Saturday, 8 December 2018

St Mary Crickadarn



St Mary Crickadarn was the first of the two churches I was visiting along with the chapels that were nearby. This village was only a mile or so away from the Chapel I visited last week in Erwood. Checking in Wikipedia I found no history on the church but on checking Britain Express I found an one so I would urge you to click the link to read their excellent one rather than me borrowing it. I will tell you that the church dates the 13th century and has a Medieval nave and porch.





Above the way to the church through the small side gate.

If you look you look to the left you can see a stone stile taking you over the wall though I wonder if it may have been a step for mounting a horse in the distant past






First view of the church after going through the gate




Going around the North side  for a view of the 16th century tower
Better view of the tower and the staircase that will take you to the top







The and blocked doorway of the same era


















Here we go around to the East end where quite a few old memorials hang on the wall








Above a view up the West end of the tower.

Right the South view of the church







General shot looking across the churchyard to the South East end of St Mary






Going in the Medieval Porch you cannot help but see the holy water stoup and nearbuy the Roll Of Honour








 
This type of memorial is very common to most churches I have visited in Wales, certainly in this area





Above the inside of the church looking down the nave.


Left the altar with a poppy wreath leant against it




Another view of the altar looking to the church banner in the corner














The altar with cross behind on the screen







A simple decoration commemorating Remembrance Sunday

Here we look back along the nave to the back of the church





Above the pulpit with the small organ behind it.

Right looking down from the pulpit to the nave



The organ you saw behind the pulpit















The Roll of Honour you find in the church











Carved in marble with the names of the lost and where the fell. Under hangs a poppy wreath





There are quite a few memorials on the wall






Some are easier to read than others



















But all of them are along both sides of the church





and they date  many hundreds of years
Above a small balcony on the west end of the church that takes you to a loft hatch above it










Couple of the older memorials that date to the 1700's










Hard to make out what this but I read it is a royal coat of arms showing the Hanoverian heraldic symbols it has been framed to preserve it








More memorials from the 1700's

















The Church also has a photographic record of the village that you can see




And some of the church during the Victorian restoration
The font which looks like it also dates back many hundreds of years





The church yard path beside which you can see the South side of the churchyard




Looking around the churchyard you can see som old headstones along with forgotten family vaults




Going around to the North side you will notice a churchyard extension with more recent burial sin it. This row of wooden crosses look like thy mark the graves of the same family




Looking over to the more recent graves







Walking through the Churchyard you can see some interesting memorials















More of the older headstones and memorials






Looking East towards the village





More older headstones you can see atthe East end of the church




These headstones  are of a different design from what I have seen




I will leave you with a last view of the church and the village sign.
Till next time have a pleasent weekend



16 comments:

William Kendall said...

The simplicity and the peacefulness of the interior really appeal to me.

Francisco Manuel Carrajola Oliveira said...

Gostei bastante de conhecer esta igreja, excelente trabalho meu amigo e aproveito para desejar um bom fim-de-semana.

Andarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
Livros-Autografados

♥ Łucja-Maria ♥ said...

Hello Bill!
The architecture of the church is very interesting.
A tower like a fortified castle.
Bill, thank you very much for historical information.
Joyful Advent.
Lucja

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Thank you so much for taking us to this beautiful church.

It's hard for me to get my head around a church that is from the 13th century and still in perfect condition. Here in America, a church gets to be forty years old, and people say, "It's old. It needs to be torn down."

So much beauty there. Thank you.

Amy said...

I wonder why they blocked the door off and what purpose would it have been used for? And the space in the wall where it looks like a fountain would've been? Perhaps for healing purposes?

Tom said...

...this one sure has a massive tower!

Linda said...

Interesting church and courtyard. Your view up the West end of the tower is very impressive ... so massive!

Elaine said...

What an interesting church - the enormous tower led me to expect something quite different from the simple interior, it may be plain and simple but it is packed with interesting things. I really like the ancient wood in the porch and some of those gravestones look very interesting.

(Nice woolly hat!)

Susan Kane said...

So many centuries and sacrifices are contained in those acres! Is humbling to see and to read.

I enjoy your post and site.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

It was interesting to walk around. Blame my wife for the photo

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Some I've come across have fallen down

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Could not tell you but I have seen a lot of doors blocked up one one side of the church

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Thank you, I enjoy visiting the churches

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Great photos and info. Thanx.

God bless.

mjtimber said...

Thanks for the pictures! Headed there in April to see an old family homestead from nearly two centuries ago, and know there are relatives buried there.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

A nice voillage if a little remote from a town.