Bolton by Bowland, mainly like Heaven

Submitted by Alan Marsden on Mon, 26/12/2016 - 20:27

One of the prettiest villages near our chapel is Bolton by Bowland. This is an archetypal English village with its medieval hall and church, market cross, stocks, tea rooms and greens.  

I sometimes think 'what will heaven be like?'. Not unlike Bolton by Bowland, methinks. Oddly, while I was taking these photographs, a couple of local men found my presence questionable; they muttered to themselves and wondered aloud what I was doing there. On my return from a certain lane, one asked me if I'd 'seen enough now?'. Heaven certainly won't be like that. 
 
 
Thirteenth century market cross, doubtless lopped short by seventeenth century puritans. Note the stocks at the side.
 
 
The parish church, rebuilt in the fifteenth century. 
 
 
The Nave. Pleasingly, the Church Wardens see fit to keep the church open. 
 
 
1468 tomb of Sir Ralph Pudsay, local squire.
 
 
It depicts his three wives and twenty-five children.