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Tugford church stands only a mile or so from Holdgate and was an established village at the time of the Domesday Survey. A reference to a chapel here dates from as early as 1138, and here can be found two sheela-na-gigs flanking the doorway. Yet again, they seem to have been moved from their original position.
I suppose we will never know the true origin of these unusual statues. Each theory as to their origin can be made convincing, if stated with sufficient conviction, and each theory can be disputed by yet another theory. Personally, I am rather pleased we will never know their true meaning or origin. Because of this lack of knowledge, they will most likely survive, if only as a curiosity, but something ought to be done to preserve them as their detail is slowly diminishing. I should hate for them to deteriorate to a point where I had to explain exactly what the woman depicted in each sculpture was doing!
The Fugitive King As our school days recede, one of the few bits of history that sticks in the mind must be that of how King Charles II evaded the clutches of Cromwell and his troops by hiding up an oak tree. But where is this oak? And where did the events that led up to Charles taking this unusual means of concealment occur? Many people and counties make claims to having the actual tree that he hid in, but the truth is that most of the events took place in the County of Shropshire. mmm To set the scene for these events it is necessary to go back in time to the 17th century when the country was in a turmoil and still recovering from the effects of civil war. Charles I had been executed and Cromwell had declared the country a common-wealth. The young Prince Charles sought refuge in France and then later in Holland. It was merely a matter of time, though, before he attempted to regain his father's throne, and shortly after his 20th birthday he set sail from Holland and landed in Scotland on the 23rd June. Together with his loyal Scottish troops he made his way south, reaching Worcester virtually unopposed where he was proclaimed 'King of Great Britain, France and Ireland'. Cromwell reached Worcester four days later and camped to the south-east of the city. mmm After preliminary skirmishing, a huge battle took place on the 3rd of September, 1651, and by the end of the day Charles had been soundly beaten. The dejection and confusion of this moment are best reflected in Charles' own account which he dictated to Samuel Pepys some thirty years later.
"After the battle was so absolutely lost as to be beyond hope of recovery, I began to think of the best way of saving myself, and the first thought that came into my head was that if I could possibly, I would get to London as soon as possible, if not sooner than the news of our defeat could get thither. And it being near dark I talked with some, especially my Lord Rochester who was then Wilmot, about their opinions of which would be the best way for me to escape, it being impossible as I thought to get back to Scotland.