Over the years I have gathered together old postcards or photos/cuttings of churches that I have not been able to identify and for seven years this page has been online and well over half have been solved - so mysteries no longer! Time at last to adapt these three pages into a mix of old and new puzzles. I believe that most are in the UK, probably England (unless mentioned), although with Victorian churches this is not certain. I would be grateful if any reader could offer suggestions, together with how certain they are (range 5% = not at all sure, to 100% = this is fact, don't question me!). Any clues that I have already are posted with the picture, and if identifed I will try and include these in any updates. For the other two pages of pictures click the links at the foot of the page.
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Mystery 1 [left] ** Solved **This church is dedicated to St Barnabas (I assume the spelling on the card is a misprint!). It looks a British church of the late C19 or early C20, but where?
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| Mystery 2 [right] ** New ** This "St John's Church" could be anywhere in the english-speaking world, a mid-Victorian interior. Quite a large church, the roofs in the aisles suggesting that the windows here have external gables. I would guess that this too is a British church. |
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Mystery 3 [left] This church (Now on third version of this page!) is clearly marked "Wellington Church" but which Wellington? The trees do not look English and a friend has suggested this could be New Zealand - however Wellington there is a huge city. My research has shown this not to be the Wellingtons in Somerset, Shropshire or Herefordshire. It also seems unlikely to be the chapel at Wellington College in Berkshire, which has architectural similarities (apse). The tall thin tower may be a clue, standing south of the chancel, as are the unusual cross-gabled clerestory windows with flying buttresses. |
| Mystery 4 [right] This church is another Victorian interior which could be anywhere but looks to be a British suburban church. The arcades have notably slim pillars. The stencilling decoration could be long gone but the church is quite distinctive and I hope someone recognises it. (Now on third version of this page!) |
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Mystery 5 [left] ** Solved? **The sign in front of the church reads "Primitive Methodist Church, Highfield Road" SEPT 11th 2000 - John Oyston reports that there was a Highfield Methodist church in Wortley, Leeds. JAN 29th 2006 - David Miller informs me of a Highfield Road Methodist Church in Doncaster. My own research has came up with a Highfield Road PMC in Church Gresley, Derbyshire. DEC 5th Lynne states in a personal Email This church is Highfield Road Methodist church in Doncaster Yorkshire. I was a member there as a child. I went to sunday school and girls brigade. It was sold to a greetings card company or something like that, then was later knocked down and new houses built on the land. Is this solved? It seems so after almost 10 years on-line! |
