Ledsham Church

I met Jon today for a walk from the RSPB Fairburn Ings bird reserve. We did a circular walk through three neighbouring villages and finished by walking through the reserve. All the villages have a long history that remains evident today in buildings and other features. Walking into Ledsham there is an atmosphere that reflects the long history of the settlements there. The foundation of the church goes back to 8th century and is the oldest extant building in West Yorkshire. This doorway is at the base of the tower and probably dates to Norman times. Unfortunately the church was locked so we were unable to go inside and view some of the oldest features. The other buildings close to the church include alms houses for the elderly and the school and school house, all of which date back centuries. It begs the question of how communities can again have ownership of the public buildings that serve them.
A good day walking although the north wind can have a chill to the air.