Meet at 10.00 am at St John the Baptist, Church Lane, Berkswell, CV7 7BJ, On-site parking for disabled use only but free public car park in the centre of the village a hundred yards away and off-road parking on nearby Meriden Road. Dr Hunt will then help us explore St John, one of the county’s most celebrated churches, noted particularly for its elaborate double crypt, which will form part of the visit. The building also comprises Romanesque and later fabric. The crypt is Norman and said by Simon Jenkins to be one of the most remarkable in a Midlands church.
12 noon to 2.00 pm: Lunch and a half hour car journey to Ansley
2.00 pm St Laurence, Church End, Ansley, CV10 0QR. Parking in the car park adjacent to the church. Mid/late C12; tower and clerestory added late C15; chancel lengthened mid C18; late C19/early C20 porch; north aisle added 1913. Dr John Hunt will show us how this church incorporates fabric of the twelfth century and later, including an enigmatic sculpture.
Dr Hunt will help us investigate the developmental sequence of the two churches and find out about their tenurial history and landscape setting, taking account of the medieval communities that these churches served as well as of the buildings themselves. John promises us the chance to get actively involved in an understanding of how these two churches evolved. Both churches are accessible for wheelchairs (apart from the Crypt at St John).
£18 per person, including lunch. To book a place e mail richard.totty4@gmail.com or send a cheque made out to SAHS to Richard Totty Rock Cottage Redhill Rugeley WS15 4LL. To pay by bank transfer contact our Treasurer Keith Billington at kjboutthere@yahoo.co.uk.
More details of the lunch later but please say if you have dietary requirements.
Further enquiries to Richard Totty
