A tale of many churches in Shrewsbury ...

Our county town of Shrewsbury has many churches,  the skyline is dotted with spires & they are all unique & have long history.  Our county town always has something interesting to see or do & somehow today, it seemed as if it was the many churches that drew us in to explore. 

A programme this past week by Michael Portillo about various rail journeys took him to Shrewsbury & he visited the Gothic Shrewsbury Cathedral. I have passed it often on the walk along the old Town Walls but never called in. With the passing of Pope Francis, my friend & I thought we might call in. 

The view out of the main entrance with the details is so beautiful, almost reminiscent of Indian architecture. 

Tributes to Pope Francis who passed away this week.

The Cathedral from several view along Town Walls.

The Cathedral was initiated by John Talbot, the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury & designed by the famous architect Augustus Welby Pugin (1812-1852) 

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin^[a] (/ˈpjuːdʒɪn/ PEW-jin; 1 March 1812 – 14 September 1852) was an English architect, designer, artist and critic with French and Swiss origins. He is principally remembered for his pioneering role in the Gothic Revival style of architecture. His work culminated in designing the interior of the Palace of Westminster in Westminster, London, and its renowned clock tower, the Elizabeth Tower (formerly St. Stephen's Tower), which houses the bell known as Big Ben.

However, both the Earl & the architect died in 1852 before completion so the task fell to their respective sons, the 20 year old  Bertram, Earl of Shrewsbury & the 18 year old Edward Pugin to finish off their fathers project. Bertram passed away at the age of 23, shortly before the completion of the Cathedral & it finally opened its doors in October 1856.

The Cathedral had a really peaceful atmosphere in side, very tranquil. 

From there we carried on along Town Walls, the ancient fortification of the town,  & the old St Chads with its raised position & churchyard was our next stop. The church is no longer in use, though I went in a few years back when it was open & it is very simple but peaceful. 

The headstone of Capt John Benbow & his demise at the hands of the Parliamentarians.  The interesting history is in this link  

Over the years Benbow’s gravestone in Old St Chad’s churchyard became very decayed, but in 1829 a supporter renovated it at his own expense. [footnote 8] The stone is still there beside the path

From the raised position you can see two other spires - that of St Mary's & St Alkmund's. 

St Mary's has the second highest spire in the whole of England, after Salisbury Cathedral (some sources put it at third) which is impressive for this quiet county town. 

On the way back across the English Bridge & across the Severn River which loops around the town, we decided to call in at Shrewsbury Abbey. We often run out of time on the way back to our car so it was fortuitous to be able to visit it today. 

Some of the many grave stones in the Abbey floor, the history is fascinating. 

I have not been to the Abbey in some years even though I park close to it. It contains 1000 years of history, parts of it date back to 1083 when it was founded as a Benedictine monastery by Roger de Montgomery.  He received Shropshire from William the Conqueror in 1071.

It is impressive as an Abbey should be with a beautiful altar & Ladies chapel. 

We took a moment to light a candle & offer up a prayer in this quiet setting. The tombs on the side & the stones inset in the floor remind one of the history of these ancient spaces. 

We had no intention to go history hunting today, somehow spiritual guidance invited us in to some of the many churches & their fascinating history. I hope you have enjoyed visiting these special places with me, do leave a comment to say you have been. 

Dee ⛪️🔔🙏🕯️

Easter blessings

Easter is finally here;  it seems as if it has been a long time coming this year being mid April. It ends the 40 days of Lent that started after Shrove Tuesday & Ash Wednesday, punctuated mid way by our Mothering Sunday a few weeks ago in the UK. 

I felted the cross a few years ago as part of my sunflower series on Ukraine  with the felting in blue & yellow 

I changed the sideboard to a few favourite Easter things, nothing new, just things I love.

My crosses collected on our many trips around Ethiopia reflect my spiritualism at home. 

I choose & bought each of these crosses personally on my travels then mounted them on an Ethiopian woven fabric I had bought in a market. I enjoy having them in my space, they are not showy, just a silent reminder that religion & spiritualism is personal ... 

From my home to yours, I wish you all a blessed Easter time, however you observe it. 

Thank you for stopping by, it is always appreciated, 

Dee 

Brighter Spring settings

 At last, some welcome blue skies after a long, grey winter. It is so needed & suddenly everything is in bloom & the bright new leaves are dotted on the tree branches. 

I had a little change around in the conservatory & since it spans several occasions (Mothering Sunday, my birthday, Easter,  Spring) I have a little of what I fancy on the sideboard in the conservatory. 

Nothing at all is new, just old favourites appearing again, to be used & enjoyed. 

They are mostly gifts & things I have bought on my travels across the world - ceramics from Africa, cloth from India,  Moroccan glass, high street & pottery studios. That is how it should be. 

The pale pink table cloth was a bolt of fabric I hemmed, as I often do because the table extends. The colourful runner was a gift years ago & it ties the colours together. 

I bought the colourful platter at TKMaxx about 20 years ago & it is so cheerful for summer dining - piled high with nibbles, bread, cakes or anything else to share. 

I prefer casual dining where you can catch up with people over lighter foods to share, even if the food is ready made. 

Such was a shared family meal on the weekend - welcome colour & company. 

I hope Spring has sprung for most of you, and autumn is colourful for the southern hemisphere visitors. 

Thank you for stopping by, it is always appreciated. 

Dee 💐🌸🪴🥗. 

The auricula theatre update

 Making an auricula theatre was a lockdown project  in 2020 when everything was shut down. 

We used reclaimed / gifted wood to construct it & paint that we already had because everything was shut down so the size was determined by the wood we had. 

The backing board was troublesome because it allowed wind gusts behind it & it came crashing down several times, with lots of plant & terracotta pots shattered. It was removed & the theatre was a lot more stable then. 

However, after a long grey winter, the plants were ready for a tidy up in the sunshine today. New soil added, some crushed eggshells too & a dressing of sharp sand.  It looks much fresher already. 

Some plants are in flower, their neat labels long gone in the two theatre crashes but they are joyful with their tiny flowers against the brick wall. 

I will wait & see how the non flowering ones do before replacing some late summer. 

It was a good project & the theatre is an interesting feature on the patio we use the most. 

Who has grown them & what tips do you have? 

Thanks for stopping by , it is always appreciated. 

Dee 💐🪴🪻

Spring sunshine & colourful bulbs

 I am always keen to enjoy colourful spring bulbs after a long, grey winter. Our grass verges & hedgerows burst in to bloom & it is an absolute delight to have a 'host of golden daffodils' (to quote the poet Wordsworth) 

We popped by The National Sports Centre at Lilleshall - it is the home of archery in the UK & several Olympic sports were held there when we hosted the games.  

This entrance is very dramatic with the gate tower & the two large lions. 

I have attended some evening black tie events there too, it is an elegant setting in beautiful grounds, generous patios & immaculate gardens. 

                    

The entrance lions are not the only ones there, these were probably the original ones that now occupy the space under the terrace in the zoo like setting with a great view over the formal gardens... 

                      

There is a dramatic row of ancient trees nearby, if they could only talk ... 

The fountains were not on but the garden was laid out with the most gorgeous hyacinths in bloom. The terrace had several huge planters filled with  the most fragrant hyacinths in beautiful pinks & purples with a pop of other plants, so lovely to see it replicated across the various spaces of the gardens. 

Open spaces & greenery is perfect in spring sunshine, accentuated with bright pops of colour. It is the little things that matter ... 

Thank you for stopping by & visiting with me, 

Dee 💐🌸🌺🪻