D and I visited Meriden last weekend to go a short walk by the Packhorse Bridge and its Nature Reserve.
Viaduct over the River Blythe
15th century Packhorse Bridge
Wall letter boxes in the village - one in Marsh Lane and one in the wall of the newsagents and post office.
The White Lion - a local pub I have for once not been in!
D wanted to go in the village shop as we had run out of bananas so I parked by the Parish Church of St Mary and St Bartholomew and went for a wander round the churchyard.
A group of church crawlers on Twitter have fun spotting traffic cones by churches hence this photo.
The chancel is Norman but there have been alterations over the centuries. The tower once had a spire until it fell in 1643.
There were many flowers in the churchyard - snowdrops, crocuses, daffodils, primroses and heather.
When D emerged from the shop I persuaded him to go in the church porch to see this lovely memorial stained glass window with wild flowers and butterflies.
The church door is I think about 400 years old.
Stained glass showing local buildings.
To my amazement D disappeared in the church. He's been studying Gothic architecture on his current OU course and has recently been far more interested in churches and cathedrals which is a first! Not too many photos as we didn't stay that long.
This is part of the very beautiful Nora Yoxall and Elsie Whitford window.
Modern stained glass window by John Hayward 1968 showing the risen Christ bringing light to the souls of the dead.
Kneelers including one of a Green Man.
Carved heads on a capital - I am sure on a previous visit the vicar mentioned they were supposed to be based on 14th century Hamptonians.
Part of the rood screen given in memory of Frederick Peel, son of prime minister Sir Robert Peel who founded the police force. Frederick lived at Hampton Manor from 1855 until his death in 1906. and this church was his parish church. The figures represent Christ, his mother Mary and St John.
I haven't been able to discover how old the font is but the cover looks fairly modern compared to the font.
To see far more of the church interior with better photos of the stained glass please see my post on St Mary and St Bartholomew church interior and for more of the churchyard from my visit last year please see this post St Mary and St Bartholomew churchyard The church was locked last year so it is good that it is now open again.
I do hope everyone is staying safe and well.
No photos from D this time he had forgotten to put the card in the camera!
13 comments:
What a super post. That stained glass is something else - especially those beautiful flowers in the porch. The kneelers are a bit whacky compared with most you see. The Green Man was my favourite.
So good to see spring arriving and flowers out. It seems to have been a long winter (yet again).
it's so good to get out again, although normality is still a long way off. The daffodils look so cheerful. What a beautiful and unusual stained glass window that wildflower one is. Love the packhorse bridge.
Bovey Belle - Thanks so much. There is some beautiful stained glass in that church. It blew me away! on my first visit. Yes kneelers were unusual - I missed them on the first visit.
It is good to be cheered after a long winter by the spring flowers.
Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much. Yes it is good to get out although I am still very careful and selective in where I go!! The wildflower window is one of the loveliest I have seen - sadly difficult to get a decent photo! The packhorse bridge is amazing!!
Lovely post. The wildflower window in the church porch is so beautiful, I like the window showing local buildings too, the kneelers are super and very different. The churchyard must have looked wonderful with all those Spring flowers:)
Rosie - Thanks so much. Its a lovely church and churchyard to visit and two free car parks nearby too. Somewhere to pop to when you need some cheer.
The nature stainded glass is gorgeous and lovely to see so many flowers in the church yard, it's alway good to see when they're not so neat and tidy!
Pam - Thank you - its a lovely church and churchyard. Good to see more and more churchyards are getting rid of the manicured look - even it its just part of the churchyard.
What a wonderful piece of stained glass with the butterflies! And, RR, the packhorse bridge looks amazing. We have one about 30 miles away which we have been meaning to visit for ages (years!). Perhaps this will be the nudge I need ... when we are over in the western part of the county.
Caroline Gill - Thanks so much. The butterfly stained glass is one of my favourite windows. Packhorse bridges worth searching out if you are in the area - they are fascinating :)
I am so happy that you got to visit the church. The memorial window is delightful.
Your walk looks lovely :-)
CherryPie - Thank you - it is an interesting church with some lovely stained glass.
I love that stained glass memorial with the butterflies! Great that you are braving going inside the churches now. I briefly went into a cafe without a mask yesterday - we were out on a birding day out with a group and stopped for coffee outside, but I needed the loo. It felt so weird not putting a mask on! I actually would have done, but I had forgotten as we were sitting outside without them on, so I just wandered in not thinking. I am still sanitising my hands regularly though and using my sleeve to open and close doors!
Millymollymandy - Thanks so much. I do get very very nervous going in buildings but it was empty. Actually I forgot to put a mask on too!!! I hadn't planned on going inside and when son went in I just followed him without thinking. Later I said to him - oh no! I forgot to put a mask on. I use disposable gloves for doors!!! and hand sanitiser goes everywhere with me and is regularly used. Horrid times we live in but with relaxation of restrictions in England you feel you have to take even more care :(
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