We enjoyed a pleasant stroll around a part of Bridgnorth that we hadn’t explored before. Unfortunately the church wasn’t open. We will have to try again another day.
St Leonard’s Church dates from the early 13th century, and was built to cater for a population that had now expanded beyond the castle bailey – although it was much rebuilt in the 1840s and 1860s. During the Civil War there was a fierce battle in the churchyard and many Royalist troops, including their leader, Colonel Billingsley, were killed.
The small black and white house as you enter the Close on the left once belonged to Richard Baxter (1615 – 1691), one of the founding fathers of non-conformity and an influential religious writer. He started his career as assistant priest of St Leonard’s.
The town’s former grammar school was founded in 1503 and was located within the church. Its later premises were the two storey red brick building, on the left, whic was built in 1785. Among the schools famous pupils was Thomas Percy, who became Chaplain to George III and Bishop of Dromore, County Down. The girl’s High School was established in 1887 and its boarding house is now the offices of the Town Council, on the right of the Close. the two schools merged in 1909 to become what is now Bridgnorth Endowed School, Northgate.
The unmistakeable six-gabled building to the right was also part of the former grammar school: one section was for the school’s scholars, the centre part for the headmaster and the third for the priest of St Leonard’s.*
*info from a signboard in front of St Leonard’s Church
Tags: Bridgnorth, Shropshire, St Leonard's Church, St Leonard's Close
… stopping for lunch at a familiar place, Café Craycombe at Fladbury.
I chose a coronation chicken sandwich which was delicious. Mr C’s choice arrived as a sandwich rather than the baguette that he had ordered. This was swiftly replaced.
We parked in the long stay carpark which involves a short walk into the village. We couldn’t resist visiting the ‘Man Cave’ with its eclectic range of stock. I was quite taken with the model of a police telephone box reminding me of the Tardis in Dr Who but neither of us were tempted to make a purchase.
Mr C was disappointed to find that the cookshop was closed for the day with a sign on the door stating ‘sorry for any inconvenience’!
We visited the Broadway Museum and Art Gallery which is housed in a delightful old building, Tudor House. After visiting the museum Mr C encountered his third disappointment of the day… Stopping for liquid refreshments at a nearby tearoom Mr C chose a vanilla milkshake. He took a sip only to find that is was banana flavoured, one of the few food tastes he does not like. This too was quickly replaced.
By now it was time to return to the car and set off homeward. We intended to enjoy ‘fine dining’ on the patio but heavy traffic slowed us down so we dined in a local restaurant, The Water Rat instead.
Tags: Broadway, Cafe Craycombe, Cotswolds, Fladbury, The Man Cave
The Wilderness and the idea of wilderness is one of the permanent homes of the human spirit.
Joseph Wood Krutch
Tags: Cherie's Place Thought, Tal Y Llyn, Ty’n Y Cornel Hotel, Wales
… led to fine dining on the patio at Chez Nous
Tags: BBQ, Chez Nous, Dining at Chez Nous, Fine Dining
The iconic fin is instantly recognisable, while moving between the two sections gives a sense of confinement onboard a submarine. The solitary figure, perhaps looking up to where danger may come from or to the surface of the sea and its promise of fresh air and sunlight, gives a human scale and a focal point for acts if renenbrance.
Tags: #walk1000miles, #walk1000miles2024, Defence Matters, National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire, The Submariner Memorial
