Church Architecture
Coordinator: Fiona Lewis
Contact Church Architecture
We have 24 members and room for more.
Our meetings are either on the second Monday of the month from 2 to 4pm at Harborne Baptist Church or we take part in a trip to a church/ cathedral where if possible a guided tour has been arranged. Public transport is used for these trips although members who prefer to drive are free to do so. All trips are checked in advance for travel times and a detailed email is sent a week before to members who have signed up. Those not on email receive a copy in the post.
About 10 to 12 members attend the meetings at Harborne Baptist Church where one of them has prepared a talk and then we have tea/ coffee and biscuits in the front café area which is provided and served by members. This is a chance to have an informal chat about the talk or to discuss future plans and to have a look at any books or leaflets on church architecture which members have brought along.
Whilst some members are able to use Powerpoint to deliver a slide show as part of their talk, this is not essential. Anyone can get help from another member to do a slide show but old style presentations with handouts are also appreciated. Also several members can do shorter talks and a popular theme in the past has been “my favourite church”.
We started the year with a talk plus slide show on 9th January about Tewkesbury Abbey then on 13th February there was a talk plus slide show on Green Men, Hares and Sheela-na-gigs.
On 13th March we travelled to Solihull for a guided tour of St Alphege Church which cost £5 per head then refreshments in Solihull Manor House Café.
We did not meet on 10th April as this date clashed with Easter Bank Holiday Monday. Also during this month on Wednesday 5th April our group had a table at the Spring Fair which was run by 3 members who kindly volunteered their time.
Our next meeting at Harborne Baptist Church on 8th May was delayed a week because of the extra Bank Holiday to 15th May. We had a talk and slide show about the church of St Alban the Martyr in Highgate, Birmingham.
On 12th June we had 2 talks with slide shows. One on Norwich Cathedral Roof Bosses and one on St Chad and his connection with Lindisfarne, Lichfield and Birmingham. The latter talk was an introduction prior to a trip to Lichfield Cathedral and St Chad’s Church and well in Lichfield. This was postponed to Monday 31st July because the second Monday of the month clashed with an organ recital in the cathedral which limited our access. Also a guided tour was not possible so we obtained leaflets at the desk for £2 each and did our own tour of the cathedral. Before this we had a brief look inside St Chad’s Church beside Stowe Pool and looked at the well in the graveyard followed by refreshments at The Minster Café in Dam Street.
We had our usual break in August then on 11th September we went to Hereford cathedral and enjoyed a guided tour followed by admission to the exhibition of the Mappa Mundi and the Chained Library. Then on 9th October we visited St Alban the Martyr Church in Highgate, Birmingham for a tour.
Planning for the 2024 programme is already underway. We have proposed talks on Sir Gilbert Scott on 8th January, Welsh Chapels on 12th February and Whitby Abbey on 8th April. In March we plan a trip but this has yet to be organised
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