Another church to squeeze in - St John the Baptist, Eastnor

 It looked a lovely church in the landscape, and it would have been rude not to visit.  It is Grade 1 listed, although "completely rebuilt" by George Gilbert Scott in 1851-52 for John Somers Cocks, the Lord of the Manor.  

Its roots were in the 12th C but it was rebuilt in the 13th.  Gilbert-Scott had intended to re-use the original stonework and had numbered everything as it was removed, but many stones were found too damaged to reuse.  Only the tower dates from the earlier period.

Apologies for the less than thorough photography of the exterior, but it was bloomin' HOT.  We just wanted to get inside, where it was cooler.

There were heads (various) at the bottoms of the windows too.

The new font, with beautiful marble legs and lovely carvings.

The Pious Pelican here, and I remember the Agnus Dei on another side.  The crispness of those leaves . . .

Fortunately they kept the old one, which looks Norman.

In the Somers-Cocks Memorial chapel, but I couldn't get a photo of the big memorial to John Somers-Cocks, who is interred here (covered over to keep the bat droppings off).  Sadly he died in 1852, before the church was fully restored.

Castleditch was the original manor house, now under the lake . . .

A beautiful memorial to the fallen of the parish.

The Bell-tower contained several wonderful memorials.

Yesterday we went to Abergavenny, and then back to Tretower Court, which you will have seen my photos of before - just as well, as I forgot my phone so couldn't take any.  We had a lovely long talk with one of the Marcher Stuarts re-enactment group.  My gosh, he knows his history and could do lecture tours!  We didn't stay in the period (they were 15th C yesterday) but talked about various periods, and learned so much.  17th C next month.  I still have a year on my CADW Historic Monuments pass, so can get in free.  £7.50 for 3 years is good value!

On Friday we had a walk around Hay, then went up the Golden Valley to Dore Abbey, where we had a picnic lunch in the orchard, and also popped into Bacton Church again.  Today it is Berrington Hall.  No peace for the wicked.

Oh, and would you believe I have been horse-fly bitten just about every day in the past week, latest one top of thigh and sending me NUTS with itching.  Just waiting for extra-strong anti-histamine to kick in now.  Blardy things.  I feel like a Marked Woman, high on the Horse Fly list of tasty Victims.