Having agreed an interesting programme of monthly visits for the year the Church Visiting Group of course can't now travel around the countryside looking at churches like we do in normal times. Instead we are trying to stick to our programme by having virtual visits, so far a couple each month.
Our hope is that we will be able to visit all the churches next year instead.
We've also had an "educational" quiz on church architecture which most members found too difficult!
Our hope is that we will be able to visit all the churches next year instead.
We've also had an "educational" quiz on church architecture which most members found too difficult!
Virtual Church Visits can be seen here
Virtual Trip 1 (Stow Minster and Coates)
Virtual Trip 2 (Gainsborough and Corringham)
Virtual Trip 3 (Exton and Burley)
Virtual Trip 4 (Hambleton, Whitwell and Empingham)
Virtual Trip 5 (Threekingham, Swaton and Horbling)
Virtual Trip 6 (Billingborough and Sempringham)
Virtual Trip 7 (Wymondam and Edmondthorpe (Leics)
Virtual Trip 8 ( Ashwell, Market Overton and Buckminster)
Virtual Trip 9 (Clipsham and Castle Bytham, Lincs.)
Virtual Trip 10 (Little Bytham and Witham on the Hill, Lincs.)
Virtual Trip 11 (Launde Abbey and Withcote Chapel, Leics.)
Virtual Trip 12 (Hallaton, Allexton and Belton (Leics / Rutland))
Virtual Trip 13 (Boston, Lincolnshire)
Virtual Tour 14 (Boston Area)
Virtual Tour 15 (Brant Broughton and Welbourn Lincs.)
Virtual Tour 16 (Navenby and Coleby, Lincs.)
(updated 18 November 2020)
Think you might be interested in joining this group?
1. If you are not already a member of Southwell U3A but are interested in finding out more about this group and/or would like to attend one of their group meetings please click on the Contact Us link and let us know. We will arrange for the Group Leader to get in touch with you as soon as possible.
2. If you are already a member of Southwell U3A and are interested in joining this group you can contact the Group Leader directly. Their details are in the Group Leaders page in our Membership Area of the website. As a Southwell U3A member you will have received the password for the Members Area pages in Newsline. If you have forgotten the password please use the Contact Us facility on this website to request the password.
1. If you are not already a member of Southwell U3A but are interested in finding out more about this group and/or would like to attend one of their group meetings please click on the Contact Us link and let us know. We will arrange for the Group Leader to get in touch with you as soon as possible.
2. If you are already a member of Southwell U3A and are interested in joining this group you can contact the Group Leader directly. Their details are in the Group Leaders page in our Membership Area of the website. As a Southwell U3A member you will have received the password for the Members Area pages in Newsline. If you have forgotten the password please use the Contact Us facility on this website to request the password.
Within 50 miles of Southwell there are hundreds of old churches, some big, some small, some very special, some not so special, but every one with a unique story to tell, both within their fabric and in the social history of generations of local people who have contributed to the making of the churches we see today.
The Group started in 2013 and has since visited over 200 churches in eight counties. The Group goes out once a month visiting, usually, three churches before lunch and two (or sometimes three) churches in the afternoon. We normally start our programme of visits in March, and then monthly until September before closing down during the shorter days of winter.
The Group started in 2013 and has since visited over 200 churches in eight counties. The Group goes out once a month visiting, usually, three churches before lunch and two (or sometimes three) churches in the afternoon. We normally start our programme of visits in March, and then monthly until September before closing down during the shorter days of winter.
View the slideshow of the Group's 2018 visit to Laxton below
Members of the Church Visiting Group learn about the history of Laxton church (Notts) 2018
High summer at Bradley church in Derbyshire, 2018
See our new photograph slideshow of some of the places we visited in 2016.
What the Group did in 2017
In 2017 we went out monthly between February and October, visiting 45 churches in all. The oldest church visited was Barnack, near Stamford with its fine Saxon tower. We also visited Castor near Peterborough, a grand church with possibly the best Norman church tower in the country. Other highlights included Steetley near Worksop, Clifton Campville near Lichfield, Algarkirk (Lincs), Ault Hucknall (Derbys), Marholm near Peterborough, Staunton Harold (Leics) and Stamford St Martin’s with its lovely Tudor glass and Lord Burleigh’s magnificent tomb.
We should offer our thanks and appreciation for the many vicars, churchwardens and other local volunteers who welcomed us to their churches, sometimes with a cup of tea or coffee as well. Special mention should go to those who welcomed us at Alrewas (Staffs), Sutton Scarcliffe (Derbys), Bicker (Lincs), Clifton Campville, and Algarkirk. At Alrewas we even had bell ringers to greet us!
What the Group did in 2017
In 2017 we went out monthly between February and October, visiting 45 churches in all. The oldest church visited was Barnack, near Stamford with its fine Saxon tower. We also visited Castor near Peterborough, a grand church with possibly the best Norman church tower in the country. Other highlights included Steetley near Worksop, Clifton Campville near Lichfield, Algarkirk (Lincs), Ault Hucknall (Derbys), Marholm near Peterborough, Staunton Harold (Leics) and Stamford St Martin’s with its lovely Tudor glass and Lord Burleigh’s magnificent tomb.
We should offer our thanks and appreciation for the many vicars, churchwardens and other local volunteers who welcomed us to their churches, sometimes with a cup of tea or coffee as well. Special mention should go to those who welcomed us at Alrewas (Staffs), Sutton Scarcliffe (Derbys), Bicker (Lincs), Clifton Campville, and Algarkirk. At Alrewas we even had bell ringers to greet us!