Evetts' windows | The Northern Vicar Blog

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.

Evetts' windows/Northumberland/Railway History Comments: 0

October 16, 2015

Bywell, Northumberland – St Peter (again)

When I read my older blogs I am surprised how short they are. It is a long time since I went to Bywell. We went back on Saturday 19 September for a Confirmation Service – we only had a couple of candidates (Maureen and Aidan) so it was lovely to join Corbridge Deanery and +Stephen. The patterns of the evening sun were lovely on the church. A lovely altar frontal. Some good glass – with a couple of Evetts. A great group of candidates, and the bun fight was good too. Thanks good folk of Bywell.

Evetts' windows/Northumberland/Personal Comments: 0

October 16, 2015

Mitford, Northumberland – St Mary Magdalene

Sunday 13 September, the final HOD church. After a 2 pm baptism Julie and I drove to Mitford NZ169856 to have a look at St Mary Magdalene – it is a lively village church that has a large following and a wide range of worship. They have a website which has a paragraph about church history. I have visited on several occasions, but have not found the church open – it was today. The castle is opposite the church, and one day I must walk up there. It is likely that there was an earthwork fortification was begun around 1070,...

Evetts' windows/Northumberland/World War 1 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 –...

Evetts' windows/Newcastle upon Tyne/Railway History/World War 1 Comments: 3

October 13, 2015

Morpeth, Northumberland – St James

On Saturday 12 September 2015, Heritage Open Day weekend, Julie and I went to Morpeth and visited St James. It stands on the north side of the town, grid reference NZ197863, slightly back from the road, and I had not realised quite what a large building it is. In 1842 the newly appointed Rector of Morpeth, the Honourable and Reverend Francis Richard Grey (the sixth son of Earl Grey of Howick) was faced with the problem of falling church numbers. The parish church was quite a walk and too small for the growing town, so he held a public meeting at the...

Evetts' windows/Northumberland/World War 1 Comments: 0

September 11, 2015

North Sunderland, Northumberland – St Paul

I continued to Seahouses and found the church in North Sunderland – NU212314. A very nice little guidebook by David Donaldson gives a good history of church and parish – the parish which includes Seahouses (I assume they are actually the same place) where the harbour is now the starting point for boat trips to the Farne Islands (see our trip to Inner Farne on Midsummer Day 2011) but which has been a major grain and lime exporting point, and a centre for the herring trade. As well as a good guidebook the church has a nice tidy noticeboard...

Evetts' windows/Northumberland Comments: 0

September 8, 2015

Beadnell, Northumberland – St Ebba

Tuesday 1 September was a glorious day and I had a meeting at Bamburgh. We had a lovely journey cross-country from Hexham via Rothbury, and I deposited my wife in Barter Books before I went on to the Coast. I was running a bit earlier so called in at Beadnell. I had never been into the village, and found a nice looking pub and a café, with the church opposite. The parish church of St Ebba – grid reference NU229292. Ebba was the sister of King Oswald. I’ve driven down the A68 many times on the border of Northumberland and Durham,...

Evetts' windows/Northumberland/World War 1 Comments: 3

August 9, 2015

Cullercoats – St George

I am not a person who does the seaside. It was a gorgeous day (16 July 2015) when I headed to the North Sea coast for a meeting at Cullercoats, and we could have spent the afternoon on the beach. I could have done the Cullercoats Art trail – here – indeed, that would be good for my waistline and my intellect. (You will be glad to know I avoided the burger stall and the candy-floss stall in the car park next door). My friend John Wilson Carmichael was one of the artists here – this is his “Cullercoats looking towards...

Evetts' windows/Newcastle upon Tyne/World War 1 Comments: 0

July 22, 2015

Kirkwhelpington – St Bartholomew

We decided it is a very long time since we have had a drive-round-Northumberland-and-find-lots-of-churches day. So on Saturday 11 July we drove north up the A696. There was a plan to do a tourist church trail along this road, here is my version – none of these churches I called into today can even muster a guidebook. On this occasion I found Kirkwhelpington, came into the village, jammed on the brakes and pulled onto the verge. I was yelled at by my passenger. “But, look, it’s a North Eastern Railway bench”. She wasn’t impressed. You do get some strange...

Evetts' windows/Northumberland/Railway History/World War 1 Comments: 8

December 9, 2014

Blanchland – St Mary the Virgin

Friday 21 November 2014 was not the best day for a drive – rather grey and damp – but we headed south from Hexham to Blanchland. It is a lovely drive south. We parked in the centre of the village, and I wandered into the church – NY966504. There are some display boards, but no guidebook (how about a Benefice guide? – an attempt to link all the churches in the Moorlands benefice) and not much on any website. The village website says “the village owes its original existence to the foundation of the abbey in 1165. The church is a...