ALL SAINTS. By the river, with no village near. Essentially C13, see the lancet windows in chancel and nave and the S doorway. The W windows are of 1873, as is the Perp E window, and the belfry. - FONT. Of Purbeck marble; not square but octagonal with only one of the usual blank arches per side. The angles of the octagon are chamfered. - BENCH-ENDS. Two with poppyheads, re-used. - PLATE. Cup of 1570; Paten of 1571.
ULTING. It lies by the part of the River Chelmer which was made into a navigable canal at the end of the 18th century. A few of its houses are 300 years old, and the church beside the tree-shaded canal is more than twice as ancient. It is a little building 45 feet by 18 feet almost entirely 13th century, but with a tiny turret and spire of the 15th century. The font, on six short pillars, has been here since the church was built; the nave roof and the piscina carved with a flower are 600 years old; the wall-plates of the chancel roof are a century younger; and two bench-ends fastened to a chest in the vestry were made when the Tudor Age began.
Simon K -
I was aimed for Hatfield Peveril station now, and to get there I came through the watermeadows and then across the lovely Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation with its locks and long boats.
The road curves around back to the river - you go down a track for about 150 yards and you get to All Saints church.
Locked, no keyholder notice. That rare beast, a riverbank church. The Chelmer flows just ten feet from the south wall. Very pretty, with its bellcote and red brick and flint in the walls.
This church is always locked. Everybody says so, everyone complains about it. There is even a sign that says 'we are sorry that we have to keep this church locked'. I'm not sure if it is age, infirmity, laziness or incompetence that stops them opening it. This could be an absolute shrine of a church if it was open all the time. You can even moor a boat beside the churchyard. What a great tool for evangelism this would be if it is was left open all the time.
As it is, one day it will be declared redundant, and when the CCT take it on they'll open it up, so we at least have that to look forward to.
And so to Hatfield Peveril station, and home.
Simon K -
I was aimed for Hatfield Peveril station now, and to get there I came through the watermeadows and then across the lovely Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation with its locks and long boats.
The road curves around back to the river - you go down a track for about 150 yards and you get to All Saints church.
Locked, no keyholder notice. That rare beast, a riverbank church. The Chelmer flows just ten feet from the south wall. Very pretty, with its bellcote and red brick and flint in the walls.
This church is always locked. Everybody says so, everyone complains about it. There is even a sign that says 'we are sorry that we have to keep this church locked'. I'm not sure if it is age, infirmity, laziness or incompetence that stops them opening it. This could be an absolute shrine of a church if it was open all the time. You can even moor a boat beside the churchyard. What a great tool for evangelism this would be if it is was left open all the time.
As it is, one day it will be declared redundant, and when the CCT take it on they'll open it up, so we at least have that to look forward to.
And so to Hatfield Peveril station, and home.
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