During the recent (exceptionally 2 x weekends) Free Heritage Open Days (Sept 2018) - GRIMSBY

A WIP (work in progress) ...

This is about another trip (this time to Grimsby) ...

We (no, that's not correct) I wanted to pack in as much in the way of visits as possible over these two weekends that happen annually (well it's normally one and this year two weekends) partly as it is always free - no entrance charges even for National Trust properties etc. and also as it's good to learn about 'the little, maybe 'hidden gems' where one has decided to settle (me being a Southerner living in rural Lincolnshire). My wife joined me on most, not all trips - although I was ill at the time (still am as at late Sept 2018), I maintained as much output (visits) as possible, even alone at times, as my wife was not always available.

This was a slightly bizarre trip to Grimsby for lots of reasons:

1. Who wants to visit Grimsby (I always say that it got its name because it really is pretty "Grim")? - So this was great by way of some 'redemption'.
2. The Heritage weekend booklet (and online to some degree, experience has shown, has errors in it - it did the previous year too) - so we followed a postcode 'religiously' (intended pun) only to end up at the wrong church (I may do a separate post re this one later) - still one on the heritage list and worthy of visiting and where we had a spontaneous rather rushed tea break/cake (as we had such a tight schedule) but then struggled on to eventually visit the correct large Victorian Roman Catholic church right in the rather rough, older part of Grimsby but an absolutely amazing place.
3. Some of our planned day was south of where we live, whereas of course, Grimsby is north of us - so as I said a high output day!

The church (the one we intended visiting) website here:

The name is St Mary on the Sea RC church

1. To my astonishment, and I have only just looked this up - it was designated a WORLD HERITAGE SITE in 1999*. - Amazing - a place in Grimsby! I really must share this with my soon to visit friends from 'down south'.
2. Have a look at this Google search I did as it has some interesting facts.
3. It is large, very Victorian in appearance (built in the 1880s) and has the most outstanding and overwhelming interior which comes as a shock owing to its rather ordinaire exterior.
4. Now, I am not religious any more but if I was, I'd be keen on visiting regularly to soak-up the atmosphere on a Sunday as we were told that it can have around 150 in the congregation and mostly from the Polish community - how amazing is that?!
5. I took a lot of photos there and my wife a couple too and I will place them on this post as soon as possible (stated/started Sept 26th.) because it gives you a feel for the stunning interior. (The two from my wife's camera will be on first below.)
6. * The mention above of it being a world heritage site may not be accurate as I noticed in a film that you can view here (all about the church) refers to the fact that in 1999 the building was listed as Grade 2 but no mention of it being a world heritage site - so may be that information that I took from 'Mr. Google' is inaccurate. If I find out more on this - I'll update this post.

I did my own video of the church interior (rather amateurish unfortunately but gives you an idea of the look of the interior) here:




The Fishes Frieze:

 

My interpretation (as reflection on text in photograph):

Fishes Frieze

This was originally painted in the 1930s by Dick Bunting and Tom Cheeseman, and depicted every known fish in the sea.

Almighty ever-living God,

who are wonderful in the ordering of all your works,

may those you have redeemed understand

that there exists nothing more marvellous

than the world’s creation and the beginning

except that, at the end of the ages,

Christ our Passover has been sacrificed.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

More on this (frieze)


Bear in mind that, as I understood it, on the day, from an informal church guide that spoke to my wife at length - this fishes frieze originally went all around the church walls and was about "every known fish in the sea" - whether that is all seas or just our local North Sea - one assumes the local sea (and it reminded me of the recent art exhibition at the newly built North Sea Observatory [see another post] which had as its theme all the fishes in the North Sea). Forgive me (little lonely reader) but I don't recall the reason that the entire frieze, bar this section, was removed - but what a travesty!

Below - photos, randomly, to give a feeling for this amazing place ...

(WIP - work in progress)