St Lawrence Parish Church, Appleby, Cumbria.

St Lawrence's church in Appleby is rather sweet. It has many stunning stained glass windows but it is the ornate stone carving that really sets it apart. There is a large marble carved monument to a local lady, but it is the jolly sandstone buttresses that make the place. Each one is different and looks to be based on an actual person. My favourite is the rather jolly foppish chap with the elegant moustache.

Exterior of St Lawrence's

One of the stained glass windows

Organ top

Two of the old locals?

My favourite

Church of St Andrew and St Mary, How Capel, Herefordshire.

Church exterior

Fresco

Altar

A sweet little church surrounded by beautiful rolling Herefordshire countryside. The stained glass windows are particularly enchanting. I don't think I have ever seen such an odd subject for a church window as a load of cherubs appearing to fall from the clouds and transform into babies. The church also boasts a four part fresco and some rather splendid tiles.

Fave window

Window detail

Tile floor

St Michaels & All Angels Church, Great Witley, Worcestershire.

Exterior with dome and clock

From the outside Whitley church doesn't really look all that special. It seems very much to be in keeping with the house, but the gold dome and clock, although beautiful, don't scream special.

Inside is a different story. The church was built with the monies and ideas of the Foley family, and so it much more so than the old photographs, highlights just how sad the lost of their home to the fire was. It must have been just as beautiful.

The church has one of the countries, if not the worlds, finest 18th century interiors. These photographs only hint at the great beauty. Everything is so ornate, a delightful mix of Baroque and Rococo styles. The work has been done by some of the finest artisans of the time, in every case. Paintings, carvings, glass, nothing has been scrimped on. The Foley family certainly had style and an eye for beauty.

The alter view

 The painted panels are by the great painter Antonio Bellucci.
The ornate wooden pulpit was the work of the sculptor James Forsyth, whilst the magnificent marble font is the work of his brother William Forsyth, and are my particular favourite. Between then the lectern and all the pews were carved.

Main fresco

Pulpit detail

One of the marble angels supporting the font

Foley family memorial

The many stained glass windows were the work of Joshua Price, who worked on them between 1718 and 1721, and they are considered to be the best collection of his work in existence.

The influence of the great tour may never have borne quite so much fruit anywhere else, bar the once great home, unfortunately lost to fire.

Small fresco detail

One of the stained glass windows

View from alter, showing font, ornate organ and balconies

View from one of the balconies

Rejuvernation therapy, Malvern water treatments.

The path just behind the postbox

Seating area in the little dell

 One of the thing Malvern is famous for is hydrotherapy. The development of a system of water based therapies, designed to aid recuperation from various illnesses including TB and consumption, was most popular during the Victorian era. It is the reason Darwin came to live in Malvern, as he hoped the new therapies would cure his daughter. They didn't, and she died and was buried in Malvern Abbey. It was the loss of her that caused him to reject religion and gave him the strength to stand up to the church of the time, and publish his scientific theory of evolution and natural selection.

The snow now has melted in all but the highest parts of the hill. I went for a walk, starting out from behind the large post box, up past Joyners Meadow, and then past the Narnian gas lamp above Saint James's church.

Whilst walking I saw teenagers running and leaping, throwing themselves into the snow drifts and rolling down hills. They were a little like new born lambs, all newly lengthened limbs, ungainly and jerky. Although many off the hydrotherapy's are now discredited frozen water, in the form of snow, has a miraculously rejuvenating quality. All the cool strutting cynical attitude associated with the teenager wishing to be a proper, "grown-up" suddenly falls away to reveal the child behind the emo facade.

Joyners Meadow

Panoramic shot looking over West Malvern from pathway

View near the Narnian gas lamp by St James well

Suckley bridle path walk

View of the hills above Suckley

A stream along the route

Mistletoe balls in distant trees

Yesterday I went walking along a bridle path in Suckley. Suckley is a small village, and quite flat so easy to walk in. Hills above it meant that it wasn't quite so windy and cold there. The weather has been very cold recently. There are a number of different public paths, and the bridle path in particular is nice and clear, and an excellent surface with pleasing views.

Path over bridge along route

Suckley village church

Great Malvern, History and Architecture

Holly Mount Church

Tudor Shambles entrance to Church Walk

Today I took some pictures around Belle Vue Terrace, Church Street and Church Walk, in Great Malvern. Malvern has many churches, almost all of which are made of the same yellowish stone as the pictured Holly Mount, but varying greatly in design, I think because building on a hill causes problems that must be overcome using interesting architecture.

The towns buildings also are very varied, as buildings seem to date from any period in history after and including the Tudor period, for example the building over the entrance to Church walks.

Wrought iron detail above post office.

Although as with all towns, major shop chains attempt to make there store look identical to all it's others, the history still shines out, above the shop fronts and in stained glass windows and wrought iron details, and the odd random column that still survive. My favourite stained glass is the window above the Mount Pleasant Hotels Tea Room, but unfortunately a large van was parked just outside making it impossible to photograph.

As well as the rich architectural history of the town it has played host to many famous characters. I have included the blue badge plaque outside the house which was home to Charles Darwin and his daughter when she was ill. It was her death that spurned Charles to reject the Churches teachings about creation and publish his book explaining his theory of evolution.

Example of one of the stained glass windows above the shops on Belle Vue Terrace

Plaque on Lloyds Bank commemorating Water Treatment

Plaque outside Darwin's home

Plaque on The Unicorn Pub

The Unicorn, Belle Vue Terrace

I also include the blue badge on The Unicorn pub, and a picture of the pub. It is where C.S.Lewis wrote the Chronicles of Narnia. He was inspired by both the local woods on the hills which are dotted with gas lamps, just like the entrance to Narnia, and the actual, "wardrobe" which is actually a door within Malvern Abbey, (see previous blogs for pictures and details).