The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham

Birmingham Heritage Week always reveals intriguing places to explore. Each year, the programme goes live at the end of summer, and tickets for the most popular destinations are quickly snapped up. For this year’s Birmingham Heritage week, I set my sights on two churches I had not previously visited, along with a guided walk in Birmingham.

The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham
The front entrance.

The first of these visits took me to the Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, a striking Orthodox church situated in Bournville. Renowned for its ornate ceilings and rich decoration, the church stands proudly on a hill overlooking the area. Arriving from Bristol Road, via the number 61 bus, I made the short walk uphill to the gates, where I was warmly welcomed by a member of the congregation.

The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham
The image of the Virgin Mary behind the alter.
The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham
Close up details from the side alters.

Stepping inside, the splendour of the Byzantine design is immediately apparent. The ceiling is dominated by a powerful image of Christ, while the dome above the altar features a serene depiction of Mary. Stone pillars draw the eye across the space, emphasising the church’s harmonious proportions.

The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham
Icons of the Madonna and Child.
The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham
The balcony with details at the back of the Church.

Unlike many Western churches, the Serbian Church has few seats. This open design is characteristic of Orthodox worship and allows visitors to move freely around.  I spent much time admiring the icons and intricate details on  the walls. The murals are painted in fresco, a technique where pigment is applied directly onto wet plaster, creating luminous images that glow in the light. I found myself mesmerised, pausing often to steady my concentration so that my photographs might capture even a fraction of the beauty that was before me.

The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham
Candles light up the Church.

The exterior holds equal charm. In the gardens, a golden crucifix stands proudly, while the church’s architectural form blends gracefully with its leafy surroundings. Time was against me, and with the church busy that day, I was unable to explore or photograph the adjacent hall—an omission I intend to rectify on a future visit.

The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham
The side entrance to the Church.
The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham
The imposing domes of the church against the sky.
The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham
The crucifix in the gardens of the church.

The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar is a landmark building and a must see place on the Birmingham Heritage week schedule. The church rewards not only the photographer but also anyone with an interest in history, faith, or art. For those wishing to learn more, the church maintains a comprehensive website offering detailed background on its story and traditions. My own visit left a lasting impression long after I put down my camera. Enjoy the pictures.

The Serbian Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Heritage Week, Bournville, Birmingham
Selective colour of the red carpet in the Church.

If you enjoyed this blog then please visit my other Birmingham Heritage visits that I have done over the years

IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024

Birmingham has a long and rich history and the names of George and Richard Cadbury are linked with the story of the City  Their success in creating Cadbury’s Chocolate led to the building of their factory in Bournville.  The brothers created a Garden Village around the factory to cater for their employees.  Sadly Richard died before seeing the project completed although this spurred on George Cadbury to complete the project.  Bournville village is now run by a Trust and is a legacy which is enjoyed by both residents and visitors to the area.

IgersbirminghamUK, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
The Rest House which is at the centre of Bournville Village.

IgersbirminghamUK organised their first photographic Instameet of 2024 at Selly Manor which is part of Bournville Village Trust. Selly Manor also has a long story. The original building “Smythes Tenement” dated back to 1476. Over time, the building deteriorated and was split into separate dwellings called the “Rookery”. The house was saved from demolition by George Cadbury who brought the property in 1907 and relocated Selly Manor from Selly Oak to Bournville Garden Village. The House was rebuilt next to the Chocolate Factory in 1916 and opened as a museum. 

IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
Daniel addressing the IgersbirminghamUK photographers.

Nearly 30 photographers arrived at the Museum on a bright sunny Saturday morning.  We received a welcome from staff member, Daniel, who gave us an overview of the house and then encouraged us to visit the rest of the area.  We were given a leaflet of the heritage trail that takes in all the notable buildings in the Bournville village.  We have some excellent photographers in the IgersbirminghamUK ranks as evidenced by the pictures that emerged on Instagram.  You can follow the pictures and reels from the day with the following tags and I have provided links to the relevant pages.  Please take some time to visit the pages and see the wonderful pictures. Thanks to the other members of the IgersbirminghamUK team for their organisation and help with the meeting Nicky Warwickshire, LenaMac77 and James_never_Jim.

The following is a selection of my pictures from the Selly Manor and Bournville Village Visit.

IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
Guide books at the ready.
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
A view of the Minworth Greaves building from a window in the Manor.
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
Beautiful detail of this head dress.
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
Civil war helmets.
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
A priest hole in the attic.
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
Easter decorations.
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
Beth and Adam dress up for the day.
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
Easter egg hunt in the gardens (sadly not the chocolate variety).
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
The stocks are waiting for you.

Further reading on Selly Manor and the Bournville Village Trust.

Following on from Selly Manor some photographers moved onto the Bournville Quaker meeting House where one of the Quakers, Anne, was most kind and showed us around inside.  The outside of the church does have a fairy castle feeling.  Inside the large hall was impressive with light streaming through the windows.  There is a raised platform with chairs and table from the Selly Manor museum.  This, as Anne pointed out, is not used for worship as Quakers sit around in circles in the centre of the hall usually with a table.  Anne then took us up to the balcony to see the organ and from here we were able to take pictures down into the hall.  I was even fortunate that Anne agreed to be in my 100 Strangers project. 

IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Quaker Meeting House, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
Bournville Quaker Meeting House.
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Quaker Meeting House, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
The hall inside the meeting house.
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Quaker Meeting House, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
The light streaming into the Hall.
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Quaker Meeting House, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
Organ Pipes
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Quaker Meeting House, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
The command centre 🙂
IgersbirminghamUK, Selly Manor, Quaker Meeting House, Bournville Village Trust. March 2024
Thank you to Anne who kindly showed us around the Meeting House.

There is much more to see in and around the Bournville Village Trust and those photographs will have to wait till another day. I spend much of my time talking to other Instagrammers during an Instameet and do not get the opportunity to take that many photographs.  Catching up with others and seeing what they have photographed is a bonus with such Instameets.  After the meeting we headed off to the Glass House brewery by the canal in Stirchley.  We had a good catch up including talking about that elusive picture that got away!

If you are interested in the @IgersbirminghamUK Instameets then I have other accounts on my blog with the one below as a starting point.