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John Bland – Haworth
“Farewell vain World thou shop of toil and pain. With the Redeemer now we hope to reign. Welcome sweet death thou entrance into bliss. A place of rest owhat a change is this.” This gravestone is to be found in the churchyard of St. Michael and All Angel’s, Haworth – famed for its connection with the Bronte family. It commemorates the lives of John Bland who served in the army for 30 years as sergeant of the 1st Dragoon Guards. He died in 1821 aged 68 years. Also memorialised are his wife, Sarah and his son Michael – who served in the same regiment as John. Finally is John’s Grandson…
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A Collection of Forgotten Victorian Masterpieces
This post explores the excitement but frustation in researching a set of stained glass windows by different artists, with different patrons, of different dates and with no existing documentation or known facts (other than two plaques on walls and the inscriptions in the windows themselves). The stained glass of All Saints’ church in Stamford is beautiful, artistically accomplished and very well preserved. This is mostly due to the buildings continued liturgical function, but also because of the architectural and cultural interest of the town for visitors. The decorated glass itself however has received next to no scholarly interest or even a mention in any one of the numerous publications written…
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CCT Chattels project for the North
Cataloguing and describing all artefacts, furnishings and fittings in a historic church is no quick job! Many churches are hundreds of years old and have gathered monuments, donations of books and all kinds of things, from candlesticks to old tablecloths throughout the centuries. Trying to pin point a creator, date of creation or even vague provenance for these things is hard work and often feels like a stab in the dark, due to lack of documentation and knowledge. The Churches Conservation Trust has over 350 churches across England and is looking to create an up-to-date and consistent inventory for all the Chattels (including furniture and fittings) across the entirety of…
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Church visits – Lead and Healaugh
Visiting parish churches, is one of the most rewarding and interesting activities to do when there is an hour or two to spare. There are thousands of gems all over the place full of history and beauty, just waiting to be explored. Today I made the most of the lingering Summer to do just that. The first stop was St. Mary’s church, Lead. Technically a chapel, this tiny construction stands isolated in a field, which would have once been the site of a medieval manor house, next to the village of Saxton. The church is Grade II*, now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust and has a local…