I started the day by walking across the road to St Edmund’s church, Stoulton. S0 907497. When I go online in June to find out the details of the church, the website I find is that of Sandy Marchant, the owner of The Old Vicarage – https://www.stoultonworcester.org/. Have a look at it, find out about the holiday flats (but if we can’t book it again because a reader of northernvicar has got there first, I shall be most annoyed!), and read their Vision 2020 documents. This is what can be done when one or two people get the community behind their village church. St Edmund’s churches are very special to me – and I’ll do anything I can to help. (I’ve suggested to our choir we have an afternoon out next summer).
The church is Norman, dating to at least 1120. The West Tower was rebuilt in the 1930s, and the porch is modernish (though it doesn’t feel like it). Flat access and usually unlocked (though I know where the key is kept!).
It is not a church you walk into and go “wow”, but you find a folder of info about the plans, a sheet about the Community Mural (have a look at https://www.stoultonworcester.org/community-mural/ for more details) and a kneeler featuring the Vicarage.
There’s a nice Hatchment, a memorial or two, and a font made of a substantial piece of stone.
There is a memorial to a hard-working and long-lasting Vicar, a memorial to a head-working and long-lasting Churchwarden, and a memorial to men who served their Country – I suspect many of those who died were anything but ‘long-lasting.’
The Chancel has more comfy seats for worship, and a nice east window and carvings.
I then went for a stroll round the back. Part of their Vision is to reopen the south door. With a second exit you can do rather more with a building, and we know our buildings have got to be used. Rather nice blind arcading over the door. I will return.
