AT the February meeting, Tim Bridges returned to give a talk on the Parish Churches of Worcestershire. Using examples of churches from the local area, he traced the development of different types of church architecture from Saxon times to those built by the Victorians.

He pointed out that many churches were built on what were already considered holy sites. An example is St Kenholms at Romsley, built a sacred spring and the place of martyrdom of an Anglo Saxon prince. Since it became a place of pilgrimage, it became very wealthy.

St Augustine's at Droitwich, overlooking the salt works, replaced a Roman fortress.

Changes brought about by the Reformation were described, with many painted walls being whitewashed.

Some churches were lost, such as St Nicholas in Droitwich, which became incorporated into the Cock Inn after the Civil War.

During the industrial revolution expanding urban populations required additional churches, such as the one at Amblecote which used local fire clay bricks.

Many churches were renovated by the Victorians in styles recalling the middle ages. Others used artists from the Bromsgrove Guild, Dodford being an excellent example.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, March 7, at 7.30pm at Webheath Village Hall when Ian Jenkins will talk on The Avoncroft Museum and its Historic Buildings.