October 28, 2014

Gosforth – All Saints’

I gave platelets first thing – time to link to the platelet website. This is a very good thing to do – and gives me a couple of hours every four weeks to lie back and give an armful. I like doing it more than giving blood – with platelets they take the blood out, remove the platelets, then put the blood back. I don’t feel wobbly from a lack of blood. Damn clever these machines! I then had a couple of hours to kill before the dentist – you don’t really want a link to my dentist’s website. (Incidentally, while...
Categories Newcastle upon Tyne Comments: 0
October 27, 2014

Blyth – St Cuthbert

I think it has to be admitted that Blyth is not a Northumberland town that many tourists will ever go to, and I have never been into the town except on a railtour down to the docks. Today St Cuthbert’s church – NZ318815 – was open with an excellent exhibition about the First World War. ­­I walked in, and was greeted with “you’re the chap who helped us get those Lindisfarne Gospels panels last year”, which was a nice way to be greeted – good to know I’m appreciated. They have an excellent church guide, a guide to their...
Categories Northumberland/World War 1 Comments: 0
October 27, 2014

Bedlington – St Cuthbert

              I parked by St Cuthbert’s Bedlington, NZ260817, wandered in, admired the plaque and the entrance pillars, and was greeted by a big hug from Elizabeth, one of the clergy. The church is on an ancient site, perhaps 8th century. It is recorded that Bishop Cutheard of Chester-le-Street purchased land for a church, priest’s house and farm around 900. The first recorded incumbent was Eilaf, who is thought to have been one of the seven monks who left Holy Island in 875 carrying Cuthbert’s body. This is a Saxon carving of angels. Norman...
Categories Northumberland/World War 1 Comments: 0
October 27, 2014

Killingworth – St John

St John’s church Killingworth is not easy to find. The main road through the village is the B1505, and Dial Cottage, Stephenson’s House is here. I visited this for HOD 2010 – it is in the old centre of the village. The locomotive Blucher was built here, Rocket was trialled here, and his safety lamp was produced for this colliery – one of the deepest in the world. It closed in 1882. The new town was built to the north of the church in the 1906s, and 70s. The church is at NZ279710. I arrived about 1030 and found...
Categories Northumberland/World War 1 Comments: 0
October 27, 2014

Newbiggin Hall – St Wilfrid

On 9 September 2014 I went and did the service at St Wilfrid’s Newbiggin Hall – 6 years here and it was the first time I had ever been in. Sarah, their Vicar, has damaged her foot so I was her stand-in (as Basil Brush used to say “boom, boom”). A very pleasant midweek service, a good welcome, coffee and a chat afterwards. The estate of Newbiggin Hall went up in the 1960s, and the church was dedicated in 1967. It is quite an attractive 1960s building on a prime spot in the middle of the estate. They have...
Categories Newcastle upon Tyne Comments: 2
September 23, 2014

Durham Cathedral – photography evening 4 (East end)

Continuing a wonderful evening at Durham Cathedral, it was getting a bit dark to photograph Cuthbert’s Shrine. The Chapel of the Nine Altars, the area at the very east end of the Cathedral, was built between 1242 and 1280 to accommodate many pilgrims. The Nave is Norman, this end is Early English, and bears close resemblance to Salisbury Cathedral – even had the same Bishop, Bishop le Poore. I am confused as to which altar is which. This one is the altar to Margaret of Scotland (1045-1093). The hangings were produced by the Cathedral Broderers in 2005 – they...
Categories Cathedrals/Durham Comments: 0
September 23, 2014

Durham Cathedral – photography evening 3 (the South side)

Cathedrals have a wonderful relationship with time. I have served under two Deans – the first was late for everything. He would arrive in the vestry at 5.28 for a 5.30 Evensong (if you were lucky – on one occasion I had got the choir in and we were half way through the Psalm before he arrived). The next Dean expected everyone (clergy and choir) to be stood in silence and prayer at the foot of the Song School steps by 5.25. Durham Cathedral have no excuse for starting anything late! This clock in the South Transept was originally...
Categories Cathedrals/Durham/Railway History/World War 1 Comments: 0
September 19, 2014

Durham Cathedral – photography evening 2 (Chapter House)

Having climbed the tower I needed tea – and they were serving it outside the Chapter House. You may recognise it … Professor McGonagall’s classroom in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002. It was too dark to get a decent photo of the whole room. It is not normally open to the public. There are some details on this website. A Chapter House is called a Chapter House because every day the community would gather to read a chapter of the Rule of St Benedict. It was the finest Norman Chapter House in Europe, until it was partially demolished...
Categories Cathedrals/Durham Comments: 0
September 19, 2014

Durham Cathedral – photography evening 1 (up the tower)

When I came and worshipped here at the start of my sabbatical – and I realise I still haven’t read the Dean’s book – I took two photos inside. I now realise I was breaking the rules. This Cathedral does not allow internal photos. Their reasoning is given on their website – and that makes some sense. They offer photography evenings, so Mike from Ponteland Photographic Society and I went for one on Monday 8 September 2014. I came home with 171 photos – here are some of the better ones. It was lovely being able to go almost anywhere, the staff...
Categories Cathedrals/Durham Comments: 0