HCTG Members Information

MEMBERS INFORMATION

Herefordshire Churches Tourism Group launched the new 2008/2009 brochure, which gives details of HCTG’s 74 historic member churches and is now available from Herefordshire Tourist Information Centres.

Members and guests were welcomed by Dominic Harbour, vice-chairman, who introduced the guest speakers - the Dean, the Very Revd. Michael Tavinor, and Father Michael Evans O.S.B., Parish Priest of St Francis Xavier's Church in Hereford. Both stressed the importance of welcoming visitors into our churches to share the atmosphere of these sacred places and to discover the fascinating history of our local communities.

The programme included a presentation by 'Caring for God's Acre’, a Herefordshire based charity that helps communities to conserve, interpret and foster interest in local churchyards. The group works with volunteer task forces and hosts relevant courses such as dry stonewalling and tree surveying.

Wendy Coombey outlined a new tourism initiative linking the Diocese and Herefordshire Tourism with the Pays de Gatine area of Western France, which has many ancient Romanesque churches, such as Parthenay, which are historically linked to our own Herefordshire School of Romanesque Sculpture, illustrated in member churches at Brinsop, Eardisley, Leominster Priory, Pipe Aston, Rowlstone and Shobdon.

The Friends of Hereford Cathedral and Belmont Abbey generously provided the refreshments. The brochure has been sponsored by Visit Herefordshire, the Churches Conservation Trust and Marches Tours & Talks.