Tuesday 26 July 2022

In the footsteps of Betjeman - the wonder of St Margaret's Church

 


This gave Pam's Sat-Nav a real workout, as the only directions I had were in a book, which said "about 2 miles behind Vowchurch and Turnastone (both worth visiting.  Since we were approaching it from the A465, this information was not a lot of use!  Anyway, as you will see, it was well worth seeking out.  In fact, we were walking in the footsteps of Poet Laureate John Betjeman, who wrote of it: "My own memory of the perfect Herefordshire is a Spring day in the foothills of the Black Mountains and finding among the winding hilltop lanes the remote little church of St. Margaret's where there was no sound but a farm dog's distant barking.  Opening the church door I saw across the whole width of the little chancel a screen and loft all delicately carved and textured pale grey with time."


This is the back of the entrance door - hugely solid oak planking, and above it one of the wall texts which were originally added in the 18th C but subsequently restored by Mr Maxwell Jones of Redditch in 1974.



A plain font which I thought at first to be Norman, but it is probably 14th C although it has a very shallow bowl for that date and may be as much as 3 centuries later.



Just WOW!  I know exactly how Betjeman felt on seeing this amazing rood screen.  Pevsner called it "one of the wonders of Herefordshire, deliciously carved" in his book on the county (which I may have just ordered from Ebay!!)


This is as near to wooden lace as you can get.  Superb craftsmanship reminiscent of Llananno, in fact it IS believed to be  a Welsh made rood.  The niches in this column would have once held figures of the Blessed Virgin and St John, and there would have been a large Crucifix above it BUT after the Reformation an order was made in 1547 ordering the destruction of ALL images and nearly every rood in the county was destroyed.   Prior to 1547 these figures would have been dressed with nosegays and garlands for Festivals, but during Lent would have been covered in veils.  It is fortunate that the destruction of the lofts was left to each Parish to decide and  they were obviously very fond of theirs and sought not to destroy such amazing craftsmanship.  But just imagine what has been lost.


"The upper and lower rails of the loft are enriched with running vine foliage friezes and brattishing." (Brattishing is a decorative border often of leaves and or flowers, especially associated with the Tudor period).  This screen would have originally been richly painted and gilded, and must have looked amazing. 



At the intersections of the ribbing are bosses, many with men's heads (one with his tongue out), lions, interlaced knots, foliage and other devices.  I imagine the carver had a lot of fun with these.




The face poking his tongue out!





Old steps and two-plank door to the rood loft.


The Chancel with its beautiful windows.






These stunning Arts &Crafts stained glass windows of St Margaret as a Shepherd(ess) are by Archibald John Davies (1878 - 1953) of the Bromsgrove Guild.  Some of his work is also in Hereford Cathedral (another reason to go back again soon) and there's a book about him.  These are lovely windows.




A shame the sun wasn't out more when I took this photo.







Outside, the churchyard was God's Little Acre, with just a mown pathway around the church and masses of wild flowers - Bedstraws, Wild Carrot, Knapweed,.  Definitely one to seek out if you are in the area (and you can do Kilpeck in the same day, as we did), but be mindful that Kilpeck is currently being re-roofed and so two thirds of the beautiful carvings are surrounded by wriggly tin and can't be viewed.


Details of the church interior taken from the little Church booklet which is well worth spending £1 on.

26 comments:

  1. Betjeman did wander a lot but he also lived around Wantage area, I think they named a park after him. One think I did not realise was that he was a churchwarden at Uffington. I love that church you showed and it has an original rood loft, did you go up? There is only one word for the church Stunning

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He certainly remembered St Margaret's for many years . We couldn't get up to the roof loft as the door was jammed (did try!) I hope you can find this one on your travels to or from Wales - worth a detour.

      Delete
  2. A truly lovely church. It's a shame so much was lost, and still much is destroyed around the world. Every society seems to go through its disapproval and destruction stage, often multiple times . I studied art history for a while when I lived in England, and went to so many magnificent museums, churches, castles. I got overwhelmed and now so much is jumbled in my memory I can't recall what I saw and where. I'm learning so much from your blog now. Mostly new information, though re-learning in a few instances!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Celie - what a wonderful subject to study. I was torn between Archaeology and Engl. Lit. but looking back, Art History would have been my sort of thing too. Glad I am putting up places you remember.

      Delete
  3. What an amazing church. I guess the village is named from the church which is quite unusual although we do have some in north Suffolk. The rood loft being still in existence is a treat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it just Sue? It's the first time I've noticed the village taking the name of the church dedication. I remembered reading about naughty lads in church who spent the service running across the rood loft and back and spitting on parishioners!

      Delete
  4. What a beautiful church - looks so worth visiting. By coincidence I was reading about the rood screen there in a Shire book today! It is simply stunning as are the Arts and Crafts Windows. Wonderful. Somewhere I have Betjeman's Book on Best British Churches so I wil dig it out. Thanks for all the lovely photos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you will be able to make it sometime, though not a lot for your husband to do when you get there - apart from the crossword perhaps! Enjoy the Betjeman book.

      Delete
  5. fascinating little building - was worth the workout!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed - I would have gotten totally lost without Pam's technology though! I have a mobile and when Tam is here, can get the route some where up on it, but on my own it seems to faint somewhere on route!

      Delete
  6. I am almost without words on seeing this degree of craftsmanship--and all the painstaking details created with what we might think of as 'primitive' tools. I'm thinking a variety of small files, chisels, awls [?] would measuring squares or similar have been used to space the patterns?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed, and their passion and their pride for their craftmanship. I imagine everything was done carefully marking - all by men who were almost certainly illiterate too. It really was SUCH a special place - holding on to the atmosphere of prayer.

      Delete
  7. A wonderful and lovely church. The carvings and windows are amazing.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What an exquisite little church, beautifully artistic and 'wooden lace' what more do you want? Paul would have loved that sign over the door 'go and Sin no more'

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Llananno was nice, but this had a totally different atmosphere. Glad that the sign would have made Paul smile.

      Delete
  9. Another lovely church. We are rich with them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I only regret not starting visiting churches when I was younger.

      Delete
  10. The church is beautiful. I started my love affair with old churches during the summer term of my first year at university. Coming from the suburbs it was a revelation to be in the countryside with bluebells, cow parsley and red campion decorating the lanes and on my trusty Eddy Merckx 10-speed ladies racing bike and with an OS map (I am still a map user and never trust Sat Nav lady) set out to explore the borderlands where Essex meets Suffolk. I loved those days out.As an Eng Lit student lectures and tutorials in the summer term were practically non-existent but what could be better than learning to love the countryside. Cycling today takes me right back to my 20-year-old self. I spent most of my gap year in Israel, Greece and Italy so that first summer in the English countryside was very special. I know you will understand BB. I’m listening to a Prom on Radio 3 - the National Orchestra of Wales playing Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony. I am in heaven! Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used to be one of those who couldn't understand why (old!!) people liked visiting churches for their aesthetic. What I have missed down the years! I did my degree in mid-life with 3 children under 10, which was a bit of an ask at the time!

      The English countryside has something which is bewitching - especially in the spring - but even the dried hedgerows of late summer have their joys - damp ditches of Meadowsweet, purple Knapweed, nodding Umbellifers and Yarrow, Bindweed like stars threading the hedgerows. Vaughan-Williams is my favourite composer too. We have a lot in common.

      Delete
    2. Another coincidence - my mum did her BEd (four years, main subject sociology) in her early 40s with three children 5, 10 and 12 when she started. She had already gone back to work as an Operating Theatre Sister when little bro was 18 months - and out of nappies! I can see her now burning the midnight oil at the kitchen table so I understand. About 10 or more years ago when we were leaving the kids to their own devices and going off for the day I remember my son asking my husband incredulously “Do you like visiting old churches with mum?”. I was definitely born out of my time! Off this morning to visit Sullington Old Rectory (NGS) which is next to St Mary’s church with its Saxon origins. I may be wrong but I have a feeling the church contains a suit of armour? Will report back. S x

      Delete
    3. I suppose I was studying for 4 years too, as I did a year's Access course first (Engl. Lit. and Archaeology). I used to get up at 4.30 to study/write essays. This was in the very early days of computers too, so I didn't have access to the WWW as we do now. I can still remember the thrill of being in the Library, with access to thousands and thousands of books - SO MUCH knowledge!

      I have always lived in the past - can remember a friend saying, "when Jennie has kids, she'll dress her little girls in pinefores!" Rosie - you were right!! Tam did have a tartan dress with a pinefore on it.

      Enjoy the garden at Sullington Old Rectory - I had a quick peep and it looks stunning. The church looks lovely too. I hope there is a suit of armour - let me know!

      Delete
  11. Just catching up on blogs after a long while away. But how nice to come back to this - it looks a fabulous church; all the more beauty for its simplicity. I must go there one day when I am back in the Abergavenny area. Although I have no formal faith I still love chapels and can feel a sense of peace and meaning there

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you will decide to seek it out, as it ranks at the top of my personal list of churches visited. Like you, I have no formal faith but this church was so welcoming and peaceful.

      Delete
  12. Oh, how wonderful. The carving is amazing. Can you imagine the hours spent on this creation. And as wonderful as the stained glass is, the picture of the plain leaded glass windows with the sprays on either side just took my breath away. Just a gorgeous, gorgeous place. Was it as quiet today as it was when the poet wrote about it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Such a thing of beauty - I imagine the craftsmen who made this were delighted with the finished screen. Indeed, the church still sits in a peaceful landscape - I think all we heard was birdsong.

      Delete