Wolverley and a legless knight.

After an entertaining visit yesterday from Aged Aunt and Nunkie, better known as Mo and Ding, impenetrable family nicknames, don't worry, this morning we set off up the Staffs. & Worcs. At Falling Sands Lock there appeared to be some trouble with one of the top paddles.

 Being well used to the normal "BW Aware" tape, finding the paddle gear wrapped in a rubbish bag was a worrying advance, has the gear been consigned to the local tip? Perhaps this will become the N.W.C. norm.

Falling Sands Viaduct still strides impressively across the valley, I once saw a train steaming majestically across here, didn't have the camera handy, still live in hopes of seeing another.

Kidderminster Church from the bottom of Kidderminster Lock, just a different angle on a familiar picture.
Having topped up the store cupboard at Sainsburys we headed on up to Wolverley

with it's brick built Italianate church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, perched on it's rocky prominence. After a steep climb that leaves your face somewhat erubescent you come to the main door

where you can appreciate what a splendid bit of brickying it is.

The interior is plain to the point of starkness but is still pure18th C.

There is one relic from the earlier church, the remains of the effigy of a knight, according to legend he suddenly turned up, shackled, in a local field having been miraculously transported from a Moorish prison after seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary. He is still legless.

From the church down to the centre of the village there is a somewhat steep road that passes the remains of an old smithy

cut into the rock

and with this rather interesting panel set into the stone above it, I have no idea who or what it is, just one more of life's mysteries. A thought, as the church is directly above, could it be St. John?

The car park of The Queens Head seems carved out of the hill and has several rock cut caverns

which could have been workshops during the villages heyday of nail production, or possibly dwellings a la Holy Austin Rock.

There is at least one house built back into the cliff.

Very impressive for a small village, this is the old Court House, it has also been council offices and a school but now seems to be given over to residential use.

The church really does dominate the village.
Tomorrow we intend heading for Kinver.

Watch this space.............