churchtourismstudy

Another week,another area. This time East Kent, but what a contrast in churches! On the way down I visited the Isle of Sheppey, reached by the very impressive bridge which spans The Swale- high and blustery. First stop-

Holy Trinity, Queenborough. A great little church in this former port. Firmly locked with no indication of when it might be open nor where a key could be obtained from. Very disappointing as this church is in many of the guide books and would be quite well visited. If only.

Then onto Minster Abbey. An imposing building in a pretty down at heel part of Kent. I had sent them a questionnaire and it sounded like a place worth a visit. The church website says that ‘The parish endeavours to keep the Abbey open during the summer months but this cannot be guaranteed.’ Today it was firmly shut and with no indication of when it might be open.

The Isle of Sheppey had been a bit of a let down so once more over the bridge for a lunch stop at Sittingbourne. I had just found a nice little cafe when a thunder storm let forth. Needless to say this was a leisurely lunch but the storm soon abated.

Right on the High Street sits St. Michael’s church. An impressive looking building of Kentish rag. Again no sign of when it might be open. The sign outside says, ‘You are welcome to any of our services.’ but apparently not at other times. A wasted opportunity I think but how can a church like that be persuaded to take the risk and open its doors? I m not sure that I have an easy answer to but it is not a good witness to the good news of Jesus Christ to be shut like that.It reminds me of that scene in Sister Act when the nuns are persuaded to relinquish their fortress mentality and open their doors.

Today, I visited some more churches, mainly around Cirencester. There are some real gems here.

St. Peter and St. Paul, Northleach – what a wonderful church, and a very good welcome. Nice clear signs welcoming the visitor, even two dog bowls in the porch which is a nice touch.

The sign is lovely. There are leaflets about the church (free) in several languages. This church gets a lot of visitors – 184 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. There is a leaflet aimed at children, which is quite a rare thing to see unfortunately. There is also a leaflet entitled ‘To help you to pray’, nicely printed on good paper with a range of prayers. Just the sort of thing a visitor might pick up and use, also free book marks. Good to see a church not asking for payment for things ! There are books and cards for sale. There is a display of church people – always good to remind visitors that this is a place of worship for a group of people, not just a historic building. The Sunday School had made a flowery cross which was displayed as well. There are notices on the important things in the church a place for prayer requests and a votive stand to use. There was also a man practising the organ which sounded very good indeed. I would rate this church as very good indeed.

St. Andrew’s, Chedworth – a lovely church in an idyllic spot. The church is open but there are no external signs – quite a common thing in the Cotswolds and a bit self defeating I should think. Inside there is a history sheet and some copies of ‘Ultimate Questions’ at £1. 7 people had signed the visitors book in the last month – perhaps others don’t think it is in use because of no sign? I would rate this as just about OK.

St. Peter’s, Rendcomb – a strange church. Because of the school next door it feels more like a school chapel. Again, no signs outside but a notice in the porch says where the key can be found if locked which is good. No leaflets or history of any kind. 31 visitors in the book this year. I would have to rate this as poor from the point of view of the visitor.

All Saints, North Cerney – a really bizarre gem of a church! Firstly, you can’t get in the normal, South door, but have to enter in a small door at the base of the tower. You then go down some narrow steps and find yourself inside the vestry/flower cupboard! Open the door and you find yourself in the nave. Inside, there is a history leaflet and some cards for sale. Oh, and a paddle board you can walk around with. This church is really worth exploring as there are bits and pieces added here, there and everywhere. In the Chapel of Our Lady some of the furnishings are labeled with stickers which say things such as ‘Altar’, ‘Cross’ – perhaps for a school visit? It is all rather strange but also rather lovely as well.  Try and find the entrance to the gallery at the West end – it is up some stairs outside! A wonderful church which is well worth an enjoyable visit. Quite poor from the point of view of this study though.

St. John the Evangelist, Elkstone. They have made quite a bit of effort towards the visitor here. The signage is OK and there is a good welcome in the porch, as well as some gospels to take and a good poster which points out local facilities such as pubs etc. As well, there is a Christian heritage poster displayed. There is also a basket with some carrier bags for walkers to put over their boots to stop mud being trodden into the church. I assume from all this that this church is on a well used path. Inside there are cards for sale + notelets _ a cook book, and some Jubilee New Testaments to give away. The church features box pews and there is a good Prayer Tree on which we are encouraged to tie coloured ribbons. You can also leave a prayer slip in a basket. Very well done. I would rate this as good – this is the sort of thing almost any church could do. It doesn’t take much effort but does encourage a visitor to think about what this building is actually for. 14 people has signed the visitors book in the last month. The floor was clean so I assume they had all been using the bags.

St. John the Baptist, Cirencester – a wholly different ball game this one. A magnificent, huge church slap bang in the middle of the town with its main entrance right on the Market Place. I sat outside for a while to each my lunch and watch what goes on. There is a steady stream on visitors in and out of the building. Inside, there are guides on duty who were friendly and helpful. There are leaflets available in different languages – a glance at the visitors book shows people from all over the world visiting here. There is a quiet chapel to sit and pray in with a votive stand and some prayer slips. This chapel was in constant use during my visit. There are some nice little touches here as well. There is an old cross head on a windowsill – an easy thing to just leave there but here is it used as an explanation of the cross of Christ. The creche area is left set up to use and their are children’s book available to keep a youngster amused. The bookstall had a good children’s booklet for sale at only 25p. I asked one of the people on duty how many visitors they had (76 had signed the book in the last week). She told me that they do count sometimes and in April they had had 5795. This is a very well visited church indeed and a good example of what a larger church can do towards visitors. I would rate this as very good.

Old cross head with explanation

Then onto to almost the exact opposite – St Michael, Duntisbourne Rous. Tucked away in small valley with a stream running at the bottom. St Michael’s looks as though it has been grown rather than built. Outside, there is an ancient preaching cross and there is a crypt under the chancel which you can go down some slippery steps to. It is damp and dark. Inside it is like stepping back in time. There is a history booklet, a gentle plea for funds, a few cards for sale and a prayer board with some prayer slips. All very simple. Some 30 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. Oh, the signs outside are basic but adequate. Also inside is an antique harmonium which is presumably used for the church’s music. I should love to come to a service here. It has a great atmosphere and is in a great setting. I would rate it as OK but I loved it!

St. Mary’s, Tetbury – one of those churches which makes you say ‘Wow!’ when you go inside. The elegant columns seem improbably slender to support it all. There are good signs outside with a very clear welcome message. Inside there are welcomers who are friendly and obviously enjoy what they do – ‘ We are here if you need us’. There is a small shop with various tourist trinkets as well as cards and a few books. There is a welcome leaflet in several languages, a prayer board and a votive stand – both a bit tucked away. There is also a local history display which is interesting. There are some laminated sheets with a ‘Spiritual Walk around the church’, which looked good and well thought out. I would rate this as very good.

I nearly forgot, outside in the churchyard is a plaque which records which species of flowers grow there. It is placed in a prominent place. I liked that.

Lastly today, St Mary’s, Beverston. A nice little church tucked behind Beverston Castle. No signs outside (again!) but a welcome in the porch. Inside there is a history leaflet and some nice cards for sale. There is also displayed a photo and a letter from Canon W.H. Vanstone who helped out here form 1993-98. He died in 1999 and was responsible for one of my favourite quotes about the church -‘The church is like a swimming pool: all the noise comes from the shallow end.’ He was a wise man who wrote several books on the spiritual life. I would have to rate St Mary’s as quite poor but, again, it wouldn’t take much to make it good for the visitor.

So that is today’s offering. Just what is it with Costwold churches and signs? It is a common theme and many churches are simply letting themselves down by their lack of signage.

I have now got around all the 29 churches of the old Stow Deanery – It has been an enjoyable exercise which has taken me to some really lovely out of way places. It has been a privilege to step inside some of these places. Anyway, this is today’s crop-

St Leonard’s, Bledington – a real gem of a church. There is a good welcome in the and even drinks for sale to help thirsty walkers. Inside it is a bright welcoming place with a locally produced cook book on sale a history leaflet and, most importantly, a welcome notice which invites the visitor to pray for those who worship here. There is also a Book of Honour which outlines the stories of all the WW1 and WW2 servicemen who gave their lives. We cannot comprehend the impact of the WW1 losses, in particular, on a small community such as this. Almost every family would have been affected. 22 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. I would rate this church as good from the point of view of a visitor.

St. Mary’s, Icomb – this is a very well cared for church which was full of flowers from a wedding yesterday. It is a bit let down as there are no external signs but there is a welcome in the porch. There are a few leaflets about the faith inside but they are very old! There are some cards for sale and tatty paddle boards giving a bit of history. Only 6 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. I would rate this as just about OK – it wouldn’t take much effort to make this good and it is well worth visiting.

St. Lawrence, Wyck Rissington. As you approach the church there is just a basic sign, but it is open. There is a history leaflet, some cards for sale and some information on Gustav Holst who was organist here at one time. For children there are some dogged eared colouring sheets – presumable left over from some produced for a Sunday. Overall it is all quite poor which is a shame as this again a church worth seeking out. There is a great memorial on the North wall to Canon Harry Cheales, the creator of the original maze. There are also some very unusual circular stations of the Cross. Could do better ( a comment often made on my school reports).

Maze memorial

Then on to St Mary, Lower Swell. The signs are basic and there were no leaflets, although the lady who was there cleaning and doing the flowers told me that there is usually one around. 6 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. This is an unusual church as the Victorians built a large nave and chancel on the side of the existing church – so there are effectively two churches joined together. The friendly lady told me that the regular congregation of 12 use the old bit, which is much nicer. This does show how important it is for those who do the jobs at the church to be friendly and welcoming. My friend even left the lights on for me so that I could look around better (and told me how to switch them off when I left). This is important as I was made to feel very welcome. Even despite that, I think I have to give it a poor.

St. Mary’s, Upper Swell. A small, plain and simple country church. The signs were basic and there was no literature available inside. 7 people had signed the book in the last 3 months. A Bible was left open which is a nice touch. I would have to say that this counts as very poor.

St Edward, Evenlode. Again a simple country church with another flower lady/cleaner. The signs are basic and there is just a little bit of history inside. It is a lovely little church but again I would have to rate it as poor.

St David’s, Moreton in the Marsh. A much bigger church but rather disappointing from the point of view of the visitor. The signs give clear details about who the vicar is and when the services are but no welcome. The church was open and a wedding was due to start in an hour – the groom and his entourage were already there. There are some good things here – a good bookstall but no history booklets/leaflets. There is a display about Christianity Explored – a course of Christian basics usually put on by churches who feel that Alpha is all a bit liberal or charismatic for them! This is a well cared for church which is spotlessly clean inside. There is no visitor book. Overall I would rate this as OK.

St. Mary’s, Batsford. The problem with this church is getting to it. The village of Batsford is in the middle of a private estate. You drive down a tree lined drive to find a locked gate – try another way – also barred. Eventually, I managed to get there and it is worth the effort. A lovely eccentric church which was built with no expense spared. There was a welcome notice on the door but no sign outside at all. There was no visitors book but there were some lights left on and a CD of classical music being played – just like many French churches do. There is an open Bible and quite a bit to see. I would have to rate it as poorish (all very scientific this classification system).

St Leonard’s, Lower Lemington – a real gem this one. A tiny church in an insignificant village yet they have made efforts to welcome the visitor (only 2 had signed the visitors book in the last month. There is no external sign but a nice welcome in the porch. Even better is a simple display of local history arranged as a timeline. A great idea and very easy to do. They had used cards – hand written so it is nothing fancy but does bring the place to life. A good effort. I would rate this as OK +

2 more to go!

St. Thomas of Canterbury, Todenham. The signs are basic and inside there are some simple guides and cards for sale. 5 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. There are lots of interesting features in here which make it well worth a visit. It has a lovely atmosphere. One thing that caught my eye was a notice over the modern organ which says that this organ was bought solely from the proceeds of a race horse – ‘Pass the Peace, which won 4 races in 1988! Isn’t the church wonderful in all it’s eccentricities. There is an open Bible. I would rate this poor +but this could be a really good one.

The last one in the Stow Deanery – St Mary the Virgin, Westcote. Once again a great little church. Very simple sign outside but it is open. I had visited this church before and found very little information available. It had been cleared away for a wedding. I called in again and found a simple church guide, which concludes with a nice prayer;

‘Wayfarer…

Who comes here to visit this church do not leave it without a prayer.

Give thanks

to God for His blessings, for those in past ages built this place, and for all who worshipping here have gone forth to serve God truly in Church and State.

Offer yourself

In the service of God’s will and for the furtherance of His purposes of righteousness, truth and beauty.

Listen

To what the Lord God will say concerning you:’The Lord bless your going out and your coming in.’

There is also an interesting leaflet about The Westcote Convent 1927 – 1969. This gives the story of the Sisters of the Community of Jesus of Nazareth and the devoted and very hard lives they lead here.There is a plaque on the nave wall and they obviously had an impact.

All in all a lovely church with an interesting story to tell. I rate it as good.

That is the Stow Deanery done – a real mixture. There will be lots to write about.

On the way home I called in 3 churches.

All Saints, Churchill. A distinctive church right on the road through the village.There is a good welcome here for the visitor. When you enter the porch the lights come on. Open the door and there is a surprise. A modern Narthex, with a gallery above, has been built across the back of the church. It is very well done. Inside the nave there has been some sensitive re ordering which must make this a very useable building. There are some leaflets about the christian faith and 14 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. A lovely, re ordered, Victorian building. I would rate this as good.

St. Mary the Virgin, Chipping Norton. Basic signs outside but a good welcome in the porch. They have made a real effort for visitors here. There are the usual range of Oxford Diocesan leaflets (and very good they are) + a guide + a rack of various other leaflets about faith. The creche is left set up for children to use – a good touch. There was a good display about the Jubilee by the local school, and about the last 60 years and how things had changed. This is a good use of the church’s space. There is also a discipleship display and one on the many memorials in the church. Also an extensive history folder. As if this wasn’t enough there is a prayer corner with a ‘Prayer Tree’ and some small crosses to take away. All very good and shows that a lot of thought has gone into making this historic building accessible. But I think that the best thing is the photo you can see opposite. It is a simple, hand written, message which says;

‘Welcome Visitor

Even if you do not share the faith which has been celebrated on this site for nearly 1000 years…We welcome you to enjoy the beauty of this place and the quietness and peace which we hope will be a reward for your time here.’

Welcome Gerald Forse

One of the Churchwardens 2.7.12

Says it all really. Anybody could do this, you don’t need a computor or a laminator. It costs nothing but speaks volumes. Gerald, I salute you sir! I would rate this church as very good. It is certainly the best I have so far come across.

St. Mary’s, North Leigh. Famous for it’s ‘Doom’ painting on the chancel arch. Signage OK, welcome in the porch. Inside are the usual Oxford Diocesan leaflets, a history and a children’s worksheet – at last, some acknowledgement that people bring children along on their church visits. 10 people had signed the book in the last month. There is a prayer corner in the Wilcote Chapel and even a toilet! This is an interesting church to visit. I would rate it as good to very good, or good + or very good – if you prefer.

For various reasons, which I won’t go into here, I have decided to use the Stow Deanery as a case study, visiting every church and recording what I find. This Deanery no longer exists and has become the much larger North Cotswold Deanery. This must make sense to someone.

There is a good mix of churches, large (ish) to very small. All of them get visitors and I encountered quite a few of these today. By staring out early I managed to get 18 churches visited. This still leaves 11 more which I will do another day. So here they are!

St Mary Magdelene, Adelstrop – famous from the Edward Thomas poem. A lovely little church in a peaceful setting. The sun was shining and this was a good way to start the day. It is a simple, welcoming church. The door was left open, inviting the visitor inside. There is a bit of history on display and a prayer request book set up on a simpel table with a cloth and a cross on it. A nice touch. The signage is a bit basic but this is a place of peace well worth visiting. 20 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. Overall, I would rate it OK

St. Paul’s, Broadwell – a well cared for church with a simple welcome notice on display. There is a side altar for prayer. There is a statue of St Francis tucked into a small niche with his famous prayer on a card and a candle – it reminded me of many French churches. Overall a delightful, simple country church. I would rate this as Ok from a visitors point of view. 14 people had signed the visitors book in the last month.

St. Lawrence, Bourton on the Water. I spent sometime having a chat with the Rector – Rachel Rosborough, who made me very welcome and outlined her desire to see the Church take a ministry to visitors more seriously. We then wandered over to have a look inside. Again, the external signage is basic and doesn’t really entice the visitor to come in. Most churches are better on the inside than the outside but this isn’t one of them! Having said that, there are some good things going on. There are some leaflets available but no history (this was being copied when I got to the Rectory). There is also a prayer board for prayer requests to be left – these are also prayed for which is important. There is also, in the chancel, a nice statue of St Lawrence with a brief description of his life and death. This could be made more of. 98 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. I would rate this church as OK. The Rector has been giving some thought to all this and it will be interesting to see what happens here. The village had loads of people in it so there is a lot of potential.

St. Jame’s, Clapton on the hill – a tiny, absolutely delightful little church. It has a wonderful atmosphere. The signage is a bit basic and there are no leaflets etc inside for any enquirers but, you can leave a prayer request and the Bible was left open. Again, I would rate this as OK.

St. Peter’s, Little Rissington. A very out of the way church that is not easy to find! Only 7 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. This is one place that could really do with some decent signs as, when you do eventually find it, it is a smashing little church in a very well cared for churchyard. Inside I found a history and some prayer leaflets. There is also a folder containing a churchyard survey which is useful for the geneologists. Again, I give it an OK.

St John the Baptist, Great Rissington. Once again, the external signs are a bit lacking. Inside I found no leaflets but there is a paddle board with a history on it. There is also a children’s table with some colouring available to keep smaller children occupied. 11 people had signed the visitors book in the last month – lower than you might expect for such a lovely church. One feature that is of great interest is some pictures and information about locals who died in WW1, including some information about the Souls brothers – 5 of whom were killed. This does help to bring history alive as it relates it to ordinary people. There is a box for prayer requests but there was no paper on which to write them! There is a small side chapel which would be ideal as a prayer corner but it is not labeled as such. I woudl rate this church as OK +

St. Mary’s, Lower Slaughter – this must be a candidate for the prettiest village in England. The church is very well cared for (as is the churchyard). The signage is very good, with a clear welcome being given to the visitor. One nice touch is a notice saying ‘welcome’ in lots of languages. There are lights left on in the church and over the small bookstall. There is a guidebook and local cards for sale but nothing on the faith. 96 signature over the last month. I would rate this as good.

St. Peter’s, Upper Slaughter.Again the signs are very basic and there was nothing on the faith available inside. Some lights were on and there are books for sale – local interest and notelets, cards etc. Also secondhand books. Two good things are drinks for sale and shoe laces! – obviously for walkers. I have never seen that anywhere else. There is a chapel for private prayer but it was a bit gloomy and untidy. There is an open Bible but no other guidance. Rating – pretty good.

St. Andrew’s, Naunton. Basic signs but a good welcome notice in the porch. Inside – no history, apart from paddle boards, prayer requests can be left. 10 visitors in the last month had signed the book. The church was absolutely full of flowers and arrangers, getting ready for a wedding. Rating OK.

St. Michael and All Angels,  Guiting Power. This has a welcome sign and a welcome on the door. Inside, some history leaflets and some very tatty ‘Everyday with Jesus’ which a sign invites us to take. Personally I would put them in the recycling and get some new ones! There is a prayer book and a library of ancient books that I am not sure anyone would want to borrow! This is a wonderfully eccentric church in lots of ways. It is cruciform and it must be very strange leading a service here as you wouldn’t know which way to face! Definitely worth a visit. Rating OK, but only just about.

Then next door to St. Mary’s, Temple Guiting. This has a good welcome notice in the porch but it is not the easiest church to find as it is tucked away and it is easy to whizz past the entrance. There are cards for sale but nothing on the faith. This is a church well worth seeing. It has a lovely Georgian Decalogue board and a glass font cover which is a delight. The bright interior is very welcoming. There is a kettle and drinks available for visitors also and a very good history display. I was impressed with this church. Only 7 visitors had signed the visitors book in the last month but one had commented that this was a good place to sing – I tried it out and it is! Rating very good, and just shows how simple things can give a very good impression to a visitor who may then want to come along to worship.

St. Faith’s, Farmcote. What a lovely spot! You can see the Malvern Hills and the Vale of Evesham from here. St Faith’s is a tiny church right down a tiny lane. The sign is basic but much can be forgiven such a lovely place.There is a history and a few cards available. The pulpit, reading desk, altar and pews (all 12 of them) are great pieces of woodwork. 24 had signed the visitors book but it deserves many more. My rating OK but wonderful!

St. Jame’s, Cutsdean. Another hard to find church – it is in the farmyard of Cutsdean Farm. It could really do with a sign on the road. A small, simple church with a great atmosphere. The only sound was birdsong. A great place to refresh the soul. It is certainly worth seeking out. There are a few cards for sale and 12 people had signed the book. From a visitors point of view I would have to rate it as poor but it is still a great place.

St. Nicholas, Condicote – basic sign again and nothing much inside except a very faded history hung on the wall. Only 3 visitors had signed the book in the last month. It is all a bit sad as it doesn’t feel like a loved church and no effort has gone into welcoming people at all. I would rate this as very poor.

St. Jame’s, Longborough. Basic sign but a welcome in the porch. There is a history inside and a lovely display by local children in the South transept. In the North transept is the Sezincote chapel, approached by an incongrous cast iron staircase. There you can look at an old clock and there is some history. I would rate this as OK but could do better. Only 5 visitors in the book in the last month.

St. Edward’s, Stow in the Wold. A very clear welcome with large signs. Inside there are cards for sale and a good history booklet but nothing on Christianity. There are some clear descriptions of each stained glass window, explaining what they depict. This is a very good idea. Also a folder which gives details of each person listed on the WW1 war memorial. A nice, Jubilee, display had been set up which relates the Queen’s reign to local events There is even a suggestion box! A lot of effort has gone into ministering to visitors at this church but the best thing of all was the cheery welcome from 2 church people, who had come to lock up. Very impressive. I rate this as very good.

From the very good to the disappointing.

Holy Ascension and St Nicholas, Oddington. Both churches firmly locked up with no indication where a key could be obtained or when they might be open. This is very off putting to visitors  and has to be rated as very poor.

(Subsequent information – St Nicholas is open 9am – 5pm in the summer months, less in the winter as no electricity there. Holy Ascension is not open during the day but might be soon.  I hope to visit St Nicholas sometime – a notice about the opening hours would be nice though!)

A range of churches, some good and so not so. This erstwhile deanery seems to have been a good choice as a case study. I am looking forward to getting to the remaining churches to see what I can find.

Well, today is when it all started. I have had a tour of the western side of the Cotswolds. You might like to know where I have been and what I have found. It is probably worth saying at the outset that the opinions are mine based on what I found today.

St. Mary’s Witney – very clear signage and it is made clear that the church is open every day. Inside, it is a peaceful and prayerful place. There is a guide for visitors and a prayer corner in the North Transept. There is even a toilet for visitors to use! There are a few leaflets on the faith around, but not much. 244 people had signed teh visitors book in the last year. Overall I would rate this as good.

St. Kenelm, Minster Lovell. A wonderful church and one of my favourites. It is in a delightful setting and exudes a sense of holiness as soon as I walked in the door. I said my morning office there and I found that very uplifting. The signage is excellent and it makes you want to go inside. There is a history guide or two and a few books for sale but nothing really for the seeker after what our faith is about. 487 people had signed the visitors book in the last year – that will only be a small fraction of those who visit so this church gets a serious number of visitors, justifiably I reckon. Overall all I would rate this as good but they could do better – I was surprised that there was no where to light a candle given the church tradition at St Kenelm’s. Definitely worth a visit.

St. John the Baptist, Burford. Another wonderful church. As you approach the gate there is a large sign which simply says ‘church open’ – wonderful. There seemed to be a lot of visitors about today. 400 + people had signed the visitors book (I got a bit bored counting!). There are some nice touches here for the visitor – a prayer chapel set apart up some steps with some thoughtful crosses stood in it. There is a display of bibles laid out on a table tomb which is an excellent way to display and use these. Also some ‘Why Jesus?’ booklets in lots of languages. There is also a small and good bookstall. This church is actually quite a rarity in being evangelical yet interested in casual visitors. The St. Peter’s chapel is excellent also – using a tiny chantry chapel as a prayer place. Brilliant! Overall I would rate this as very good.

St Mary, Swinbook. A lovely little church in a delightful setting. The only sign you see as you approach the gate is one which warns about dogs fouling the churchyard – probably necessary but not very welcoming. 300 + visitors in the book so well visited, probably because of it’s association with the Mitford sisters who are buried in the churchyard. There are a few postcards for sale but nothing about the faith or the purpose of the church at all. This church gets lots of visitors but not much effort has gone into ministering to them. Overall I would rate this as poor.

St Oswald, Widford. A walk across the fields from above. What a wonderful little church! It is very simple, inside and out, with box pews and a great sense of antiquity. There is a sheet on the history but that is it. That is a shame as this could really be a gem for visitors. An ideal candidate for the ‘Small Pilgrim Places Network, I would think. St Botolph’s at Iken (Suffolk) is in a similar situation but there a lot of effort has gone into making it a place of pilgrimage. That could happen here. Overall poor but a wonderful place non the less!

St Andrew’s Eastleach. As you walk to the gate there is a small welcome notice, which also asks for money – that could be quite off putting. There is a nice welcome in the porch though. There are some nice touches here – a small display on John Keble who was a curate here. His famous work, ‘The Christian Year’ is on display. There is a laminated prayer card – some to take away would be nice. The big Bible is left open for visitors which I like. There is a photo album showing the lovely kneelers. 39 people had signed the visitor book in the last 2 months. Overall I would rate this as OK – but there is room for improvement.

St John the Baptist, Coln St Aldwyns. A hard church to find! There are no signs and when you do find it it is not at all obvious that it is still in use! It is and is worth a look. There are some good displays on local history inside. This includes some lovely stories of previous clergy – the place has obviously attracted some characters over the years! The leaflets were disappointing from my point of view. There was one copy of ‘Look around you’ but that is all. I woudl have to rate this as poor, mainly because of the lack of signs outside.

St Mary the Virgin, Bibury. Masses of visitors here! This is a lovely church with the best kept churchyard I have ever seen. Good signage making it very clear that the church was open. The visitors book showed visitors from all around the world – 117 had signed it in the last month. There are church guides and burial records are available – these were being perused avidly by a couple when I got there. There is a notice in the porch about a booklet about the 22 local churches, but that wasn’t available inside. It must be hard to keep up with demand though. Prayer cards and book marks for sale. Overall Ok to good.

St Mary the Virgin, Barnsley. Another place with a lack of signs – nothing. Inside it is very dark and only 24 visitors had signed the book this year so far. A history and some burial records – you would probably have to take these outside to read them, but nothing else. A shame really as it is an interesting little church which often gets mentioned in guide books. I would have to rate this as poor but it could so easily be good with just a little thought.

St Mary the Virgin, Fairford. A complete contrast. Excellent signs saying when the church was open. There are friendly stewards around and a good range of booklets for sale – nothing much on faith though. There are even some torches hung up so visitors can have a good look at the misericords could be seen properly – excellent idea. There is also a votive stand and a place for prayer requests. The set of windows are breathtaking and very rare survivors. I would rate this as good.

Lastly today, St Lawrence, Lechlade. There is not much in the way of signs but the door is left open to invite people in. There are some welcome leaflets, and for children. 58 people had signed the visitors book in the last month. Overall I would rate this as OK.

I do not mean my comments to be negative – I am approaching this project as someone who is looking with a professional eye at what a church building ‘says’ to a non churchgoing visitor.I know that trying to accommodate visitors is often way down the list of priorities. My point is simply that there are a lot of people out there who are visiting our churches (I saw a lot today). It just takes a bit of thought and effort. By all means email me or leave comments!

More Cotswolds to come!

Work is now finished and I have had a couple of days rest, and a chance to get everything organised. Nearly ready to go! Tomorrow is when the visiting starts. I want to spend the next week having a good look at the churches of the Cotswolds. I have made a list – probably too big a list but I will have to see how it goes. I don’t actually know how long each visit is going to take. Some will be short simply because there isn’t too much to see and record. Others will take much longer – especially some of the bigger historic churches.

I am going to do to the East side of the Cotswolds first – staring at Witney (I know, it is not really in the Cotswolds but it is near enough!), then Minster Lovell – one of my favourites as it is in such a great spot by the river, then Lechlade, Fairford and a few others. The idea is not to try to go everywhere but to enjoy what I see. Also, each place will be an opportunity to pray for those who work and worship there. I hope that doesn’t sound too pious!! There has to be a spiritual aspect to all this, it isn’t just about historic buildings but about a living church. Let’s see how it goes.

I came across this prayer the other day which seems suitable as I prepare to set out-

Beckoning God,

you promise long journeys and new names.

Call us out to risk holy adventure

with unusual table companions.

Linger with us

so that we may be faithful disciples,

touching the fringe of your healing

on behalf of all your children. Amen.

I am not sure that I want too many ‘unusual companions’ though!

I have now sent out 286 questionaires to all sorts of churches – large and small. Around 55% response rate so far. That is not too bad I suppose. It would be nice to get a few more though. I understand that some people may find it a nuisance or are suspicous of what I am doing but this is meant to be serious research.

I have had all sorts of interesting responses – lots to think about and cogitate on! Most say that they regard their ministry to visitors as important. Yet, the other answers often show that it isn’t really! The other big issue so far is how it isjust about impossible to estimate the number of people visiting any given church. I went into my own yesterday as we were open to visitors. Only 6 people had signed the visitors book (in a prominent place) yet several hundred had been in. One church has an infra red counter so they know exactly how many they have had. I suspect that many people are seriously underestimating their visitor numbers.

Other things – there is a problem. My visit to Kent has fallen through due to the illness of the person I was goingt be staying with. Let’s hope that I can sort an alternative out soon. The bike passed it’s MOT with no advisories so that is good. More to come…

I have been busy sending out questionaires to hard pressed churches all over the country. Thank you to those who have replied. I have been asking some simple questions –

Are you open?

How many visitors to you get?

Do you have guide books available?

Is there any information about the Christian Faith?

How big is your usual congregation?

How important is a ministry to visitors to you and your church?

How would you describe your churchmanship/ worship tradition?

All sorts of thing have come up from the good people who have replied to me. As expected, it is very difficult to guestimate the number of people coming. One lady estimated very few but then counted up the entries in the visitors book and was shocked at how many there were! A few have taken exception, or been confused by my question about churchmanship. I included it to test out my theory that evangelical churches are less interested in the casual visitor/tourist than other strands of church life are. This seems to be proven by my replies. Also, generally, the more catholic churches are, the more they devote time and energy to their visitors. It is fascinating to get the replies.

One other thing that comes up is how this sort of ministry can so often seem like a burden to a small congregation. There are some small rural churches out there who receive vast numbers of visitors. It is good that people come but it does have it’s costs too. Very few have reported that they are locked each day although there are some churches which are open a day or two a week – even some quite big ones which you might think would want to be open.

It is fascinating stuff and there is still much more to learn. Nigel

My main mode of transport for this study is my beloved BMW R100RT. It is a 1988 monoshock one. Bought last year from another BMW club member. It’s big fairing will keep the rain off me. It took a bit of getting used to – sitting behind a fairing in still air. It is reliable and fun to ride. Just like this one-

All I have ever wanted to do is to tour on a motorbike, you can keep any other sort of holiday!

There has been a bit of preparation needed – a new rear tyre and some LED rear light bulbs. Also a new top box for all my everyday bits, and a sat nav mount (home made) to carry my car one.It will be a challenge packing everything in but it will definately add to the sense of adventure. Still a new front tyre to get and an MOT. Check the oil and away I go!!