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Author: Rev. Peter Barham

Priest who spots things; mainly churches and trains.
September 19, 2023

Leadgate, County Durham – St Ives

Sunday 17 September 2023, one of the Heritage Open Days. St Ives church, Leadgate, NZ130551, was buzzing. A talk was just starting, there were local history displays, some mining art, and a cup of tea available. Sadly there was no simple guide leaflet and no leaflet to take which might have told the punters something about what the church is actually doing (surely you have something to advertise when lots of new people are coming into church?). Bit frustrating, but I thought I’ll get enough information about the church from Pevsner. Having found my copy of Pevsner’s County Durham...
Categories Durham/Railway History/World War 1 Comments: 0
September 10, 2023

northernvicar August 2023

We started the month with a trip north over the Border to Melrose, and a visit to the Roman Museum at Trimontium – https://www.trimontium.co.uk/. It reminds us that the Romans did move north – by 79 AD they were pushing into southern Scotland and constructed their fort at the place of the three hills, the three peaks of Eildon. There were Iron Age forts here, indeed several thousand people may have lived in the area the Romans conquered. This same site was to be used several times over the next hundred years or more, as the site was abandoned...
Categories National Trust/Northumberland/Personal/Railway History/Roman Britain/Scotland/Trams Comments: 0
August 24, 2023

Lanercost Priory, Cumbria – St Mary Magdalene (again)

On Saturday 19 August 2023 we drove up to the Military Road and headed west. We ended up at café next to Lanercost Priory. The menu didn’t say that breakfast was only available until 1100 (it was now almost 1200), but the chef said he/she would make us waffles and bacon – “must be in a good mood” said the lass on the till. We walked next door to St Mary Magdalene church and the Priory – I blogged the church in 2015, nice to visit again – www.northernvicar.co.uk/2015/06/15/lanercost-priory-cumbria-st-mary-magdalene/ This time I didn’t get decent photos of the exterior...
Categories Cumbria Comments: 0
August 2, 2023

northernvicar July 2023

Our last month in Derbyshire, and we can still find new experiences. Kedleston was a favourite spot during lockdown, but my days of walking “The Long Walk” are over. On Monday 3 July I found they now have a Tramper to hire, so I accepted my condition and enjoyed the ride. Memo to self – reduce speed before seeking to go through a gate! My brother and I decided we needed a day’s jaunt round Lincolnshire to do the railway lines I should have done over the last seven years, and I managed a day in London to do...
Categories Northumberland/Personal/Railway History/Roman Britain Comment: 1
July 29, 2023

northernvicar June 2023

The Ecclesbourne Railway have done a superb job with a disabled access coach – other railways, please take note. We had a visit on Sunday 4 June, and I got on the footplate at Shottle. We went to Hardwick Hall on Monday 5 June, meeting our friend John. It is rather amusing that he was my Best Man forty years ago, now he gets free admission as Julie’s “essential carer”. Then a series of train trips as I went to and fro to Manchester for various hospital jollies. We managed a week in Wales, and called in to the...
Categories Personal/Railway History/Roman Britain/Wales Comments: 0
July 28, 2023

northernvicar May 2023

On May 1 May I woke about 0500, listened to the dawn chorus, and thought “I’ve retired!” Time to pack, but also to find some trains. The Severn Valley Railway on Saturday 6 May was a good way of avoiding the Coronation, and the Middleton line took the Bank Holiday Monday. While we were in Lincoln, back in the last Millennium, we visited the trolley bus museum at Sandtoft. I remember the highlight being fish and chips for lunch on a bus. I had always been meaning to go back, and we managed it on Sunday 14 May (now...
Categories Personal/Railway History Comments: 0
July 28, 2023

northernvicar April 2023

As I come to take early retirement and move from Derbyshire back to Northumberland, there are railway lines in the Midlands that need doing. We start with Steeple Grange. The most magnificent tree in the Vicarage garden is a gorgeous Magnolia. Then a trip to Liverpool. One service at Easter, and Julie preached. Then a few days in North Wales to do some of the narrow gauge lines. There was a lot of hospital at the end of April, but also an opportunity to photo this roadsign in Stoke-on-Trent. My final service was on Sunday 30 April. I had...
Categories Personal/Railway History Comment: 1
May 27, 2023

Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire – St Andrew’s

Last time we went to St Andrew’s church, Kirton in Lindsey, was when I was at Lincoln Theological College in about 1992 – I remember the kids having a lovely play at a flower festival. Sunday 14 May 2023 we finally went back – visiting as part of the West Lindsey Churches Festival – www.churchfestival.info. The church is in the middle of the town at SK934985, but good luck navigating the one-way system! They have an excellent website at https://www.standrewsunitedchurch.org.uk/, which comments that “when the roads were laid out by the Vikings or Saxons or Romans they gave no...
Categories Lincolnshire/Railway History Comment: 1
May 26, 2023

Blyborough, Lincolnshire – St Alkmund

In recent years there has been a West Lindsey Churches Festival in Lincolnshire – www.churchfestival.info. It is spread over two weekends, and I had had plans to do it properly as part of my sabbatical. They produce a nice brochure, so we had a look to see where we could get to. On Sunday 14 May 2023 somehow we went from Sandtoft Transport Museum to St Alkmund’s church Blyborough – SK934945. It is a grade 1 listed church, first mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086), rebuilt in 1876/7 by James Fowler of Louth. Wild churchyard, and nice figures on...
Categories Lincolnshire Comments: 0
May 25, 2023

Book review: Faith in the City of London

My Beloved Wife – https://northernreader.wordpress.com/ – does the book reviews. Unicorn Publishing – www.unicornpublishing.org – were kind enough to send her some books, and this one is right up my street. “Faith in the City of London“, Niki Gorick, Unicorn Publishing, 2020 – ISBN 978-1-912690-73-2. I worked in the City between 1984 and 1987 as the librarian for Bischoff & Co, a solicitors’ firm on Chiswell Street (round the back of the Barbican) – which is why I have given you the ISBN of this book. Sometimes I used to go to lunchtime services, often at Wesley’s Chapel or...
Categories London/Personal Comments: 0