This was a recent (24-07-2024) walk around my local town, again, in the area of the Priory.
Images. left to right, top to bottom:
- Remains of a mausoleum, apparently for one Mrs Perkins, who died in 1783. She had a “horror of being buried alive and requested that her body should not be interred but that a fabric should be erected to receive it near the entrance to the free school then in St Michael’s Loft in of the Priory so that the boys should hear if she revived”. Of course, she didn’t…
- Back (inside?) view of the mausoleum
- A general view towards the Priory
- A stream, tributary of the Avon
- An ornate pond in the gardens behind the Priory
- Bear’s breech (a species of Acanthus)
While in the gardens, behind the Priory, we found a sculpture, commemorating the 900th anniversary of the of the building of the Priory (1094-1994). It reflects a humorous picture of events and life in the long history of the Priory. The sculptor was Jonathan Sells, and work was carried out at this site from June to September 1994.
Images, clockwise top left to bottom left (taken from the placard you can see in the top right image):
- Side A – Monk climbing on the shoulder of brother monk to feed the birds in the nest. Monks studied and worked at the Priory.
- Side B – Couple getting married with ‘Flambard’ (Bishop of Durham) ringing a bell above them. Ranulf Flambard, who planned the building of the Priory in 1094, later became the Bishop of Durham. The clock face reading 9:00 represents 900 years.
- Side C – Norman soldier helping Bishop up on the crook, signifying the commencement of building the Priory Church during the Norman period. Present day Vicar of Christchurch the Reverend Hugh Williams ringing the bell. The Vicar of Christchurch is representative of the present life of the Priory
- Side D – A man from Henry VIII’s era ringing the bell whilst supporting the Vicar of Christchurch on his head with sword in other hand and kicking Monk. The Priory as we know it today was completed in the reign of Henry VIII, at this time the monastery was dissolved hence meaning of the foot against Monk
After the gardens, we headed to a local fish & chip restaurant (aptly called Priory Fryer) for a meal and drink. The restaurant had lots of old pictures of the local area on the walls, one I did a “before and after” type view:
On the left, a picture of Christchurch High Street in olden times (note the Ship Hotel if you can make it out). On the right, now (24-07-2024, note The Ship – still there)
And some general views of the High Street I took while waiting for the bus to take me home.
