St Andrew's Church, Bridge Sollars

 The name Bridge Sollars derives from Simon de Brugge (b. 1272) who married Mary Solers (c.1297).  St Andrew is a reasonably common dedication in this area of Herefordshire.  The church dates from the mid-12th C, with later 12th C extensions, and 13th and 14th C additions.  The nave is 12th C, the tower late 12th C, and the north aisle and chancel 13th C.  It was (heavily one imagines) restored in 1889.

As you can see, the yellow meadow ants have taken over the churchyard and have humps of their nests in many places.

I'm not sure if this is St Andrew or not.  

These turn out to be the  forerunners of the Herefordshire school of  Romanesque Architecture, which excited me.  In doing some research at bedtime last night, I discovered that a very similar cat-headed Green Man is to be found at the Templar church at Garway.  Until I do some more research, this green man with dragons may well be unique.  I wonder was the Mason told to make the carving like this or did he have a degree of artistic licence.  Was he paid a set amount for so many hours?  I ask because, 4 photos down, the Norman dogtooth motif seems to have been a little modified!

The Garway example has definite foliage though.

"So, you want the door arch to have a zig-zag round it?  Yeah, no trouble.  I can do that mate, but it might cost ya . . ."  "Oh, the money for the carvings includes this too? "  "Never mind, I'll do my best . . ."  I have to say, this rather tickled me, and no, I have never seen this elsewhere!

The Victorian rafter roof, with the glass window over the ledger slab, and a fairly plain wooden reredos behind the altar table.

A fairly unremarkable stained glass window.  Perhaps this was part of the Victorian restoration.

I was so distracted by this abomination stuck behind the Medieval arches, I didn't notice the memorial on the left hand arch.  This is a Grade I listed building - aesthetically this is a disaster.  I don't even know what it is for, but it would seem this half of the church is the community centre area, so perhaps it is a kitchen.  The memorial is to husband and wife, Eliza and William Meats, of The Marsh.  The left hand pillar looks a little squiff, judging by the new flooring around it. They aren't a pair so perhaps this one is a replacement.

The Marsh was clearly the local Big House, as this memorial is to its earlier occupants the Makeams.

One of several ledger stones, but more were beneath the modern flooring.  One had a little window over it:

A plain-as-a-pikestaff brick and slab chest tomb.

An old church this, which I have driven past many times, thinking, I must stop and look at that sometime.  As I intended to visit Madley, and this was right on the corner of the Madley turning, yesterday was the day.

And there he was, leering at me . . .

 

Just a very quick post to get anyone going who is into Green Men.  This, I think, could possibly be unique as it's a Green Man with Dragons emerging from his mouth.  Plus Green Man has animal type ears - or are they horns?  Must do some more research on him.  Pevsner: "a head wih two dragons emanating from the mouth."

"A dragon in profile" according to Pevsner, who attributes them to the "so-called" Herefordshire school!! but he was writing in the early 1960s.  

I'll do a proper post on this in the morning.  Meanwhile, I am short of several hours sleep and a bit less money than I began the day with, having spent £100 on the house (primer/paint/masking tape and a new perfectly matching almost raspberry pink lampshade - which has made it obvious it is going to have to have a new base too and I will sell the other table lamp).  I need to rest.   I visited 3 churches today - Bridge Sollers, Madley and St Mary's, Tyberton.  Tea was something I froze earlier (mince and beans) from the freezer, so I am gradually getting more room in there.  

Back in the morning.

St Andrew's Church, Presteigne

 Not mentioned anywhere, this stump of an earlier preaching cross (I assume) could well date back to the 9th C Saxon origins of the original church on this site.

Pevsner declares that St Andrew's Church at Presteigne is "architecturally much the best in Radnorshire", its wealth having largely come from the Herefordshire part of the parish (it is right on the border and indeed still in the diocese of Hereford.)  Hah! - you can tell the dividing line when the car feels as if it has square wheels and no suspension the moment you cross into Herefordshire!! Having a scanty population, they do not have much money to throw at road repairs . . .

I loved this "place in the landscape" type of photo showing some of the lovely old buildings lining Broad Street as it drops towards the bridge over the River Lugg.

The Church was held by the Augustinian Canons of Wigmore from the 13th C until the Reformation. The early roots are well hidden on the exterior in this view.

A plain 14th C font.

If you are a military person, these recently carefully-conserved banners would be the highlight of your visit.  I was certainly drawn to them (ahem, so much so that I totally ignored the amazing Flanders tapestry dating to 1510 and showing Christ's entry into Jerusalem.  See link for photo.  In my defence, I find faded tapestries a tad . . . boring.)  Anyway, the one above shows the historic banner of the Radnorshire Militia, which dates from the Napoleonic Wars.  I find this more amazing - it has survived a war AND 200 years since.  The silk colours would have originally been blue.

Here is the banner of the long-extinct Radnorshire Rifle Volunteers, which was formed in 1860 and this banner was given to them in 1861 by Lady Walsh.  The central coat of arms is the unofficial one of Presteigne - the shield of the Mortimers. 

I assume this section of the Union Jack flag was also from Napoleonic times.

Looking down the church - hello friend Gay!!  

An attractive rood screen (Pearson restoration detail?) and below, many memorials to the great and good of the parish.

The unsung heroines of any church were responsible for making pretty patchwork seat covers throughout.

A glimpse of the chancel roof which dates back to Tudor times.  Pevsner mentions early C14 stonework around the chancel arch and it was recorded as painted with figures of Moses and Aaron on the W side and Death and Time on the E. If fragments remain, I didn't notice them.  The Chancel is "fully developed Perp" (easy to tell when I am quoting Pevsner!) It is Grade 1 listed. The church was skillfully restored and altered by Gilbert-Scott back in the 1860s.

Finally, a 13th C coffin lid, possibly for a member of the Mortimer family, lies in a recess.

This poor girl, Mary Morgan - taken advantage of and who, in a state of complete desperation murdered her illegitimate baby, paid the ultimate price for it, being the last woman to be hung in Presteigne.  She was only 17.

My holiday is over now as my friend Gay returned home yesterday.  Lots more posts to come from our outings.

Keith saw the Physio last week and has some neck exercises to do, which really seem to help - after doing them he can stand up straight away from the chair -but sadly when we tried a walk yesterday his neck once again prevented him from walking easily and we had to do just a few yards and return to the car.  He is fine in the house, so he is thinking it is an almost psychological thing that stops him walking in the park. We are going to see about a wheelchair on Monday, so we can get out and about whilst waiting to hear that OT have finally recommended the mobility scooter he needs. Hoping it will be soon as two big Fairs coming up and Keith would love to go to them

Update: goodness it's hot out there already.  We have just sold our old chest freezer to some farmers from Rhayader way so that gives me some housekeeping for this week.  I think the afternoon will be spent doing more family history after I have had a breakthrough for my dad's deepest of Devon (Dartmoor fringe) roots.  Yesterday I found the house where our folk lived - my dream thatched and cob Devon farmhouse . . .  Wish THAT had stayed in our branch of the family, but sadly ours became Ag. Labs. rather than Yeomen.