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December 28, 2015

North Sunderland, Northumberland – St Paul (again)

At the end of November I had a trip to North Sunderland for a DAC  visit as they want to do some work on the west end of the church. When I visited in September I got quite a few photos, there are some lovely Evetts windows (look back to see the rest), and another interesting one. On my last visit I missed the NER benches on the pavement outside. You can watch the branch line in a 1928 silent film on the British Pathe website.    
Categories Evetts' windows/Northumberland/Railway History Comments: 0
November 17, 2015

Aldborough, North Yorkshire – St Andrew

Aldborough is a Roman town, although it is many years since I have visited the English Heritage site – website – I’ll have to wait until next Spring. The church of St Andrew is in the middle of the town at  SE406664 – website. This is the third church on the site, and there may have been a Roman temple here too. We are in the middle of the Roman town of Isurium Brigantum. The Saxon church had a huge parish, stretching from the Wharfe to the Ure. A Norman church was built, which was destroyed by the Scots...
Categories Outside Northumberland/Railway History Comments: 0
November 10, 2015

Amersham, Buckinghamshire – St Michael & All Angels

Amersham on the Hill was built when the Metropolitan Line came to town. The best known film of this is John Betjeman’s Metroland – which you can watch here. There is also a 1910 film of the line here. Here is the Underground station, with a Chiltern Line train en route for Marylebone. Land was obtained for an Anglican church in 1919, but they soon decided the plans they had were too expensive – nothing changes! The church of St Michael and All Angels was founded a while ago, but this building celebrates its 50th anniversary next year. Four years...
Categories Buckinghamshire/Outside Northumberland/Railway History Comments: 0
October 15, 2015

Earsdon, North Tyneside – St Alban

After the 10 am service at Ponteland on Sunday 13 September 2015 I popped over to Earsdon to have a look at St Alban’s church (open specially for HODs) – NZ321726. They have a website – it has an aerial view film and a film you can watch about their biomass boiler. I didn’t see any guidebook or leaflet on sale – bit daft when you’re inviting people in for Heritage Open Days – but you can download their 1987 150th anniversary book. It is a church in an old village, with acres of new housing across the main road –...
Categories Evetts' windows/Newcastle upon Tyne/Railway History/World War 1 Comments: 3
September 18, 2015

Gunnerton, Northumberland – St Christopher

On Tuesday 1 September I went over to Gunnerton, where they have a railway club that meets in St Christopher’s Church. I had been invited to give my talk on John Wilson Carmichael, and it seems to have been well-received. Typing this blog, I thought I had better go and get the OS map to check its grid reference, then went on the church website – and the reference is given to me (NY905750). It also tells me the church is 109 metres above sea level. Pontelandstmary tells you the grid references, but does not tell you the height above sea...
Categories Northumberland/Railway History Comments: 0
September 12, 2015

Whitley Bay Crematorium

I have been sorting out old photos, and found several I took of the Crematorium Chapel at Whitley Bay (NZ345744). You will see that the chapel is worth a blog. I don’t do many funerals over here – most of mine are in Newcastle. Whenever I do come over, the parking notice always makes me smile. At last Julie and I have equal parking priority!   The Chapel was designed by Edward Cratney of Newcastle in 1913. It was originally the cemetery chapel. The Crematorium was added in 1960. The chapel has very fine quality Arts & Crafts style plaster...
Categories Newcastle upon Tyne/Personal/Railway History Comments: 4
August 31, 2015

Cadeby, Leicestershire – All Saints

After Shropshire and a weekend in Cheshire, we headed east. En route to Cambridge I wanted to visit Cadeby, a small village between Market Bosworth and Hinckley. When I tell you that this photo comes from a website called The Real Lives of Thomas the Tank Engine (with my thanks to them) you might have an idea who we are going to see … For 26 years the Rector of Cadeby (and Vicar of Sutton Cheney) was the Reverend Edwin Boston – known to all as Teddy. He trained at Jesus College, Cambridge (member of the Cambridge University Railway Club)...
Categories Leicestershire/Outside Northumberland/Railway History Comments: 0
August 29, 2015

Baschurch, Shropshire – All Saints

Shrewsbury and the area north is in the Diocese of Lichfield. We went for an explore north of Shrewsbury on the B road across towards Oswestry, and stopped in the village of Baschurch. We went for an explore. All Saints SJ422219 was open, good access, and looks very welcoming.According to the guidebook, there are Saxon references to the churches at Bassa. It could have stood where an earthworks now stands to the NE of the village, or have been completely demolished when the Norman church was built. The Norman church, built of the lovely local red standstone, consisted of a chancel,...
Categories Outside Northumberland/Railway History/Shropshire Comments: 2
August 24, 2015

Shrewsbury Abbey, Shropshire

Julie decided we needed to go to Shrewsbury. We got a Shopmobility buggy, did a few shops, then I escaped and walked down to Shrewsbury Abbey. Beautiful and welcoming, with a good website and excellent guidebook. I’ll use the guide as the basis for this blog. Grid reference SJ498125. As you walk from the town you cross the River Severn, go under the railway – I would suggest the Church of England looks after its infrastructure rather better than Network Rail. Up to the west door of the Abbey. Good welcoming noticeboard, into the Abbey, and a welcome in the Shop....
Categories Outside Northumberland/Railway History/Shropshire/World War 1 Comment: 1
August 22, 2015

And it’s from the old I travel to the new

With help from Harry, who sent me to his friend Andy Kinsey (see his website here), we are back up and running. A huge thank you – and Harry will buy him a pint (or four). All the posts have transferred from wordpress.com to northernvicar.co.uk with the exception of 1, 2 and 3. We are now trying to find out where Whitley Chapel, Stannington and Wylam have gone … we’re blaming wordpress themselves. You will now get a steady stream of beautiful churches, and I have my own website. This gives me an opportunity to include a John Wilson...
Categories Personal/Railway History Comments: 0