Before visiting a local churchyard I decided to return to Kenilworth in search of Kenilworth Books. This time I took a hand drawn map and the sat nav and successfully found the car park near the bookshop. The shop had a lovely display in the window advertising the book I was seeking - the Little Toller book "Admirals, Emperors and Chimney Sweepers" by Peter Marren. Purchase completed and temptations to buy other books resisted! I
took a slight detour on the way home to visit St Swithin's church in Barston where the churchyard is a designated "Local Wildlife Site"
The present church was built 1721 - 27 on the site of a 11th century church which was destroyed by fire in 1721.
In Saxon times Barston included most of the Berkswell area. During the reigns of King Henry II and King John land was given to the Knight Templars and, following their Dissolution, the Hospitallers. Some of you will remember my posts on Temple Balsall and its links with the Knight Templars and local legends tell of an underground passage from Temple Balsall to Barston church. However, most of the area then would have been part of the Forest Arden so people would have been able to move secretly between the two locations without needing a secret passage. Still the thought of one is rather exciting and charming and Famous Fiveish :)
My main reason for visiting was the fact that the churchyard qualified as a Local Wildlife Site in 2013. Local Wildlife Sites are the most important wildlife locations outside those designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI's) and are selected using agreed criteria. St Swithin's meadows qualify with ten scientific and 18 community criteria. The churchyard is located on the top of a low ridge on an outcrop of acidic Kemper sandstone. The site is ancient dating back to the 11th century although as mentioned above the present church is more recent. The most valuable habitat is the extensive area of semi-improved natural grassland which is left uncut during the summer. Sweet Vernal Grass, Yorkshire Fog and Smooth Meadow Grass are the most dominant species together with Crested Dogtail. Forbs occur especially Fox and Cubs plus Meadow Vetchling, Lesser Trefoil and Germander Speedwell. Yarrow, Pignut, Ox-eye Daisy and Red Clover also occur. Other occasional species found include Lady's Smock, Spiked Sedge, Musk Mallow, Cowslip, Slender Speedwell and Tufted Vetch.
Selfheal
Fox and Cubs were all around the churchyard including seedheads. It was only on my way home that I realised I should have collected a few seeds to plant in the garden.
It was good to see nestboxes provided in the churchyard - this one was in a yew.
As I expected the church was locked which was a shame as it contains a 1970 window designed by Nora Yoxall and Elsie Whitford showing the effect of changing seasons on agricultural life. Some of you may recall one of their wonderful windows I saw earlier in the year at St Mary and St Bartholomew in Hampton in Arden. There is also a window commissioned in 2000 to commemorate the Millennium by The Art of Glass at Earlswood which shows features of life in Barston which I would also liked to have seen.
The churchyard contains Commonwealth graves.
This yew was planted to commemorate the Millennium.
It was difficult to get close up photos of wild flowers as it was so windy but here
is Ox-eye Daisy.
Fox and Cubs again.
This sign fascinated me (very Famous Fiveish again!) - I've seen a very similar gravestone in St Giles at Packwood.
The churchyard standing cross is made of red sandstone. The cross shaft and head were added in the 19th century and it is Grade 2 listed.
Knapweed flowers were covered in bees.
The butterflies were too active to get photos but I saw many Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers and "whites".
It was good to visit another churchyard that is "managed" to encourage wildlife and heartening to see so many wild flowers and insects.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera
Reference: Information Board in the Churchyard on the Local Wildlife Site designation
"The History of St Swithin's Church Barston" by PS Orton online
Secret tunnels and passages are always redolent of the Famous Five! We have an alleged tunnel from our Bishop's Palace to Porthlysgi or some such cove, but it is regrettably caved in on the entrance. Wildlife is such a joy in a cemetery, but now in our local one we are having a huge issue with badgers digging on the graves! I say, that's a cracking fern!
ReplyDeleteRustic Pumpkin- Thank you. I still love anything reminding me of Enid Blyton's books :) A shame about the alleged tunnel entrance being caved in! I liked the fern too - I had walked round the church and churchyard in a circle and came to it as I left. Your local badger group or local Badger Trust group might be able to advise on the grave digging. I know Warks badger group is always responding to local queries like this. They have people who will go out and advise.
ReplyDeleteThe provision of nest boxes is becoming more important than ever as natural cavities are diminishing at an alarming pace. In North America some species, like Eastern Bluebird and Tree Swallow are virtually totally dependent on anthropogenic housing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely spot - truly "God's Little Acre" - I love it when churchyards are allowed to just "be" and flower so beautifully. I have been watching the most wonderful display of Fox & Cubs on a bank recently - yesterday noted that the homeowner had mown it all down . . . Philistine . . .
ReplyDeleteDavid M Gascoigne - Thank you. There are a lot of nestboxes being put up over here too from sand martin banks to swift and house sparrow boxes plus tit boxes in woodland along with homes for flycatchers.
ReplyDeleteBovey Belle - Thank you. Thankfully more and more churchyards are leaving wild areas - for a contrast I ought to try and find one that it is completely mown and manicured. What an awful act by that homeowner :( There is a grassy bank near us where harebells flower and every so often the Council comes along and within seconds all the flowers have gone:(
Such a lovely churchyard, I can hear the insects buzzing just looking at your photos. Secret passages and entrances are the stuff of childhood reading although I remember reading the Secret Seven rather than the Famous Five. Looks like a good bookshop too. We've seen lots of butterhlies whilst out walking mostly too quick to photograph but lovely to see them:)
ReplyDeleteRosie - Thank you. I read the Secret Seven books too and I also loved her "Adventure" books like the Island of Adventure and there were also the "Find-Outers" and I loved her school books too :) The bookshop was good and now I know how to get to the car park near it I will go again. Not having much luck here either getting butterfly photos!
ReplyDeleteJust love a good book shop, and display in the window. You did well just to buy the one book :). A lovely church and great they are thinking of the wildlife. I too read those books when Younger, would be fun to read again and escape the world for a little bit.
ReplyDeleteLoved looking through your photos, sorry it's taken so long to getting round to reading what you have been up to.
Amanda xx
Amanda Peters - Thank you and please don't apologise (no need :) ). I did actually pick up four books!!!!!!!!! but would have spent over £100 so had to make do with one. I will go back there though - have rather fallen in love with Kenilworth :) I read my son a lot of the Enid Blyton books as bedtime stories - he adored them too although my daughter never really took to them. It was good re-live them all :) I think they are brilliant for helping a child's imagination to develop. I remember I was still reading them at secondary school and the English teacher there was horrified!!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you were able to find the bookshop and find the book you were looking for.
ReplyDeleteThe church and churchyard are full of interest. I would love to visit.