The
Churches & Pub
Group meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month,
10am at the village hall, unless stated otherwise.
Programme:-
Please inform Paul Kenneth
beforehand if you wish to
come on any visit. We need to provide both
church & pub with an indication of numbers.
5th May All Saints
Parish Church, Youlgrave near Bakewell and The
George Hotel opposite the
church.
2nd June St.Marys Church,
Astbury near Congleton and The Egerton Arms opposite the church. Report on the trip The
second of our trips this year took us to St. Mary’s church at
Astbury where we were welcomed by one of the church wardens, William
Bell. He gave us an excellent slide show and talk on this
historic church.
St. Mary’s church at Astbury has stood on this site, in one form
or another, for many centuries. It has been described as one of
the most beautiful churches in the county. Its exterior,
dominated by the detached tower and lofty spire, evokes the admiration
of the beholder and this is increased when the majesty of the interior
is surveyed. The earliest parts of the church go back to Saxon
times. The church is eight feet wider at the west end than at the
east giving it an added vision of perspective as you enter. The
Astbury Devil nestles in the north-west corner of the west porch.
In the north aisle, by the north door, is a notable roof boss depicting
the Green Man or Jack-in-the-Green, a pagan fertility symbol adopted by
the church to represent new life. The font and cover, which were
part of the furnishings installed at the restoration of 1610, is placed
so that the congregation can share in the ceremony when a soul is
received into Christ’s flock. The north aisle roof is not
the original of this early English church. From the way it fits
it appears to have been brought to Astbury from some other
church. The communion vessels and pewter date from the
Elizabethan period and are therefore rather fragile. An eagle in
black oak serves as the lectern and dates from the early seventeenth
century. The carving of the eagle is rather stiff and formal and
is one of the few wooden eagle lecterns in existence. There are
too many different windows in the church to describe but the church is
well worth a visit. It is open to the public on Sundays from
Easterday to the last Sunday in September between 12noon and
6-00pm. Light refreshments are available between 2-5pm.
The trip was concluded with an excellent meal opposite the church at
the Egerton Arms.
7th July St. Wilfrid’s,
Ribchester and then St. Saviour, Stydd. Lunch
at the Ribchester Arms.
Meet at
9.15am