Kilpeck Church and cemetery
Southwest of Hereford lies the village of Kilpeck, home to this 12th century church, (formerly within the Welsh kingdom of Ergyng.) There is so much to see in the Marches area of England, away from the big cities!
From 'Sacred Destinations' website:
'There has been a church on this site since the earliest days of Christianity. The village's name of Kilpeck is probably derived from kil Pedic, the "cell of St Pedic," who is otherwise unknown but was likely a local Celtic holy man. Records in the Book of Llandaff indicate that "Kilpeck church with all its lands around" was given to that diocese in 650 AD.
'Part of a previous Saxon church may survive in the remains of a buttress on the north wall of the present church. It has the characteristics of Saxon architecture, but remains a bit of a mystery since the Normans usually destroyed all trace of previous Saxon work.
'The Normans arrived in Kilpeck not long after the Conquest, and William the Conqueror gave Kilpeck to his kinsman William fitz Norman. This William built a timber castle at Kilpeck, which was later replaced with stone and extended but does not survive today.
William's son, Hugh de Kilpeck, was Keeper of the King's Forests, and it was he who founded Kilpeck's splendid Romanesque church in about 1140. The church was given to the Abbey of Gloucester in 1143.' Read MORE at Sacred Destinations...
This photo from www.greatenglishchurches.co.uk
Altar inside the domed apse
Baptismal Font
Laid hedge, adjacent to church
When you're traveling and taking hundreds of photos, it seems like you're getting way too many. It's not until you get back home, $1200 airfare away (current price), that you realize that there is no such thing as too many photos.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
18 comments:
I have a feeling you could never take enough pictures on a trip like that!! Love the etchings in the stone.. incredible!
Thanks for taking us to Kilpeck! Gorgeous photos, as usual. I'm not familiar with the term 'laid hedge." Tell me about that!
Judy, this is so incredibly interesting! I even had to go look up "laid hedge". I didn't know they did that. Pretty amazing.
Have you read any of Liz Curtis Higgs' books? You would love the last two ~ Here Burns My Candle and Mine is the Night. The setting is 17th Century Scotland. Liz really brings out the details.
Have a blessed weekend!
Cheryl
Great pictures, and I totally agree you can't have to many pictures. Have a great weekend.
You can never have too many photos! Have you ever done rubbings on the grave stones?
For any who are interested, check out this thread on 'a hawthorn laid hedge.' There are lots of photos of the process. Not much is going to get past a laid hedge!
I agree- there are NEVER too many photos! And I'm so glad you're sharing yours- it's the only way I'd see any of this! Love the detail today!
This is a beautiful old church. Hearing about the Saxon bit of the church it makes you wonder what other kinds of secrets and cool art the church has to offer. :)
Thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures.
I would never get to see any of these without you. Thanks for opening my eyes and my mind!
Beautiful! Love the name!! lol The inside is breath taking.
I so love your pictures! I agree, you can never take too many! For Rangers opening day last year, I took over 200 (what did we do before digital cameras)?
One of these days I'm going to go on vacation to England and I'll be looking at your blog for suggestions on where to visit!! :)
:)
Rach
Awesome pictures..looks amazing!
Fantastic photos! It would have been quite the church to see. The detail looks amazing!
So charming. My brother in law and sister in law were in Bristol part of the time we were in London so we spent a lot of time out that direction. I am in love with the English countryside : )
I think your photos are so lovely. Truly worth remembering such beauty,
One of the things that struck me about this amazing and photographically comprehensive post as I was systemically looking through it, was summed up in your last sentence. One of the things that I am learning by two bloggers including yourself is the unexpected detail that can be found in a place like this. My mind tells me that a church of this size and age is difficult to find but maybe I need to be more observant. As someone who commenced architectural observations at the age of 10 in Durham Cathedral, I particularly like the progression of the norman arch into something more ornate. The simple internal window structure beside the altar becomes very decorative to the eye too. Wonderful.
What a beautiful, beautiful church! And as an aside: while waiting for the photos to load, I glanced at your profile. How did an entire year - YEAR!!! - pass since the last grandbaby was born?!? I can't believe it! A happy belated birthday ... :)
Good photos of small details, just the kind I like! Oh to be in England again. I've got the yen...
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