Waxwing

Waxwing
"To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour."

From "Auguries of Innocence"

by William Blake

Friday 27 January 2023

Looking for Snowdrops at St John the Baptist, Berkswell

 

I went along to Berkswell village a few days ago to look for snowdrops in the churchyard there. I've done quite a few posts on this village and church but it is a place I really love and not far from home.  





Parts of the church are Norman and the Preaching cross in the foreground has a medieval base but the cross at the top was changed in 1850.













There is a lot of graffiti on the tower from the last couple of centuries.
















I was too early for the snowdrops to be in full display - they were just emerging and a few were showing buds. I will try and go again in a couple of weeks.
























Next to the church is Well House which was once the Rectory. Maud Watson who is buried in the churchyard lived there with her father who was the vicar. She was the first Wimbledon Singles Ladies' Champion.



The Gothic War Memorial by Sir Charles Nicholson 1921.













By now it was starting to rain but this cottage once housed a small museum sadly it is now closed.







It was good to get out for an hour or so even if the snowdrops were not yet fully out. 

I didn't go inside the church on this visit but if you want to see the interior please see this post Berkswell Church


I hope everyone is staying safe and well.


All photos taken by me with the Panasonic FZ330 Lumix bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).


10 comments:

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Very pleasant walk around the churchyard, I've seen some snowdrops in churchyards I visited but only a few, like you say the best is still to come. Now I must go and check my Parents grave and see if the ones I planted are growing

Ragged Robin said...

Billy Blue Eyes - Thanks so much. As you say the best is still to come with snowdrops. I hope the snowdrops on your parents' grave are doing well. Such a lovely thought.

Rosie said...

Lovely atmospheric photos. so sad the museum closed, I don't like museums closing I guess it was run by volunteers or a local history society rather than the local council. I hope next time you visit you find lots of lovely snowdrops. We spotted a few on our walk yesterday but our garden ones are still just little green shoots:)

Ragged Robin said...

Rosie - Thanks so much. Yes it is sad re the museum and I think it was run by volunteers. I can't remember why it closed either due to lack of visitors or lack of volunteers or perhaps both.

I can't even see the green shoots on my garden snowdrops or I couldn't a week ago :(

The Quacks of Life said...

you saw more than I did! Berkeswell is a nice churchyard

lets hope they come out soon :)

Ragged Robin said...

The Quacks of Life - Thanks so much. lol! Yes I love Berkswell :) Gvie it a few weeks and there should hopefully be a lot more and in flower.

Rustic Pumpkin said...

I love how that carving is called graffiti. Of course, that's exactly what it is, but it's so deeply etched in it'll be part of the building and its history for many more centuries to come. Obviously they weren't expected to chisel it away as today's graffiti artists are expected to remove their work, nor classed as vandalism, or was it? Unless, of course, you're Banksy.

Granny Sue said...

What a peaceful, lovely place. I enjoyed your photos. I will have to look and see where Warwickshire is! I know some of the English counties, but not nearly all. Popping over from Rosie's blog.

CherryPie said...

What a lovely walk you had :-)

Ragged Robin said...

Rustic Pumpkin
Thanks so much. You can get superb graffiti in some churches from the Middle Ages of ships and other things :) I have a book on it somewhere. I've also seen effigies on tombs with old signatures on them. Quite fascinating really.

Granny Sue - Thanks so much for visiting and leaving a comment. Warwickshire is a lovely county and well worth visiting :)

Cherry Pie - Thank you - it was just good to get out with the camera!