Huge thanks to conservationist Robert Walker, now working on Herefordhsire's stained glass for the CVMA, after rounding up the county's Dovescotes and and Pigeon Houses in a recent Logaston Press publication. He was in touch with him after I blogged on the angel glass at Weobley (he shares my view of its importance and has unearthed more of its story) and we remembered that we had been speakers together at a conference in Cambridgshire a few years ago.

So the idea grew of a going on a church crawl together, and the photo gallery above gives you a tatste of it,a nd morew blogs to follow. We started at Croft, where a few angels of the finaincial sort are still needed to oroperly re-cover the cupola and soert out the leaks please. Then on to Shobdon for a Strawberry Gothic Surprise with the added bonus of the Shobdon Arches, with their Kilpeck-style carvings weathering away in the folly on the hill, like the flake on a 99. An excellent quiche came next at Þe Olde Steppes Cafe [I refuse to say "ye"] at Pembridge followed by a reprise to the church at the top of the steps (sic) where I had missed out on the bell-tower last time I was there. From there to Kingsland with its mysterious Volka Chapel, and finally the wonderfully-reordered church at Yarpole (with its baby bell-tower too).

The day was made extra special by the presence of Joyce Marston, chair of Hereford Diocese's Advisory Committee on the care of church buildings (DAC) and local Rural Dean Mike Kneen, who were both great company and full of knowledge too. Thankyou Robert for a Grand Day Out!