Leaving Brockworth, I head for Painswick where I have circumvented several times and promised a visit sometime. That time is now. My preferred route as I am sure you are aware is straight up the A46, Painswick Road, passing Prinknash Abbey, through Cranham and past the beacon. Once you pass Painswick Beacon, there is a very satisfying downhill into Painswick until you realise that at some point in the near future you will have to go back up. Right at the start of Painswick Road, some 4 Km ago there were signs warning that the road into Painswick was closed. I took the risk that the footpaths wouldn't be and I would be able to use them. The gamble paid off.
No surprises but arriving at Painswick we stop at St Mary's Church. The earliest parts of the current church, the North aisle and inner chancel date from late 14th century although they replace a Saxon church that was built on the site. The main fabric of the church was modified and added to right up to mid 18th century, the nave and tower about 1480, the spire added in about 1632, and the south aisle was built about 1741. On the 10th June 1883 (I missed the 127th anniversary by a fortnight), the church was struck by lightning, the tower suffering worst and masonry took out large chunks of the roof. The masonry was faithfully replaced in its original position. The church is also famous for the grounds. Many of the tombstones being elaborately decorated by local stonemasons and date prior to 1860, when the churchyard was closed for burials. Subsequent interments took place in the cemetery on the slopes leading up to Painswick Beacon. The churchyard, criss-crossed by footpaths, is also home to a number of well trimmed yew trees. Folklore holds that the churchyard will never have more than 99 yew trees and that should a 100th grow the Devil would pull it out. All the trees now have numbered plaques on them. I shall leave it to you to do the count yourself although one record shows 103, another shows 100. For it's small size, Painswick has a long and interesting history. If you want to read more, you could do much worse than starting here.
Coming out of Painswick, I pass through Pitchcombe. Let's split the name place up. Pitch - old English word for slope of a hill. Combe, again old English, this time for the uppermost part of a valley. No great surprises then, this is uphill. I decided to take the steep road through the village. Not much purpose to that, there isn't much to see except for a cyclist struggling up a hill with his lungs in his throat.
The parish church of St John, Pitchcombe, is a little further North along the main road. Pitchcombe, in common with Painswick, is a member of the Beacon's benefice which comprises of:
Painswick (just up above)
Cranham
Sheepscombe
Edge (just a bit further down)
Pitchcombe (right here)
Harescombe (passed by, not stopped there yet)
Brookthorpe
No surprises but arriving at Painswick we stop at St Mary's Church. The earliest parts of the current church, the North aisle and inner chancel date from late 14th century although they replace a Saxon church that was built on the site. The main fabric of the church was modified and added to right up to mid 18th century, the nave and tower about 1480, the spire added in about 1632, and the south aisle was built about 1741. On the 10th June 1883 (I missed the 127th anniversary by a fortnight), the church was struck by lightning, the tower suffering worst and masonry took out large chunks of the roof. The masonry was faithfully replaced in its original position. The church is also famous for the grounds. Many of the tombstones being elaborately decorated by local stonemasons and date prior to 1860, when the churchyard was closed for burials. Subsequent interments took place in the cemetery on the slopes leading up to Painswick Beacon. The churchyard, criss-crossed by footpaths, is also home to a number of well trimmed yew trees. Folklore holds that the churchyard will never have more than 99 yew trees and that should a 100th grow the Devil would pull it out. All the trees now have numbered plaques on them. I shall leave it to you to do the count yourself although one record shows 103, another shows 100. For it's small size, Painswick has a long and interesting history. If you want to read more, you could do much worse than starting here.
Coming out of Painswick, I pass through Pitchcombe. Let's split the name place up. Pitch - old English word for slope of a hill. Combe, again old English, this time for the uppermost part of a valley. No great surprises then, this is uphill. I decided to take the steep road through the village. Not much purpose to that, there isn't much to see except for a cyclist struggling up a hill with his lungs in his throat.
The parish church of St John, Pitchcombe, is a little further North along the main road. Pitchcombe, in common with Painswick, is a member of the Beacon's benefice which comprises of:
Painswick (just up above)
Cranham
Sheepscombe
Edge (just a bit further down)
Pitchcombe (right here)
Harescombe (passed by, not stopped there yet)
Brookthorpe
Curiously, Cranham Pitchcombe, Edge and Harescombe all have parish churches called St John the Baptist. I don't know if there is good reason for this.
The current church at Pitchcombe is early 19th century although stands on the site of a former Church known as the Pitchcombe Cradle which was built in 1376. The present church bell is thought to date from somewhere between 1350 and 1380 so possibly installed at the older church.
Carrying on towards Edge, I pass the Edgemoor Inn. A quite unassuming nineteenth century purpose built inn, although it is, I believe a free house and last time I ate and drank there it was fine fare. That aside, you won't find many pubs anywhere with such fantastic views as these offer over the Stroud valleys.
Next stop isn't very far away. As previously mentioned the church at Edge is the church of St John the Baptist. There doesn't seem to be so much information available for this church so I shall subtly sidestep my usual history lesson in favour of a bit of a moan. This a beautiful church with a well kept graveyard and fabulous views. However, it was like walking in to your houseproud aunt's living room. There is an outer door that wouldn't look out of place at a correctional institution. I may be wrong but I find it hard to believe that there is a big crime problem here. There is also a sign banning anything other than fresh flowers and imploring you to ensure they are removed when they go over so that the grounds are kept looking nice. I walked my bike around the gravelled path and I'm fairly sure someone will be tutting the tyre grooves soon. It really didn't feel welcoming. If the church is serious about encouraging people, this sort of thing must be addressed. Still, here are some pictures 'cos despite all that, it is pretty.
Leaving Edge, I travel downhill. This is a very fast 3Km or so, nice and twisty with some quite severe drops to add a bit of interest and would probably be a quicker route if the surface of the road wasn't quite so teeth-rattlingly rough.
At the bottom of the hill, at some 70 KM/h the brakes are called into action as I get to Whaddon where there has been a church since around 1200. Curiously, the parish used to belong to the diocese of Worcester until 1540 when the diocese of Gloucester was invented; although at this stage nothing changed until some squabbling an fisticuffs in 1784 when the two diocese went their separate ways. Very little is recorded of what was probably little more than a turetted hut until 1315 when the church was dedicated to St Maragret of Scotland (local lass then) when a big building project was initiated, being completed in the 15th century when the tower was built.
Also rather pretty just a few yards from the church is, what I presume, an old water pump that would have served the locals in the past. On the subject of which, the water bottles on my bike are now empty and the pump non-functioning so a quick detour through Tuffley and home to refill. From here, I still need to get back to my car which is in Hucclecote. No problem, you might think, that's just a couple of miles away. Oh dear reader, do you not know me yet? A quick detour finds me riding through Upton-St-Leonards and up Nuthill, a short but sharp climb back on to Painswick road. A quick photo stop at the top (photo at the bottom) before a quick descent into Brockworth and Hucclecote where the car is waiting for me.
Total distance - 38 KM
Next stop isn't very far away. As previously mentioned the church at Edge is the church of St John the Baptist. There doesn't seem to be so much information available for this church so I shall subtly sidestep my usual history lesson in favour of a bit of a moan. This a beautiful church with a well kept graveyard and fabulous views. However, it was like walking in to your houseproud aunt's living room. There is an outer door that wouldn't look out of place at a correctional institution. I may be wrong but I find it hard to believe that there is a big crime problem here. There is also a sign banning anything other than fresh flowers and imploring you to ensure they are removed when they go over so that the grounds are kept looking nice. I walked my bike around the gravelled path and I'm fairly sure someone will be tutting the tyre grooves soon. It really didn't feel welcoming. If the church is serious about encouraging people, this sort of thing must be addressed. Still, here are some pictures 'cos despite all that, it is pretty.
Leaving Edge, I travel downhill. This is a very fast 3Km or so, nice and twisty with some quite severe drops to add a bit of interest and would probably be a quicker route if the surface of the road wasn't quite so teeth-rattlingly rough.
At the bottom of the hill, at some 70 KM/h the brakes are called into action as I get to Whaddon where there has been a church since around 1200. Curiously, the parish used to belong to the diocese of Worcester until 1540 when the diocese of Gloucester was invented; although at this stage nothing changed until some squabbling an fisticuffs in 1784 when the two diocese went their separate ways. Very little is recorded of what was probably little more than a turetted hut until 1315 when the church was dedicated to St Maragret of Scotland (local lass then) when a big building project was initiated, being completed in the 15th century when the tower was built.
Total distance - 38 KM
Average Speed - 26 KM/h
Weather - about 25C, Dry and sunny, wind from SW, about 10 KM/h
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