Wooler is one of those small rural towns that feels as if it has seen better days. However the Ramblers Cafe does a nice bacon and egg roll, and the market place is having a makeover. The church is here in the centre – NU993281 – and it feels like a Scottish chapel when you walk in. There was a C12 church on this site, but the current building was completed in 1765, replacing an earlier church which had been in a state of disrepair for many years and was eventually destroyed by fire.
The Reverend William Haigh (incumbent 1805-35) was responsible for the enlargement of the church, doubling the width of the Nave. This is his memorial tablet, with his wife next to him – she gets the most words!
In the south aisle is the pennant of the Loyal Glendale Rangers which was raised to defend Glendale from Napoleonic invasion, but never needed. I did a google to see if I could find out anything more about them, and failed. I have this vision of Corporal Jones et al.
A rather nice tapestry, pulpit fall, and books and flowers by the font.
The Chancel and vestries were added in 1913. Rather nice angels either side of the Chancel. The East Window is by Harry Stammers of York – Christ in glory – 1962. There’s a flickr album of his windows here. The two either side are Evetts’.
The leaflet for the church is a badly copied piece of photocopying, but there is a very good colour leaflet “Glendale Church Trail” with an excellent website. I still have a lot of churches to visit in this, the far north, of the County. Finally – this is a wonderful headstone. I would love to know the story behind it. Why was the second son added?
