WHITCHURCH
Unfortunately, due to the flooding we experienced in February 2020 , St Dubricius church is still in the process of drying out.
We had two dehumidifiers stop working Tuesday. The engineers sorted them out on Friday morning so we are now removing around 15 gallons of water every 24 hours. Having the boiler up and running holding the temperature at around 21c the RH is now close to 56% This is ongoing and Geoff is monitoring progress every day
In light of the Government guidance around non-essential contact, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have issued advice that public worship is suspended until further notice.
Weddings and Funerals will still place
Please contact Sue (890981),Mandy (890791)or Geoff (01989 730405) or the clergy if you are uncertain.
We would like to thank everyone who has sent messages of help and support after the devastating floods, the worst since 1947 reaching 5ft high in the church.
Everything in the church has been tossed around and most things were destroyed because of breakages and contaminated water. At present professional cleaners have been in and we are waiting for the ancient building to dry out. All offers of help will be gratefully accepted once we can start the refurbishment. Anyone who would like to add their name to the list of helpers, or who would like to donate to the refurbishment fund should please contact one of the churchwardens as above.
A newsletter entitled Tulip Tree News will be available every Sunday on this website. There will also be daily prayer suggestions provided. If you would like a copy and have difficulty in accessing it, please get in touch with one of the Churchwardens as above
Aisle Community Lunches are cancelled for the time being The meals are cooked by Woods of Whitchurch.
Good Neighbour Coffee morning is at the Memorial Hall but has had to be cancelled for the time being.
Tea and Chat for Knitters and Natterers is held on Thursdays from 2 – 4pm. This is open to all and a warm welcome awaits you. Cancelled at the moment
Whitchurch Floral Society.
The next meeting planned for Wednesday 8th April 7.30
at The Old Court has been cancelled.
The Floral Society usually meets on the second Wednesday of the month in The Old Court. Annual Membership is £30 , Guests £5 per meeting. Open evenings: Guests £8. All are very welcome to come along and see our varied and interesting programme. Details from Pauline Curtis 01989 768400.
Sticky Little Fingers, a morning for parents and pre-school children, usually each Tuesday at the Memorial Hall from 10.00am- 12. More details from Sue 890981. Unfortunately cnacelled for the time being
BINGO
Bingo The next eyes down in April has been cancelled.
MEMORIAL HALL ACTIVITIES
Flicks in The Sticks has been cancelled for April
Judo and Ballet cancelled until after Easter
Jazz
On Saturday May 9th has been cancelled
Whitchurch and Ganarew LHS
March for the history group will be a month of meetings and doings. A sub- committee of about six will meet in early March to start pulling together the entries for our scrapbook showing life in Whitchurch and Ganarew over this past year. If anyone reading this has an event that happened in 2019 in the villages, on the Doward or fairly local that you feel is worth recording for future generations please jot it down and send to patsbudd21@ gmail.com or it may be lost as I’m sure we cannot know of everything.
The main meeting of the month the Annual General Meeting has been cnacelled . We would love to welcome a few new members at that meeting, subscription £10 for the year. Members get the benefit of reduced costs at talks, first offer of places on visits and a chance to get involved as much or as little as you wish on projects such as refurbishment of telephone boxes, research for exhibitions -this year “1960’s Whitchurch and Ganarew “to be held September 5th/6th. It is a very sociable society “Friends are strangers you haven’t yet met”.
History of St. Dubricius Church
The parish church is one of the oldest in the Deanery of Ross and Archenfield; Its foundations date from the 9th century and the oldest part goes back to the 13th century.
The church is in the Decorated style of architecture with walls of local sandstone rubble and ashlar and the roof of stone slates.
The bowl of the font is Norman in origin, the lower edge being cut away to octagonal form to fit a 14th or 15th century stem with a square base. The church was enlarged in Victorian times.
Outstanding examples of locally-produced needlecraft and tapestries decorate the church.
St. Dubricius lived in Herefordshire in 6th century and founded monasteries which were centres of learning. Legend has it he had a miraculous birth.
The tulip tree near the south porch is reputed to be over 300 years old and blooms every year in June and July.
Useful Links
The Aisle, St. Dubricius church
A History from the Celtic e-Library
A History from A Celtic Collective
Whitchurch CE Primary School Herefordshire
Kingfisher River Cruises Symonds Yat East
norton-house.com B&B Whitchurch
Amazing Hedge Puzzle, Whitchurch
Wyenot.com, A Photographic tour of news and views in the Wye Valley
Gwillim Grave Enclosure
The west side of the churchyard contains the Gwillim tomb. The Gwillims, who owned the Old Court, Whitchurch from 1600 to 1868, were benefactors of the church. Thomas Gwillim, who built the grave enclosure, had from his family of six only one grandchild, Elizabeth Posthuma, who was the daughter of his son Colonel Thomas Gwillim. Elizabeth was a remarkable woman who at 19 years old married John G. Simcoe, future first Governor of Upper Canada and founder of Toronto.
More information on
www.gwillim-simcoe-story.co.uk