What's In Wimborne?

I am continuing to discover little corners of this delightful town just a few miles up the road. On Sunday I preached at the Wimborne URC church.

This building dates back to the 1840s-  but the original Congregational Chapel on this site was built in the 17th Century. Some of the existing walls date back to that time.
Inside it is standard Victorian Nonconformist style - lots of dark wood, an imposing organ - and a gallery across the back of the church. And of course, pews and a pulpit. 

I love the fact that on the ends of alternate pews, they still have retaining hoops and drip-trays for worshippers to park their damp umbrellas.

This little wooden cross, on the table beside the flowers was pointed out to me before the service. This was apparently carved from wood salvaged from the original Congregational Chapel in Ferndown. That was destroyed by fire in 1905 [believed to have been caused by a stray firework on Bonfire night]

This is the best picture I have been able to find of the old chapel. Quite why Wimborne URC possess this cross, and not our place, I don't know. Maybe some enterprising person in Ferndown produced these as a fund raiser to help finance our new chapel. 
Who knows? and there will not be anyone left now who can remember.

To the side of the Wimborne Chapel is an extensive area formerly the Church Garden - but in recent years, it has been let as allotments at a Peppercorn Rent to the neighbours [many of who have little or no garden space of their own]
They certainly keep their plots well tended - there were some impressive crops growing on Sunday morning when I looked through the window.

Originally this was called Green Lane - then Meeting House Lane - and nowadays it is Chapel Lane. A very narrow one-way street, the occupants have all decorated their frontages with hanging baskets, tuns of flowers and window boxes.
It was a charming little walk from the chapel, after the service, back to where I had parked my car.

Quite why there was a French Fire and Rescue truck parked alongside, I am not sure.

Finally a picture of Robert Fripp, from the band King Crimson. He's also the husband of Toyah Wilcox. This gifted musican and composer has been named among the world's top 100 guitarists.
No I did not see him on my visit to Wimborne on Sunday - but this is the town where he was born, 71 years ago.
Fripp once declared that "Wimborne is the centre of the Universe"
I can't agree with that - but I do think it is a lovely place, and there's plenty more excloring to do...