Changes and signs of life on St Piran's Day

Monday, 05 March 2012 18:11

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Spring is my favourite season - boaters come out of hiding, narrowboats begin cruising and there are signs of life on the canals and all around.

Snowdrops and a blackbird

There were signs of life in Tardebigge's St. Bartholomew's graveyard too ................

This is my last blog about Tardebigge - until we briefly go back again before descending the lock flight. St Bartholomew's sits on the hill above. In fact the name Tardebigge is said to derive from the Saxon "Tyrde Bicgan" which means "Big Tower" or "Tower on a hill". this may very well refer to a church as a Saxon church has been incorporated into the later building.

Tardebigge Church of St Bartholomew's

This building was built around 1777 on the site of an 1138 church. It was later "restored" during the late C19th and the new chancel built. The graceful spire was restored in 1902 and stands at 135 feet.

The spire

Among the signs of Spring, the graveyard has some interesting monuments.

More snowdrops amongst the marching headstones

Daffodils just making their presence known too

Robert George, Earl of Plymouth of Hewell Grange has an imposing memorial. The Lord Windsor was the first Earl, related to "Clive of India" and the Windsor family were involved in the development of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. Lord Windsor was instrumental in introducing the steam tugs on the canal.

Lord Windsor's "throne tomb"

I was rather taken by this little grotto, the graves of the Pagets, Earls of Uxbridge

A quick peek inside - there are a few interesting things to see ...

A decapitated body

This was part of a 1605 memorial to Lord Henry Windsor, the rest was destroyed when the former church collapsed in 1775.

An 1850 stone font and an unusual 1807 Bronze lectern

The pew runners have a canal link. There are four designs.

Pew runners

Finally, in honour of the Cornish Saint St Piran, whose day it is today I have made pasties. The smell is making me very hungry, it is a good job I have one for my evening meal! We "sail under" the Cornish Ensign, so for today narrowboat Epiphany was Cornish territory 

Our Cornish Ensign