There and Back

A visit today to Norton Church of St Andrew, tucked away down a long lane. The church has remnants indicating a 13th century origin, and the tower 14th, although this was not finished until somewhat later. It has a rather plain interior but with one or two interesting features. Most of these old churches usuall have something! A general view of the church from the south side. One of the internal doors - North side? View from the Chancel looking West - plain and simple. However, on the right, at the back of the church is a very curious monument. The name has now gone, but Mortlock tells us that it remembers Daniel Bales who died in 1625. He left a dole of bread for the poor, and the arched recess with the skeleton at the back was the place where the bread was placed. Also at the back is this wonderful 15C font, regarded as one of the church`s outstanding treasures. Speculation is that it`s supurb condition is because it was well plastered over in the puritan times and nothing was protr...

Our last place to visit with Gra and Jane was Ripon, not far from our holiday home High Oak,  near Pickhill.  The doorways in the West end - and I missed the splendid Gothic façade I took very few images, which in hindsight was a mistake - I have learnt in the last few years what a wealth of history I have missed. A revisit is needed! The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Wilfrid, commonly known as Ripon Cathedral, is a cathedral in the North Yorkshire city of Ripon. Founded as a monastery by Scottish monks in the 660s, it was re-founded as a Benedictine monastery by St Wilfrid in 672 St Wilfrid, who built the stone church, with its still-surviving crypt, died in 710. Only four years later, an account of his life was written by a monk, known to us as Stephen of Ripon. He tells us that this was the first church to be built by Wilfrid, and that the church and its monastic community remained the favourite of all of his foundations. It was to Ripon that his body wa...