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Church crawling is a beloved English past time, and with around 39,000 churches in the UK to choose from, there is no surprise why.

Whether you are seeking out masonry marks, witch/templar graffiti, medieval brasses, tombs, doom paintings, rood screens, Norman fonts and arches or perhaps in particular, the early Anglo-Saxon structures. Britains churches hold so many stories of the days of yore. A Network of hyper local museums, explaining the social structure of villages and towns up and down the country, from the Lords of the manor to the local parishioners.

For anyone with an interest in history, this is where to start. It is also an incredible tool for self care, reflection and peace, whether partaking with friends or done alone.

Ruth Proctor Hirst was particularly fond of churches and their history, documenting her visits with photographs and notes, from the cathedrals of Gloucester and Hereford to the smaller parish churches all over the south west, loved and unloved.

‘Old Stone Crosses’ exhibition opens tomorrow evening at 18:00 with a private view and shall run for a month.

Church crawling is a beloved English past time, and with around 39,000 churches in the UK to choose from, there is no surprise why.

Whether you are seeking out masonry marks, witch/templar graffiti, medieval brasses, tombs, doom paintings, rood screens, Norman fonts and arches or perhaps in particular, the early Anglo-Saxon structures. Britains churches hold so many stories of the days of yore. A Network of hyper local museums, explaining the social structure of villages and towns up and down the country, from the Lords of the manor to the local parishioners.

For anyone with an interest in history, this is where to start. It is also an incredible tool for self care, reflection and peace, whether partaking with friends or done alone.

Ruth Proctor Hirst was particularly fond of churches and their history, documenting her visits with photographs and notes, from the cathedrals of Gloucester and Hereford to the smaller parish churches all over the south west, loved and unloved.

‘Old Stone Crosses’ exhibition opens tomorrow evening at 18:00 with a private view and shall run for a month.

Church crawling is a beloved English past time, and with around 39,000 churches in the UK to choose from, there is no surprise why.

Whether you are seeking out masonry marks, witch/templar graffiti, medieval brasses, tombs, doom paintings, rood screens, Norman fonts and arches or perhaps in particular, the early Anglo-Saxon structures. Britains churches hold so many stories of the days of yore. A Network of hyper local museums, explaining the social structure of villages and towns up and down the country, from the Lords of the manor to the local parishioners.

For anyone with an interest in history, this is where to start. It is also an incredible tool for self care, reflection and peace, whether partaking with friends or done alone.

Ruth Proctor Hirst was particularly fond of churches and their history, documenting her visits with photographs and notes, from the cathedrals of Gloucester and Hereford to the smaller parish churches all over the south west, loved and unloved.

‘Old Stone Crosses’ exhibition opens tomorrow evening at 18:00 with a private view and shall run for a month.

Church crawling is a beloved English past time, and with around 39,000 churches in the UK to choose from, there is no surprise why.

Whether you are seeking out masonry marks, witch/templar graffiti, medieval brasses, tombs, doom paintings, rood screens, Norman fonts and arches or perhaps in particular, the early Anglo-Saxon structures. Britains churches hold so many stories of the days of yore. A Network of hyper local museums, explaining the social structure of villages and towns up and down the country, from the Lords of the manor to the local parishioners.

For anyone with an interest in history, this is where to start. It is also an incredible tool for self care, reflection and peace, whether partaking with friends or done alone.

Ruth Proctor Hirst was particularly fond of churches and their history, documenting her visits with photographs and notes, from the cathedrals of Gloucester and Hereford to the smaller parish churches all over the south west, loved and unloved.

‘Old Stone Crosses’ exhibition opens tomorrow evening at 18:00 with a private view and shall run for a month.

Church crawling is a beloved English past time, and with around 39,000 churches in the UK to choose from, there is no surprise why.

Whether you are seeking out masonry marks, witch/templar graffiti, medieval brasses, tombs, doom paintings, rood screens, Norman fonts and arches or perhaps in particular, the early Anglo-Saxon structures. Britains churches hold so many stories of the days of yore. A Network of hyper local museums, explaining the social structure of villages and towns up and down the country, from the Lords of the manor to the local parishioners.

For anyone with an interest in history, this is where to start. It is also an incredible tool for self care, reflection and peace, whether partaking with friends or done alone.

Ruth Proctor Hirst was particularly fond of churches and their history, documenting her visits with photographs and notes, from the cathedrals of Gloucester and Hereford to the smaller parish churches all over the south west, loved and unloved.

‘Old Stone Crosses’ exhibition opens tomorrow evening at 18:00 with a private view and shall run for a month.

In the lead up to our exhibition opening on Thursday ‘Old Stone Crosses’ we wanted to share a few more of Ruth Proctor Hirsts photographs.

This selection comes from community events in the early 1970’s, which feel distant and strange, however somehow relevant and nostalgic.

1. Doll for RSCPA Sale at Old Vicarage
2. St Pirans day 1971
3. Treviscoe Carnival 1st Prize

Captions taken directly from the annotated slides.

Join us from 18:00 this Thursday to see more, we will also have a small publication of photographs available to purchase on the night.

In the lead up to our exhibition opening on Thursday ‘Old Stone Crosses’ we wanted to share a few more of Ruth Proctor Hirsts photographs.

This selection comes from community events in the early 1970’s, which feel distant and strange, however somehow relevant and nostalgic.

1. Doll for RSCPA Sale at Old Vicarage
2. St Pirans day 1971
3. Treviscoe Carnival 1st Prize

Captions taken directly from the annotated slides.

Join us from 18:00 this Thursday to see more, we will also have a small publication of photographs available to purchase on the night.

In the lead up to our exhibition opening on Thursday ‘Old Stone Crosses’ we wanted to share a few more of Ruth Proctor Hirsts photographs.

This selection comes from community events in the early 1970’s, which feel distant and strange, however somehow relevant and nostalgic.

1. Doll for RSCPA Sale at Old Vicarage
2. St Pirans day 1971
3. Treviscoe Carnival 1st Prize

Captions taken directly from the annotated slides.

Join us from 18:00 this Thursday to see more, we will also have a small publication of photographs available to purchase on the night.

Excited to announce our upcoming exhibition; ‘Old Stone Crosses: photographs by Ruth Proctor Hirst 1961-1977’. 

One of the most absorbing things about photography is its ability to allow people to leave their experiences behind. For a lot of people this may be photographs of their loved ones, family holidays or moments to cherish.

However Ruth Proctor Hirst left behind a wealth of photographs presenting her interests. A published historian and archivist she was also a church crawler, stone hunter, British folklore attendee and took particular interest in old stone crosses. This interest resulted in one of her published works ‘Old Stone Crosses of West Gloucestershire’.

After being entrusted with her photographs, we have digitised the collection and curated a selection of our favourites, from the meeting of the Ovates, Druids and Bards, Padstow’s Obby ‘Orse and St Pirans celebrations to sites in historic interest up and down the south west. 

Join us on the evening of the 21st May for the private view. 

Twelfth House - untitled recordings 2025/2026

Pro-dubbed C30’s with in house printed J-Cards and recycled cases available for pre order from @pheasantrysociety

Astral-ambient trio Twelfth House is made up of violinist Fohn, vocalist Deriddia and Dulcimerist Norman Church.
Here we present to you a snippet from hours of meditative folk. Recorded on the top floor.

Sacred communication, ethereal resonance, these divinations are possessed with dread and hurt, however the clouds occasionally part for moments of hope and reassurance.

Available from the 2nd of June, however hand to hand copies may be available earlier at @openearfest

For those in Bristol catch Twelfth House on the 21st June at @strange_brew_briz supporting @one.leg.one.eye and @smote666

Photograph taken by @schwetography at @enmassefest last year.

Twelfth House - untitled recordings 2025/2026

Pro-dubbed C30’s with in house printed J-Cards and recycled cases available for pre order from @pheasantrysociety

Astral-ambient trio Twelfth House is made up of violinist Fohn, vocalist Deriddia and Dulcimerist Norman Church.
Here we present to you a snippet from hours of meditative folk. Recorded on the top floor.

Sacred communication, ethereal resonance, these divinations are possessed with dread and hurt, however the clouds occasionally part for moments of hope and reassurance.

Available from the 2nd of June, however hand to hand copies may be available earlier at @openearfest

For those in Bristol catch Twelfth House on the 21st June at @strange_brew_briz supporting @one.leg.one.eye and @smote666

Photograph taken by @schwetography at @enmassefest last year.

Twelfth House - untitled recordings 2025/2026

Pro-dubbed C30’s with in house printed J-Cards and recycled cases available for pre order from @pheasantrysociety

Astral-ambient trio Twelfth House is made up of violinist Fohn, vocalist Deriddia and Dulcimerist Norman Church.
Here we present to you a snippet from hours of meditative folk. Recorded on the top floor.

Sacred communication, ethereal resonance, these divinations are possessed with dread and hurt, however the clouds occasionally part for moments of hope and reassurance.

Available from the 2nd of June, however hand to hand copies may be available earlier at @openearfest

For those in Bristol catch Twelfth House on the 21st June at @strange_brew_briz supporting @one.leg.one.eye and @smote666

Photograph taken by @schwetography at @enmassefest last year.

Pinhole on Bell lane, facing St John’s Gate and the St John on the wall Church. If you continue down tower lane you would have reached St John’s gate or the Blindgate, which was rebuilt in the 14 century and ontop of which was housed a Dovecote. Demolished in 1911 due to bottlenecking of the thoroughfare.

“ys but a streyt way goyng by the old towne walle and the old toune yate called blynde yate by the auncient first yaat called pyttey yate ..!”

Pinhole on Bell lane, facing St John’s Gate and the St John on the wall Church. If you continue down tower lane you would have reached St John’s gate or the Blindgate, which was rebuilt in the 14 century and ontop of which was housed a Dovecote. Demolished in 1911 due to bottlenecking of the thoroughfare.

“ys but a streyt way goyng by the old towne walle and the old toune yate called blynde yate by the auncient first yaat called pyttey yate ..!”

Pinhole on Bell lane, facing St John’s Gate and the St John on the wall Church. If you continue down tower lane you would have reached St John’s gate or the Blindgate, which was rebuilt in the 14 century and ontop of which was housed a Dovecote. Demolished in 1911 due to bottlenecking of the thoroughfare.

“ys but a streyt way goyng by the old towne walle and the old toune yate called blynde yate by the auncient first yaat called pyttey yate ..!”

What better day than today, May Day, to posts a teaser of our upcoming exhibition!

“Stone crosses, toll houses, medieval bridges and cats” a collection of photographs by Ruth Carpenter.

Here we have a couple of shots from the 1966 Padstow Obby ‘Orse celebrations!

Opening later this month, keep ‘em peeled for more information.

What better day than today, May Day, to posts a teaser of our upcoming exhibition!

“Stone crosses, toll houses, medieval bridges and cats” a collection of photographs by Ruth Carpenter.

Here we have a couple of shots from the 1966 Padstow Obby ‘Orse celebrations!

Opening later this month, keep ‘em peeled for more information.

Join us this Sunday between 11:00 - 4:00 for our second zine making drop in day!

This month we will be offering you the option of wire binding and staple bound. Powered by @shrimpzineclub app 🍤 📲 and printed and assembled by head of all things book @danofthedale ! 📖

We love hosting these workshops and it’s great to be able to offer brand new forms of physical art, expected to be busy so get down early for your chance to design and print a book in a day.

Above is a WIP from @kin40k straight from the laboratory. 🥼

Join us this Sunday between 11:00 - 4:00 for our second zine making drop in day!

This month we will be offering you the option of wire binding and staple bound. Powered by @shrimpzineclub app 🍤 📲 and printed and assembled by head of all things book @danofthedale ! 📖

We love hosting these workshops and it’s great to be able to offer brand new forms of physical art, expected to be busy so get down early for your chance to design and print a book in a day.

Above is a WIP from @kin40k straight from the laboratory. 🥼

St Mary the Virgin, grade II listed tin tabernacle. Purchased by the parish at Shepperdine in 1914, thought to have been relocated from Wales. Missionary style, this’n sits on the banks of the Severn just up from the old nuclear power station at Oldbury.

15-20 minute pinhole exposure (I’m becoming less precise) Peaceful place and worth the pilgrimage, you may spot me in the front row reflecting.

14th century sconce, mounted on the wall of Porta San Niccolò, Firenze.

It has been suggested that yew roots would grow through the eye sockets of the deceased, binding them to the ground and preventing them from haunting the living.

Cerne Abbey was a significant Benedictine monastery in Dorset, founded in 987 AD by Æthelmær the Stout.

Down the way are some incredible wall paintings new (16th century) and old (14th century) in St Marys by stream.

If you follow that stream you also reach a guest house to the abbey and then St Augustine’s well.

According to the traditional tale, the inhabitants of Dorset rejected his mission and mocked him and his followers. They drove Augustine and his companions away but were soon overcome by the saint’s holiness and repented.

Cerne Abbey was a significant Benedictine monastery in Dorset, founded in 987 AD by Æthelmær the Stout.

Down the way are some incredible wall paintings new (16th century) and old (14th century) in St Marys by stream.

If you follow that stream you also reach a guest house to the abbey and then St Augustine’s well.

According to the traditional tale, the inhabitants of Dorset rejected his mission and mocked him and his followers. They drove Augustine and his companions away but were soon overcome by the saint’s holiness and repented.

The Waterstone is a neolithic burial chamber (portal dolmen) which sits on a field next to Bristol airport. It gets its name from a hole in the fallen capstone that fills with water. Not the easiest access as you have to navigate a very angry farmer who does not permit folk visiting the stones. Since appearing on google they have become very vigilant in stopping you.

The resulting confrontation added another element of excitement when taking my friends from the Middle East to see this particular part of ancient British history as we were nearly run down by their Land Rover.

A must see.

The Waterstone is a neolithic burial chamber (portal dolmen) which sits on a field next to Bristol airport. It gets its name from a hole in the fallen capstone that fills with water. Not the easiest access as you have to navigate a very angry farmer who does not permit folk visiting the stones. Since appearing on google they have become very vigilant in stopping you.

The resulting confrontation added another element of excitement when taking my friends from the Middle East to see this particular part of ancient British history as we were nearly run down by their Land Rover.

A must see.