Temple Balsall - Part 1: A Wander

 

D and I took advantage of a rare dry day recently to re-visit Temple Balsall.  I do love that area as it has such a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere and is steeped in history.  With churchyards and churches, historic buildings, a brook and a pool, a wildflower meadow, a hidden walled garden, wildflowers, birds and butterflies what more could you want?

Temple Fields Natural Burial Ground does much to encourage biodiversity and earlier in the year the meadow there is full of wild flowers, butterflies and grasshoppers.  Sadly, it was a bit past its best in August so we didn't walk round it this time.

Instead we walked across the lane to the lychgate leading to the cemetery which is a war memorial for those who lost their lives in World Wars One and Two.

I am always pleased to see churchyards/cemeteries which allow flowers to thrive in and around the older graves.

Having walked through the cemetery you emerge by the Solihull Green Man Trail.

We carried on along the Bread Walk which passes a little stream.

Temple Balsall takes its name from the Preceptory of the Templars which was founded there c1150.  The Knights Templar were disbanded in 1312 and their estates were taken over by the Hospitallers who held them until the Dissolution in 1541.

The Old Hall was encased in brick in the 19th century. The interior has hidden remains of an aisled late 12th century hall which belonged to the Preceptory.

Two sisters who were grand-daughters of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, bequeathed money to the area.

Lady Anne Holborne (d1663) left money in her will for the church to be repaired and to fund a minister there.

Lady Katherine Leveson (d1674) endowed the school and the hospital there.  

The restored church was used by the parish and the almswomen next door.  The hospital is now known as Lady Katherine Housing and Care.

The Almshouses

Temple House built in 1760.

We walked past the almshouses and Temple House to the pool where we saw some mallard - juveniles?

We walked past the almshouses and walked round the churchyard and walled garden which I'll write about in the next post and then returned along the Bread Walk past the Old Hall and through the Cemetery to where we had parked the car.

An interesting little snippet of information on this grave stone - I am assuming it may be Harry Williams who co-wrote with Jack Judge "Its a long long way to Tipperary"???

We called into Oakes farm shop on the way home to buy some local beer and D stocked up on his favourite tipple a bottle of Mr. Fitzpatrick's cordial!

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera

I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wants to use one I would be grateful for an email first - thanks.

Reference: "Buildings of England Warwickshire" by Chris Pickford and Nikolaus Pevsner, Yale University Press,

Herefordshire 2023 (5) - Part 2: Churchcrawling - visit to a Cemetery

 

On Bank Holiday Monday I wanted to go out but was keen to avoid anywhere it might be busy so a church seemed a good idea. Then I remembered when we had gone into Leominster the "back way" via an industrial park to avoid roadworks on the A road I had spotted a small cemetery.

Now some of you may remember I read a book recently called "Tomb With A View" which I was disappointed with as instead of dealing with the stories behind gravestones in churchyards, it mainly consisted of visits to cemeteries.  So I thought it would be a good idea to visit one and see what they were like. A small one like Leominster seemed a better idea than a large one in a City.

I haven't been able to find out much about the history of Leominster Cemetery apart from the fact that the earliest burials are from the early C19th.

It was good to see that in some areas especially around the older gravestones the wild flowers had been allowed to flourish and grass left unmown.

I only found one Commonwealth War grave although I know there are many more.

To be honest after wandering around for three quarters of an hour I have to admit I am still not keen on visiting cemeteries.  I think its partly because of the number of recent graves and especially the children's graves which were really rather upsetting. Also a cemetery visit brings back sad memories of attending mum and dad's funeral and other relatives or friends. When I wander round a country churchyard I mainly do so to enjoy the wildflowers if it is a "Living Churchyard" but its usually just part of the visit. Its the church exterior and interior for its history and architecture which is the main reason for my visit.  So, although I had thought of visiting a cemetery in Solihull or Birmingham I now don't think I will. Although, of course, it has to be remembered "Tomb With A View" visits were to research the history of people who had died and were buried there and to talk to people who knew them.

On the Tuesday we paid a visit to Burford House Gardens and a surprise awaited us there as the gate over the bridge was for the first time open and it led to a wonderful wild flower meadow.  I'll write about the gardens and meadow in my next two posts.

I am everyone is staying safe and well.

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 appreciate an email first - thanks).