Thursday 5 May 2011

Church Broughton

My personal challenge for this round of Miss Jenny Matlock's alphabe-Thursday is to post about a location within the borders of my own county of Derbyshire, UK, for each letter of the alphabet.

Find the letter to see where I've been.



C is for Church Broughton

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CHURCH BROUGHTON, a parish in the hundred of Appletree, in the county of Derby, 10 miles to the W. of Derby. It is situated on a branch of the river Dove, and contains the township of Sapperton. The North Staffordshire railway passes within a short distance. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Lichfield, worth £228, in the patronage of B. Broadhurst, Esq."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]

I'm sure the 'living' is worth a great deal more than £228 today and unfortunately, the North Staffordshire Railway is no more, but Church Broughton is still a delightful place to visit.

On the edge of the village is the local primary school.


This is for children aged between 5 and 11 years. It's a small school (though by no means the smallest in Derbyshire), having just three classes (one infant and two junior). From here, most 11 year old children will transfer to the John Port Secondary school in Etwall, with a few opting for Queen Elizabeth Grammar in Ashbourne.



Right next door, is the field for football and other outdoor games; for the use of both the school and the community.


Moving further into the village is the pub. I haven't been here for a little while, but the last time I came, I enjoyed a very good meal. The atmosphere inside is pleasant too.


A little further on again is the Methodist Chapel; a small brick built church constructed in 1828.


While, nearing the other end of the village, there is the Anglican church of St Michael and All Angels.

On the top of the church tower, there is a weather vane. For many years this church was presided over by clergy belonging to the Auden family; relatives to the poet WH Auden. Legend has it that, whilst visiting one day, WH Auden decided to amuse himself by using the weather vane as target practice, eventually succeeding in scoring a hit.



Unfortunately, I didn't learn this story until after I had taken a trip up the tower, but if I zoom in a bit and you look carefully...


...is that a dint in the middle of the cockerel's belly?

While I was in the church, I was fortunate enough to bump into one of the wardens who had come to repair some cracked concrete in the churchyard. He showed me all round the church, told me a little of its history (including the W.H. Auden story) and took me up to the top of the tower.

I took loads of photos - too many for one post - so tomorrow, I will continue with the rest; photos of the church, the bells, the clock workings and the views.

But maybe I'll just leave you with one view from the top...


...looking over the roof of the nave, towards the old and new vicarages and the countryside beyond.

19 comments:

  1. What a nice sightseeing tour ! I am a fan of the English countrysides. Not long ago I watched one of the "Escape to the country" and they showed an Appletree field, in the county of Derby, a retired couple looked for a 450.000 £ worth little house there !

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  2. What a brilliant idea - to them all in places. Looks like an idyllic English place!

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  3. What a picturesque village surrounded by miles and miles of beautiful greens fields and pastureland and I find the effect of the pollarded Churchyard trees quite charming. Everything looks so peaceful and clean! I could happily live there :)

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  4. Lovely pictures. I am enjoying your tour round as I used to live in Lichfield and Derbyshire was an easy distance for a day out - Dove valley - that kind of area. We also came sometimes to the well-dressing at Tissington.
    Is the church on a hill? It doesn't seem to be in your photo but I did read that StMichael was usually reserved for churches on hills.

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  5. Great series, I am loving it - and I am discovering something about a county I know comparatively little about.

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  6. I'm really enjoying your A-Z tour of Derbyshire Villages. How lucky to be given a tour of the church and to learn about its history - the view from the tower is wonderful. I look forward to learning more. I've just been to our local primary school to vote and it is painted in exactly the same colours!:)

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  7. I#'m also enjoying your tour. I've never been to this village. How lucky you were to get a tour of the tower! I look forward to seeing more next time :)

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  8. This is a great way of traveling: exploring small places. People have written books in this fashion. I used to do this on my bicycle, making sketches of places I visited. The big difference is that I had absolutely no interest in getting up to the highest point by the most difficult route then parasailing down again. Or was that abseiling....?

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  9. I am really going to enjoy taking these Alphabe-Thursday trips with you!

    Thanks!!

    =)

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  10. Wonderful post for C. I'm a bit prejudiced as England is my favorite place to visit. Thank you for showing us a little bit of your world :0)

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  11. The school reminds me of the first school I taught in.

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  12. Oh, what beautiful pictures!!! Happy Alphabet Thursday!!!
    XO
    Cindy

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  13. Oh looks like I haven't visited you before - as I hadn't seen your personal challenge!! What a fun way to tackle Alphabet Thursdays!! (Mine is always a photo).

    Love your post!

    Maggy

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  14. So far, you are batting 1000! What an interesting post!!

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  15. So peaceful and quiet - everything a village should be...love the name of the pub!

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  16. How beautiful. Your photos are like picture postcards! I do think that the weathervane had a dent!

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  17. Oh, I can hardly wait for your travels each week. As soon as this opened to your blog I was almost wriggling in excitement.

    What a lovely place you took us to today. Fascinating and beautiful. I think I can see the dent!

    Ahhh...that countryside. I am enchanted.

    Thanks for linking! I love your theme this round!

    A++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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  18. What a great idea for Alphabe-Thursday! It will be so interesting to see what you post!

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