Friday Photo: St Edburgh’s Church
Taken at sunset, today’s Friday Photo is of St Edburgh’s Church, also known as Old Yardley Church, dating back to the 13th century. The church, which was part of Lichfield Diocese is today a grade-I listed building and is nestled away in Yardley Conservation Area. If you ever make a visit there, be sure to look out for the Tudor rose and pomegranate carving above the archway in the North Aisle- the pomegranate was the symbol of Catherine of Aragon who married Henry VII’s eldest son, Arthur, and the manor of Yardley was also bequeathed to Catherine in her divorce settlement from Arthurs’s brother, Henry VIII, and was only returned to the crown after her death in 1536. Having worked at Blakesley Hall for nearly eight years, just a stone’s throw from the church, I always admired the spire from a distance, standing proudly in the urban and modern landscape of Yardley. If you haven’t been to Yardley Conservation Area, then you should definitely arrange a visit soon- you won’t be disappointed.
See the Yardley Village research trail all week 8-15 November and local 1914-19 exhib in Parish Hall and discoveries including Great War Memorial and Altar dedication to Royal Warks Regt pals in Church.
People’s Park Friends @cannonhillpark
http://Www.cannonhillpeoplespark.net
I love this little area of Birmingham, it has a proper village feel about even though you know it’s surrounded by the city! A walk along Church Road is like walking back through time, from the Yew Tree through the old village and back out the other end, first time I did it I found it really quite odd (in a good way!). Found an old catalogue on eBay that was produced by BMAG in the 1970s for an exhibition ‘Yardley Through the Camera 1890-1900’, mostly pictures of when Yardley was still mostly farm land, with horse drawn mowing machines etc. How things have changed since then is quite remarkable.
Love Yardley old village, especially the old timber framed building next to the church. I wrote a BCT blog on that and other timber buildings some time back. Great place – lovely picture!!!