June 7, 2016

Woolpit, Suffolk – St Mary the Virgin

Woolpit stands on the old road to Ipswich and has some lovely houses in the centre – just a shame there are always so many cars parked there. Nice post box too. St Mary the Virgin, Woolpit – TL975625 – is a beautiful church. There was probably a smaller, earlier church – Ulfcytel, commonly called Earl of the East Angles, gave the church and manor of Woolpit to the Shrine of St Edmund in 1005. Edward the Confessor confirmed the grant in 1042 and it remained in the hands of the Abbey until the dissolution in 1539. A more substantial...
Categories Suffolk Comment: 1
June 5, 2016

Tostock, Suffolk – St Andrew

Julie and I are in Suffolk for a couple of days – for Frank’s Memorial Service at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. We had time to visit two village churches near Bury St Edmunds – a reminder that the Suffolk church website is Simon’s Suffolk Churches. St Andrew’s church in Tostock (TL960636) is just north of the A14, but could be miles away from it. The flint work is lovely – it is a medieval church, now a Grade 1 listed building. The tower is late C14 with this simple west door. The porch is on the south side, added about...
Categories Suffolk/World War 1 Comments: 0
June 3, 2016

Hadrian’s Wall Walk 11 – Newcastle to Wallsend

On Bank Holiday Monday 30 May I caught the 0812 from Hexham to Newcastle. The signal box is Grade II and was built in 1896. When they re-signal the line please can I buy the ‘box? It would be wonderful in the garden! Hexham station dates to 1835, and this is an excuse to include Carmichael’s wonderful painting of it. The railway bridge is being replaced over the next six weeks – it will be chaos in Hexham while the bridge is shut. The train was busy as the Northumberland Show is on at Stocksfield. Before that I photoed Riding...
Categories Hadrian's Wall Walk/Newcastle upon Tyne/Railway History Comments: 2
May 26, 2016

Hadrian’s Wall Exploration 5 – Whitley Castle Roman Fort

I have included the South Tynedale Railway – website – in previous blogs. It is a special line for me as Gareth drove diesel trains here. Here he is, in his element (7 June 2012). I came for a visit, to meet Clare (the mum of one of my Godsons), and we had a train ride to Kirkhaugh. It was a beautiful day for a train ride, and a beautiful day for a walk. We walked out of Kirkhaugh station and climbed up to the main road, then joined the Pennine Way. Clare had done this many years ago, but...
Categories Cumbria/Hadrian's Wall Walk/Personal/Railway History Comments: 0
May 26, 2016

Hadrian’s Wall Walk 10 – Heddon-on-the-Wall to Newcastle upon Tyne

On Monday 23 May I caught the 0720 bus from Hexham police station through to Heddon-on-the-Wall. At Hexham bus station a Go-Ahead bus leaves just in front of this Stagecoach and they leapfrog their way to Newcastle. In what sane and sensible world does this make sense? I started walking at NZ134670 before 0800. It was a beautiful morning. There is a little park in the village given in memory of the Knott sons – see my blog of St James and St Basil in Fenham. The track follows the Vallum ditch, then down to the into the village. There...
Categories Cathedrals/Hadrian's Wall Walk/Newcastle upon Tyne/Northumberland/Railway History Comments: 0
May 22, 2016

Saltaire, West Yorkshire – United Reformed Church

On Saturday 14 May Alex and I had a day on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. On the way home I had time to get off the train at Saltaire and have a quick explore. The village is a World Heritage Site – website. It is named after Sir Titus Salt who built a textile mill, known as Salts Mill, and this village on the River Aire. Designed by architects Lockwood and Mawson, Salts Mill was opened on Sir Titus Salt’s 50th birthday, 20 September 1853. The best site in the village was reserved for the church, which is at the end...
Categories Outside Northumberland Comments: 0
May 22, 2016

Beamish, County Durham – Church and Chapel

Beamish, “the living museum of the North” – website – is a place where I first went in the 1970s. I remember taking Julie soon after we were married, and we went with the kids on various occasions. We visited Beamish with friends May half term last year (and some of the photos come from that visit), and you get a ticket that is valid for a year. That year is almost up, so we took advantage of a free day to visit a free museum. We walked down to the Engine Shed. Last year Steam Elephant was out and we had a ride....
Categories Durham/Railway History Comments: 0
May 20, 2016

Hadrian’s Wall Walk 9 – Chesters to Heddon-on-the-Wall

On Monday morning (16 May 2016) I caught the 0910 AD122 bus to Chesters. Hexham bus station is due to be replaced next year, so it is a mess. I eventually found the right stop by reading all the timetables and seeing which one mentioned it. The other notice in the timetable case is currently advertising a public meeting about the new bus station … held last May. Why is it that the powers-that-be spend a fortune on rebranding all the Hadrian’s Wall buses, glossy timetable leaflets, maps and advertising – but can’t manage an A4 poster saying “AD122...
Categories Hadrian's Wall Walk/Northumberland Comments: 2
May 19, 2016

Brampton, Cumbria – St Martin

St Martin’s church is just down the road from the centre of Brampton village. My spies told me it has wonderful glass. The church entrance is at the far end, farthest from the village centre. It has a row of difficult steps and a firmly closed door. Despite the welcoming banner it does not look welcoming. They have a reasonable website, but it does not say when the church is open. I said to Julie “it looks locked, but I’ll give it a go”. I am so glad I did – the glass is a real wow. They are...
Categories Cumbria/Railway History/World War 1 Comments: 0
May 11, 2016

Hadrian’s Wall Walk 8 – Housesteads to Chesters

Tuesday 10 May – let’s have another few hours walking. I drove to Housesteads – NY794684 – and parked by 0845. I walked up to the Fort and turned right. Am I the only one who wonders whether men and women toiling up and down the hill to get to the Fort and the Vicus wondered why they built it there? I’m told that one suggested translation of Vercovicium is “hilly place”. This is the Wall as it leaves the fort, and it heads down hill to Knag Burn Gateway. This gateway is rare – one of only a...
Categories Hadrian's Wall Walk/Northumberland Comments: 0