The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major has dominated over the city of Rome for 16 centuries as the Marian shrine par excellence and the cradle of artistic civilization. Located at the summit of the Esquiline Hill, it is one of Rome’s four Papal Basilicas. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary indicated and inspired the construction of her abode on the Esquiline Hill. She appeared in a dream to the aristocrat, Giovanni, and to Pope Liberius, asking for the construction of a Church in her honour, in a place that She would miraculously reveal. The Miracle of the Snows is recalled each year with a solemn celebration. During the liturgy, a shower of white petals falls from the ceiling, creating an almost perfect union between the congregation and the Mother of God.

The Basilica houses the most important Marian icon, the Salus Populi Romani. Tradition attributes the image to Saint Luke the Evangelist, the Patron Saint of painters. Pope Francis entrusts his Apostolic Journeys to the protection of the Salus Populi Romani, which he visits before every departure and after every return.

The relic of the Holy Crib, the manger in which Baby Jesus was laid to rest, highlights the importance of Saint Mary Major as the “Bethlehem of the West”. The first Christmas night Mass was celebrated here and Pontiffs have been keeping this tradition alive for centuries.

Among the Basilica’s most important relics are the remains of Saint Matthew and Saint Jerome.

Seven Popes are buried in the Basilica.

We used a free leaflet to guide us on a walking tour pointing out historical places of interest in King’s Lynn. The tour took us to St Nicholas’ church which was currently housing an art exhibition. One of the church guides told us we should not miss going to see the nearby exorcists house which we found to be quaint and highly unusual. Unfortunately, it being Monday, we weren’t able to visit the museums as they were closed. We stopped for elevenses in a very down to earth café near the bus station, where we enjoyed the friendly banter and chatter between the locals and staff.

Whilst on the walk I chatted to a lady who had seen me taking photos and she asked what I thought of King’s Lynn. I said I liked the historical parts of the town. She told me she had moved there from South Africa about a year ago to be closer to her son and that she loves the place.

We had lunch in the delightful Tipsy Teapot where we decadently had a glass of wine to accompany our fish goujons which came with vegetable crisps and salad. After we had eaten, we completed the history walk ending up back by our hotel.

We hopped in the car and drove to Gooderstone Water Gardens which was a lovely way to spend the afternoon. Due to the lack of rain we found that the water levels in parts of the garden were low, especially so near to the bird hide.

Before dining in the hotel restaurant we relaxed in our hotel room taking in the view over the River Great Ouse

The exact date of the foundation of St. Anne’s Church is not known. The present Grade 2 listed 19th century structure is the successor to at least three previous chapels on the same site, the first recorded of which was well established by the late 14th century. It is most likely to have originated some tow hundred years earlier than tha, when Bishop Hugh du Puiset (1153-1195) made his Manor House at Auckland the principle residence of the Bishops of Durham, with all the staff and dependent required for their princely  as well as Episcopal state.

It seems to have been originally a ‘chapel of ease’ outside Auckland Castle walls, for the purpose (according to Matthew Richley, a local C19th historian)

“of preventing overcrowding of the Bishop’s own chapel and of keeping its congregation more select; and of providing accommodation for the elderly, infirm and others unable to attend the ancient Parish Church of St Andrew.”

Another local antiquarian, William Hutchinson, writing in 1794, says,

“This chapel was of great antiquity, and dedicated to St Anne, appertaining to the guild instituted in the Church of St Andrew, in which chapel the guild was held to the time of Edward VI” *

*From a chuch leaflet – A brief historical outline of the Church of St Anne, Bishop Auckland

It is known that a church has existed here since AD 737. King Ceowulf of Northumbria gave the village – then “Wercewode” – and the Church of St Lawrence to the monks of Holy Island. Northumbria bore much of the brunt of the early Viking raids. Holy Island itself was reputedly the first victim in AD 793 and this first, almost certainly wooden, church at Warkworth surely perished during that period. The beach near the mouth of the Coquet at Amble is still known as Birling – the Danish for longships.

A stone church replaced it and the altar was underneath today’s chancel arch. There are no visible remains of this church. It was built between 1132 and 1140, at around the probable time of the first motte and bailey castle built here by Henry, son of King David of Scotland in around 1139. There is no certainty in any of this.

The nave and chancel are more or less unchanged since that time. The lower levels of the west tower as far as the belfry were added in around 1200. The belfry and the spire were added in the fourteenth century. It was not until the fifteenth century that the fabric of the Norman church was tampered with through the addition of a perpendicular style south aisle and arcade. A south porch with a parvise room above was added at the same time and, is so often the case, this parvise room became in time the home of the village’s first school. The south aisle had a clerestory that was removed during restoration in 1860 when the original nave and chancel rooflines seem to have been reinstated. The church has needed considerable buttressing over the centuries and one might speculate that the clerestory was removed to reduce the weight of masonry bearing down on the side walls. A pre-restoration etching also shows a perpendicular style window at the south west of the chancel and this has been restored to a Norman profile that matches the original window to the east of it. The east window was also in the gothic style and has been replaced by a Norman style triple lancet arrangement. A circular window was built into the gables of both the chancel and the nave. Thus, rather remarkably, the church now looks more Norman than it did for half a millennium!

The nave is the longest Norman nave in Northumberland. It still has its original windows on the aisle-less north side. The west wall was the original extent of the church prior to the later addition of the tower. It is a fine Norman composition. The chancel arch too is original Norman. Like the rest of the church – indeed, like most Norman work in Northumberland – it is rather austere with none of the riots of chevron mouldings, beakheads and extravagantly carved capitals that adorn many Norman chancel arches elsewhere. There is a course of palmette carvings and and another of pellet moulding. It is the chancel itself, however, that is the gem of this church. The ceiling comprises two separate quadripartite vaults, each with ribs richly adorned by zig-zag moulding.

More details can be found in the Church guide or Great English Churches.

After breakfast, which was was busier but less chaotic than the previous day, we drove to Raby Castle. As the weather was fair when we arrived we chose to visit the gardens and grounds. We started with the walled garden then walked around the lower lake taking in views of the castle.

When we arrived at the castle courtyard we walked around the castle perimeter to get an appreciation of it before we went inside the castle. The castle is stunning and rich with history which the knowledgeable room guides were happy to share with us as we made our way around.

We had quiche for lunch in the café before we left to visit Staindrop and the Church of St Mary where significant (historical) members of the Neville family, that once owned Raby Castle, have their tombs. There was still time to spare so we decided to visit Brancepath Church as we journeyed back to Durham. We parked just outside the driveway to the church which took us past the castle where there was a sign outside saying queue here for the 4pm tour.

I found the church amazing. It looked old from the outside and modern, light and airy from within. It had a special feel to it and I would have liked to linger longer but Mr C had his eye on the castle tour.

When we arrived at the tour joining point we found that it was for pre-booked tickets  as part of the Heritage Open Days scheme. We were lucky, two people had dropped out and we were able to join the tour that was guided by the husband of the current owner. He told us of the history of the castle and the owners. The final room that he showed us was the chapel which he advised was consecrated and used by the village when the Church had been gutted due to a fire over twenty years ago. This explains the incongruity of the Parish Church’s interior and exterior appearance.

By the time the tour had finished it was nearly 6pm and we had not been able to book an evening meal in Durham so we opted for plan B. We drove to Seaham in search of fish and chips, eventually finding them in Gills, opposite the Eleven ‘O’ One, Tommy memorial sculpture. The food was cooked to order, we dined in, eating out of a box. The Haddock that I chose melted in my mouth.

After our long day out we returned to our hotel to chill with a cup of tea in our newly acquired mugs before venturing out to the Swan for a nightcap.

I took a window of sunshine during a showery day to walk into my local town. I was curious to see the new trees and shrubs that were being introduced to the town square. I arrived to find that it was a work in progress and was impressed with what I saw. Unfortunately there were too many large vehicles (involved in installing the plants) obscuring the view so I wasn’t able to take a photograph.

I shortened my planned circular route home to avoid a rain cloud that was heading in my direction. My timing was perfect, I stepped inside just as the heavens opened.

The Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul is situated next to Muchelney Abbey so we took the opportunity to visit after exploring the Abbey. As we entered we were surprised to see a groom with his best man and ushers and noticed that the church was all decked out ready for a wedding. They were just about to leave so were able to spend a few minutes to enjoying the features of the church without disrupting their preparations.

The Church of St Peter and St Paul in Muchelney, Somerset, England has Saxon origins, however the current building largely dates from the 15th century. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.^[1]

The church, which is adjacent to the site of Muchelney Abbey and close to the River Parrett, has a ceiling enlivened with Jacobean paintings of bare-breasted angels, their nudity thought to symbolize innocent purity.^[1] They were painted in the early 17th century.^[2]

The church also contains a barrel organ built by Gray and Davison and installed around 1835 to 1840. It is the last one known to be still in the church where it was first installed and still in working order.^[3]

There is a three-bay aisled nave and a chancel with a short chapel on either side.^[4]

It has a three-stage Somerset tower, dating from around 1468,^[5] supported by pairs of full-height corner buttresses. The south-east octagonal stair turret leads to an outer door.^[1]

Click on the photo below to access my video taken from the peaceful Dean Garnier Garden on Easter Morning .

Click on following link to view video

https://www.flickr.com/photos/-cherrypie-/46754200015/in/dateposted-public/