Typing on a Hermes

Time for another typewriter video, this time on a Hermes 305.

Dudley

I had a bus adventure out to Dudley yesterday. I haven't been to the Black Country town for quite some time, probably since i was a child! I visited the ruins of the Priory, unfortunately there didn't seem to be any decent views of the castle from outside (without paying anyway!) You can see my photos here.

Church update : St Mary, Atherstone

Atherstone was revisited this Summer, the previous visit having been in the Winter. A few brighter photographs of St Mary's church with it's interesting octagonal tower were gained.

New in Wolverhampton

A new Class 196 departs Wolverhampton.

Hitting those keys with a new blog

My latest blog has now gone fully live. It is dedicated to typewriters, which as you know i have become obsessed with over the last couple of years. The typewriter collection is currently at fourteen with three pending so there should be lots to talk about. You can find the Typewriter Museum here.

Berkhamsted

On Saturday i made a long overdue return trip to Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire. I was last here just over five years ago and on that trip concentrated mostly on the canal and the castle, not visiting much of the town itself. I rectified that this time, visiting the town centre and also the canal! You can see my canal photos here and the other Berkhamsted photos here.

Gone electric!

My Mum's typewriter is this Smith-Corona XE1630, she was going to keep it for the time being but today said she had changed her mind and i could have it now! So this is number fourteen in the collection and is the first (and maybe only, we'll see) electric typewriter in the collection. It works very well.

Church update : St Michael, Claverdon

A number of years ago i first visited Claverdon and saw the medieval church dedicated to St Michael. This year i revisited the village and took some more photos of the church, in slightly better weather.

Headcorn and Marden

Last Saturday, as i was in London anyway, i took advantage to visit a couple of places in Kent (a journey a bit too long to do from Birmingham). I went to the lovely villages of Headcorn and Marden, both had lovely churches and some quaint houses and other buildings. You can see my photos here.

Stafford freight departure

After running around it's train, Colas 56 090 heads back out of Stafford with it's freight train.

Abbey Wood and Canary Wharf

Over the last weekend i was in London. On Friday i travelled on the still new Elizabeth Line to one of it's termini at Abbey Wood, and visited the ruins of Lesnes Abbey nearly (presumably why Abbey Wood is called Abbey Wood). I also had a walk around the waterways at Canary Wharf, one of my favourite parts of London. You can see my photos here.

Churches (165) : St John the Evangelist, Kenilworth

The younger of Kenilworth's parish churches, St John the Evangelist was built in 1852 when a new parish was created due to the growth of the town. The church was designed by Ewen Christian and is in the Gothic Revival style.

The church has a four bay nave, south aisle, a chancel and a southwest tower with a broach spire. The church is made from red sandstone rubble.

Chasing new trains

Today i had a trip to Wolverhampton, to try out the new Class 196 trains which are now being rolled out initially on the Birmingham-Shrewsbury route. A nice train they are too, though the public announcements were incredibly loud. I also had a look at Wolverhampton station which has had a major revamp. You can see the photos here.

WH Smiths typing

Typing on my Red Fox.

Priories (5) : Wombridge

This Augustinian priory in Shropshire was founded in the early 12th century, the earliest grant of land to the priory recorded is from 1136CE. The priory was built in a wood clearing near to Watling Street. Later, the village of Wombridge was formed on priory lands. Now this is part of the modern settlement of Telford.

The priory was never a rich one though was thought to have been generally well run. It did not stop the priory being dissolved in 1536. The priory church is reported to have still been in existence in the 17th century where it was used as a coach house but the other buildings were demolished and plundered for stone. 

A new church, St Mary & St Leonard (the priory being dedicated to St Leonard) was built on the site of the priory ruins. The remains of the priory can still be seen in the churchyard.

University

I didn't have a rail trip yesterday due to reasons but today had time for a little local trip to University station to see how the rebuild is going on. The station was supposed to be ready for the Commonwealth Games but missed that target, looks like some time next year is when it will be ready. It certainly looks pretty impressive. You can see the photos here.

Churches (164) : St John the Baptist, Westwood Heath

The church of St John the Baptist in Westwood Heath, on the outskirts of Coventry, was built in 1842-3. The church has a nave (without aisles) and a chancel. A porch to the North East and a vestry to the South East. The church has a bell turret above the nave.

The church, which is the Decorated style, is built from ashlar masonry and brick. 

SEVENTY

Typing on my Silver-Reed SEVENTY.

Priories (4) : Maxstoke

Maxstoke Priory in Warwickshire was an Augustine priory. It's origin was in a college for monks formed by Sir William de Clinton in 1330, which was changed into a priory in 1336. The buildings however were not consecrated until 1342. Although the priory was never that rich (compared to other priories) it did establish a choir school with an organ in the 15th century, organs being rare at the time. The priory was dissolved in 1536.

Not much of the priory remains today and what remains is often in poor condition, the remains of the priory church collapsing as recent as 1986. The walls of the outer gatehouse remain along with parts of the priory wall. The inner gatehouse survives in modified form as a farmhouse. It is possible Maxstoke's parish church was once the priory's capella ante portas or outside church.