Berkswell Church

We had a pub lunch at the Sixteenth Century Bear Inn at Berkswell last week - we had gone the week before on our Wedding Anniversary but the pub had been closed due to a leaking water pipe :(

Photo of The Bear from a previous visit.

The dining area in the pub is called Cromwell's Room which refers to Cromwell's troops lodging in the village before the Battle of Kenilworth. During recent renovations a Cromwellian helmet and boot were found in an interior wall. For centuries the annual October Stattis Fair (when workers and servants from the surrounding countryside met up in seek of employment from local farmers) was held here.




We were due to pick up E on the way home and had 15 minutes spare so paid a brief visit to the beautiful Church of St John the Baptist which dates back to 1150.

Wayside Preaching Cross

The stone steps pre-date the church and are probably Saxon.

The porch dates from the Sixteenth century and the room above was originally the Priest's room, then the village school and later the parish council house. It is now used as a Vestry - access is via a series of steps.

The Oak door leading into the church is 600 years old and was made with hand made nails.

The Font (1946) and the Pulpit (1926) contain vineleaf motifs that copy the ancient screen carvings and are the work of Robert Thompson of Kilburn. Hidden around the church are 9 carved mice (the mark of the woodcarver Thompson). I've only found 2 on previous visits but found a third today in the Lady Chapel - really need to take a torch with me I think to examine all the carvings closely.

Mouse on the Font

the Pulpit and in the

Lady Chapel.

More carved wood - sorry not the best of photos - it was a dull and gloomy day and consequently it was dark in the church.

Misericords

Stained Glass

A rare example of a Sanctus Bell dating from the 16th Century or perhaps even earlier.

Such Bells were often placed in a wooden frame inside the rood screen which separated the Chancel from the Nave. In Medieval times it would have been rung just before the consecration of the bread and wine.


I didn't have time to go down to the Crypt this time but its a beautifully peaceful, tranquil place so I've included a few photos from a previous visit.

The Crypt is a fine example of Norman architecture and dates back to the 12th Century (the East part was built around 1150 and the Western Octagonal part later in the century). It is believed to be a reconstruction of an earlier crypt that dated back to Saxon times and there may have been a shrine on the site.


Sadly, there was no time to look for graffiti (Medieval or otherwise).

Berkswell - A Picturesque Village and Church

D and I had an afternoon out yesterday - it was such a lovely sunny day. The plan was to track down the location of a painting he gave me for Christmas entitled "Conker Lane" which was painted locally. Unfortunately, we failed in that quest although further internet research since means I think I have finally tracked down where it is so I will return!

I saw my first butterfly of the year as we drove through Temple Balsall - a large buttery yellow male Brimstone.

We had a pub lunch at "The Bear", Berkswell which dates back to the Sixteenth century.

The pub was originally called the "Bear and Ragged Staff" inn taking its name from the coat of arms of the Earls of Warwick - once Lords of the Manor of Berkswell.

After lunch we had a wander round the village and church.

Berkswell has had several famous residents including Jeremy Brett the actor who played Sherlock Holmes in a tv dramatisation.

Secondly, the tennis player Maud Watson lived at what is now called Wells House

She was the rector's daughter and won the first Ladies Single Champion at the Championships, Wimbledon in 1884.


It is believed the village takes its name from Bercul's Well. Bercul was a Saxon chieftain and the well (shown in the photo below) may well have once been dedicated to an Anglo-Saxon god. An ancient round stone in the nearby church may have supported a statue of this god. Monks from Lichfield who brought the Christian faith to the village would have baptised their first converts in this well.

Village War Memorial located in the churchyard

Wayside Preaching Cross - the stone base steps predate the church and are probably Saxon.

The Church of St John Baptist - one of the finest examples of Norman and early English Architecture in the Midlands. The twelfth century church was built upon the site of an earlier Saxon church and remains in the crypt date back to the eighth century.

Its a few years since I last visited this church but it is one of my favourites due to its beauty, history, architecture and atmosphere.

The church porch dates from the sixteenth century. The room over the porch is now a vestry but was originally the priest's room and then the village school and later the parish council house.

The fifteenth century Tower replaced an earlier one. Its interesting that the sundial on the tower is larger than the clock!

The oak church door which contains a smaller priest's door is over 600 years old and was made with hand-made nails.

The Font

The Mice of Berkswell - Scattered round the church are at least nine mice carved into oak by the Yorkshire Furniture Maker Robert Thompson - this one I found on the font.

Looking towards the Chancel from the Nave

Another of the Berkswell Mice - this one was carved on the lectern.

Wooden carvings, Memorials and Stained Glass

Misericord carvings under seats in the Chancel - these were used by monks and canons to rest on during particularly long church services.

The Nave

Another of the Berkswell Mice - this time carved on a chair.

A rare Sanctus Bell - this dates from the sixteenth century or possibly much earlier. These bells were often hung in their wooden frame and mounted inside the rood screen which separated the Chancel from the Nave. In Medieval times the bells were rung just before consecration of the bread and wine during the Christian Eucharist. Following the Reformation this practice was banned and thus not many of these bells have been found in England. This particular bell was discovered in 2011 in the Church Tower when it was being restored.

The crypt is entered from a pew in the North aisle. It is a beautiful example of Norman architecture and one of the finest church crypts in the country. The eastern part was constructed about 1150 and the octagonal or western part later that century. It is believed an earlier crypt dated from Saxon times and may once have been the shrine of a saint.

Wall Paintings

The low stone seat which runs round the walls was made for children and the elderly/infirm to rest on and led to the saying "The weakest go to the wall".

Some of the cottages in Berkswell date back to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

I think this is the cottage that houses a local museum. I've been planning to visit this for ages but on checking the website when I got home it looks as though it will be closed this year due to lack of visitors which is very sad.

Beehive Cottage

The Village Stocks - not the best of photos but I took this out of the car window as we were leaving! It is claimed these were built for a one-legged ex-soldier and his two drinking companions as there are only 5 holes for the legs!!!

Lots of beautiful crocuses were in flower all round the village.

Sorry for the large amount of photos - got a trifle carried away!!