Parts of the nave can be dated back to around 1100 and the tower was added in the C15. The bells, which have recently been refurbished, are over 300 years old. The pews at the rear of the church are original and date back to the C16, but perhaps the most notable feature is the C14 pulpit, which is carved out of one solid oak truck.
Sadly the church is normally kept locked, but the pulpit (from which John Wesley preached his first recorded sermon after his ordination, in October 1725) can be glimpsed from outside through a window in the north wall of the building.
Sunday morning services are held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. There is no electricity or an organ. Lighting is by candles, and after-service freshly brewed coffee is brought in a thermos flask. Cake is also provided.
To find the cache you will have to enter the south porch and locate a wooden board with seven lines of text (with a typed transcription on an adjoining card, but be aware that this is not wholly accurate!)
The cache is a short walk away at
N 51° 4A.BCD W 0° 5E.FGH
A is the number of letters in the missing word: “… towards ? and restoring this church …”
B is the number of letters in the missing word: “… the church interior and part of the ? was restored …”
C is the second digit of the sum of money granted
D is the second digit of the sum of money mentioned as the total cost
E is the number of lines of text in the smaller size
F is the number of lines of text in larger, Old English, script
G is the number of times the bishop is mentioned
H is the final digit of the year
Update 22-3-2015 - the cache has had to be moved a few meters. When you have made the calculations above, please add .016 to the northings and subtract .012 from the westings to locate the cache. GeoCheck will confirm the adjusted co-ords and new cache location.
From the cache there are wonderful views to the west.
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro@gmail.com.
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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