The flowers on the wall

looks lovely where you live, my village could be like this too...if all the people moved out!
that pennywort is gorgeous, why has it been removed?

They've been 'tidying' the place, and i don't think they realised it was there ... they're historians, not gardeners :o(
Maybe I will tell them about it .... but I don't live there now, although not far away.

Lovely, and its nice to think that it is being used again, even if only a few times a year.

Straight out of Gray's Elegy! So peaceful.

... until the gangs of yobs on motorbikes speed past !!

thats true Hywel, i suppose they wouldnt know what they were, put a notice up next time 'DO NOT REMOVE THESE PLANTS' and put a pic on of how beautiful they grow to be...

HWat a lovley place you live Mr Hywel! Love the old church..it looks like one i visited a while back..love old churches..love the smell..the mustiness.
Glad people took it over and it gets some use now :))

I really enjoyed that Hywel, that penny wort is like a minature foxglove...Shame about the church being abandoned, but at least it is now used. So many here are empty and vandalised now, a few have been demolished :(

What a beautiful spot. Its a shame it stood empty for so long, but I'm pleased someones put it back into use again. Hope they don't 'tidy' the plants too much.

Looks really peaceful Hywel.

Just glad that someone has taken the time and enegy to save this lovely old church and put it to good use.
Nice of you to share it with us Hywel.

Thanks for showing all these photos

Looks a very nice place Hywel - hate vandalism we all have to suffer what these idiots do :( really nice look around and lovely views

What a lovely place to spend your childhood Hywel the scenery is s beautiful I can just imagine you playing in those Bluebell woods. I do recognise the Penny Wort dont you think the flowering stem is like a tiny Foxglove, hope they dont get rid of it all!

very nice Hywel, lovely views..

Lovely blog and pics Hywel. I hope the Pennywort survives the "tidying" i have some in my wall but not seen flowers on it I'll have to check again :o)

Simply gorgeous Hywel. Love the church pics. Looks so very tranquil.

What a lovely blog, Hywel - thank you!

Lovely blog! It looks so beautiful! And the pennywort looks really a sweet flower. Gorgeous scenery too ...

Wonderful Blog Hywel, so peacfull.

Near Geddington there is a similar abandoned Church which was taken over years ago and became a Field Study Centre.
I dont know where they got the funding.
Try the Newton-le-Willows Field Study website for more information.
The Director is a Professor from Leicester University, they run weekend Courses for adults, and weekday Courses for School Groups.
The Northamptonshire Astronomy use it for night star viewing, as its well away from street lighting.
It is very successful, and now well looked after.

Woops, sorry, did that backwards. The site is Newton Field Centre - they must have simplified it because of all this stuff about the Manchester one.
Our local village was originally Newton le Willows.
It was where the Peasants Revolt happened, during the land grabbing by local toffs. The leader 'Captain Pouch' was executed and the rest were all transported for objecting to the loss of their Commons grazing land.
Terrible times. There was plenty of land.
We are so lucky now, having our Allotment Fields.
Anyway, the plants on the wall at Hywels Church would be better looked after with a different environmental governing body.
Takes years.

I love old churches too,Hywel,although more through a history and architecture point of view..I like those flowers growing in the wall..I never knew the name of them...something else I've learned .....and Snoopdog..glad you are still here :o)))

Thanks for all your comments :o) I am pleased everyone like this place. It is very dear to me.

Diane that was very interesting.

Sandra there isn't much grand architecture here, but the tower dates back to the 13th century. It leans, so had to be reduced in height for safety.
There's a 'leper's window' in the back of the church, where they say people with lepracy used to come for comunion.
Parts of the walls date back even further than Norman times.
Many years ago when I was little, my father used to know where the key was kept, under one of the gravestones, so we could go inside :o)

Snoopdog I've got an awful accent lol
Glad to see you are staying :o)

Thanks for the info on it,Hywel..how interesting..and nice you were able to go inside with your dad..:o)

Lovely blog. Thank you for that.

Love your blogs and photography. You have a real eye for composition.

Such lovely pictures. it looks a very peaceful and spiritual place. Jx

Also pleased to see Snoopdog back on track.
Hywel it was Kettering Highfield Road Junior School Head Teacher who set up Newton Field Centre in the dis-used Church. He was Jim Carr, who wrote 'How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers won the FA Cup'. Quite a character, full of fun.
There was a lot of publicity about it at the time, must have been 40 years ago. I dont know where he found the funding, as the interior was cleared, small bedrooms installed, an office and a kitchen, for people to stay on weekend Courses.
It enhanced the area, having high quality lecturers there to talk about all the wildlife in the area. I went one Saturday on a day Course.
Jim was the driving force behind the project. The staff were funded by Leicester University. I suppose it was useful, having them so near.
I have always called the plant 'Wall Pennywort' Bloomer.

Thank you,Diane,I will look out for it,on my walks ...it might stop raining sometime...

so sad to see churches go to ruin like this but it still looks lovely against the scenery Hywel, lovely pics :o))

Lovely blog and pics Hywel, its always a pleasure seeing where you grew up, I hope the pennywort hasn`t been completely tidied away, its so pretty, also pleased the church has been taken over and hopefully will be saved from more vandalism, I always like to learn about the old churches and buildings as well, you never know Hywel, that key might still be hidden there, lol..
Pleased to see you on here Snoop, also thanks Diane for all your very interesting comments..

What an absolutely heavenly place (forgive the pun!)
Beautiful pictures. Hate to see old buildings being abandoned then fall into state of disrepair! Glad it is now being used albeit on occasion.
Those little flowers I agree look very like foxglove. Thank yOu for sharing Hywel :))
I do enjoy seeing these blogs. Having never been to Wales and very few places in England I like to see what I am missing

Thanks again for all your comments. It's nice to know so many people support the preservation of these old historic places.
Thanks for all that information Diane .... It would have been very sad if that old church was left to decay, like this one. Exhibitions and events etc are now held there, and it is owned by a group of people who are dedicated to keeping it going.

Lovely photos and lovely memories for you Hywel. I love the dry stone walls especially as they are nearly falling down - so pretty. I hope the pennywort survives the 'tidying'. I had to stop my OH doing the weeding - he was taking out all the plants!

Pretty good Hywel!

Lovely blog as usual Hywel. I love old churches and to have those views, well, what else do you need!

Excellent blog as usual, most interesting.

Ooooh missed this blog Hywel! Wonderful views and beautiful old church and yard, whenever we go away I always leap around churchyards they do facinate me.

Thanks for all your comments :o)

Poppylover I hope your husband left some plants.

Grandmage I went to another one this afternoon. Beryl stayed in the car and said 'Don't be long ... it's creepy here' ... lol

I love old churches too ....its like stepping back in time .You can quite imagine the village lifestyle as it was in these pics .So sad its gone .We gained TV and some lost the ability to see the beauty around us :-))

the pennywort is blooming all over the place Hywel. i love the way it survives the harshest of places..:-)

Thank you both :o)

Susie I think the tv is a waste of time and money ... it only goes on for Beryl to watch emmerdale lol ... and that's boring :o(

Sandra they have cleared it off most of the walls around this church. I hope they don't get rid of it all together.

where do these people get off....old walls are a haven for insects and plants to live in harmony...just needs a bit of selective weeding now and then...i hope they dont pull them all out...

Sandra I've been thinking of contacting the new owners of the church, to tell them about it .... I'll have to find out the address of the main one I think.

Show them the reaction to this blog, Hywel, or start a petition - I'd sign it!

hopefully they just need a guiding hand from you Hywel....:-)

It's just like "How Green Was My Valley" Hywel. Great shots of the surrounding hills. The little pennywort is a treasure...hope you can make that point to the new owners.

i just love the welsh valleys...