The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Morton Bagot

After the Virgin Mary, „MARY MAGDALENE“ is the woman most frequently mentioned in the scriptures of the New Testament. Originally – according to her place of origin on the Sea of Galilee – referred to as „Mary of Magdala“, over time the now common name „Mary Magdalene“ has formed. According to the testimony of the evangelists, she is one of the women and men who followed Jesus Christ. Furthermore, according to biblical accounts, Mary Magdalene is one of the three who wanted to anoint the body on Easter morning after Jesus’ crucifixion and burial, and the one who, as the very first person, encountered the Risen One. Pope Francis has therefore honored her as the 'Apostle of the Apostles', saying on the occasion of a general audience: + „She shows us the God who knows us humans, takes care of us, and cares about our lives. Every human being is a love story that God writes on earth. As with Mary of Magdala, the life of every Christian is drawn into this overflowing joy: We have a God at our side who calls us by name and lifts us up, who through his resurrection transforms us and the world.“ The feast day of Saint Mary Magdalene in the liturgical calendar is unanimously on July 22nd across the major Christian denominations.

A beautiful part, check out the bluebells

if you time it right there is a beautiful carpet of bluebell

Nice building worth checking out on the way

Cute little church but couldn't go in

Beautiful SSSI...great access...full of bluebells

The parish church of St Mary Magdalene consists of a chancel with a modern north vestry, nave, north aisle, and west porch-turret. Whilst 13th century in origin with some later additions, much restoration was completed in 1837 when the nave was enlarged and a west gallery added, providing 86 additional seats, according to a record in the church. The west wall, with an entrance and two windows, is modern, as is also the west porch, which is carried up as a square bell-turret changing to an octagon at the top and having an octagonal pyramidal roof. There is one bell of 1670 by John Martin of Worcester. The modern north aisle has two north windows, and one at the east and at the west. The font, of flower-pot shape, may be an old one re-tooled: it has a shallow bowl. The top has been repaired on opposite sides, probably where former staples existed. The stained glass in the East window dates from 1860 and is by Hardman & Co. who were also responsible for the stained glass in the Houses of Parliament. Thomas Clarke the rector at the time of the puritan "Survei of the Ministrie in Warwickshier" of 1586 was described; "parson no precher nor learned, yet honest of life & zealous in religion he hath 3 or 4 charges & cures beside that of Kynerton, Witeley he supplieth by his deputies : his hirelinges that serue by his non-residentship are all dumbe & idle & some of them gamsters : vah of all Ixxx" a yeare." A wooden war memorial to the memory of those men of the parish who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars, which contains the name of a woman, Sister E.M. Elvins.

This delightful church was closed and declared redundant in 1972 and in 1976 the diocese applied for demolition. The Friends of Friendless Churches and the Ancient Monuments Society took an interest in conserving it. In 1980 it was bought by the Ancient Monuments Society. It is the only church to have been owned by the society. For almost 30 years the church has been used by thr highly talented artist, Nicholas Jones as his studio.