We left Kyre Park via St Mary's church and churchyard. The nave and chancel of the church date from the early 12th century and in the 14th century a chapel was added. The gallery seen below connects the church with Kyre House.
I am not sure if it is possible to access the nave and chancel as the door I opened led I think into the chapel. It was dark and gloomy so photos are not good and on top of that B had decided he had no intention of spending time in a church! So I had far less time than I wanted.
These are the remains of a 14th century painting of St Lucy with her lamp in a window embrasure.
Some of the stained glass was obscured by huge information boards.
I even forgot to pick up a leaflet containing information on the church! Never mind when we return to Kyre Park I will spend more time in the church and see if you can access the rest.
The churchyard was lovely and full of wild flowers and is part of Worcestershire's "Living Churchyards" project.
The bell turret is probably 17th century and has a broach spire.
B meanwhile had gone off to the Antiques Centre and was chatting to a lovely lady Estate Manager who even went off to get us some information and a map of the park. These statues were guarding the entrance! I didn't go in the Antique Centre but B did and found a rather lovely walnut desk which would look good under our stairs if we ever get rid of the inherited electric organ which is never played and no-one wants to buy or even be given!!!!
I went off to find the medieval dovecote which was situated by a sunken lawn possibly once an archery lawn. There are records of a dovecote on an island in a fishpond from the time the kitchen gardens were enclosed. It appears the dovecote was moved to its present position in 1754. It is built of rough stone with a conical tiled roof. There are 550 nesting holes which were serviced by a ladder rotating on a central pivot. A tiled band round the outside wall prevented rodents climbing the walls.
Back at the caravan - view to the front.
Timothy on his "shelf".
The moon rising to the front of the caravan it looked huge!!
Part 3 will include a trip to Mortimer Forest and WhitCliffe Common overlooking Ludlow.
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumiz FZ330 bridge camera.
13 comments:
A lovely visit. I do so approve of the living churchyards. Here, our cemetery has to be mowed due to the presence of adders {my cousin was bitten} but there are wilder areas. The main cathedral grounds are well mowed and I disapprove of tourists picnicking there. Such a shame some of the stained glass was obscured, but what you show us is beautiful. I would love that kneeling angel for my own garden. We all have that something under the stairs! lol. Timothy is hoping to be able to go out and about soon again I'm sure, but not near those fierce statues.
Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much. Yes living churchyards are very wonderful indeed and there seem to be more and more of them which is good. Heck!!! re: Adders - they obviously have no choice. They are presumed extinct in Warwickshire so I don't worry too much locally but possibly occur Herefordshire so perhaps I ought to be more careful when walking and taking photos! The kneeling angel was very beautiful. The annoying thing is OH took out the cupboard under the stairs to make the hall large and then when his Dad died his mother gave him his electric organ which is a right eyesore and not used. OH even advertised free to anyone who would pick it up but there were no takers! You can buy much smaller compact ones these days. Timothy will definitely not be going near those statues which reminds me I must find his new t-shirt. Too hot now for jumpers!
i like churchyards left to nature! that church and dovecote looks interesting
The Quacks of Life - Thanks Pete. Yes so much better than the very tidy manicured look! Place well worth visiting when you go to Herefordshire again and if you are in the area. Free - there is supposedly an honesty box somewhere for £3.50 for the car park but we looked everywhere and failed to find it.
I hope you are able to revisit the church again soon. It looks interesting.
I love the Dovecote :-)
CherryPie - Thank you. This Dovecote is in Worcs but I have bought a book on Herefordshire Dovecotes so I am hoping to visit more :)
God's Little Acre - they support so much wildlife. I hate to see them shaven and bare. There used to be half an acre of Aquilegias by the little chapel near our old home. Then the chap who did the grounds mowed them all down - just a few survived amongst the headstones and they had been so incredibly beautiful en masse.
Good to see you don't have to go far to find interesting places to go.
Good to see the info board about the Living Churchyards, so people have no reason to moan about long grass and 'weeds'! Good for them. However it seems like most churchyards have wild areas from your posts though, which I think is great.
I absolutely love that dovecot! How beautiful! Enjoy the rest of your stay there.
Great looking church, like the remains of the painting on the wall, and all the wild flowers in the churchyard so nice they have been left to grow. The dovecote is a beautiful building.
Amanda x
Everything looks very interesting, church, churchyard, dovecote and antiques centre, the statues guarding the centre look fearsome. The view from your caravan is lovely:)
Bovey Belle - Thank you and I so agree about "God's Little Acre". Nothing worse than a neatly manicured churchyard. Some churches compromise and keep grass mown near recent graves which is understandably and then leave rest of churchyard for wildlife. Such a shame about those Aquilegias and a dreadful thing to do :(
MillyMillyMandy - Thank you. I think a info board is a good idea to explain to people who might not understand how important churchyards can be for wild flowers and wildlife. Herefordshire does seem to have fair share of wildlife friendly churchyards. Warwickshire to be fair does too but there again I do tend to seek them out!
Amanda Peters - Thank you - we really pleased how great the park was and so close too!!
Rosie - Thanks so much. I am sure we will return regularly - a lot to see there!
I do love that so many churchyards have a wild side, it's so nice to see. We have one that is part fenced off and now again they just let ship in to graze and in between left to go wild!
Pam - Thanks so much. Yes Living Churchyards are super - found another one on the Friday!!! I've heard of sheep being used to graze but not yet seen them myself.
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