From the parish church I set off for a walk around the small town centre, half a mind on having something to eat or drink. The High Street was rather characterless and both pubs were closed and obviously not in regular use currently. As sign pointed down a sign road to the catholic church. It was built in the year 2000 (although see comment added below which says the church is 1960s work), the architects were Hulme Upright (Ltd?). Unlike the parish church normally, I found this open. It is a simple rectangle with triangular side dormer windows and at the street end a tower like bay with tall round headed windows which has an internal gallery above a baptistry. The altar is in the centre of the long wall opposite the entrance vestibule, which has community rooms wcs etc leading off it. Simple, functional, and rather pleasant.
Posts
It was actually built in the early 1960s and only extended to include the hall to the left in 2000.
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul - I would never had known from the freshness feel inside the church!
ReplyDeleteBarton Under Needwood is a village not a town!! Both pubs, there are 6 in the village. The Shoulder of Mutton is open all day (even for breakfasts!). The Red Lion, Middle Bell And The Three Horseshoes open at "pub' times, The Top Bell has changed to an Indian style restraunt and the last pub is further down Wales lane/Green lane also open "pub" times.
ReplyDeleteDid you go into the Methodist church? or Even St Jame's Church which does have a lot of history associated with it?
If you had walked along the main street you would have seen that it is full character, but I daresay that as the pubs were not open 24 hrs that must mean that character is built on that rather than upon the surroundings themselves.
The Churches are all very nice inside.
A good one to go to if you have not already is St Josephs and Etheldreda in Rugeley.
http://www.rugeleycatholicchurch.co.uk/
St James church is the preceding entry to this one! I did not visit the Methodist church.
ReplyDeleteAs for my comments, I think I saw a bank (Lloyds?) in the centre, which geographically makes Barton a town! As for the pubs, I walked from St James up to the catholic church and back. The two pubs I passed were most definitely closed on a summer Friday lunchtime. I am glad there are four others but I did not see them. I ended up with a nice lunch in Yoxall.
Thanks for the tip regarding Rugeley which I have to set foot in, and for leaving a comment.