Hidden Churches and Other Delights

For the last two years, I have been joined on the cycle ride by my Ukrainian friend Urij.

This year Urij asked that we cycle somewhere different from the route we normally take, which is a flat route out of Nailsworth, visiting Stroud and Dursley and all places of worship in between.

We decided that we would take a route to Tetbury, Cirencester, and then back to Nailsworth. This is not a flat route, and also although I am familiar with the villages I was not sure on the location of churches.

After visiting 5 churches we arrived in Tetbury. We had to ask the tourist information office just to check that we visited all the places of worship in Tetbury. I then decided to show Urij where the King lives at Highgrove.

Next, we went to Shipton Moyne, and the plan was to go to Long Newnton.

But now we were on the wrong side of the Avon. However, there is a ford over the Avont on the Fosse Way, this involved off-road cycling.

After Long Newnton, we visited many churches between Tetbury and Cirencester, including the small church at Shorncote.  This has oil lamps, as there does not seem to be any electricity connected.

Urij said that many churches in Ukraine had returned to oil lamps as the power supply was damaged in the war. Visiting the church in the hamlet of Ashley, I think we walked up someone’s drive and climbed over a wall to get to the church of St James.

We cycled on, is there a church in the hamlet of Ewen?

We couldn’t find one. Finally, we reached the hustle and bustle of St Peters, Cirencester. After a few photographs and 5 churches, we set off on the way back to Nailsworth, passing through Coates.

It notes on the website of Coates church of St Matthews, that it is not immediately obvious to visitors. This is an understatement, even people who said they were local did not know where it was. Passing over the Thames and Severn Canal, we made a detour and looked at the tunnel portal.

We reached Rodmarton, with its beautiful stained-glass windows.

Again, this is not the easiest church to find. We were tired now, but the end was in sight.  We went through the crowded streets of Minchinhampton where there was a street party in progress. The final church we visited was Amberly.

Seeing so many of the lovely Cotswold churches open was a pleasure. We both had a great day out, raised money for a good cause, and enjoyed ourselves.