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...
Categories 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,...
Categories Evetts' windows/Northumberland/World War 1 Comments: 3
September 6, 2015

Slaley, Northumberland – St Mary the Virgin (again)

I last came to Slaley in December 2013 when Gareth (our eldest son) was in the Freeman Hospital and the world was falling apart. The World War 1 windows, and the red berries of the holly, were poignant. It was nice coming back with a bunch of friends – here we are talking about the history and the life of this church. You can read about the windows on the last blog. Back to the Vicarage for tea – thanks for an informative day (the inner man was fed intellectually, spiritually, and physically!).  
Categories Northumberland/World War 1 Comments: 0
September 6, 2015

Blanchland, Northumberland – St Mary the Virgin (again)

I visited this lovely church less than a year ago, and we have been back to an excellent Book Event organised by our favourite bookshop, Cogito in Hexham – website – they have some more of their fireside lectures planned at the Lord Crewe Arms. The White Monk Tea Room does very good food – website. Helen is the new incumbent of the church – and there are several more of her “patch” I need to visit. Look at my last blog for more information about the church. I followed Howard up to the bell chamber. And, once Lucy...
Categories Northumberland Comments: 0
September 4, 2015

Hunstanworth, Durham – St James (again)

Our bus waited for the sheep as we drove south of Hexham. It is not very long since I blogged about Hunstanworth. There is not much to add. 1862-3, the work of Samuel Sanders Teulon. It was a gift to the parish by its then incumbent Daniel Capper. He also built the vicarage, school and other buildings in the village. Last time I commented the church would never have been full. I was wrong. At the time the village had a population of 800 because of lead mining in the area. The hand-blown organ – here being played by...
Categories Durham/Outside Northumberland Comments: 2
September 4, 2015

Fenham, Newcastle – St James and St Basil (again)

Thursday 27 August was another glorious day, and another day out. For those of you who don’t know, the Church of England is its own planning authority, and planning decisions are made by the DAC (Diocesan Advisory Committee) – well, to be exact, we recommend to the Chancellor of the Diocese who makes the decision. The DAC has a wide group of members – architects, archaeologists, a bells’ expert, a stained glass window expert, heating chap, representative of English Heritage, etc. etc., and a few clergy (“that’s me folks”). We meet monthly, on several occasions in a year a...
Categories Newcastle upon Tyne/Personal/World War 1 Comments: 0
September 4, 2015

Newbiggin by the Sea, Northumberland – St Bartholomew

A few months ago Alison White, now Bishop Alison of Hull, suggested I went to see Peter Sinclair, Vicar of Newbiggin by the Sea as a Spiritual Director. We have become good friends, and – as the day we met (Tuesday 25 August) was a gorgeous day – decided to have a walk down to have a look at his church. It stands on the promontory, parking next door, grid reference NZ317880. This website  has not been updated since 2012, but this one looks a little more current. On the front, in front of the church, is Newbiggin Maritime...
Categories Northumberland/Personal/World War 1 Comments: 4
September 2, 2015

Clare College, Cambridge

Clare College, Cambridge – website – another gorgeous college, though with slightly less visitors. It also has a longer history – Trinity is a baby in comparison. Clare is the second oldest of the colleges, founded in 1326, and generously endowed a few years later by Lady Elizabeth de Clare (Lady de Burgh – was she the original “Lady in Red”? (Peter making a joke about popular music)), a granddaughter of King Edward I. It became known as Clare Hall as early as 1339 (the present simplified title, ‘Clare’, dates from 1856).  Hugh Lambert and Nicholas Ferrar were members...
Categories Cambridgeshire/Personal/World War 1 Comments: 0
September 1, 2015

Trinity College, Cambridge

While my wife spent time in Heffer’s (a bookshop for those of you who don’t know – website) I walked across to Trinity and visited the Chapel. I have a soft spot for Trinity. I remember grandad taking me into the college – pointing out Henry VIII’s chair leg on the gate and Tennyson’s pipe in the chapel. That has whetted your appetite to read on. The College website has plenty to read. Indeed, you can take a virtual tour of the College, so why bother to visit (or to read this blog!). You can read about the chapel at...
Categories Cambridgeshire/Personal Comments: 0
August 31, 2015

Cadeby, Leicestershire – All Saints

After Shropshire and a weekend in Cheshire, we headed east. En route to Cambridge I wanted to visit Cadeby, a small village between Market Bosworth and Hinckley. When I tell you that this photo comes from a website called The Real Lives of Thomas the Tank Engine (with my thanks to them) you might have an idea who we are going to see … For 26 years the Rector of Cadeby (and Vicar of Sutton Cheney) was the Reverend Edwin Boston – known to all as Teddy. He trained at Jesus College, Cambridge (member of the Cambridge University Railway Club)...
Categories Leicestershire/Outside Northumberland/Railway History Comments: 0