St Peter & St Paul Church - Market Overton

Market Overton: Visiting St Peter & St Paul Church! (28.10.2025)

Culture is an interesting thing – as it often changes and switches. When Henry VIII abolished the Roman Catholic Church in the UK in 1534 (Act of Supremacy) – followed by the Dissolution of the Monasteries – these were tremendous Revolutionary acts that must of shocked the entire population. Even before this, Henry V annulled all foreign-owned abbeys and monasteries (as many English church establishments had been given as gifts to ecclesiastical authorities in other countries) – bringing them into the ownership of the English State. Perhaps the Revolutionary writing was on the wall. Still, out of all this, the “Anglican” (Protestant) movement development – and most of the churches in the UK today are “Protestant” (the Catholic Church was only permitted back into the UK during the early 20th century – but it remains very much a minority religion).

17th Century Safe - Old Wooden Safe - Built In2o Bedroom Wall!

Market Overton: 17th Century Wooden Safe – Built into Bedroom Wall! (26.10.2025)

Anyway, I digress. This morning, and for the first-time in decades, I heard a local Parish Church ring the church-bells – summoning the faithful to worship on this crisp Sunday-morning! I am literally sat in the epicentre of history! Probably far more so than usual. As you can see above – in the bedroom I am frequenting – there is a wooden safe built into the wall. The wood does not seem that secure to me – and I know I could easily place my fist through the door – it seems that thin (not that I would do such a thing). Years ago (in Hong Kong) when I had to punch objects whilst holding an egg in the palm (which had to remain “unbroken”) – the objects I had to hit were far more “stout” than this structure. I cannot not discern any writing on the casing of the safe – but such a craftsman’s signature might be immediately adjacent to the inner wall structure.