The Churches of Ledbury and Worcester

The Churches of Ledbury and Worcester June 14, 2013

Churches are often structures that are built, or added onto over the period of hundreds or even a thousand years. What you see above is the door to the Ledbury Cathedral, and notice it has an arch that is apparently meant to look like a Norman arch (think Durham). When you go inside this cathedral you find a variety of things.

For example, you discover the church was originally much smaller than it is now, because you find a gargoyle on a column on the right side aisle. Gargoyles were intended to be only on the outside of the cathedral to ward off the demonic and the wee beasties.

The central nave of the Ledbury Cathedral (of St. Philip and St. James— just don’t ask which Philip or James) seems quite traditional and familiar in scope and architecture.

The windows however show that many were replaced over the years. The pictures below begin with the oldest and move to the newer stained glass.

The older windows tend to have more plain or clear glass as part of the ensemble and so are not all stained glass.

What is very striking at the high altar is the copy of the Da Vinci Last Supper, looking much nicer than the original at this point.

The pulpit at Ledbury is small compared to many, but has some fine woodwork.


There has been some very fine stitchery done as well by members of this church— I’ll let you work out the Latin on the kneeling cushions below…

Altar clothes as well can be stitched in beautiful and elaborate patterns.

In some ways the stone work is even more impressive…


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