Holy Trinity, Fleet
An unusual church with a unique history. The original church was largely destroyed, along with a lot of the village, in a storm on 23rd November 1824. This church was opened on 25th August 1829 – this is all detailed in the guide book. There are some post cards for sale as well. The church is beside a busy road, which leads to a large camp site and there were 21 entries in the visitors book for July – from many different countries. One entry made me laugh as the visitor had put that it was a fine Norman church! – only out by a thousand years. There are some books and magazines for sale
The sign outside tells of the services here and the Vicar’s details. This is a small church but there is a story to tell and it could be told better than it is. I have to rate it as poor for my purposes but like Holy Trinity – go and have a look!
Holy Trinity, Fleet
An unusual church with a unique history. The original church was largely destroyed, along with a lot of the village, in a storm on 23rd November 1824. This church was opened on 25th August 1829 – this is all detailed in the guide book. There are some post cards for sale as well. The church is beside a busy road, which leads to a large camp site and there were 21 entries in the visitors book for July – from many different countries. One entry made me laugh as the visitor had put that it was a fine Norman church! – only out by a thousand years. There are some books and magazines for sale
The sign outside tells of the services here and the Vicar’s details. This is a small church but there is a story to tell and it could be told better than it is. I have to rate it as poor for my purposes but like Holy Trinity – go and have a look!
St. Peter’s, Portesham
A pretty church in a pretty village. It is open and worth going in as there is plenty of interest here. The notice board only gives service details. Inside, there is a guide and postcards and some local history booklets – churches have an important role as centres of local history.
There was a brand new visitor’s book so this wasn’t counted. Folders detail the churchyard, World War 1 and 2 personnel and a history of this church and the neighbouring Corton Chapel and Langton Herring church – all part of the same benefice. Also some pictures and information about RNXV Portesham. Also some second hand books for sale. A prayer board can be used as well.
There is a small area for children to use which gets a mention on the church’s entry on achurchnearyou (http://www.achurchnearyou.com/portesham-st-peter/) this also confirms that the church is open during the week. I rate St. Peter’s as good.
St. Nicholas, Abbotsbury
A very well visited church in a delightful village which itself gets many visitors to the various attractions here. There is a very clear welcome on the notice board proudly saying that the church is open for prayer and reflection. Inside, I found some ‘Word for Today’ to take away and a selection of the Gospel Imprint leaflets (http://www.gospelimprint.com/). There were welcome leaflets in 6 languages as well as some ‘bats’ to use. The brief history leaflet does what it says. There is another Living Churchyard display here – as many Dorset churches seem to have.
The children’s area is signposted and some visitors were using it when I was there. There are some pictures of how the Abbey may have looked in it’s pre Reformation hey day. There were some 89 visitors in the book for July.
There are some folders of pictures of church events which is always good to see and also on the lovely kneelers here. A lot of effort goes into making these so it is good to produce something that explains the designs and who did them.
The Seeking Gold Pilgrimage trail was displayed and this seems to have been a relic of the 2012 Olympics – the sailing was held at Weymouth and attracted many visitors. You can see a leaflet about this at http://www.salisbury.anglican.org/resources-library/mission/our-ongoing-mission/seeking-gold/Seeking%20Gold%20Brochure.pdf . This was Olympic specific so may have outlived it’s usefulness? A Bible was left open as well.
The village website has quite a bit on the church, including visitor information. See http://www.abbotsbury.co.uk/stnicholaschurch/index.htm
I rate St. Nicholas as very good.
This is an interesting church
St. Mary the Virgin, Burton Bradstock
A lovely church in a delightful village. It is open each day. The sign board outside doesn’t give any visitor information but there is a good welcome notice in the porch. It relates more to a Sunday but is applicable for all week too.
I found a guide inside and a welcome leaflet, which gives a ground plan of the church, a prayer and a short meditation or two on Jesus. An easy thing to produce and worthwhile. Also some post cards for sale. Some 19 people had signed the visitors book in July.
There is a place for prayer requests and a display about the churches mission partner link. Children’s work was displayed as well.
It is always good to see an open Bible in a church – a people do look at them. St. Mary’s takes this to a different level – there were 4 of them open at the time of my visit! A wonderful inscription on a memorial here caught my eye – there is a picture of it here. I rate St. Mary’s as good for my purposes. Church visitor details are given on http://www.burtonbradstock.org.uk/What%27s%20on/St%20Marys/St%20Marys%20Church%20Index.htm
St. Michael the Archangel, Lyme Regis
Lyme was very busy the day I visited. If coming by car the park and ride looks like a good idea. At least there is motorcycle parking at the sea front. However, there are some good fish and chips to be had here!
The church has a website at http://www.lymeregis-parishchurch.org/ but this doesn’t give any visitor information although a map and the postcode are shown. The sign outside gives service details only.
As soon as the visitor enters the church they find a magnificent font. A very friendly lady was arranging flowers around at when I visited.
There is plenty to see here. Post cards, bookmarks and ‘Word for Today’ are all available. A lovely children’s area features too.
27 people had signed the visitors book during July. A prayer book is available in the Lady Chapel and displays tell of Mary Anning and her work with fossils in Lyme Regis and there are displays of World War 1 and 2 which relate these conflicts to local people. These are all very well done. A ‘Soldiers Prayer’ had been copied out to take away as well as some of the sgm lifewords WW1 John’s gospels.
I rate St. Mary’s as very good. There is also some information on HMS Lyme Regis
St. Mary’s, Catherstone Leweston
This little church is well signposted off the road and features as a part of the Golden Cap Pilgrimage Trail. It is an unusual little church. There doesn’t seem to be a website but there is an entry on a churchnearyou – but it doesn’t say much!
Inside there is a ‘bat’ with some history but that is about it. There isn’t much here for the visitor but it is worth seeing. Somewhere to at least leave prayer requests would be good. I have to rate it as poor for my purposes. 4 people had entered into the visitor’s book in July.
St. Candida & St. Wite, Whitchurch Canonicorum
Another special church – Dorset is a good county to visit! This also features in ‘1000 Best Churches’ and is known as ‘The Cathedral of the Vale.’. I nearly didn’t get in because the church was locked, despite a sign in the porch saying it was open every day. Some other prospective visitors had phoned the warden who came along and was very knowledgeable and gave us a tour.
This church must get lots of visitors but as usual only a few had signed the visitors book – 19 in July. There were nearly that number when I was there! To help counting there is a simple scheme here, new to me. Each visitor is asked to place a stone or other ‘token’ into a basket. Simple but effective. I strongly suspect that many churches just do not know how many visitors they get and might be surprised if they did know how many came in. This might be an idea worth trying out.
There are drinks for visitors here also and a guide book some cards of St. Wite’s shrine as well as a Pilgrimage Trail for the Golden Cap Team – a suggestion hat all 12 churches would be worth visiting. This is shown on a leaflet with a map and a few words about what to see in each place. This had been funded by The Aldhelm Mission Fund via the Diocese. A great idea. A good website can be found at http://www.cathedralofthevale.co.uk/ with plenty of visitor information.
What is really special here is the shrine of St. Wite – this houses the remains of the saint. Once a fairly common feature but now only shared with Westminster Abbey as the rest were destroyed at the Reformation. Pilgrims still visit here are ask for healing – prayers are left at the shrine and a selection of these are prayed for at the services here. This makes this a very special place indeed. There are some suggested prayers but the shrine was obviously well visited. I rate this special place as very good.
Prayers left at St. Wite’s shrine
St. Mary’s, Netherbury
This church is also part of the Beaminster Team – http://www.beaminsterteam.org/ is the website with a bit of information but nothing specific regarding visitors.
St. Mary’s is another Small Pilgrim Places Network church and a lot of effort has gone into creating a special place for those who visit. The sign outside just gives details of the Sunday services but there is a SPPN poster in the porch to welcome people to this special place.
Inside, I found a very peaceful church with some good features. For sale there are guides, tea towels, notelets and preserves. Some SPPN leaflets are available and refreshments are provided for visitors with a kettle and things to make drinks – donations are invited for these. A really good touch that I haven’t seen in many places.
There is a good area for children and their work is displayed. Some second hand books are for sale too and another Living Churchyard display. This really is a beautifully kept church with gleaming brass work. A Bible was left open – an important feature as this is what visitors expect to see. What sets this church apart is the care given to minister to visitors spiritual needs. On the font are two simple notices – see the pictures here.
Nothing clever but very effective – any church could do something like this! There was also a prayer for visitors on the table by the door – again the picture shows it. 12 people in the visitor’s book for July.
These show a real care for those who visit this wonderful place. Also there is a ‘Prayer pool’ a simple and effective alternative to a votive stand. It had been used. If you click on the photo it will enlarge so that you can read the text.
There is a good prayer area as well with some laminated prayers to guide people – we can’t assume that everyone knows how to pray and guidance is never wasted. There are also some prayers in a folder. All these plus the visitor ‘helps’ make this a very good church for this study. I am very impressed with The Small Pilgrim Places Network which deserves greater attention and more churches (an other places ) to join up – see http://www.smallpilgrimplaces.org/
Prayers for people on the altar
St. Mary of the Annunciation, Beaminster
A large church with a splendid tower. There is much of interest here too. Lets start outside. There is quite a bit of information on the notice board which appears to be updated regularly but nothing specifically about visitors. The church is open each day. Beaminster is part of a large team of churches. There is a good website on http://www.beaminsterteam.org/ but doesn’t give any specific visitor information for the churches of the team. St. Mary’s has a lift built into the corner of the churchyard as it isn’t otherwise the most disabled friendly church I have visited! There are lots of steps and this must really help.
There are a good range of booklets and guides for sale – most locally produced and very good. Also post cards and a laminated guide to use whilst visiting. The children have an area and their work is displayed. I counted the Visitors book to reveal some 33 entries for July. This is a very well cared for church with some fine modern furnishings and a recent pipe organ. A lady was arranging flowers and spoke of home the church was well loved and well used by the community. A recent drop in day was proving popular.
Another Living Churchyard display is here as well and a votive stand and prayer board to use – I lit a candle myself for a lady I know who is dying. It is good to be able to do this in a church.
Living Churchyard Display
Another notable feature here is a large pulpit mounted on wheels!
I rate St. Mary’s as very good for this study and enjoyed visiting here.
Pulpit on wheels
All Saints, Wyke Regis
A short trip through busy Weymouth to Wyke Regis. An impressive church on a hill. It is not the easiest place to park at but a motorbike has some advantages here! The sign outside gives details of Sunday services only but there is a good welcome in the porch. Inside, I found a guide and an interesting church which is very well cared for with nice shiny brass. A well loved place.
There is a display of church life and votive stand and pray tree for those who wish to pray. Some good children’s work is shown. Also a display about a link with Sudan. The blessed sacrament is reserved here.
There is an interesting memorial to John Wordsworth – Williams brother who perished, as so many have done down the years, in a shipwreck. He is buried in the churchyard somewhere with the other victims.
I rate All Saints as good. The website is at http://www.parishofwykeregis.org.uk with some good history on it
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