User Reviews
St David's church in Glascwm has 13th century nave has two original doorways, and the chancel dates from the 15th century. Part of the original wagon ceiling remains. The church was heavily rebuilt in the 19th century, when most of the medieval windows were replaced.
The most interesting historic feature is the font, dated to the late 14th or early 15th century. The nicely carved chancel arch is 15th century, with wave mouldings typical of that period.
One unexpected memorial is a simple wooden cross, tucked in behind an old church bell at the west end of the nave. The cross commemorates a pair of German airmen, Oberleutenant G Brixius and Feldwebel A Liedig, who died on 25 April 1942 when their Junkers 88 was shot down over the village. A military funeral was held for the dead airmen at Glascwm church. They were later reinterred at the German war cemetery at Cannock Chase.
References:Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.
The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.
These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.