August 23, 2019

Nottingham – St Barnabas RC Cathedral

I had an email a few weeks ago from +Libby, the new Bishop of Derby, asking if I could go to the 175th anniversary service of St Barnabas Catholic Cathedral in Nottingham (the delights of being Diocesan Ecumenical Officer). Friday evening 7 June 2019, and the weather was not good – I really don’t want to drive down the A52 and go to a service of Solemn Vespers. Mutter, mutter. I followed the sat nav, found somewhere to park, and was welcomed by name when I entered the Cathedral – and it was worth entering. The service was lovely....
Categories Cathedrals/Nottinghamshire Comments: 0
June 28, 2019

Moseley Old Hall, Staffordshire

The nice thing about being on holiday not too far from home, is you have time to visit other places on the way home. My plan was the NT property at Wightwick Manor, but when we got there the car park was packed. We continued driving, thinking we’d continue home, perhaps stopping somewhere en route. En route we saw a brown NT sign to Moseley Old Hall, so followed it. We were very glad we did! A nice welcome – https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/moseley-old-hall Loo and tea room to start with. The Hall was fascinating, garden gorgeous, 2nd Hand bookshop, and I...
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June 28, 2019

Cotheridge, Worcestershire – St Leonard – and The Firs, Elgar’s birthplace

Friday 31 May, the last day of the holiday – but we live life to the full! We were out of the flat nice and quickly, and headed towards Elgar’s birthplace. We were there so early we went and had an explore. St Leonard’s, Cotheridge church – SO 787547 – is now part of the Lower Teme Valley parish, in the Worcester West Rural Team – https://wwrt.churchinsight.com/Groups/305347/Lower_Teme_Valley.aspx. No guidebook, just a laminated sheet, and nothing about the building on the website, but at least it was open. Reading the sheet, they’ve done a good job of putting it in...
Categories National Trust/Worcestershire Comments: 0
June 27, 2019

Stoulton, Worcestershire – St Edmund

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...
Categories Worcestershire/World War 1 Comments: 0
June 27, 2019

Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire – St Peter and St Paul

After Pershore we went on to Upton upon Severn, and found it was a bigger village than we expected. We parked in the centre and found most of the shops were inaccessible if you have a Julie in a wheelchair. We went round by the old church, the bridge and Severn, then found we could get into the Old Butchers Shop – and they did a good pizza. They didn’t have a disabled loo – fortunately there is a public one in the village (another reason why Councils should not be allowed to close loos). We continued down to...
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June 27, 2019

Pershore, Worcestershire – Holy Cross

Wednesday 29 May, and we drove to have an explore of Pershore. We parked by the church – SO 948 457 – and had a wonderful visit. Pershore Abbey is officially the Church of the Holy Cross. Website at http://pershoreabbey.org.uk/ an excellent guidebook in three parts – a short history, a guide, and a longer historical essay – and a very good children’s guide (though they can’t spell millennium). They also invite me to dress up and explore – I want grandchildren so I can! The earliest reference to a religious foundation here is in 681 when the King...
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June 26, 2019

Avoncroft Museum of Buildings

Avoncroft Museum of Buildings – https://avoncroft.org.uk/ – is one of those places I have read about, but never got to. It is near Bromsgrove, and we found it easily. They have a mobility scooter you can borrow, so we were able to get to the whole site. They have an interesting mix of buildings, and other bits and pieces. The ecclesiastical pieces – this started as a church crawling blog after all – are the spire of St Paul’s church Smethwick and a tin tabernacle from Bringsty Common, Herefordshire, and a hearse. The original St Paul’s church was built...
Categories Worcestershire Comments: 0
June 26, 2019

Worcester Cathedral – Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary – 4, Quire and Crypt

After the tower I needed a late lunch, then we went and explored the Quire. The volunteers directed us out of the main north door, then in to the Quire by another – easier than coping with a large lift. Then there is another smaller lift, so Julie could get to most places. Having said that, some of these photos might be of things elsewhere in the Cathedral – just enjoy them. The Quire is the original centre of the Cathedral and its worship – and it is worth looking up at the organ pipes and ceiling.  The organ...
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June 26, 2019

Worcester Cathedral – Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary – 3, The Tower

My last photo in the Nave was the Defibrillator – so now I go and climb the tower. 235 steps to climb 202 feet up the tower which was completed in 1374. Yes, of course I can. The first staircase is in one of the oldest parts of the Cathedral, dating from about 1250. That’s the first 110 steps, then there’s a bridge over the vaulting of the NW transept ceiling, and into the Clock Room. This room is used as a teaching centre for bell ringing complete with dumbbells. The leaflet is rather proud: “These are special training...
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June 26, 2019

Worcester Cathedral – Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary – 2, The Nave

Bank Holiday Monday in a Cathedral. Having explored the Cloister, we walked into the Nave. It was lovely that both doors from the Cloister, including the one with a wheelchair ramp, were wide open, as were the West Doors too. There was a group of youngsters skateboarding outside, and at one point they drifted into the Cathedral. No one pounced on them, thrust a leaflet under their noses, told them to remove their baseball hats – they were as welcome as anyone was else was. They had a wander round and explore, just like I did. There was a...
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