On the Wednesday we went for a local walk at Hatfield. There is a lovely lane by St Leonard's church that only leads to farms so there is very little traffic and it is ideal for a short walk.
We walked as far as the disused railway line and bridge. B hasn't been down this lane before - I usually do this particular walk with D when he is with us.
The disused railway line was a section of the Worcester, Bromyard and Leominster railway connecting the latter two towns. The line was approved in 1874 but not completed until 1897. It closed in 1952.
I said hallo to this sheep and for a few moments I thought it was going to follow me down the lane!
Ivy flowers and berries and a lone Herb Robert flower.
Hazel catkins are forming - it seems very early to me.
We stopped off at the church as I wanted to look for Waxcap fungi in the churchyard. Waxcaps appear in grasslands and lawns in late summer and autumn and some of them are very colourful indeed. They need grassland that has not been disturbed by farming equipment or fertilised so churchyards are ideal places to look!
Oontitoomps!
Sadly I couldn't find any waxcaps in the churchyard but we did have a conversation with a man working in the church who produced a very interesting folder full of information on the church and churchyard. A lady in the village had surveyed the churchyard for wildlife and there were lists of wild flowers, birds trees, lichens, bryophytes and fungi etc that she had found. It is a brilliant resource. She had listed a type of waxcap that she had found called a "Witch's Hat" or "Blackening Waxcap" (Hygrocybe conica). It was good to know that one species does occur there. The gentleman also mentioned the church will be holding a Flower Festival next May so I really will try and go to that.
B found a very old gravestone at the back of the church dating back to 1754.
St Leonard's is the third oldest church in Herefordshire. The nave is C11th and may even date back to before the Norman Conquest. The chanced was added in the C14th. I couldn't leave without taking a photo of one of my favourite doorways - the blocked North doorway with 3 stones on the lintel and the typanum with Opus Reticulatum ie square stones set diagonally.
On the Thursday we visited Croft Castle which I will write about in the next post.
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 my pictures or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks)
4 comments:
A lovely walk, a shame you didn't find the waxcaps but a least from all the information gathered by the lady from the village you know that they have been found in the churchyard. I hope you can get back to the church for the flower festival. Sheep are funny creatures aren't they, sometimes they are full of curiosity other times they beat a hasty retreat if they think you may get too close:)
Thanks so much Rosie. Good to know they are there. I know where there are some locally at home but what with going to Herefordshire, cold and cellulitis not been able to get there! Fingers crossed for the Flower Festival but I do like going there in May so all being well will be able to attend. You are right about sheep!!!!
Looks like a nice walk and the sheep are really cute! I remember that blocked up doorway unless there is another like that somewhere, so I must have seen this church before!
Thanks so much Mandy. You will have seen the door before - I visit that church a lot! Can never resist taking yet another photo of the door!!!!
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