Ive always considered Holy Trinity Church in neighbouring Elsecar to be a bit of a dark, uninspiring place. But today, whilst browsing around Elsecar Heritage Centre, I discovered that the church has some very important windows designed by William Morris, so we took ourselves off for a look. Sadly, the church was locked, so we only got to wander around the church yard. The church is dark - blackened by the soot from coal fires over the ages, but it is very majestic too.
The church yard is home to a host of heavenly angels
A few of the graves were for miners who had been killed in tragic accidents in the area in the past as we have no mines left around here now. I remember when my dad was a miner and pit accidents were all too frequent in those days - indeed he came home with many a stitch in his face on occasions, and refused to let me go down the mine in the cage on the centenary celebrations in the late 1970's as he knew just how dangerous it was. The recent events in Wales took me back to a time that I thought we would never see again in the UK. My heart goes out to the families of the men who lost their lives. It makes me feel unbearably sad.
16 comments:
I do love angels in church yards. Such attractive faces. I've been saddened by the pit deaths in Wales too. Having been brought up in the heart of the Nottinghamshire coalfields, such tragedies were not unfamiliar at one time.
A heartfelt post. Yes I love angels in churchyards too, much more beautiful than simple stone tablets.
Those black sooty spires remind me of the grimey spires and turrets of Edinburgh ... but lovely all the same.
Can you not get a key for the church? I'd like to see the Morris windows.
It doesn't look spooky at all with all those cute angels.
Have a good Sunday x
It is awful isn't it. Those poor miners and their families. It makes me sad too.
Much love to them.
Those angles look so serene and peaceful.
The church looks so pretty and the angels are beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
Anne xx
I think the angels are beautiful....
This post is very pertinent, given the tradgedy in Wales. yur dad did a hard, hard job. Many a night shift I have sat and listened to pit tales from old miners - & i learnt a new repect for them...
Lx
I love angels in churchyards - seems so absolutely right. Must look at my map to see where Elscar is.
So very sad about those miners. They do a dreadful job, as do the rescuers, and my heart goes out to the families.
I do like walking around graveyards as I find reading the tombstones interesting. I think it is sad when some, many of the graves are no longer being visited.
Very sad with the miners...
Isabelle x
A nice old church and the graveyards are so interesting. My Granddad was a miner in Yorkshire too. So sad to hear of mining accidents.
Like you, I thought such accidents were a thing of the past. It must be a time of such anguish for the family and friends.
It really puts these beautiful angels in the churchyard into perspective.
Anna
Both my grandads were miners, as was my husband. In Stoke-on Trent we had many collieries....
A poignant post.
Both my grandads were miners, as was my husband. In Stoke-on Trent we had many collieries....
A poignant post.
We've just returned from a week with the in laws in south Wales - the whole community is in shock - today our Brass Band played at the NCM museum at Caphouse colliery Wakefield - pits and brass bands go back a very long time.
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