A Visit to Berkswell and St John the Baptist

 

D and I don't seem to have been out much together recently so one sunny day last week we decided to go to Berkswell to have a look round the village and church and have lunch.  Berkswell is my favourite Warwickshire village.

We parked by the church of St John the Baptist and visited the church first.  

The church chancel, crypt and parts of the nave are Norman and were built in the C12th. Pevsner describes the church "as the most interesting Norman Parish Church in the county". The church is built of red sandstone and has an interesting corbel table.

The Gothic War Memorial was erected by Sir Charles Nicholson in 1921.

Wayside Preaching Cross - the stone steps predate the church and may be Saxon.

Some of the corbels.

This is the grave of Maud Watson who lived in the village with her father who was the vicar.  She was the first Wimbledon Ladies' Single Champion. Her sister played tennis at Wimbledon level too.

The two storey timber porch with external staircase dates back to 1500.

It is always good to see a sign like this saying the church is open!

C12th oak door with handmade nails.

I haven't been inside the church for quite a few years so I persuaded D to have a quick look round the interior.

The church interior has been restored several times. The first restoration was by Jethro Cossins c1881, the chancel was restored by W D Carve in 1909 and the crypt by Charles H Armstrong in 1928 with minor work by A H Gardner 1949-61. Some of the woodwork is by Robert "Mouseman" Thompson of Kilburn for example, the pulpit 1926, the chapel screen and altar rails in 1928 and the wooden font in 1946. There are several Thompson mice carvings in the church - I have never been able to find them all!

Looking towards the chancel from the nave.

This rare sanctus bell dates from C16th and could be earlier. It was usually set within a wooden frame attached to the inside of the rood screen.  In medieval times it was rung at holiest moment in the Eucharist just before the bread and wine were consecrated. After the Reformation the use of such bells was banned and, therefore, there are very few left in England.  The bell was found in the tower during recent restoration work.

The Berkswell Cello

This cello was played during services at Berkswell church and at social events in the C18 and C19th. It was used as part of the church choir along with other instruments.  The cello has remained in the ownership of the church and was conserved in 2017.

This stained glass emblem of St Cecilia was placed in memory of Celia Hooper 1951 - 1996.

The Lady Chapel

Wooden font by Robert Thompson complete with little carved mice. Sorry no photo of mice - it was too dark and I have no idea where the light switches were.  I do have a pen torch but of course forgot to use it!

Royal Arms 1791

Lollipop art by children of the local primary school.

Pulpit by Robert Thompson

Stained glass in the chancel - some is by Powell & Sons.

I did get one photo of a Thompson mouse carved on a chair.

Funerary Hatchment

We didn't go down to the crypt on this visit.

Back outside I went to have a look at the wall of the tower which has graffiti from the C20th but some is older.

We had a quick wander around some of the village.

This cottage used to contain a museum which has now sadly closed - I never did get to visit it.

Bercul's Well from which Berkswell gets its name.  There is some evidence of a pre-Conquest shrine at the village and this well near the church may have been used in connection with religion as an immersion site for early baptisms.  The well today is in a stone walled basin and is 4.9 metres squared. It was restored in 1851.

Well House where Maud Watson (see above) lived with her father. The house was then the rectory.

Village Stocks

The Nook is a new tearoom in the village closed at present for repairs.

We had lunch at the Bear Inn - a lovely C16th pub.  We both had a Great British Toastie with Blackstone vintage cheddar and Cricket St Thomas camembert served with chips, salad and red onion chutney. The service there was superb.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FX330 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: "The Buildings of England Warwickshire" by Chris Pickford and Nikolaus Pevsner, Yale University Press, 2011.