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March 1, 2018

Chesterton, Cambridge – St Andrew

This wall played an important part in the Second World War (or at least a wall like it). I believe that my grandad, Albert Barham, was churchwarden of St Andrew’s church in Chesterton. He was a manager at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, so remained at home. Family tradition says that one of the jobs he did was as Fire Warden, based at the church. My uncle Derrick was a teenager, my dad Jeffrey a bit younger. They would offer to test the stirrup pumps. The churchyard wall was a favourite spot for American troops to say “good night” to their girlfriends....
Categories Cambridgeshire/Personal/World War 1 Comments: 4
November 29, 2017

Leeds, Yorkshire – “Skeletons: our buried bones” exhibition

Julie and I are thoroughly enjoying our MA in Public History and Heritage at Derby University – website – but trying to work full time and do an MA has taken its toll on this blog. We had a great day trip to Leeds to visit the Discovery Centre – website. Lucy, one of the curators showed us round, and it was a fascinating (and fun) afternoon. I picked up a flyer for their “Skeletons: our buried bones” exhibition at the City Museum, and managed to go back on Monday 24 October 2017. As I have an essay to write...
Categories Personal/Roman Britain/Yorkshire Comments: 0
October 7, 2017

Bilborough, Nottingham – St Martin of Tours

We drove back into Nottingham, through the estates of Bilborough, and found St Martin of Tours church. To quote the HODs paperwork, “St Martin’s Road is a cul de sac opposite the police station on Strelley Road. The church is at the end of St Martin’s Road.” Grid ref is SK 520418. They have obviously had a lot of money from the HLF for their “Hidden Treasures” project, and have spent some of it on an excellent website, more on a lovely little book, Hidden Treasures: A Labour of Love, edited by Cathy Grindrod, and a colour leaflet –...
Categories Nottinghamshire/Personal Comments: 8
September 22, 2017

northernvicarwalks July and August

My hope was to walk 1,000 miles this year. By the end of June I had walked 355 miles. I planned to make it up while on holiday, and failed. By the end of July I had walked 396 miles. By the end of August I had walked 434 – here are a few August photos which aren’t necessarily walking! My 55th birthday party on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, with fish and chips afterwards. Later in the month I had a Sunday afternoon walk to Duffield, photographing on the line. David Redfern, one of our organists at St Edmund’s, is a...
Categories 1,000 mile walking/Derbyshire/Personal/Railway History Comments: 0
September 5, 2017

Lichfield, Staffordshire – Cathedral church of St Chad, the East end

Here we are in grey Lichfield (grey because of the weather). Having done the Nave and the Transepts (see the last blog), it is time to move east. The bust by the entrance to the Chapter House is of Bishop Woods, bishop during WW2, by Jacob Epstein. They often have a copy of the St Chad Gospels, an Anglo-Saxon treasure, on display – but the electronic version is probably safer to look at. There is a pdf about it here. I also need to “do” the Staffordshire Horde – website. The Chapter House was built in the 1240s. It...
Categories Personal/Staffordshire Comments: 0
August 26, 2017

Papa Westray, Orkney – St Ann and St Boniface

We will be return to Orkney (probably in 2019 – 2018 will be a bit busy with Hannah and Bertie’s wedding). Before we leave, let me blog about a visit to Papa Westray on Monday 29 August 2011. In those days I only blogged Northumberland churches, but it was a very special day – made more special in memory because it was a wonderful day I had with Gareth (my eldest son, who died on Boxing Day 2013). One of my ambitions was to fly the shortest scheduled air flight in the world – the route from Papa Westray...
Categories Personal/Scotland Comments: 0
August 6, 2017

Hoy, Orkney – The Kirk

On Monday 17 July we took the boat to the island of Hoy. It is about a 35 minute crossing to Lyness on Hoy, and then a 35 second drive up to the Scapa Flow visitors’ centre. We had had a good morning here last time when we holidayed on Orkney. Today was half good. The café was great, the displays about wartime Scapa Flow were fascinating, and there was an interesting display about HMS Vanguard. We spent quite a while in their reading room – I read a file about the Otter Bank mobile boat bank. There are some...
Categories Personal/Scotland/World War 1 Comments: 0
July 20, 2017

Fortingall, Perthshire – Kirk

I first came to Fortingall in the summer of 1982. Richard Hunt, Chaplain of Selwyn College Cambridge, used to organise long-distance walks, and that summer’s was from Dundee to Iona. I had to leave before we got to Oban as I needed to be back in Cambridge for an orchestra course – I remember that there was a rail strike and I hitch-hiked home. One lift from Oban to Edinburgh, another to Doncaster, and one ten minutes later to the M11 two miles from home. A few days earlier we had arrived in Fortingall, and then made our way...
Categories Personal/Roman Britain/Scotland Comments: 0
June 22, 2017

Lazonby, Cumbria – St Nicholas

St Nicholas, Lazonby, is in the middle of the village, just to the east of the station – NY549397. There is a leaflet which gives a circular drive from Penrith via this church and three others. I like the welcome notice and Café church banner – but how many s’s in Mission? I googled Lazonby church and didn’t find much – I then searched for “East of Eden Mission Community” and found it – which is OK if you’re in the know. Finlay Hansford, my Godson, was being confirmed here on Sunday 21 May. We got there nice and early,...
Categories Cumbria/Personal/Railway History/World War 1 Comment: 1
February 12, 2017

Guards’ Chapel, London

A day in London on Friday 3 February saw me having a good walk. I walked from Euston to the V&A then back through Chelsea and past Buckingham Palace to the Guards’ Chapel on Birdcage Walk. In my youth I was an oboeist, and my teacher was Ron Hoare. He and his wife Pat lived in Barton and were friends of my mum and dad – to me they were Uncle Ron and Auntie Pat. His real name was Eric Denzil Hoare – apparently a conductor had said “where’s that oboeist who looks like Ronald Coleman?” and the name...
Categories 1,000 mile walking/London/Personal Comments: 2