory here, stripped of its chancel after the Dissolution. The interior is the nave of the old priory church. In the days of the priory the south aisle served as the parish church.
The large east window was inserted after the collapse of the disused chancel in 1592. According to Simon Jenkins, St Germanus' Church has two treasures - the glass in this ten light east window, which is a masterpiece by Sir Edward Burne-Jones - and a monument by the leading 18th century sculptor John Michael Rysbrack in the north-west corner of the church to Edward Elliot MP (see below).
Explore June 19, 2024
Within these walls at Raby dwelt knights clad in armor, gleaming under the flickering torchlight. Amidst this splendor, beyond the polished armor, lay a solemn duty woven into the fabric of their existence. All was not the fairytale it seems today, for beyond the castle walls, the realm teemed with treachery and the ever-looming threat of darkness.
Please enjoy the medieval details in Large. Thank you so much for your visit!
Peeblespair Website ~ Instagram~ Artfully Giving
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The beautiful cathedral, Bishops Palace and Gardens at Wells, Somerset, England. There has been a church on this site since 700 AD with the cathedral being built 1175 AD.
Stonecarving in the north ambulatory of Tewkesbury Abbey. I presume this is from the dramatic extension of the quire and addition of side aisles in 1349-59.
The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury – commonly known as Tewkesbury Abbey – is located in the English county of Gloucestershire. A former Benedictine monastery, it is now a parish church. Considered one of the finest examples of Norman architecture in Britain, it has the largest Romanesque crossing tower in Europe. Tewkesbury had been a centre for worship since the 7th Century. A priory was established there in the 10th Century. The present building was started in the early 12th Century. It was unsuccessfully used as a sanctuary in the Wars of the Roses. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, it became the parish church for the town. George Gilbert Scott led the Restoration of the building in the late 19th Century.
The churchmanship of the Abbey is strongly Anglo-Catholic.
This description incorporates text from the English Wikipedia.
The Belfry of Ghent in Belgium is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Throughout the time the bell tower served beyond its original religious purpose and orchestrated with the earthly life of the evolving medieval city. It sent hourly chimes, various warnings and even functioned as a fortified watchtower.
The Church of St. John Baptist in the attractive Gloucestershire market town of Cirencester is a parish church of the Church of England and a Grade I listed building.
It is built of Cotswold stone and is one of the "largest parish churches in England". It contains various tombs and monuments with some fragments of medieval stained glass and wall paintings.
The building reflects architectural styles since the 12th century. The chancel and attached chapel represent the oldest part with the nave having been rebuilt twice and the tower added around 1400. The south porch was built by Cirencester Abbey around 1480 as an administration building, used as a town hall after the Reformation, and only connected to the church in the 18th century.
Construction of the current church started in the 12th century on the site of an earlier Saxon one. The nave has been rebuilt twice times, most recently between 1516 and 1530, and is “and is a remarkable example of late Perpendicular Gothic architecture”.
St John the Baptist anchors Cirencester’s handsome Market Place.
This description incorporates text from the English Wikipedia.
Vicars' Close, in Wells, Somerset, England, is claimed to be the oldest purely residential street with original buildings surviving intact in Europe. Dating back to 1340. Beautiful gem of a place.
Samsung phone photos of my visit to the Tower of London the 2nd of July 2021. I had to book a ticket on line so booked the first slot at 9am. It was very slow there due to Covid-19 but great to visit without the crowds that would be there from all over the world in normal times. The Tower of London dates back to 1066 with the White Tower being built in 1078. The castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Last shot of the night, at St Peter's, Poulshot, at 3.30 am during the Great Aurora of 10-11 May 2024. Those rays in the right of shot continued to be dramatically visible even as I drove home eastwards into the gathering dawn (nautical twilight began at 3.47 am). There isn't any street or domestic light to light this side of the church, so the result is a little grainy at ISO 800, even on a 30 second exposure.
The green light is from the screen of a contactless payment reader. I see we'd left the light in the tower on as well; this was not intentional!
The best thing I can do for a description of St Peter's in the Wiltshire village of Poulshot, near Devizes, is to copy the text of the Small Pilgrimage Places Network page about the church, which is repoduced with gratitude.
“St Peter’s Church lies in the vale of Seend, to the north of the Salisbury Plain. To truly appreciate the tranquil, peaceful atmosphere present within the St Peter’s, it requires a visit. There is an air of still and calm throughout the church. It is a simple, not large, stone church set apart from the village in the countryside. This makes it a quiet place, being surrounded by fields. Unlike many other historic churches, St Peter’s is a light place, with lots of sunlight, giving it a life giving and open feel. It is a place particularly suited for the Celtic services held there once a month on a Wednesday evening. Its unpretentious nature and peaceful atmosphere make it ideal for quiet contemplation and prayer. Its simplicity makes it a place to concentrate the mind and to centre oneself in the still calm.
“The oldest parts of the church, including the Nave, date to the 13th Century. It underwent considerable alterations in the 15th Century. A fire in the church in 1916 destroyed the main part of the nave roof which was subsequently rebuilt.
The church was built outside of the village and to this day remains set apart from the village. This was thought to be because of Plague fears, which link with the history of St Peter’s through the presence of Plague pits in the churchyard, denoted by the location of skull and crossbones set in the stone on one side of the church. This is a fascinating part of St Peter’s history, giving reason for why the main part of Poulshot is so distant from the church. The history of St Peter’s is also found in the presence of a dole stone in the corner of the churchyard on which alms and dole would have been distributed to those in need in the village.
“The churchyard is a picturesque place, with grassy verges and snowdrops in spring as well as other wildlife throughout the year. Situated where it is, it also has beautiful views of Salisbury plain and the countryside around.”
One of the grand country estates in the south of Leicestershire is Nevill Holt, which overlooks the Welland Valley, just north of the border with Northamptonshire.
Nevill Holt Hall is a Grade I-listed building, dating back to around 1400. The Cunard shipping family owned the estate from 1876 to 1912 and Nancy Cunard (1896–1965), writer, publisher and society hostess, was born here. In 1919 the hall became a preparatory school, initially linked with Uppingham School. Run by the Phillips family from 1928, the boarding school closed in 1998 due to falling rolls.
In 2000, the Hall was bought and restored by Carphone Warehouse co-founder David Ross who had visited the prep school which a friend of his at Uppingham School had attended. Ross has built a theatre to seat 350 within the 17th century stable courtyard which had formerly housed a science laboratory, indoor swimming pool and classrooms. In the summer, the Nevill Holt Opera Festival takes place here.
The church forms a group of buildings with the Hall. Dedicated to St Mary it dates largely from the 13th century but has had many perpendicular features added.
Source: Wikipedia
A imagem retrata a Rua da Cadeia, em Castelo Rodrigo, uma das Aldeias Históricas de Portugal, situada no concelho de Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo. Esta rua de traçado medieval é flanqueada por casas em pedra, algumas com elementos manuelinos e vestígios da presença judaica, como inscrições e símbolos nas fachadas. Destaca-se também a antiga Casa da Cadeia, construída no período manuelino, que funcionou como cadeia até 1836 e conserva marcas do antigo gradeamento. Elevada no topo de um monte e cercada por muralhas, a aldeia foi fundada no século XIII e mantém o seu traçado medieval, constituindo um exemplar importante do património histórico português. Além disso, Castelo Rodrigo é reconhecida pelo seu património monumental, incluindo as muralhas e as ruínas do palácio de Cristóvão de Moura, além da sua relevância histórica na defesa da fronteira e na rota de peregrinos para Santiago de Compostela.
The image shows Rua da Cadeia, in Castelo Rodrigo, one of Portugal's Historic Villages, located in the municipality of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo. This medieval street is flanked by stone houses, some with Manueline elements and traces of the Jewish presence, such as inscriptions and symbols on the façades. Also noteworthy is the old Casa da Cadeia, built in the Manueline period, which functioned as a jail until 1836 and retains traces of the old railing. Perched on top of a hill and surrounded by walls, the village was founded in the 13th century and retains its medieval layout, making it an important example of Portugal's historical heritage. Castelo Rodrigo is also renowned for its monumental heritage, including the walls and the ruins of Cristóvão de Moura's palace, as well as its historical importance in defending the border and on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela.
Mdina the ancient capital city of Malta. The Silent City with St Paul's Cathedral as its centre of worship. Mdina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The beautiful cathedral, Bishops Palace and Gardens at Wells, Somerset, England. There has been a church on this site since 700 AD with the cathedral being built 1175 AD.
My romance with Norman Gothic Cathedrals continues with Chichester cathedral or The Cathedral Church Of The Holy Trinity in West Sussex England. Founded in 1075, just 9 years after the Norman Conquest of England.
This Fridays trip was a short one to Winchester Cathedral. The original cathedral was founded in 642AD an todays cathedral was built by the Normans in 1079. Winchester in Hampshire was once the capital city of Anglo Saxon England. Winchester cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe.
It is well worth reading the Wiki page if you are interested in English history.
Salisbury Cathedral and local area the City of Salisbury in Wiltshire England. A Gothic cathedral which was built between 1220 and 1258. The spire is the tallest in the UK and it also has the worlds oldest working clock. Beautiful old city and cathedra. Former British Prime Minister Sir Ted Heath lived near cathedral too.
The Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn is an exceptionally complete and well-preserved medieval northern European trading city on the coast of the Baltic Sea.
The city developed as a significant centre of the Hanseatic League during the major period of activity of this great trading organization in the 13th-16th centuries.
A detail of the exquisite ground level interior of the Sainte Chapelle, consecrated under King Saint-Louis in 1248. This lower chapel served as the parish church for the members of the royal palace that was located on the Ile de la Cite at the time.
For information about the architecture of this astonishing 13th century building: architecture.relig.free.fr/chapelle_en.htm
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Here is what I wrote in 2005 about my experience in the upper chapel where the stained glass windows are.
Un vrai bijou de la Douce France, parmi les centaines de merveilles de ce pays de merveilles. J'aurais bien voulu reste' ici longtemps, mais la nuit tombait - c'etait la derniere visite de la journee - et nous ne pouvions pas tarder. Neanmoins j'ai tente' plusieurs photos, sans trepieds biensure, a cause de la foule qu l'on voit a peine, en bas de la photo. Quoi dire sure ce lieu: deux mots: un veritable tresor.
It was late afternoon on an overcast winter day, so the light in this astonishing jewel of a place was dim. The last time I'd marvelled at these glorious windows had been years before, when I was a teenager. It was a bright spring day and they were sparkling in the sun. On that visit, there had been barely a handful of visitors, and one could walk around with ease.
This visit was entirely different and magical in its own way. I loved how the rich colors of the glass came through better in the dim light, giving the space a more contemplative and peaceful mood. The number of visitors on the other hand, was indeed a surprise! You can see that the entire tiny space of this beloved jewel of French Medieval architecture is filled with people, many of whose faces were, like mine, tilted upwards to marvel at the sight.
There were a few attendants regularly asking the crowd to be silent so that this breathtakingly beautiful and delicate work of art could be enjoyed in the mood it was intended to be experienced. There would be a wave of voices: excited voices and whispers, that turned into a veritable din, then there would be a hushed silence for a few moments....until people's enthusiasm for the beauty took them over and once again the place would explode in a wave of intense sound, then silence again as the attendants asked for quiet. The enthusiasm and awe were palpable.
Altogether a mesmerizing and awesome masterpiece of High Gothic Medieval art. Unique because the entire chapel -- of which this is one corner -- is almost entirely made of glass, with hardly any masonry to hold up these sheets of color and light, made of 100's of 1000's of bits of gorgeous color that surround one completely with their beauty.
About the Sainte Chapelle: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Chapelle
The Historic Centre of Sighisoara (Sighisoara Citadel) is the old historic center of the town, built in the 12th century by Saxon settlers. It is an inhabited medieval citadel that, in 1999, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its 850-year-old testament to the history and culture of the Transylvanian Saxons.
Birthplace of Vlad III the Impaler.
The city marks the upper boundary of the Land of Sachsen. Like its bigger brothers, Sibiu and Brasov, Sighisoara exhibits Medieval German architectural and cultural heritage that was preserved even during the Communist period.
El Centro Histórico de Sighisoara (Ciudadela de Sighisoara) es el antiguo centro histórico de la ciudad, construido en el siglo XII por colonos sajones. Es una ciudadela medieval habitada que, en 1999, fue designada Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la UNESCO por su testimonio de 850 años de la historia y la cultura de los sajones de Transilvania.
Lugar de nacimiento de Vlad III el Empalador.
La ciudad marca el límite superior de la Tierra de Sachsen. Al igual que sus hermanos mayores, Sibiu y Brasov, Sighisoara exhibe el patrimonio arquitectónico y cultural medieval alemán que se conservó incluso durante el período comunista.
Sighisoara. Romania Europe
Marwell Hall in Colden Common near Winchester Hampshire is a stately home built in 1320 on the site of a former house. It once belonged to the Seymour family and Henry VIII married Jane Seymour there in 1536. Marwell Hall is now the centre of Marwell Zoological Park
The Lady Chapel in St Mary Redcliffe is particularly famous for its Harry Stammers stained glass, dating to the early 1960s. But the Lady Chapel itself is much, much, older—it was completed in 1385.
The Lady Chapel windows were designed and installed between 1960 and 1965. They are the only windows anywhere in the church that were designed as a collection and are in the location for which they were specifically intended.
They depict the Magnificat, Mary’s song of rejoicing at the coming saviour whose mother she was to be; her subsequent joys and sorrows as she experienced Christ’s life and death; they also declare the promise of salvation, particularly expressed in images of women of faith down the centuries.
The east window shows the Virgin Mary at key points in the life of Christ - his birth and his death.
In the windows on the south side there are illustrations of the Last Supper and Pentecost, and also an exquisitely placed and depicted crucifixion, resting just at the top of the small door in the south wall.
In most of these Lady Chapel windows, ordinary modern people appear alongside the saints of history - a farmer driving his horse and cart in the final window on the north side (inside the sanctuary), in the east window not just shepherds and wise men from ancient Palestine but also modern women (note the handbags), men (note the trilby hat held in hand, as a mark of respect) and children gently approaching Mary as she holds her tiny new born baby and then her dead son, Jesus.
Harry Stammers (1902-1969) was one of the greatest stained glass artists of the 20th century and the founder of the “York School” of stained glass at his studios in the great city of York. He designed magnificent and striking windows for many churches and other great buildings.
Besides the Lady Chapel windows in St Mary Redcliffe, his work can also be found in the east window of St Michael on the Hill Without, Bristol which depicts Christ in Majesty and a window in Merchants’ Hall, Clifton, the home of the city’s Merchant Venturers.
The Church of St Mary the Virgin, widely known as St Mary Redcliffe, is the main Church of England parish church for the Redcliffe district of Bristol. The first reference to a church on the site appears in 1158, with the present building dating from 1185 to 1872. The church is considered one of the country’s finest and largest parish churches as well as an outstanding example of English Gothic architecture. The church is so large it is sometimes mistaken for Bristol Cathedral by tourists. It, unsurprisingly, enjoys Grade I listed status.
The church is notable for its many large stained glass windows, decorative stone vaults, flying buttresses, rare hexagonal porch and massive Gothic spire. With a height of 84 metres to the top of the weathervane, St Mary Redcliffe is the second-tallest structure in Bristol and the sixth-tallest parish church in the country. The church spire is a major Bristol landmark, visible from across the city and until the completion of Castle Park View in 2020, was the tallest structure ever to have been erected in Bristol.
St Mary Redcliffe has received widespread critical acclaim from various architects, historians, poets, writers and monarchs. Queen Elizabeth I, on a visit to the church in 1574, described St Mary Redcliffe as “The fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in England”; Simon Jenkins gives St Mary Redcliffe the maximum five-star rating in his book ‘England’s Thousand Best Churches’, one of only eighteen to receive such a rating, describing it as a “masterpiece of English Gothic”; and Nikolaus Pevsner says that “St Mary Redcliffe need not fear comparison with any other English parish church”.
This description incorporates text from the English Wikipedia and the church’s website.
Wikipedia: This is a Romanesque Church and the word “fuoricivitas” means outside of the first set of city walls. The current building was completed in 1344. The church was severely damaged by the Allied bombings during World War II, and has undergone meticulous restoration during 1960 through the 1990s.
NB The narrow street next to the Church makes it difficult to photograph.
The original Anglo Saxon Cathedral was built in 642 and was replaced by the current Norman Cathedral in 1079.
A Plaza de Santa María, em Cáceres, é um dos espaços mais emblemáticos do centro histórico da cidade, classificado como Património Mundial pela UNESCO. Rodeada por edifícios de pedra de diferentes períodos, destaca-se o Palácio Episcopal e a Concatedral de Santa María, que conferem à praça um ambiente medieval preservado. É um ponto de passagem obrigatório para quem explora o centro histórico de Cáceres.
New Street in the Somerset village of Mells (pop. 628), leading to the parish church of St Andrew, was originally laid out for Abbot Selwood around 1470, part of a plan for a cruciform village of centre of which this was the completed element.
Number 6, nearest to camera, is perhaps the most intact, 1470 survival, subject only to minor alterations in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Next to it, the former schoolhouse, with its stonecarved emblem on the wall, may be Tudoresque, but dates only to 1887. Further down the street are further houses from Abbot Selwood’s day, although more extensively altered or rebuilt in the 19th Century.