This new group got off to a good start in May, starting with a visit to St Mary the Virgin in Brading. Although the church is not mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1068, there must have been a church in Brading at the time, possibly for several hundred years. Brading Haven was a large and valuable natural harbour: the church was very close to the town quay. The nave of the present building, the oldest part, dates back to the 12th century. It’s a really fascinating church.
We followed the visit with cups of tea in the Crown and Bear, where they let us have a corner of the bar.
Our second visit was to All Saints Church in Godshill on a glorious sunny Sunday. The setting is wonderful, and it’s no surprise that it’s one of the thirteen churches in England which attracts over 100,000 visitors a year.
Known as the Church of the Lily Cross, a 15th century mural depicts Christ crucified on a triple branched flowering lily. It was whitewashed in the Reformation, rediscovered in the 19th century. It is unique to Godshill – there is no other like it in the UK. Tea followed at the Old Smithy.
Our third visit was to St James Church, Yarmouth. Not the oldest church on the island but one of the most interesting. Devastating French raids in 1377 and 1543 severely damaged the town by fire. This church was consecrated in 1626 and is full of wonderful paintings and stained glass windows. We were very fortunate that the churchwarden, Janet Harding, gave us a brief presentation about the church and was available to answer our questions.
That was a real bonus, as was a really good tea at Jireh House, a 17th century house tea and café opposite the church: a chance to reflect on the visit and plan our programme for the rest of the summer.
- u3a Group:
- Church Visits
- Date filed:
- 2024-07-04
- Filed by:
- Hilary Corrick
u3a News
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This new group got off to a good start in May, starting with a visit to St Mary the Virgin …
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