Tag: church

July 24th – The trains were awful this evening. I left New Street at 5:35pm, and my train limped into Blake Street, where it prematurely terminated – an hour later. Hot and bothered, I welcomed the journey through Little Aston and Mill Green. I noticed how fine Little Aston church looked in the sunlight. It’s and interesting building; sometimes I don’t like it, other times it looks wonderful, depending on the light and the season. I do love how it’s still got the air of a rural parish church, even though it’s surrounded by suburban sprawl. The surrounding meadow just makes it that bit more beautiful.

June 29th – I went somewhere I’d not explored before today. I was in Tyseley again, and needed to go to the bank, so just after lunch I headed to Acocks Green. I’ve passed through before, but never studied the place. I rather like it. Busy, varied, with lots of greenery and nice architecture, I found the church, that of St. Mary the Virgin, fascinating. A J.G. Bland design of 1864, it lacks a tower or spire, although it was designed to have both. Opposite is a school, one entrance to which has an ornate lintel with the legend ‘Cookery’ carved upon it. I found busy shops, and a place with identity and heart. I’ll certainly be back.

March 28th – The return journey was also really enjoyable – the Trent Valley Road was quite congested, and I enjoyed zipping uphill past the stationary cars. I chose to return over Aldershawe, and down into Wall. Taking the track beside the church, I popped into the churchyard to enjoy one of my favourite spots – sitting on the terrace wall between the upper and lower churchyard, contemplating the view of the Roman remains. Well worth a look around if you get chance, and it’s a lovely spot on a nice day such as this.

March 21st – Brownhills churchyard cemeteries are a disgrace. The grounds maintenance here is, quite frankly, appalling, and something I’ve noted before. What annoys me most in that the memorial garden currently in use has ridiculous rules enforced strictly about what folk can leave on memorials, apparently to maintain the appearance of the churchyard – yet relatives, who’ve paid a considerable fee to have their loved ones interred here – have to suffer untidiness, uncut grass and mud. This is a scandal, pure and simple. This is where an awful lot of Brownhills folk are remembered – it it too hard to show them the respect in death they deserved in life?

February 6th – I’ve been meaning to take a night picture of St. Mark’s Church is Shelfield for some time. The stark, bold coloured glass is quite something at night. It’s an odd church; modern, with little adornment, it looks more like a community centre by day. it sits, almost hidden in the backstreets of Shelfield just down from the Four Crosses pub. I don’t know anything of it, its congregation or history, but it always seems busy. Every evening there seems to be something happening here. 

December 19th – Monday was a busy day of dashing about in frankly awful weather. It was a horrid day, and the Christmas spirit utterly eluded me. Finally getting on the bike at 8pm, I shot round the wet streets of Walsall Wood for inspiration. It was coming up the Lichfield Road towards the church that I noticed these views; they’re really, really festive, yet there’s little hint of Christmas in them. Despite the downbeat mood and wet weather, I felt much better after spotting these. Tomorrow was going to be better…

December 18th – A sharp, cold evening and rather dramatic sunset. Not having long, I headed out to Hammerwich to check out the views. Climbing up Meerash Hill, the ice was thick on the road, and the going on the ungritted country lanes of South Staffordshire was very treacherous. The tricky conditions were worth it, though, and rewarded me with some great pictures of the sun setting over Brownhills, and Hammerwich Church and it’s former windmill. A delightful place.

December 1st – One of the nicest things about winter and the defoliation of the trees is that it opens up views that in summer’s cauldron are concealed from view. Darlaston Church – normally hidden by the surrounding trees – is usually impossible to photograph. This is a shame, as St. Lawrence’s is a gorgeous example of the south Staffordshire sandstone epoch, with commanding, elegant spire and intricate clock. But please don’t cut back the trees, I love those, too…

November 25th – Sadly, I took some photos this morning that weren’t good enough to use, so today, I just have these I took at Rushall Church on the way home from work. There’s been a church here since 1220; the current one – The Parish Church of St. Michael the Archangel – being built around 1856, with the elegant, thin spire added later in place of an older, square one that was thought to have been centuries old. It’s a gorgeous church, tucked away in the side streets off the Lichfield Road in an almost rural location; at night it’s beautifully lit and brilliantly atmospheric, with the busy, crowded churchyard adding to the atmosphere. At 6pm I was undisturbed and the church and surrounding streets eerily quiet. A hidden gem.

November 22nd – At least is was dry on the way home. Dry and getting colder, but as I shot through Walsall Wood the lights of St. John’s church looked warm in the gloom. I guess there was some event going on there, but I liked the contrast with the dark exterior. I noticed also that Walsall Wood again had a fine Christmas Tree – not yet lit up. This is probably the work of Councillor Mike Flower, who’s personally stepped in as an act of unusual generosity and felicity to get the Wood a decent tree since he’s been elected – a huge difference from Brownhills where they throw a string of pound shop lights over the trees by Morris Miner. Mike’s a nice lad, really. Shame he fell in with the Tories…