Steeple

.... to Christchurch, Croft

I am exploring local churches as part of a doable lockdown project.

This is our nearest village. It originally sat within the parish of Winwick, and the church was built in 1833 as a chapel of ease. It is built of red sandstone, the underlying bedrock of this area - but some way down in most places, this is a largely flat landscape. 

The church was built on a slight rise, mid-way between the settlements of Croft and Risley, so it sits alone outside Croft itself. "Grisley Risley", the young offenders prison, is visible across the fields from the graveyard. 

I liked the colours on the little steeple, a combination of stone, moss and lichen, set against the blue in the sky. This morning felt like spring. Great tits and nuthatches were singing/calling. The church itself is closed, although a sign on the door explains that it is open for an hour on Sunday mornings for private prayer.