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Sponsored Cycle Ride for the Historic Churches Trust
1992 I decided to undertake this year's event at fairly
short notice. I managed to raise about £50 in sponsorship within the
University from
the department where I work and others I am connected with. The route I planned the night before and generally
speaking was ambitious in nature (approximately 40 churches over 60
miles). I
started at St.Margarets in the City barely before the people arrived to
open the church at 10am!
Next I picked off the Cathedral, St.Nicholas, and St.Mary de
Castro. St.Nicholas
wasn't open, but I remember taking a photograph inside St.Margarets and in
the Cathedral. After leaving there I called in at St. James, London Road,
the Congregational and our own church on the route out of the centre.
I then headed for Knighton and then Wigston calling at all 4
churches listed there.
I proceeded to Oadby, then Evington, Stoughton.
I left Thurnby and went onto the Strettons, Great Strettoand Little
Stretton were both
unmanned, before tackling the hills around Kings Norton, Gaulby and
Ilston-on-the Hill the 20 church mark, a stop for
lunch at the Fox and Goose that make very nice sandwiches. I met a
couple who were from Reading in car! The next stage involved more hills and some
interesting places like the private chapel at Noseley Hall followed by the
quaint church at Goadby and a similar one at Glooston and Cranoe. All
these were unmanned, except for Noseley all were locked.
At this point I felt the first stages of fatigue coming on but I
continued to Hallaton which provides a fine example of a large parish
church. Here
the organ was being played.
I next stretched myself a bit further a field to Horninghold where
I met a cycle enthusiast from Oadby who recommended the cinnamon cake at
St.Giles at Blaston. Therefore, I went there and saw the ruins of the
hamlet's other church (St.Michaels). I next ventured to Nevill Holt which has a private
school and chapel within its grounds before starting my long journey home
via Medbourne where the bell ringers where practising (not locals though).
It looks like rain soon I think.
I cycled inadvertently to Ashley and Weston which are in
Northamptonshire!
I did ask in the church at Medbourne but couldn't find a local
there. Never mind, I thought, and went back into
Leicestershire visiting Welham and onto the Langton group(3).
When I reached Kibworth(2) the time was near 5pm I had visited 38
churches/chapels.
I had time for a quick history lesson (regarding Thomas Cook) from
the person manning the congregational church on the A6 before setting off
for Wistow and Newton Harcourt.
I then decided to take in Great Glen and met up with the Lord
Lieutenant on his 1908 Raleigh bike!
The time was about 6pm when I cycled back into Leicester with just
enough luck to finish at St.Gulac before they closed their doors!
In all I had visited 42 churches! In all 5 St.John the Baptists where visited, but this
was not by design!
An endless supply of lemon and orange juice was consumed, and not a
single puncture despite some of the rough country lanes I went down.
The weather even was kind with only a small shower in the
afternoon.
I hope that next year to undertake this event, I was encouraged
that I met up with quite a number of cyclists from Market Harborough and
the outlying villages around Leicestershire itself. POSTSCRIPT Next year I may do the deed again.
As an incentive I thought it may be challenging to do as many
St.John the Baptist churches in Leicestershire Also, to bag more than 50 would take some planning.
Could start in the City and then slowly zig-zag out in the best
concentration of churches. Could leave the bike in town and run to the nearby
ones. Could tackle the main towns like Market Harborough,
Lutterworth, etc. |
The Leicester and Leicestershire Historical
Churches Preservation Trust Sponsored Cycle
Ride - 14th September 1996 Last
year's record of 50 churches was my challenge to beat.
Could it be matched I thought? As
usual I ventured into town to start the ball rolling. (and people from
last year seemed to recognise me throughout the marathon feat).
After the Cathedral, St Mary de Castro, and St.Nicholas, I decided
to pick up a few extras in town round Hinckley Road and headed into the
Highfields area.
So by 11.45am I was at St.Mary's Knighton and had already ticked
off 25 churches, chapels and a cathedral.
Not bad eh! Then
after a tour of Wigston and Oadby (another 6 done) I was heading for the
open undulating countryside.
Evington's St.Deny's again provided an absolute feast for cyclists
to enjoy.
I passed through Stoughton, then the Strettons, back tracked to
Houghton, then headed out on the A47 to Billesdon. By the time I reached
Gaulby I was at the 40 church point and the time was just 2pm.
4 hours left. I
now had to decide which direction to take.
I opted for King's Norton, Ilston, then Carlton Curlieu, and onto
Burton Overy where I was met with enthusiasm by one of the organisers of
this annual event.
I next carried onto to Great Glen, before taking in Newton Harcourt
and then Wistow.
The
legs were still good for a few more miles I thought so I ventured off to
Fleckney and then Arnesby. 51 churches reached. I
debated my next move at this point as it was 4pm.
I cycled down the A50 to Shearsby and suddenly felt famished. A
lady recorder at St.Mary's church was my good Samaritan at this stage.
She rushed back home to make me a cheese and pickle sandwich and
also returned with a harvest of plums.
I am sure without that extra food I wouldn't have been able to pull
in Bruntingthorpe, Peatling Parva and Magna, then Foston, and
Countesthorpe.
Finally
I came home via, Blaby and my last port of call was The Methodist Church
at South Wigston at 5.58pm, but unfortunately no one was there to witness
my new record of 60 churches (60 miles cycled). I even still had some
mileage left in the old legs! I
have raised £84. Half of this money will go to St.John's once again.
Thanks to my sponsors for their continued support of this very worthwhile
cause. Peter Beaman mega cyclist! P.S
The Rev.Boulds apparently visited 73 churches, beating his record of 67.
So I wasn’t quite the best! Nearly! My
mother Betty Topham (nee Beaman) who died in November 1993, was a keen
cyclist and use to enjoy this event.
I hope to continue with repeating the experience myself as I get a
great deal of satisfaction from visiting so many different churches in the
county that are normally closed to the public.
This was my third year of taking part (1992, 1995 the other two
times). |
Created on 18th October 2002