17/05/2026
Last week Claire Bibby visited St Michael’s Church in the village of Duntisbourne Rouse, near Cirencester, that is home to an organ gifted by Katherine Mansfield’s sisters in Katherine’s memory. Claire took a copy of ‘The Collected Poems of Katherine Mansfield’ (published by Otago University Press) to gift to the church and sent us this account of her visit, along with these lovely photos. Thank you Claire!
‘We visited St Michael’s Church, Duntisbourne Rouse on a May afternoon. It had been raining most of the day, however, when we arrived the sun shone through the clouds. The church is on a steep hillside and approached by a very tiny lane, with parking for one vehicle between high hedges. We walked down the pathway to the church, unlatching two little gates, a wooden one and a wrought iron one at each end of the way. It’s a very rural church in a paddock, surrounded by burial sites in long grass and wildflowers, with a walking trail passing through. Somewhere behind the hedges and trees we could hear cattle mooing. It is a peaceful romantic place. The church has a very small bell tower with two bells, approached by the tiniest stone spiral stairway dating back to 1587. The church windows date back to 12th century and there is a painting and crypt dating from 1200. I left the gift of Katherine Mansfield poems on the organ donated by her sisters with a card. What a delightful church and how lovely to think her three sisters felt that music was a fitting memorial to Katherine.’
Claire is the President of the Glenside Progressive Association and a driving force behind the restoration and care of the c1880 Glenside - The Halfway and its beautiful garden.
