Winter light, early afternoon at St Peter’s Church, Tiverton, 2013. A gallery of hassocks, appreciated by someone enough to raise them from the ancient floor so they can greet visitors with all the flourish of a medieval pageant. The subjects are wild and varied, many birds and even Saint George tackling a dragon. In particular … Continue reading Christmas 1973 – and so to church…
Tangled wood: Horner, one of England’s largest oak forests. Coming down like the wolf on the fold, cohorts gleaming purple and gold… Church of All Saints, Selworthy. A gleaming monument from across the valley, an iced confection when face-to-face. A little too much confection for some, but it’s too pure not to be enjoyed… Exmoor … Continue reading An Exmoor September
In the seventh century, Brochwel, Prince of Powys, was hunting hares with his pack of hounds; a hare took refuge beneath the cloak of Melangell, a young woman of such sanctity that the hounds would not go near her. Brochwel could not encourage the hounds, and the hare was saved. Brochwel gave Melangell the valley … Continue reading Saint Melangell’s hares
There is much more recognition of Rex Whistler these days, but his brother Laurence has also left behind some amazing work. Here are two windows – inscribed on glass with scriber and drill – from St Nicholas Church, Moreton, Dorset. The church was hit by a German bomber in World War II, and rebuilt with … Continue reading Whistler in the wind
London, a freezing weekday afternoon walking from Spitalfields. We’re looking for churches, and a synagogue, which we picked from a handbook. Whitechapel Gallery beckons on the way and we go for a look. I’ve no idea what’s on, but it turns out the theme is Urban Nature, which is fairly apt. Only 24 hours in … Continue reading Gilt in the City on a winter afternoon
A noiseless, patient spider, I mark’d, where, on a little promontory, it stood, isolated; Mark’d how, to explore the vacant, vast surrounding, It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself… – Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass Summer’s green all girded up in sheaves, Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard… Sonnet XII, … Continue reading St Nicholas Church, West Lexham, Norfolk
Passing backwards through the eye of time… Where services are still held by candlelight… The memory of their lives and faith lingers… Continue reading Culbone Church, Exmoor – the smallest in England
He went, like one that hath been stunne’d And is of sense forlorn: A sadder and a wiser man He rose the morrow morn. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Here’s a small cinematic gem of a music video – an autumn afternoon of pale sunlight, the air perhaps smoky with bonfires, … Continue reading The easy listening sounds of Samuel Taylor Coleridge
WHISTLES IN THE WIND 