The Churches Conservation Trust
13th August – 5th October 2013
Suffolk – Somerset – Northamptonshire – Lincolnshire
| · Stunning photographs of England’s most ancient churches available· Fascinating programme of four themed tours:
‘Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials’ ‘Churches at War’, ‘Carvings’ and ‘Monuments and Memorials’· 12 historic sites visited |
The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT), the national charity protecting ancient churches at risk, has launched a programme of fascinating Historic Church Tours across the country.
The tours will guide visitors through stunning countryside vistas, whilst breathing life into England’s shrouded ancestry and exquisite ancient architecture. Four intriguing themes included in the special Historic Church Tours are ‘Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials’ ‘Churches at War’, ‘Carvings’ and ‘Monuments and Memorials’
Taking place at selected churches across the country from Suffolk to Somerset, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire, Historic Church Tours encompass a comprehensive geography of British architectural and social heritage.
The next tour, Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials, will take place in Suffolk, 10:30am–4:30pm on August 13. Starting at All Saints, Little Wenham, a 13th-century flint church often described as one of Suffolk’s best-kept secrets, visitors will be in awe of the stunning wall-paintings and canopied ancient wall monuments. After a light lunch, move onto St Mary’s, Badley, a truly remarkable Medieval church with an atmosphere of great peace and stillness. With nothing for company but a 16th-century farmhouse and the wildlife of its pretty churchyard, St Mary’s is a breath-taking retreat for any passer-by. The final stop of the tour will be St Peter’s, Claydon. Overlooking the Gipping Valley, this church will astound visitors with its vibrant stained glass and extravagant carvings; a spectacular site to end this tour.
Historic Church Tours taking place in 2013 are as follows:
AUGUST
Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials – Suffolk
The three churches on this tour were selected for their stunning artwork in the form of extravagant carvings, stunning wallpaintings and vibrant stained glass.
SEPTEMBER
Churches at War – Somerset
Three of the CCT’s most stunning and iconic churches are positioned in Somerset. All three have been unwittingly caught up in a time of war, from acting as a hideaway during the Monmouth rebellion, to being solitary observer of mid-air disaster, the churches have seen all and kept their counsel.
Carvings – Northamptonshire
CCT churches in Northampton have an abundance of carved treasures on display. For this tour, CCT have selected three of the best from St Peter & St Paul’s in Preston Deanery, stunning carvings of animals, to the Norman St Michael’s, Farndish, which boasts gorgeous carved corbels and elegant arches, and the stunning 900 year old St Peter’s in Northampton, which is full of carved treasures.
OCTOBER
Monuments and Memorials – Lincolnshire
This tour will explore the stunning and spectacular monuments and memorials in three Lincolnshire churches. Take in the breath-taking interior of St Lawrence’s, Snarford, the unusual red-brick chapel of St George, Goltho, which stands alone amid acres of corn and oilseed rape with only a few trees for company, and Milton Mausoleum, the only surviving mausoleum in Nottinghamshire.
All guided tours are priced at £40 per person and will include a light lunch and coach transportation to and from a local train station.
Tickets are available on general release now. To book tickets, go to http://www.visitchurches.org.