On your walking tour through Cotswold towns and villages take the opportunity to visit ancient churches
These historic buildings are steeped
in history and are often the oldest building in the town or village, some
dating back to before the Norman Conquest in 1066.
St Eadburga's church, Broadwayy. This 12th century church is
dedicated to St Eadburgha, the grand-daughter of Alfred the Great. The legend goes that as a child, her father King
Edward, tested her faith and when offered the choice of a gift of jewels or a
bible, she chose the bible and subsequently dedicated her life to God's service. In the 19th century
by a new building closer to the centre of the town, but St Eadburgha’s
continued to be used in the summer, for special candlelit services over
Christmas and for burial services.
Flower arrangement at St Nicholas, Oddington with the 14th century Doom painting on the wall behind.
Painted when most of the population could not read or write, when the
service was in Latin, wall paintings told worshippers bible stories. The Doom or Last Judgement painting shows God
in Heaven with souls on their way to heaven on his right hand side and others
on their way to hell on the left hand side.
The chancel at St Michaels, Buckland, a beautiful small village church
under the Cotswold edge.
St John the Baptist, Cirencester is one of the famous
Cotswold ‘wool churches’. In the middle
ages, the fleeces of many thousands of sheep raised in the Cotswold were
exported into Europe and the wool merchants in area became very rich
indeed. In the 15th century
some of this wealth was used to rebuild parish churches in grand style and the
church as Cirencester is one such.
Happy Hiking
Anne
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