9:00am Wednesday 1st September 2010
By Bill Tanner
REVEREND Nicholas Lowton just has to look around to reinforce his reason to believe.
He has lived in his 50-square mile parish in the shadow of the Black Mountains for nearly 30 years and can say that he still sees something stunning everyday.
They tend to be stayers in these parts. Rev Lowton’s predecessor as vicar of Clodock and Longtown – with Craswall, Llanveynoe, St Margarets, Michaelchurch Escley and Newton – was firmly in place for 32 years before retiring in January.
Out here on the remotest fringes of Hereford diocese, the church itself remains a sure foundation too, and not just in matters spiritual.
“We are still something to be relied on with so few public facilities left and those that are left under threat,” said Rev Lowton.
The flip side to this are the two full primary schools serving the patch and the congregations that keep on coming – with the over-50s overwhelmingly represented.
Just weeks into his new job after many years working in education, Rev Lowton wants his time defined by bridging that gap between the two through new ways of worship, bible study and “spiritual growth”.
And there’s something else on the horizon.
He’s very interested in the connection the diocese and its church towers is looking to forge with local firm Allpay as a link for a high speed wireless broadband service.
On a patch like his that could make a real difference he says.
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