Churches Visiting Group 1
CHURCHES VISITING GROUP 1
This group meets in the morning of the 3rd Tuesday monthly.
Our numbers are divided into pairs each of which takes responsibility for organising one monthly Church visit. We usually visit two Churches (just one if it is large or of particular interest) and the month’s organisers arrange which Churches we visit and, if possible, obtain the services of speakers at each Church. Lunch at a nearby hostelry is regarded as an essential part of the day and usually menus are obtained and meals chosen prior to our visit. These, of course, have to be circulated and meals ordered.
The group have made several very interesting visits in the last few months. Two in particular stand out: The original mediaeval structure at Shobdon was replaced in the 1756 with a church built in the Strawberry Hill Gothic Revival style, similar to Horace Walpole’s house in Twickenham. The furnishings are primarily white with pale blue accents. The ornate style is beautifully decorated with ogee arches and great attention to detail. A short distance from the new church the original arches from the mediaeval church, with what remains of their Romanesque sculpture, have been erected as a landscape feature.
Fairford is a Cotswold ‘Wool Church’ and is the only English church with a full set of mediaeval stained glass windows – they are quite stunning. How they survived the Reformation is not known. They tell the Christian story in pictorial form. The detail includes many symbols which are not familiar to us today, so it is a good idea to use the excellent electronic audio guides. Considering their age, the detail and the vividness of the colours are quite remarkable.
Both of these churches are well worth a visit and are within an hour’s travelling distance from Ledbury
We are full at present but if you are interested please contact the leader. By virtue of the way the Group operates, all members need to be committed and it will be seen from the above paragraph that having access to transport and a computer link is almost essential.