Category: Churches

1. Advent Day 25 - St Paul Beyond the Walls

   Posted on 8:20am Sunday 25th Dec 2016

   I'll admit, this may be a little short because I'm writing it on the evening of Christmas Eve, unlike a lot of my earlier posts, which were drafted in November. It's also a little short because today is Christmas Day, and I doubt there are many of you who are reading it (if you are then thank you!)

   Today's church is St Paul Beyond the Walls in Rome. It was founded during the reign of Emperor Constantine I, who believed that the site was where St Paul had been buried after his martyrdom. It's outside of the city centre (we ended up having quite a long walk to get to it) and as a result, isn't a consideration for many tourists. But this church is really beautiful, and well worth a trip out from the usual Roman sites. 

2. Advent Day 24 - Wivenhoe Church

   Posted on 8:40am Saturday 24th Dec 2016

   Today's church is a little bit special. My fiancé and I recently purchased our first house, and this church is right in the heart of community we now live in - Wivenhoe in Essex. 

3. Advent Day 23 - Little Hormead Church

   Posted on 6:25am Friday 23rd Dec 2016

   If I’m going to write about St Nicholas at Great Hormead then it seems only fair that I write about St Mary at Little Hormead as well, over the years the smaller church has suffered in attention compared to St Nicholas. 

4. Advent Day 22 - St Margaret's Chapel

   Posted on 6:19am Thursday 22nd Dec 2016

   If you’re walking around the glorious Edinburgh Castle, then you might be forgiven for walking past one of the smaller buildings, dismissing it as nothing important. However despite it’s size, you should still pay attention to it, as you’re looking the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh – St Margaret’s Chapel! 

5. Advent Day 21 - Great Hormead Church

   Posted on 6:52am Wednesday 21st Dec 2016

   At this time of year it seems to appropriate to have at least one entry on a church dedicated to St Nicholas, so I’ve gone for the one at Great Hormead in Hertfordshire. 

6. Advent Day 20 - Holy Sepulchre, Cambridge

   Posted on 6:53am Tuesday 20th Dec 2016

   The church of the Holy Sepulchre seriously stands out. For many it is the only round church they will see, and it sits in the heart of Cambridge, near the corner of St John's College. Today it is one of only 5 surviving round churches in England. 

7. Advent Day 19 - Lincoln Cathedral

   Posted on 6:59am Monday 19th Dec 2016

   If you visit the city of Lincoln, you won’t be able to miss the cathedral. Standing on top of a hill (the walk up to it is named “Steep Hill” – it’s not an exaggeration!) the cathedral dominates the skyline. The climb up the hill is well worth it though, as it brings you through little medieval streets in to a small square, and the cathedral itself with a medieval gate in front of it. 

8. Advent Day 18 - St Maria in Trastavere

   Posted on 8:35am Sunday 18th Dec 2016

   Although most of this blog series has focused on English churches, there are also a few Italian churches I've visited as well. Today we have the church of Santa Maria in Trastavere. Quite close to another famous Trastavere church, St Cecilia, St Maria doesn't have any evocative sculpture, but does have some beautiful art. 

9. Advent Day 17 - Thriplow Church

   Posted on 7:23am Saturday 17th Dec 2016

   Thriplow church stands on a small hill overlooking the Cambridgeshire countryside, close to the site of a Bronze Age tumulus (burial mound). The current church dates from the 13^th century, as records show it was “given” to Peterhouse (the earliest College in Cambridge) in 1284. However Thriplow has been in existence since before the Norman invasion, so the current building was probably erected in place of an earlier Anglo-Saxon church. The font is believed to date from the Norman period, and some pillars and windows also suggest Norman origins. 

10. Advent Day 16 - Thaxted Church

    Posted on 6:18am Friday 16th Dec 2016

    There’s a reason why Thaxted church is sometimes referred to as “the cathedral of Essex”. Sited on a hill, and with a tower that’s 181 feet high, the church of St John is far bigger than most parish churches in the area, and as a result it dominates the landscape.