Church Throws Open its Doors
After a long period of conservation and restoration works, the church of St John’s, Sharow is opening its doors to the public once again. For months, the church was shrouded…
Vision Project Update II
It is now necessary to visit the site daily to keep up with how quickly things are changing; windows come and go; the stonework rises around our new kitchen and…
David Winpenny’s Article on Piazzi Smyth
David Winpenny, Chairman of Ripon Civic Society, looks at the life and preoccupations of a former Ripon resident whose scientific work and idiosyncratic ideas appear to have been rather at…
Our Heritage Open Day
Running a Heritage Open Day at a rural church is a bit of a double-edged sword. After all, we were up against local competition such as the UNESCO World Heritage…
The Builders Move In…
The current vogue, we are told, is for homeowners to fund an extension or convert lofts and basements rather than go to the expense of moving. Such measures, grand as…
Treasures Uncovered at St John’s
Some of the hidden treasures of St John’s, Sharow are to go on display for the first time in over a decade in a new exhibition designed to coincide with…
St John’s Shortlisted for Prestigious Biodiversity Award
I am very pleased to announce that St John’s has been shortlisted for a Biodiversity Award from the Church Times. This award recognises the hard work the congregation and local…
Traditional Technique Provides Cutting Edge for Emma
St John’s is teaming up with Emma Gillon, a local estates manager, to return the venerable art of scything to the landscape. Inspired by a recent scything workshop at St…
Cherishing our Church
It is an exciting time to be working at St John’s. With a new parish priest waiting in the wings, exciting new bits of the building about to appear and…
Researching Charles Piazzi Smyth
Charles Piazzi Smyth has to be one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever had the privilege to research. A pioneering astronomer, photographer, Egyptologist and, in the words of Sir Flinders…