On the busy Newmarket Road in Cambridge
near to the railway bridge....
....opposite Cambridge United's football (soccer) ground....
....between the Chinese take-away....
....and the scrapyard....
....stands (isolated and lonely)....
....the most complete piece of Norman architecture in the county....
....the Church of St Mary Magdalene in the Parish of the Holy Cross,
usually known as The Leper Chapel,
for that's just what it was in Medieval times,
the chapel of the Stourbridge Leper Hospital.
usually known as The Leper Chapel,
for that's just what it was in Medieval times,
the chapel of the Stourbridge Leper Hospital.
Take care.
Are those bars on the windows to keep the patients from escaping from the church? Perhaps that's something that denominations with declining membership should look into.
ReplyDeleteIt's just our enlightened age that requires bars to be put on church windows, Jim.
DeleteWow, love that! What a lot of history housed in a small space...
ReplyDeleteThis is making me think that the setting is not as beautiful as the photo of the church alone would have us believe.
ReplyDeleteThat is a truly amazing little church.
ReplyDeleteLovely, - I would like to see inside. Location can't be everything...
ReplyDeletethe chapel is wonderful; the ornate window architecture and that super doorway. Looks like you'd need a really big key for the lock.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful place to find in such unexpected and unprepossessing surroundings. Have you been inside it?
ReplyDeleteDid you eat at the truckstop? I've found the best food at these places. Love all the history you've packed into this tour
ReplyDeleteYou chose a very special way to showcase the very special church. It made for very interesting contrasts, but I must admit that it seemed in want of some maintenance.
ReplyDeleteBTW We have our own leprosy museum here - The germ causing leprosy was discovered here.
Wow, a medieval treasure indeed, amid modernity. Wonderful presentation with your story-telling images and captions! The ancient door is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThe little chapel is beautful and looks serene, though I'm guessing that is not the case given what you also showed around it. Have you ever been inside? I think there must be another post about what it looks like inside. Those hinges on the door are gorgeous
ReplyDeleteIt looks...forbidding. Lots of stone, heavy iron hinges, bars on windows, and few windows anyway. A cold place, inside and out or so it looks to these country eyes.
ReplyDeleteWonderful Norman architecture and it appears to have stood the ravages of time with little or no damage.
ReplyDeletewe have a Norman church in the next village.... yours is a beautiful little place isnt it?
ReplyDeleteSo many nice photos! I really like your blog!
ReplyDeleteHave a happy day :)
Thanks for all your comments. I have been inside though it's not often open, except for one special occasion every year which I hope to bring to you during the summer if my work commitments allow. It is still used as a church too but I think there's only one early morning service each month. I know what you mean, Sue, but religion was a forbidding business too in those days.
ReplyDeleteI do like a good old church (which is odd considering I'm never in one for the proper purpose). Like the constrast by the...em...picturesque journey getting there.
ReplyDelete