Visit to an Interesting Church with Saxon Carved Font and Medieval Wall Paintings

Thanks to someone posting photos on a Social Media site recently I discovered a church fairly close to home with some very interesting features. I'd never thought of visiting this church before - another illustration that we often miss what is "on our doorstep".


The village of Curdworth was the first recorded Anglo-Saxon settlement in the Midlands of the first King of the Mercians, Creoda, in 583 AD.

Curdworth or Credeworde means "Creoda's Clearing" and is believed to be the located at the centre of England. Although I think the village of Meriden not far away makes a similar claim! (One of these days when I am visiting the excellent farm shop in Meriden I'll take my camera and get some photos and perhaps visit their church if its open).

A church has probably existed on this site since Saxon times but the present Norman Building dates back to 1165 and celebrates its 850th birthday this year.

In the 15th century the church was lengthened and a Tower was added in 1460 by Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. At the time it was intended to add a spire but this never happened. The church which is a Grade II Listed Building is made of Red Sandstone.

The 16th century porch was rebuilt in 1800.

The unusual square font with carvings dates back to Saxon times and is one of the original features of the church. It was buried under the Nave floor, perhaps during the Reformation and was re-discovered in 1895 when the church was refurbished. The top of the font has been cut down and some of the figures have heads missing.

Edit Have recently discovered that the font is actually Romanesque - 12th century and not Saxon.

These could be Evangelists holding books.

This aircraft propeller-shaped memorial commemorates a young Australian airman who died at nearby Castle Bromwich Aerodrome (now a housing estate) in the First World War.

The churchyard contains around a dozen military graves (mainly airmen)from both World Wars.

St Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, who lived in the 4th Century and to whom the church was dedicated when it was built in the 12th century.

Parishioners raised money for this beautiful Millennium Window - one of the loveliest stained glass windows I have seen. It was dull and cloudy outside so it must look even more stunning on a sunny day.

At this point a couple of parishioners came into the church and very helpfully pointed out quite a few interesting features. Apparently someone has done some research into the window in the photo below and the spider's web motif in the bottom right hand corner in the second picture. (You may have to click on the photo to enlarge it to see the web!)>

Doing some research when I got home the only stained glass artist I can find who used a spider's web motif was Geoffrey Webb. I might return to the church in a few weeks when they have a Flower Festival and see if I can find out some more information.

The stone in the photo below came to light when some repairs were carried out on an old bridge at Water Orton - it is apparently part of the figure of an Angel which had been badly damaged (the head is missing) and was brought back to the Church by the Reverend Lancelot Mitchell who was Rector at Curdworth between 1905 -1937.

The wall paintings which surround the 12th century windows date from Medieval times and were restored in 1972.

This early 13th century dug-out chest is 10 feet in length and supposedly the longest known. It was carved out of a single tree trunk.

Norman Chancel Arch with the classic Chevron design.

This trefoil "window" opening is 15th century.

You probably won't be able to make out the words in this flagstone floor but the stone commemorates Sarah, daughter of Cornelius and Anne Ford who lived nearby at Dunton Hall in the 17th century, who was the mother of the famous Samuel Johnson. (Some of you may recall previous posts I wrote on Lichfield and St Giles, Packwood with Johnson connections - a small world!!).

There is another 12th century font in the church porch.

Outside the church - lichens making pretty patterns on the brickwork.

An unknown species of Fungi.

I'm currently reading a fascinating book by Matthew Champion called "Medieval Graffiti - The Lost Voices of England's Churches" which gives details of the many types of marks, graffiti and carvings (Mason's and Merchant's marks, compasses, ships, crosses, witch marks, knights and dragons etc) left in Medieval churches which tell a story of the many people who used the church at that time. So I couldn't resist looking for some graffiti of my own!

There was plenty round this door with examples from

the 19th century and the

20th.

Sadly, I managed to miss the best of all - Mason's marks of an arrowhead by two of the small round-headed windows in the chancel although I suspect I may have needed a torch and binoculars to spot them!


The playing fields next to the church were the scene of the first skirmish of the English Civil War at the Battle of Curdworth Bridge. When I did some research into the church on the internet I discovered that there is allegedly royalist treasure buried in the churchyard which is protected by a headless ghost! - apparently there are also unmarked graves of Royalist and Parliamentarian soldiers buried here too.

Edit - Thanks to David (see comment below) for pointing out that in actual fact the Siege of Hull and Royalist attempt at capturing the City took place a few weeks before the skirmish of Curdworth Bridge.

Local Birding at Marsh Lane NR

It was another mild and sunny Spring-like day again today so B and I went along to Marsh Lane for a walk this afternoon.

There were a few berries left on this ivy.

We spent most of the time in River Hide which overlooks both Railway Pool and

Car Park pool.

Sorry no close-up photos of birds - as mentioned before they are just too far away in the main for the 70-300 lens and I am not going to mention the Bridge Camera again until I've got to grips with it!! I saw my first Great Crested Grebe of the year - sadly a lone bird rather than a pair - it would have been nice to see their very endearing courtship display. There were plenty of Lapwings, Tufted Ducks, Mallard, Teal, Cormorants, Gadwall and Shovelers on the pools and the coots were spending most of their time chasing each other. Greylag and Canada Geese were grazing fields next to the River Blythe.

Alder catkins and cones

Speedwell was in flower along the path - I think this is probably Common Field Speedwell (Veronica persica) It appears that finally (after about 5 years when I couldn't get them to work) I can insert italics! Sorry the aperture was on the wrong setting - will try and get a better photo next time I visit.

Greater Reedmace is starting to go to seed.

There are far more flowers now on the Gorse bushes.

I was watching a pair of Long-tailed Tits flitting around the shrubs and trying to get closer to get a photo when I spotted this Tree Bumble Bee (Bombus hypnorum). Sorry another rubbish photo as the camera was still on the wrong settings :(

This orangey-yellow lichen was coating the branches of many trees around the car park. I think it is probably Xanthoria parietina or Golden Shield Lichen - a yellow foliose lichen. Am still awaiting confirmation from i-spot on the id.

Lichens are formed by two organisms - a fungus which forms the body of the lichen and a single-celled green alga which provides the nutrients via photosynthesis. The two organisms live together in a symbiotic relationship. In Xanthoria parietina the spores are produced by the fungus in the golden orange cups and the orange colour (parietin) protects the alga from uv.

This species is found in sunny exposed places and is tolerant of high levels of nitrogen, especially ammonia, and it is therefore often common in trees and buildings around farmland. X.parietina and the very similar X. polycarpa can be used to monitor nitrogen levels in the atmosphere.



Teasels growing around the car park.

I was hoping to see a few early returning Sand Martins at the Reserve today but none were around. Perhaps they will have arrived by the time we next visit.

Snowdrops, first Moth and Primroses at St Giles and a Brief Visit to Henley-in-Arden

After dropping B off to attend a re-union with old work colleagues and friends, D and I went along to St Giles Church, Packwood in search of snowdrops and primroses.


St Giles is a medieval church dating back 800 years.

This is a Scratch or Mass Dial on the exterior south wall of the Nave. This type of sundial was used when a stick was inserted in the centre point to indicate when Mass should be celebrated using the sun to tell the time.

Snowdrops

and the first few early Primroses were flowering.

I took some photos of lichens on the church walls and it was only when I got home and uploaded the photos that I realised there was a moth right in the corner of one of the pictures I took. I am not sure how I missed it - I must have been too busy focusing on the lichens!! My first moth of the year and a new "tick" for me - a Grey Shoulder Knot (Lithophane ornitopus). Sorry the moth is a bit blurred as its heavily cropped from the original photo.

There are many mature yew trees scattered around the churchyard

and areas which are are not too neat and tidy but left alone to encourage wildlife.

This particular churchyard is a very rich site for wildflowers with other 100 species being identified - some of which are quite rare for this part of Warwickshire. It was a visit to this particular church several years ago that sparked off my interest in churchyards and the benefits that many of them provide for wildlife.

Some churchyards are manicured and neat and tidy but more and more parishes are creating a haven that can be used by wildlife and people. With the conversion of old pastures to arable farmland and improvements to grassland, churchyards, which have more or less escaped the appliance of weedkillers and fertilisers, often contain the last remnants of ancient, flower-rich grassland in an area. A wealth of wildlife can be found from ancient trees, lichens growing on gravestones and walls, fungi including waxcaps, ferns, reptiles and mammals.

With the decline of many common woodland and farmland birds, churchyards provide important habitat for these species providing shelter, food, roosting and nesting sites. The church building itself provides roosting and nest sites for bats and birds such as tits, starlings,house sparrows, kestrels, swifts, jackdaws and hirundines. Trees, including the evergreen yews and hollies are attractive to thrushes, greenfinches, coal tits and goldcrests. Graves, stone walls and crypts are home to invertebrates providing food and nesting sites for wrens, robins and tits. Grass which is often cut short near the more recent graves provides foraging areas for starlings, green woodpeckers, thrushes and wagtails. Grass that is left to grow longer where the graves are old is interspersed with wild flowers attracting insects which provide feeding areas for swallows, flycatchers and warblers. Quieter areas of the churchyard left to their own devices will contain nettles patches, elder and brambles and ivy will scramble over old tombs and trees.

There is a lot of interesting information on the website www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk and a few years ago I bought a very informative and delightful book (secondhand as its out of print now unfortunately) by Francesca Greenoak called "Wildlife in the Churchyard - The Plants and Animals of God's Acre" exquisitely illustrated by Clare Roberts.


Before leaving we stopped to take some pictures of sheep in a nearby field - no lambs yet!

D took these with the bridge camera - illustrating yet again the usefulness of the zoom!

Before going home we had a wander along Henley in Arden High Street. First port of call was Henley Bakery for a cup of tea and a gingerbread man.

This is one of my favourite art galleries - Brian Tovey does some lovely paintings of the local area - D bought me a small original oil painting of primroses for Christmas. I've just been searching through loads of photo files as I thought I'd taken a photo but I can't find it when I do I'll post it in another blog post.

The White Swan - a restored 16th century coaching inn.

There are quite a few pubs and restaurants along the High Street.

George House - once the George and Dragon Inn - a 16th century timber framed building although the frontal work is more recent.

There are several interesting Charity Shops - well worth visiting.

15th century Market Cross

The Guild Hall

Some of the stone sculptures on St John the Baptist Church - I wouldn't have got a photo of the second one as it was too high up on the building - thanks again to D and the bridge camera!

Stone sculptures, Cottage Signs, Doors and Gates

and finally the florist's shop.

Apologies to those who've been following my blog for some time as I know I have done several posts before on St Giles and Henley in Arden so the photos of the town may be a trifle familiar although this time I have tried not to waffle on too much yet again about the history of the town!!



References:

A-Z of Henley in Arden

An Historical Guide to St Giles Church

"God's Acres' Live on as Local Nature Reserves" - article from BTO News 233 March - April 2001