all photos my own.https://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhxzmoqxak2uA seraph bears a six-pointed star - the central panel of Karl Parsons’ fine west window at St Laurence’s, Ansley (Warks.) Dated 193026 Mar 2026 16:29 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhxzmoqxak2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhxymfly322uUnusual little object in the south porch at Much Dewchurch Three-strand interlace pattern and carved on both sides. But what is it? Malcolm Thurlby think a c12 grave marker. Very rare survival if so26 Mar 2026 16:11 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhxymfly322uhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhxpt6cwh22uDudley Public Library of 1908-9 Allegorical figures of Science and the Arts recline on a broken pediment - positively Michelangelesque! (à la the Medici tombs) Architect was George H Wenyon Sculptors probably HH Martyn & Co26 Mar 2026 13:34 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhxpt6cwh22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhxjvsyu622cSt George and the dragon by William Bloye on Dudley Town Hall (War Memorial Tower) - late 1920s26 Mar 2026 11:48 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhxjvsyu622chttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhxbpkankc2gInterlocking two-strand circles on the c12 capital of the west doorway at Leominster Priory For a bonus point - can you spot Samson and the lion?26 Mar 2026 09:22 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhxbpkankc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhuzxc3xms24fine surprise in the suburbs of Dudley - a mid-12th century tympanum at St Peter, Pedmore Christ in Majesty surrounded by the Evangelists. St Matthew holds the mandorla in place (top-right) a rather far-flung example of the Herefordshire school of carving25 Mar 2026 11:57 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhuzxc3xms24https://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhsca22hys2yMinton tiles around the font at Holy Trinity, Hartshill (Stoke-on-Trent)24 Mar 2026 09:48 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhsca22hys2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhgp3lfrfk26Now to Bower Norris’s much later St John Fisher, West Heath - 1964 énorme!19 Mar 2026 19:06 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhgp3lfrfk26https://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhgo5lb2xs26Our Lady & St Brigid, Northfield by Bower Norris - 1936 A sort of minimalist Italian Romanesque (with a striking campanile) a very squeezed site but still a winner19 Mar 2026 18:49 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhgo5lb2xs26https://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhgnodpa6k26A fine day to go out hunting some Ernest Bower Norris churches in the Black Country Holy Name of Jesus, Great Barr - 1938 typical sharp Art Deco detailing at the west end (which faces the busy Birmingham Road) reminds one of his slightly earlier church at North Walsham19 Mar 2026 18:40 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhgnodpa6k26https://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mhd6eadpk22kMight be the smallest east window I’ve ever seen - St Laurence, Ansley (Chancel extended by John Ludford in 1760)18 Mar 2026 09:28 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhd6eadpk22khttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mgpxhjzg5k2ha day off, so out I went Karl Parsons glass of 1931 at Catshill, Worcs. St Christopher carrying the Christ Child10 Mar 2026 18:04 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgpxhjzg5k2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mgcqf7ta3c2wto St Mary, Oldswinford next A look back from the elaborate 1890s chancel at the wonderful pre-Ecclesiological nave of the early 1840s Quite the contrast & that roof!05 Mar 2026 11:53 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgcqf7ta3c2whttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mgcjbyuhac2xGlass by Henry Payne at St Thomas, Stourbridge (left pic) and because I’ve been thinking about comparions recently, here is his window at St Agnes, Moseley commemorating William Harrison Colmore (d. 1907) that I saw a few years ago05 Mar 2026 09:46 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgcjbyuhac2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mgcirey6sc2xAn unplanned day in Worcestershire (so no itinerary!) first stop a rather impressive early Georgian church- St Thomas, Stourbridge (1728-36) The baroque east end is an 1889-90 addition, but I rather like it Well preserved interior recalls Wren’s St James, Piccadilly (but a fair bit more austere)05 Mar 2026 09:37 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgcirey6sc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mg62bzfwnc2uAnd a very worn/damaged (but somehow the better for it) Judith & Holofernes03 Mar 2026 15:07 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg62bzfwnc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mg625zt2cc2uBut who is this? A rare outing of that goldsmith turned bishop, Saint Éloi? I guess it’s from an engraving03 Mar 2026 15:05 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg625zt2cc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mg5zvbjrp22uSome fine c17 roundels at the west end of St Mary’s, Shrewsbury Not there during my last visit, I don’t think. I wonder where they’re from? This one is labelled as unknown saint/bishop but with a martyr's palm, mitre & the stoning scene in the background, I guess that Timothy is a safe bet?03 Mar 2026 15:00 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg5zvbjrp22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mfubusjpi22zCharming little 16th century vestry at St Helen’s, Kirkland (Lancs.) Attached to north-east corner of church, it’s now entered through a door behind the organ27 Feb 2026 17:56 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfubusjpi22zhttps://bsky.app/profile/jshellyer.bsky.social/post/3mfrxg5lzss2lA trip to Dudley (part 3) St Peter, Upper Gornal - a Commissioners’ church of 1840-2 by Robert Ebbels. Bit reminiscent of King’s College Chapel (more so in the 1840s painting before turrets reduced) Interesting skeletal (& vaguely classical) parclose screen of 1922 by FT Beck inside Closed 202326 Feb 2026 19:44 +0000at://did:plc:xeaw2yrer2bbn3hmrwr3lcw7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfrxg5lzss2l