November 28, 2016

Capel, Kent – St Thomas a Becket

There was a notice in Tudeley church about the church of St Thomas a Becket in Capel, a Churches Conservation Trust church in the benefice – TQ637444. That was good, but with so many thousands of visitors to Tudeley, why is there no display or leaflet listing churches within 30 miles that are worth visiting? You can read about Capel at the benefice website, a Kent churches site, and the CCT’s website from which you can download a Kent leaflet. It was getting quick dark when we got there, but there is a good car park on the north...
Categories Churches Conservation Trust/Kent/World War 1 Comments: 0
November 25, 2016

Tudeley, Kent – All Saints

After lunch on Wednesday 9 November we went for a drive – to All Saints church, Tudeley, TQ622454, just outside Tonbridge. The church website is here. Tripadvisor has 36 photos here and the wonderful line that the church is one of four things to do in the village (the others are the pubs). I thought the 10% off voucher in the porch was a good idea. There is a decent car park, but no loo. If you know what is coming, you are ready for the glories of this church – if not, you assume it is a normal parish...
Categories Kent Comments: 3
November 22, 2016

Danehill, East Sussex – All Saints

Having lunched north of Sheffield Park gardens I checked my “Betjeman Best Churches” app and found that All Saints’, Danehill, East Sussex is worth a visit – TQ402275.  They have a website, and you can download the guide to the Kempe windows (I haven’t photoed them all). There is also a guide to Sussex churches at this website. The first church in this community only dates to 1835, and it was damaged by fire in 1887. Herbert Carey, a local, suggested they needed a new church, and his widow and family paid for it. The architect was G.F. Bodley....
Categories Sussex/World War 1 Comments: 0
November 22, 2016

Sheffield Park Gardens and the Bluebell Railway, East Sussex

On Tuesday 8 November we did not move early, then drove south through Ashdown Forest. It was lunchtime when we arrived at Sheffield Park. A lovely National Trust property, but the queue for the café was very long – they could have done with a separate burger van. We went into the gardens and had a walk – it was lovely. The colours were beautiful – enjoy. These are just a few of my 60 photos. The NT website says “John Baker Holroyd (later the First Earl of Sheffield) purchased the house and Park in 1769, and set about remodelling the...
Categories National Trust/Railway History/Sussex Comments: 2
November 22, 2016

Hever, Kent – St Peter

We are in Kent, and had a cottage in Hever. St Peter’s church was open and worth exploring – they advertise the fact it is open very well indeed. The church website is here, and there are photos here. The church stands opposite the wonderful Henry VIII pub – website. We had had a very good Sunday lunch here, though the pub was extremely busy. They could only fit us in at 12 or 4.30 for lunch, so if you’re going you need to book. Henry VIII visited Hever for the beautiful young ladies in the Castle, these days he should...
Categories Kent/Railway History Comments: 2
November 21, 2016

Lullingstone, Kent – St Botolph

I left Julie with a drink and walked about 10 minutes down to Lullingstone church, St Botolph – TQ529644. It is one of the Eynsford churches – website – and is in the grounds of Lullingstone Castle – website. You can find more pictures here, and there is a Victorian guide here. It is one of Betjeman’s best, and it was worth the walk. According to the castle website, the manor house and gatehouse both date to 1497 – I would have thought the house looked later – and the castle is open regularly. Today it was closed and...
Categories Kent Comments: 2
November 8, 2016

Lullingstone Roman Villa, Kent

We are in Kent for a week. So northernvicar is almost as far south as he can go. I’ve blogged Roman sites before, though this isn’t Hadrian’s Wall. I usually blog churches, so Lullingstone will tick that box. Saturday 5 November was a bit of a grey morning as we negotiated ourselves up narrow roads, then the M25, and to Lullingstone Roman Villa – website. It has been many years since we’ve been here, and the English Heritage site has had a makeover (a very good one). There is disability access all through, so we started with a trip upstairs to...
Categories Kent/Railway History/Roman Britain Comments: 0
November 7, 2016

Myddle, Shropshire – St Peter

I had a day on the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway – my favourite. On my return I stopped at Myddle – St Peter’s church is at SJ 467236, in the middle of the village. The church website is here and there is a church history page here. I remember this book, I’m sure I read it many years ago. “Written between the years 1700 and 1706, Richard Gough’s history of Myddle in Shropshire is a biographical profile of a complete village during the 17th century. Gough wrote brief biographies of many of the people living in the village, derived...
Categories Railway History/Shropshire/World War 1 Comments: 2
November 7, 2016

Allestree, Derby – St Nicholas

I am the Vicar of St Edmund’s church in Allestree. St Nicholas’ church Allestree is the other Anglican church in Allestree – SK336388 – website. William has just retired after being Vicar there for 23 years. I can safely say I will not do 23 years at St Edmund’s. I wish him a peaceful retirement. St Edmund has 22 lines in Pevsner, St Nicholas has 7. I will quote him in full … “1957-8 by Peter Woore. Simplified Gothic with a small SW saddleback tower. Concrete frame clad in brick. The vaulted S porch and other detailing exhibit the...
Categories Derbyshire Comments: 0
November 6, 2016

Mugginton, Derbyshire – All Saints

I went for a country drive, and I wondered what the church was that I could see on the hillside. I followed minor roads and found myself in the hamlet of Mugginton – SK283429. Pevsner says “The village is on a hill, the church on a knoll at one end with an ancient yew beside it.” The church is All Saints, Grade 1 – a history board, but no guidebook. The Tower is Norman, though the later work is C13 and the battlements are later than that. The west end of the nave must be older than the tower....
Categories Derbyshire/World War 1 Comment: 1