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Back to WHAT WE DO Churches & Pubs in 2013
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The
Churches & Pubs
Group meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month,
10am at the village hall, unless stated otherwise.
10am at the village hall, unless stated otherwise.
Programme:-
Please inform Paul Kenneth beforehand if you wish to come on any visit. We need to provide both church & pub with an indication of numbers.
Churches and Pubs Proposed Visits for 2013
Click on the date link for the report
April 3rd St Mary and All Saints. Great Budworth, Cheshire.
May 1st St. John the Baptist. Ault Hucknall, Derbyshire.
June 5th St. Leonard. Downham. Lancashire.
July 3rd St. Margaret's (The Marble Church). Denbighshire.
Sept 4th St. Peters Prestbury. Cheshire
Oct 2nd St. James, Christleton (near Chester)
Nov. 6th St. Mary, Tissington. Derbyshire.
Dec. 4th St. Thomas Becket, Chapel-on-le frith, Derbyshire
APR 3
Report on the visit
St. Mary and All Saints Great Budworth, Cheshire.
The first trip for the start of the sixth year of Churches and Pubs was on a cold but
nice sunny day and saw 42 of us set out for Great Budworth in Cheshire. If you
have not been to Great Budworth it is well worth a visit. It is a very pretty village
with houses of many ages and kinds, and at the heart sits St. Mary’s, a lovely red
sandstone church.
We were met by the local historian Robert Steele who gave us an excellent talk on the history of the church which dates mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries, though the lady chapel dates back to the 14th century. All the exterior walls are battlemented. Inside there is much to see including a fine 15th century font and five 13th century oak stalls, thought to be the oldest of their kind in Cheshire. There are several memorials to the Warburton family including one made of alabaster to Sir John Warburton from 1575 to one to Sir Peter Warburton from 1813. Next to the lychgate, which was erected in 1920 as a memorial to the dead of World War 1, are 18th century stocks
After lunch in the George & Dragon, opposite the church, most of us had a walk round the village where you could buy fresh eggs and homemade jam.
Paul Kenneth
JULY 3
Report on the visit
St. Margaret's (The Marble Church). Denbighshire.
Many of us have driven down the A55 in North Wales and admired the ‘Marble Church’ in Bodelwyddan with its 202 feet delicately carved and graceful spire. On July 3rd the Churches and Pubs group had the opportunity to visit St Margaret’s, otherwise known as the ‘Marble Church,’ where we enjoyed a very informative and somewhat surprising talk.
Built in 1860 as a memorial to Sir Henry Peyto Willoughby de Broke by his wife, Lady Margaret, this church has a richness of design with exquisite stone and wood carvings. Our first surprise was that the church is mainly built of native limestone, its popular name being derived from the fourteen different types of marble within the church itself. The oak hammer beam roof is held together with wooden pegs and dowels- no nails having been used in its construction.
Outstanding features are carvings of the heads of Sir Henry and Lady Margaret which can be seen both inside and outside the church, with their names being found in large letters hidden amongst the ornate carvings. Marble pillars are topped with carvings of local flora and fauna and the solid oak eagle lectern and magnificent pulpit are especially noteworthy. The font is unique in design and is personal to the family as it features two lifelike figures of Lady Margaret’s nieces holding a large shell.
Finally, in the graveyard we found over a hundred graves of mainly Canadian soldiers who died of the Spanish flu, whilst stationed locally during World War 1. The graves are beautifully maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
After a feast of creativity, with a strong family feeling in the church, we repaired to a local hostelry for a welcome meal.
Margaret Meekley
SEPT 4
Report on the visit
St. Peters Prestbury. Cheshire
38 members enjoyed a very informative talk from the Churchwarden.
The Parish of Prestbury dates back to AngloSaxon times - probably to the seventh century. The church is most likely the fourth to have stood on this site. The third - the so-called Norman Chapel - stands in the churchyard..
The main body of the church (the nave and chancel) were built from 1220 to 1230, only about 20 years after the completion of the Norman Chapel, to accommodate a large and wealthy parish. The South Aisle was added in 1310. The original North Aisle probably also dates from this time, but the Tower and West and South porches were added around 1480.
The oldest part of the church now is the Bell Tower, which today has eight bells, and is reputed to have the best ring of bells in the county.
After a very interesting tour, we retired for lunch to the Legh Arms, Prestbury
Thanks once again, Paul, for an enjoyable visit.
Pat Thorne
DEC 4
Report on the visit
St Thomas Becket, Chapel-en-le-Frith. 4th Dec 2013.
The last churches and pubs of the year took 52 of us on the short trip to the parish church of Thomas Becket in Chapel. We were welcomed with a hot drink of tea or coffee. Beyond the market place at the top of Church Brow, its churchyard bordered by a row of magnificent limes, stands the parish church of Thomas Becket. The first chapel was built about 1220. Today the church tower forms a conspicuous landmark rising above the trees on the summit of the hill above the town. The present church stands on the same site as the original chapel. The older parts of the church are built with local millstone grit which is pinkish in colour and was quarried at Crist quarry near Buxworth. Upon entering the church the first thing you notice are the oak box pews, dating from 1834, which are very good at keeping the winter draughts out. The windows on the south isle have wooden frames while those in the rest of the church have stone mullions and tracery. The nave roof was originally plastered and when this was removed during restoration work in 1890 the ‘Tie Beam’ roof was revealed. There are various memorials on the walls above the choir stalls, including several to the Bagshawe family of Ford Hall. In 1648 the church was used as a prison when 1500 prisoners of the Scots army, under the Duke of Hamilton, were incarcerated within the limited space of the church from 14th to 30th September after the civil war battle at Ribblesdale near Preston, in Lancashire. Forty four died before their release and many more did not survive the march which followed, with a further ten dying before they reached Cheshire. The church yard contains several items of note. Close to the foot of the tower is the pillar of a Saxon cross found built into the wall and brought from Ollerenshaw Hall in 1924. The old sundial on a stone stump nearby is at least 300 years old and the shaft may have stood in the market place. After an enjoyable morning at the church we all travelled the ten minutes to the Beehive pub at Combes where an excellent three course Christmas lunch was served. Many thanks to everyone who has supported this group, in particular those who have given lifts and written reports. We hope to start again next April 2014.
Paul Kenneth, Churches and Pubs.
Please inform Paul Kenneth beforehand if you wish to come on any visit. We need to provide both church & pub with an indication of numbers.
Churches and Pubs Proposed Visits for 2013
Click on the date link for the report
April 3rd St Mary and All Saints. Great Budworth, Cheshire.
May 1st St. John the Baptist. Ault Hucknall, Derbyshire.
June 5th St. Leonard. Downham. Lancashire.
July 3rd St. Margaret's (The Marble Church). Denbighshire.
Sept 4th St. Peters Prestbury. Cheshire
Oct 2nd St. James, Christleton (near Chester)
Nov. 6th St. Mary, Tissington. Derbyshire.
Dec. 4th St. Thomas Becket, Chapel-on-le frith, Derbyshire
APR 3
Report on the visit
St. Mary and All Saints Great Budworth, Cheshire.The first trip for the start of the sixth year of Churches and Pubs was on a cold but
nice sunny day and saw 42 of us set out for Great Budworth in Cheshire. If you
have not been to Great Budworth it is well worth a visit. It is a very pretty village
with houses of many ages and kinds, and at the heart sits St. Mary’s, a lovely red
sandstone church.
We were met by the local historian Robert Steele who gave us an excellent talk on the history of the church which dates mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries, though the lady chapel dates back to the 14th century. All the exterior walls are battlemented. Inside there is much to see including a fine 15th century font and five 13th century oak stalls, thought to be the oldest of their kind in Cheshire. There are several memorials to the Warburton family including one made of alabaster to Sir John Warburton from 1575 to one to Sir Peter Warburton from 1813. Next to the lychgate, which was erected in 1920 as a memorial to the dead of World War 1, are 18th century stocks
After lunch in the George & Dragon, opposite the church, most of us had a walk round the village where you could buy fresh eggs and homemade jam.
Paul Kenneth
JULY 3
Report on the visit
St. Margaret's (The Marble Church). Denbighshire.
Many of us have driven down the A55 in North Wales and admired the ‘Marble Church’ in Bodelwyddan with its 202 feet delicately carved and graceful spire. On July 3rd the Churches and Pubs group had the opportunity to visit St Margaret’s, otherwise known as the ‘Marble Church,’ where we enjoyed a very informative and somewhat surprising talk.
Built in 1860 as a memorial to Sir Henry Peyto Willoughby de Broke by his wife, Lady Margaret, this church has a richness of design with exquisite stone and wood carvings. Our first surprise was that the church is mainly built of native limestone, its popular name being derived from the fourteen different types of marble within the church itself. The oak hammer beam roof is held together with wooden pegs and dowels- no nails having been used in its construction.
Outstanding features are carvings of the heads of Sir Henry and Lady Margaret which can be seen both inside and outside the church, with their names being found in large letters hidden amongst the ornate carvings. Marble pillars are topped with carvings of local flora and fauna and the solid oak eagle lectern and magnificent pulpit are especially noteworthy. The font is unique in design and is personal to the family as it features two lifelike figures of Lady Margaret’s nieces holding a large shell.
Finally, in the graveyard we found over a hundred graves of mainly Canadian soldiers who died of the Spanish flu, whilst stationed locally during World War 1. The graves are beautifully maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
After a feast of creativity, with a strong family feeling in the church, we repaired to a local hostelry for a welcome meal.
Margaret Meekley
SEPT 4
Report on the visit
St. Peters Prestbury. Cheshire
38 members enjoyed a very informative talk from the Churchwarden.
The Parish of Prestbury dates back to AngloSaxon times - probably to the seventh century. The church is most likely the fourth to have stood on this site. The third - the so-called Norman Chapel - stands in the churchyard..
The main body of the church (the nave and chancel) were built from 1220 to 1230, only about 20 years after the completion of the Norman Chapel, to accommodate a large and wealthy parish. The South Aisle was added in 1310. The original North Aisle probably also dates from this time, but the Tower and West and South porches were added around 1480.
The oldest part of the church now is the Bell Tower, which today has eight bells, and is reputed to have the best ring of bells in the county.
After a very interesting tour, we retired for lunch to the Legh Arms, Prestbury
Thanks once again, Paul, for an enjoyable visit.
Pat Thorne
DEC 4
Report on the visit
St Thomas Becket, Chapel-en-le-Frith. 4th Dec 2013.
The last churches and pubs of the year took 52 of us on the short trip to the parish church of Thomas Becket in Chapel. We were welcomed with a hot drink of tea or coffee. Beyond the market place at the top of Church Brow, its churchyard bordered by a row of magnificent limes, stands the parish church of Thomas Becket. The first chapel was built about 1220. Today the church tower forms a conspicuous landmark rising above the trees on the summit of the hill above the town. The present church stands on the same site as the original chapel. The older parts of the church are built with local millstone grit which is pinkish in colour and was quarried at Crist quarry near Buxworth. Upon entering the church the first thing you notice are the oak box pews, dating from 1834, which are very good at keeping the winter draughts out. The windows on the south isle have wooden frames while those in the rest of the church have stone mullions and tracery. The nave roof was originally plastered and when this was removed during restoration work in 1890 the ‘Tie Beam’ roof was revealed. There are various memorials on the walls above the choir stalls, including several to the Bagshawe family of Ford Hall. In 1648 the church was used as a prison when 1500 prisoners of the Scots army, under the Duke of Hamilton, were incarcerated within the limited space of the church from 14th to 30th September after the civil war battle at Ribblesdale near Preston, in Lancashire. Forty four died before their release and many more did not survive the march which followed, with a further ten dying before they reached Cheshire. The church yard contains several items of note. Close to the foot of the tower is the pillar of a Saxon cross found built into the wall and brought from Ollerenshaw Hall in 1924. The old sundial on a stone stump nearby is at least 300 years old and the shaft may have stood in the market place. After an enjoyable morning at the church we all travelled the ten minutes to the Beehive pub at Combes where an excellent three course Christmas lunch was served. Many thanks to everyone who has supported this group, in particular those who have given lifts and written reports. We hope to start again next April 2014.
Paul Kenneth, Churches and Pubs.