Last Saturday I visited a Catholic Church and was given a book of prayer

Inside I found a small scrap of paper that has been decorated in a flowing style

I recognised the Copperplate writing instantly and loved its deep beauty

Although aged and slightly damaged I was able to read what had been written

The vestibule has a wooden roof and screen with three lancets The nave has an arch-braced roof supported on stone corbels and five stained glass windows depicting the Good Shepherd the Immaculate Conception St Michael and the Two Labourers in the Vineyard Tobias and the Angel and an unknown bishop saint

On a separate scrap of paper I found some more detail about the pews and the original tiled floor but this was almost illegible because of the saturation of the host which had caused the ink to run

The prayer book itself was undamaged which was a blessing

Although the day had been previously stormy I walked into bright sunshine with scudding white clouds racing across the sky

I later visited a church which had been forgotten for nearly one hundred years

It was without modern convenience such as electricity and water which made it very special

In a way it was because if this that it was not improved by our Victorian fathers

There is evidence of gas lighting but this is now totally redundant if it was ever used at all

I retired from my walk thinking that I had travelled in time which gave me a deep feeling of love

WW

September 2025