Last week I went in search of snowdrops and a short trip to one of my favourite villages Berkswell.
The Bear Berkswell, my favourite pub. I can't believe I haven't been in a pub for two years.
Wall Letter Box at the shop and post office. It was good to see the shop has now re-opened and includes a tearoom.
Village stocks - local legends according to "Berkswell Through the Looking Glass" by D E Gibbs suggest that the stocks have 5 holes as they were built for recurring offenders one of whom only had one leg. The stocks are around 200 years old.
There used to be a museum in this cottage - sadly now closed.
St John the Baptist is described by Pevsner as "easily the most interesting Norman village church in Warwickshire".
It was good to see the church is now open again. It has been closed for most of the pandemic. At some stage I really need to go in the church again and take some better photos with the bridge camera. There are more Robert "Mouseman" Thompson mice to find and now I have Warwickshire Pevsner I have a better idea of features to look for.
12th century oak door with handmade nails.
The snowdrops are just starting to flower mainly in a sunnier part of the churchyard.
The Gothic War Memorial by Sir Charles Nicholson was erected in 1921. I don't think I have taken photos of the interior before.
Well House formerly the Rectory
There is evidence of a pre-Conquest shrine at Berkswell and the well near the church may have been used for early immersion baptisms. The well was restored in 1851.
The village of Meriden is only 5 minutes from Berkswell by car so I decided to stop off and see if there were snowdrops in St Laurence's churchyard.
According to Pevsner the timber framed Moat House farm opposite the church is dated 1609 but parts of the house are older.
I found the house as spooky as I did on a previous visit.
St Laurence dates back to Norman times.
I found one clump of snowdrops in flower.
Mounting block outside the church.
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera.
Reference: "The Buildings of England Warwickshire" by Chris Pickford and Nikolaus Pevsner Yale University Press (2011)
9 comments:
Two lovely churches. Snowdrops in churchyards seem somehow very apt and quite beautiful. The old farm house looks wonderful. It's funny how some places/buildings have an atmosphere that feels uncomfortable whilst others seem warm and welcoming. Like the stocks and the mounting block and the colourful poultry too:)
Rosie - Thanks so much. You are so right about snowdrops and churchyards. went to Temple Balsall church yesterday and there were carpets of them and winter aconites - such a cheering sight.
That old farmhouse is really rather spooky but as you say other places have a much lovelier atmosphere.
Such a picturesque blog. Glad to read the shop is open, with an added tea room, but so hard to believe we've not been inside hostelries for two years! Closest I've come is a take out hot chocolate on my birthday last year. Snowdrops with their bobbing heads telling us spring is just around the corner.
Lovely to see the snowdrops, always a great uplift at this time of year. Sadly in our own garden they never establish due to the really heavy waterlogged soil. But your comment on Mouseman Thompson brought back memories of visiting his yard up in Yorkshire with my parents back in the 1970's... I was fascinated by tree trunks which had been sawn lengthways and stacked, separated by timber posts all over the village, awaiting the ten years (I think it was that long) air drying time before being used in his furniture and woodwork.
Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much and I am so pleased you enjoyed the post. I think snowdrops are such a harbinger of Spring :)
The Wessex Reiver - Thanks so much Andrew and lovely to hear from you. I hope you are keeping well. Snowdrops don't do too well in our garden either although we have a few clumps. Fascinating to read about your visit Mouseman Thompson's yard. It is always a joy to find some of his work in churches.
What a lovely adventure you had. It is good to hear the church was open again, I have missed visiting churches that have been closed over the past two years.
CherryPie - Thank you. It is depressing to find churches normally open closed and I too have missed visits.
I enjoyed the tour around the two villages and churches. I don't think that house is spooky, just glorious! Love that yew? grown over the gate! Always happy to see snowdrops as they are so cheery in winter.
The war memorial has very red stone - do you know what kind that is? Is that a local colour rock or something imported from elsewhere, do you think?
Millymolly Mandy - Thanks so much. It is rather a splendid house not sure really why I feel it is spooky as I usually love old buildings. Yes the yew and gate are great - there is another one locally like that but surrounded by holly and you can see a well through it!
Red sandstone possibly but I think you know answer possibly from your next comment? Used a lot round here as a local stone. Loads of it around Kenilworth.
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