Where Am I? No. 32 - Country Church

[cazza59]

This might help the search:

 The Hospice of St. John, Newcastle Hill, Bridgend. A Medieval House (15th century), once believed to have been a Hospice of the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St. Jon of Jerusalem. Two tablets set in the wall, of medieval date, bore the sacred monogram I.H.S. and the Greek cross and Eagle which were the heraldic devices of the Order. These have been removed for safe keeping help...It's the Hospice of St. John...Newcastle Hill, Bridgend.

Carol

Hmm, that's interesting that the house is medieval, as that's as I mentioned to George, is what I my instincts (based on no factual knowledge whatsoever) said that's what this chapel's style is, but happy to be shot down in flames.

[cazza59]

HI!

The Order of St John have a "Maltese" Cross as their emblem...as in the gates of the previous picture. However, the cross in the original picture enquiry is a "Cross Pattee" ...which is sometimes associated with St Patrick.

djm297

Thanks Djm!  How do you and Malky know these things? 

Nice to have you join us! 

Caz

[cazza59]

Could it be a church hall?

Jennifer

Could be Jennifer, but I hope it's not as that will be a needle in a haystack.  I also hope it's not a mausoleum, as again, I think that would be impossible to track.

Thanks to you as well for contributing! 

Caz

[cazza59]

Wherever or what ever it is, it's well hidden. I note that there are "croix pattée" symbols carved in the stonework at the top of the pillars at the door. Having tried about every variable, it's being a pain to find. 

Regards

Malky

Think this one will end up in the too hard basket.  Pity because it's captured my imagination!

Thanks for all your efforts and expertise! 

[cazza59]

Here here....I'm all churched out today Malky 
Carol

And that's exactly why I need all the eyes I can get!!      I know exactly how you feel, after awhile they all start to look the same to me. 

Thanks to you as well Carol for giving up your time. 

[cazza59]

If you are really really really keen,  there is this :-

http://www.churches-uk-ireland.org/county_index.html

Regards

Malky

 

Maybe we should allocate a county to two or three people, share the work around and get the whole of the UK covered!! 

[cazza59]

I started on that link Malky, but I'm already all churched out

Joy

Aw not you too Joy!  Have break, I'm sure you've earnt it!  (Big of me to give you some time off don't you think…      )

Caz

[cazza59]

Perhaps it's a Chapel as part of an estate and the gentleman with his back to the
camera is Lord Someone-or-other talking to the vicar who receives his living from the
said Lord Someone-or-other

Joy

You could well be right and he does receive a stipend from the local gentry.  These photos look to date pre WW1, so would that still be something that might occur does anyone know?

[cazza59]

Personally, I don't think it is a church hall or a vicarage.  It might be originally have been a chantry chapel which the Victorians appropriated for wider church use.  So much changed in church buildings during Victorian 'restorations.' Sadly, we don't always know what these buildings might originally have looked like.  And any building shown in a photograph might already have been 'victorianised' since photography is a relatively new medium.

A vicarage is of course only the place where the vicar lived.  I would hope it looked more like a house and had better sized windows that those small church-sized windows !

I think that the church tower is hidden behind the main building due to the angle of view.

A few ideas 

Nell

I think you're are right about the tower/spire and I think at the very least it's a chapel.  As I said earlier, I also think the photo may have been taken from the vicar's garden, hence the well tended garden beds, this side of the fence.