Beverly Minster

Old towns are a must. That's just Great Britain isn't it? All towns are old for the most part, but not old as in walking with a cane and metallic shoes, but rather... old as in historic. What do most old, historic towns have? Churches, usually.

Me facing St. Mary's

in Beverly

Certainly seeing the churches in Britain is one of the things you should do. There are so many to choose from and so many that are recommended for their beauty, age, and history. It would be quite a trip to see all of them, to be sure. Even if you're not religious or spiritual, they are still spectacular sights to see, most with very rich histories.

One church I had the pleasure of visiting during my trip was Beverly Minster, in Beverly. That's up north (THE NORTH!!!! as they say) in Yorkshire. The town itself is a lovely one to visit with a lot of history on its own. The Minster, however, is something you don't want to miss when you go.

The structure that stands there today begun in 1250 though it stands on the grounds of a Saxon abbey founded in about 700. Inside you'll see wonderful stained glass windows, ancient graves, and let me just say the organ player was an absolute ace with his fingers. You could hear the pipes bellowing from outside so loud and clear, it was the perfect added effect to the ambiance of the old church that just made the visit ten times more enjoyable.

Beverly Minster

Also very humbling was the memorial to the troops who fought and sacrificed their lives during WWI, lists of names behind glass that went on seemingly forever, and all just from the East Riding area of Yorkshire. Flags from the war itself, still hang in the church in taters, and it is a quiet moment indeed that makes you feel both pride and awe for those who fought to keep their home safe. A part of you wants to feel sad for those who were lost, the other part an overpowering sense of respect and gratefulness to the soldiers and their families.

I can't say this is the largest or most magnificent church to be seen in Great Britain, but it is certainly one to take a detour to see should you be in the East Yorkshire area. I loved going, it was beautiful and awe-inspiring and I certainly think it is a day anyone would remember during their trip. Beverly itself is also full of shops and other places to see if your in town for a while. Also, if you fancy a bit of kite flying after your trip to the Minster, stop outside the town to Beverly Westwood, take a hike up the hill and have nice day outside. There are plenty of wooded areas to explore as well, just be careful not to run over any of the local cows...

Cow near cow crossing

at Beverly Westwood