I had a difficult day today, in certain respects… so I decided a stop at a church was indicated. And it so happened that my last drop of the delivery route was a stones’ throw from St Mary’s church, Reed.
St Mary’s.
I’ve been to this church before. Last time I visited the organ was being repaired/rebuilt. This time the lawn was being mowed…
The guy mowing the lawn was a friendly local. We had a brief chat. He told me Reed is mentioned in the Domesday Book.
Looking over the outside and inside of this fairly humble little church was, as I’d hoped, rejuvenating. And the countryside roundabouts was also gorgeous
Teresa had her head wound checked and the dressing renewed today. Then we had a brief riverside walk.
After that I suggested we make up for yesterday’s trials and tribulations by having lunch at Elsie’s Tea Room. Which we duly did.
The window display is totally changed.
Teresa had a toasted cheese and ham sandwich, and I had baked potato with tuna-mayo and grated cheese. Delish!
We had a pot of tea each, and finished off with a knickerbocker glory, for dessert. I also bought two jars of conserves (marmalade and strawberry jam), and four ‘quarters’ of tuck shop style sweets.
Bliss!
The bill was pretty modest – esp’ in today’s extortionate climate – for what we got. And the pure joy of it all made it worth every penny.
An interesting collectable book.
The only slightly bum note was my hayfever, which was horribly intense. I took a piriton tablet. But to no discernible effect. And the constant sneezing quite wore me out
But, all told? O’ Frabjous Day! Simple pleasures are often the best.
Well… tonight’s (strictly speaking yesterdays’) 15th – or Crystal – wedding anniversary didn’t quite go to plan!
Initial triage bandaging, Peterboro’.
Teresa fell and injured her head, travelling home from work. I picked her up at March rail station, and took her directly to the Doddington MIU (minor injury unit).
Back home, wound dressed.
They didn’t do ‘owt but tell us to go to Peterborough hospital. And we were there – just like the last time – for seven hours!
But eventually they saw Teresa and got her sorted out. Phew… we got home at 1.15 am. Finally enjoying our glasses of anniversary bubbly in bed.
Crystal anniversary earrings.
And I was at long last able to give Teresa her card and present, which should’ve been handed to her over a curry, about six hours earlier.
Oh well, never mind. At least Teresa’s ok. That’s the main thing.
Just a few snaps of the old-fashioned green and cream paint scheme, at March railway station. I took these pics whilst awaiting Teresa’s arrival, with her head injury, on our 15th wedding anniversary.
For the first time since buying her – she’s stayed looking remarkably good all this while – I had Flo’ washed today.
My older smaller cars (MX5s, Ford Fiesta) were £8 a pop. This SUV sized beast is £12. Can’t really afford it. But gotta look smart for work!
Plus it always feels good to have a shiny sparkly car for a while.
Whilst the Eastern European folk – the boss was very friendly – washed Flo’, I sat inside her, and read the article I reproduce above.
It covers All Saints church, on Jesus Lane, and 183 Gwydir St, both in Cambridge. I’ve visited the former. And marvelled at the Arts & Crafts interior (indeed, a photo of part of one of the walls was once my phones’ wallpaper!).
Google Earth screengrab, of 183 Gwydir St.
The latter, also know as David Parr House (visit their website here), however, is entirely new to me. Parr actually worked on All Saints, as a young apprentice. And 183 Gwydir St was his final home. Which, we are told here, he decorated amazingly over his lifetime/tenure.
We must visit! Or in my case re-visit All Saints, and take the guided tour (hmm!?*) at David Parr’s House.
* I’ve never been too keen on such group activities. I prefer to explore on my own.
St Paul’s, Gorefield
St Paul’s, behind a beautiful English Plane.
I’ve stopped and photographed the exterior of this church before. It’s always been locked, on previous visits. Today I called the Churchwarden, a local lady called Joy. She very kindly opened the church for me.
Once inside, I was immediately struck by some details at the altar end…
A dose of Synchronicity!?
One more gallery, of misc pictures. This church is much more modern than most I vvisit.
A fairly grim grey day, today (14th). But lots of ecclesiastical architecture, which brightens things up for me. The above, and the first gallery, below, focus on the separate tower.
From the tower, I made my way to the porch of the main church. After which, the church being locked, I went and got a key.
We’ve suddenly acquired a ton of Simpsons DVDs. And the best thing? Free!
We already had the Season One box. Now we have all of Seasons One to Ten, or rather all but Season Eight. And this also means I now have two sets of Season One and Season Four.
I’ll most likely gift the spares to Sofi and Ali, if they don’t already have them?
Pic
I binge watched disc one of the third season this evening. Reckon I’ve seen ‘em all before. But, still… good relaxing fun.
After the orgy of wood-carving in the previous gallery/post, it’s onwards and upwards, to the altar, for a look back…
Up at this altar end of the church, is where the only real concentration of stained-glass occurs. There are also many little mini-corbels, which are quite entertaining to study.
At this juncture I started to wander back down the length of the church, on the northerly side. Working my way back down the church towards the large and ornately carved font/font cover.
Once back at the font/organ end, I shot a few more sundry images, including some interesting pipe work – not just organ pipes – some of which skirts around yet more fascinating cornel work. This time larger and higher up (and correspondingly harder to see/photograph).
And so… we come to the final gallery! In this third, and probably largest, of these posts on St Peter’s. Which is mostly stuff I shot in the graveyard, working my way back to the car, through the underpass thingy. The latter has metal rings set in the walls. Poss’ for tethering horses?
I originally tried posting all the contents of these three posts in one single blog entry. But it was slow to load, and very glitchy. Hence breaking it up.
Nice graveyard pano’.
And ok, it is a lot of pictures. But then, as already noted, it really is a stunning church. In fact I’m still not done with it! I’d love to come back on a really sunny day, and snap away in brighter conditions.
And/or, maybe at the ‘magic hour’, of dusk or dawn? I guess I’d need access to the keys for that? We shall see…
