Clunton: St Mary

Hopesay: St Mary

St Mary’s Hopesay is ancient for the most part, having been built in the 12th century with later medieval additions and with some more recent late Victorian refurbishments particularly in the chancel area. The church is well used and carefully looked after, is clean and welcoming and it has a good atmosphere, with a constant supply of flowers. Regular weekly use ensures that this welcome is kept up and the maintenance and repair of the church is looked after by an enthusiastic PCC.

Because it is situated in magnificent countryside between Hopesay Hill and a significant iron age fort, St Mary’s is also visited by many walkers and the PCC has a policy of keeping the door open throughout the day. When the first lockdown ended we made it possible for visitors to continue to visit for individual prayer in a safe and hygienic environment. Many visitors comment appreciatively on the setting of the church with its wild, rural graveyard which often has sheep grazing within it to keep the grass in trim. We were perhaps too famous for our unkempt rural style where the grass had to be held down to view the gravestones; nowadays enthusiastic PCC members work hard to keep the main surrounding graveyard and pathways in good trim. We adhere to a conservation mowing plan when keeping the paths clear.

Worship

The PCC has for many years maintained services at the Church every Sunday. Making this possible has in large part depended on the efforts of lay service leaders, as well as the involvement of retired priests living in the community, particularly for Holy Communion services.

The 3rd Sunday services are usually led by the Churchwardens with growing involvement from other members of the congregation. There is some flexibility in this respect as we have a Reader who is normally able to lead one service per month which may either be the first or the third. (The Reader, Sonia Phippard, organised and led about six successive Sunday services by means of Zoom during the lockdown period in 2020.) There are special festival services on Good Friday, at Easter, Harvest and Christmas, with Crib Services, Carol Services and Midnight Mass.

See more information on our 'About Us' page

The parish of Hopesay is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of Hereford’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.

Bettws-y- Crwyn : St Mary

Standing outside St Mary's - at 1,300 feet above sea level said to be the highest church in England and looking at the panoramic view, it is possible even today to imagine the original church or chapelry at Bettys-y-Crwyn.

On this still lonely and windswept hill it was built perhaps seven hundred years ago, for there is a brief mention of it in the records of Wenlock Priory in 1276. The ancient drover road from Wales into England offers one reason for the choice of site, and it may have been a shrine for the well (perhaps with healing properties) that is now in Ladywell Cottage garden, just down the road. The drovers and hill shepherds must have been the first worshippers in this building.

Of this early church little remains - possibly only the north and south walls of the nave.

See more information on our 'About us' page.

The parish of Bettws is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of Hereford’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.

Clunbury: St Swithin

The present grade 1 listed church was built in the 12th century as some of the doors and windows indicate, but it may have been built on an earlier religious site as the semi-circular shape of the wall on the west side of the churchyard suggests. It was extended in the later Norman period, and its tower has undergone various repairs. There was much restoration in the Victorian era. It has an excellent organ in good condition. The six bells which date from 1620 to 1887 were restored and rehung in 2009, and are often used by the Bellringers group, and visiting ringers.

The building and the churchyard are generally in good condition, and a project to provide much needed toilet and kitchen facilities is almost at the building stage. We are fortunate to have much support in the community for regular and less common tasks that need to be done, everything from churchyard mowing, flower arranging, cleaning, hoisting of flags and winding of clocks are done with care and commitment, and we have an active and enthusiastic group of bellringers.

Caring for God's Acre are now fostering a wild flower meadow in the churchyard.

See more information on our 'About Us' page

The parish of Clunbury w Clunton is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of Hereford’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.

Newcastle: St John the Evangelist

The church St. John's is a quarter of a mile from the centre of Newcastle village, on a minor road to Whitcott Keysett, just off Offa's Dyke, with wonderful views over the upper Clun valley. It was built in 1848 by Edward Haycock on land given by the Earl of Powis. It has a hammer beam roof and lancet windows, pine pews, organ case and pulpit. The east window was designed by David Evans. It is in good repair, light and airy, warm and welcoming.It has an interesting lychgate which swivels in the middle like a turnstile which is grade 2 listed in its own right. The churchyard us regularly maintained and is a credit to our church.

Worship

Services are shared with St Mary's Bettws on a regular basis , at Bettws on the first Sunday of the month and at Newcastle on the third.

The children from the school are involved with the harvest and Christmas services when the church is full. The Mothering Sunday service is held in Newcastle Community Centre again with a full attendance. This si shared with Bettws and Clun Churches.

Electoral roll and parochial church council There are 30 on the electoral roll. The PCC has only 3 members at the present time and there is no churchwarden.

Finances

The church finances are sound and we pay our parish quota in full every year. Our biggest fund raisers are our coffee mornings held every month. They are well supported and are held sometimes in the community centre and sometimes in people's homes.

This last 24 months we have been busy fundraising for our roof to be repaired. The slates will be re used. we need to raise £60,000 so far we have raised just over £25,000.

Community outreach

The community centre is used by the church for the Mothering Sunday service, a joint service with Bettws and Clun. The parish of Newcastle is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of Hereford’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.

Clun: St George

Welcome to St George's Church, Clun. It is a grade 2* listed building with many interesting features.

The church building is usually open every day from approx 9am to 5pm. At the present time, because of the covid-19 crisis it is only open on Wednesday and Sunday from 10am - 5pm.

If you would like to support St George's without any cost to yourself, why not sign up for 'easyfundraising'. If you buy anything on line from one for the participating websites (and there are over 4000) they will give a donation to your selected charity. St George's we hope. Just follow this link. It is so easy https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/stgeorgeschurchclun/

See more information on our 'About Us' page

The parish of Clun is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of Hereford’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.