September Visit to Herefordshire - Part 1: Hatfield

 

We spent a few days in Herefordshire last week arriving Tuesday lunchtime and doing the usual click and collect from Morrisons in Leominster in the afternoon. We were lucky with the weather as it was warm, dry and sunny most days and we were able to go out a couple of times.

A few photos of my favourite trees - no sign yet of autumnal tints.

The Herefordshire Oak

The Octopus Tree

The Constable Tree

We were able to watch the  Super Full Moon rising on the Tuesday evening.  I am not sure why but the camera never seems to pick up the details of features on the moon's surface.  

Timothy back on his shelf.

In the past I've shown you a photo of a print of a British Rail poster for Herefordshire that I have in the living room.  This is a photo of the other one I bought which features the lovely village of Weobley. Apparently Weobley has been transformed at the moment as they are filming scenes there for an adaptation of the Hamnet book by Maggie O'Farrell.

I've been reading a couple of books during my visits to the caravan.

The book above comes from a boxed set of Penguin Classics entitled British Journeys which I keep at the caravan. The books are condensed versions of the full books and are ideal for dipping into when I feel like something different to read.

One evening for tea D made a Beetroot, Red Pepper, Feta and Thyme Tart using beetroot grown in the garden at home. D had already eaten half by the time I took this photo!  

A record shot of a female Greenfinch using the bird bath.  We have only recently started to see this species there.  A Green Woodpecker we saw one day was a new "tick" for the site.

The resident House Martins seem to have departed from the site now although one day I did see a large flock of the species passing through presumably on migration.  The family of Pied Wagtails are still around and we saw buzzards at the site but on this visit we didn't see any Red Kites.  There are also Tawny Owls at the site which you can hear in the evening.  We watched bats and listened to them on the bat detector on several of the evenings. I keep hoping to see a Barn Owl as the habitat looks ideal for them but I've had no luck so far.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 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).

Guided Tour of Lunt Roman Fort, Baginton, near Coventry

On Saturday 14th September, we attended another Heritage Week event - a guided tour of Lunt Roman Fort at Baginton, near Coventry.  The tour lasted nearly two hours and was really very interesting.

The earliest evidence for Roman occupation at Lunt was around AD60-61 at  the time of Boudica and the Iceni's rebellion. Lunt is close to the junction of two important Roman roads - the Fosse Way and Watling Street. This area of England seems to have been a military zone with forts at Wall (Letocetum) which we have visited, Mancetter, Alcester and Metchley.  Tacitus who was a Roman historian and politician recorded that the army was kept ready for action during the winter to quell any remnants of the Boudica uprising.

The Fort at Lunt is on a high plateau with a steep wooded slope above the River Sowe and it was therefore an ideal location to site a fort having good natural defences and a crossing point on the river.  The river provide fresh water and the Forest of Arden provided a supply of timber for building.

Based on the number of barrack blocks it is estimated that there were about 480 foot soldiers and 120 cavalry soldiers at Lunt.

In AD64 the fort was reduced in size and towards the end of the AD70's the amount of barrack blocks at the fort was reduced perhaps because troops were needed more in South Wales where there was an uprising by the Silurian tribe.

In AD79 Agricola became Governor of Britain and soldiers moved North to try and conquer more of Britain. The fort was abandoned cAD80.

Six large postholes and a gap in the defensive ditches were the only surviving evidence of the Eastern Gateway.  Today the Gateway has been reconstructed based on Trajan's column in Rome.  Modern timbers have been placed in the original postholes and the gateway is exactly as it would have been during the Roman occupation.  Turf and timber ramparts on both sides of the gateway with ditches either side proved to be a formidable defence.  The ditches contained wooden stakes and spikes. The ramparts consisted of banks of earth covered in turf and possibly brambles and nettles.

During the tour you had a chance to climb up onto the Eastern Gateway and ramparts. The following photos were taken by D - I seem to be keeping the cellulitis at bay (just!) but over the last few months I have had problems with my knees so sadly I declined the opportunity to climb up the steps myself.

*D

D*

View towards the reconstructed gyrus - I will write about that later.

*D

The foundations of stone in front of the gyrus may have been for a hospital or a wash house. It is believed 3 pits were used for water storage.  This building was constructed at the same time as the Gyrus in AD 64.

The stone foundations in the right foreground of the photo below were for the Principia and Sacellum or HQ and Regimental Shrine.  The buildings probably housed armouries and offices. A hidden pit would have contained a pay chest.

The Gyrus in the background of the photo is one of Lunt's special features and is the only one found in Britain.  The ring is 34.06m in diameter with a flat sandy floor and a double gate.  Archaeological excavations have discovered items connected with cavalry which indicates that the gyrus was probably where soldiers trained horses for combat.  Although I think there are a few other theories concerning its possible use.

This is the Horreum or Granary which has been reconstructed and now houses a museum.  The granary was an important building in all Roman forts.  They contained grain to feed the troops and also stored valuable equipment.  Each fort was told to have a year's supply of food in case they came under siege.  Granaries were usually located at the centre of fort to keep them out of reach of attackers' fire arrows.  They were raised off the ground to keep out vermin and to allow air to circulate to keep grain damp free.  The granary at Lunt was built between A64 and AD78.

These are the remains of the Via Principalis and Via Praetoria (East/West and North/South roads)  The two roads provided access for soldiers, horses and carts to all parts of the fort.

After the guided tour ended we had a quick look round the museum.

This is the only piece of architectural stone found on the fort site and probably came for a colonnade in the commanding officer's house.

A wine amphora which came from the island of Rhodes.  It was found broken and discarded in a ditch at the fort.

I am really glad we made the effort to go and D particularly enjoyed the tour having studied the Romans in one of his final OU History Degree courses.

Reference:  Lunt Roman Fort website and various information panels around the Fort site.

Photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera and those marked D* taken by my son with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or one of my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).

St Giles, Sheldon, Birmingham

Last Saturday D and I went along to St Giles, Sheldon, which was open that day for Heritage Open Day Week.  I did once stop off at the church when driving past years ago but the church was closed.

St Giles is a medieval church built of red sandstone and is a Grade II Listed Building.   There was a Victorian Restoration in 1867 by Slater and Carpenter.

The church is dedicated to St Giles.  St Giles was born in Athens in the C8th and went to France where he lived as a hermit in a cave feeding on roots and drinking water and the milk of deer.  A royal hunt chased a deer that fled to Giles for protection.  Giles was introduced by the king to the Bishop of Nemes and they built an abbey close to Giles's cave.  Giles became the first bishop.  St Giles's saint day is the 1st September and he is the patron saint of beggars, disabled people and lepers.

The lychgate was erected in 1899 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Reverend Bateman's incumbency as Rector of Sheldon. He remained as vicar until 1910.

The nave of the church was built c1330 and extended west with a tower in 1461.

West  Door

The porch dates back to the mid C16th.

A C13th coffin lid with a calvary cross  near the porch may mark the grave of a priest.

These heraldic carvings were on the east exterior wall although one bears a resemblance to an Agnus Dei.  A volunteer from the church was showing us where the Commonwealth graves were located and I wish now I had asked him about the carvings.

Church Interior

The interior of the church was very dark even with lights on and I really struggled to take photos even with very high iso - well that is my excuse anyway!!

Roll of Honour for World Wars 1 and 2.

Most of the stained glass was Victorian and pretty unremarkable imho!!!

I did however like this more modern window (1937) by Florence Camm entitled "The Sower". Florence Camm was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement and went to Birmingham School of Art. The window was made by her family's glass Company based in Smethwick.

One unusual feature of the church is the rare Pentagon window which is possibly the only one in Europe.  The window was rediscovered in 1867 during renovations to the North Aisle. It had been "walled up" probably to prevent damage by the Puritans under Oliver Cromwell.

View from the Exterior

Interior view (somewhat obscured at the base by the organ!)

 The C15th reredos once behind the main altar was re-sited in the North Aisle in the 1867 restoration.  The reredos is damaged but you can perhaps make out what would have been a representation of the Annunciation.

The organ is around 150 years old and was made by Thomas Hewins of Stratford upon Avon.

Furnishings such as the pews and pulpit date from the Victorian restoration.

The brass eagle lectern was donated in 1894 in memory of Mary Thursley.

C14th font (damaged by a mobility scooter in the early 2000's)

 

Memorial in the chancel

Memorial to Thomas Bray who was rector between 1690 and 1730.  He travelled to Maryland, America, to help establish the Church of England there.  

The present reredos shows the Last Supper.

Nave from the chancel

Looking towards the chancel

The note on this tower door made me smile.

The feature below shown from inside and outside the church is often referred to as a "Leper's Squint" in church guide books.  This is now a really outdated theory.  Many lepers lived in Lazar communities where they had access to their own purpose built chapels and would not need therefore to watch services at a local church.   These low side windows could have been used for ventilation, or as hagioscopes, or a hand bell could have been rung from the window to alert parishioners in nearby fields that it was nearly time for mass. Another current theory is that they could be the remains of a putlog used when scaffolding was erected to build the church.

C14th oak chest

After looking round the church and churchyard D and I went to the church hall for tea and cake (chocolate chip and banana loaf). The cake was delicious :)

Cottages near the church.

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

Reference: Leaflet in church

Book "Historic Building Mythbusting" by James Wright