I popped out recently to check the actual location of a cottage for sale at Nether Whitacre about 25 minutes from here and as I was in the area I decided to visit St Michael and All Angels at Maxstoke. I've seen the interior of the church when we went to a Christmas Tree Festival there some years ago but I've never had a good look round the churchyard.
Plants in Walls - the lovely Ivy-leafed Toadflax
We quite often walk in this area as there is a handy car park at the church :)
St Michael and All Angels is 14th century and founded initially in 1333 by the founder of Maxstoke Priory and Castle William de Clinton who was born at Maxstoke and went on to become Earl of Huntingdon in 1337. It is believed to have been a chantry chapel rather than a chapel of the nearby Priory. The Bell Turret is Georgian.
C14th churchyard cross restored in 1886.
If you want to see a few photos of the church interior please see St Michael's Maxstoke although be warned most are photos of the Christmas Tree Festival.
This rather lovely cottage wasn't the one I had checked out earlier but it was on the market a while back and I really regret now not going to view it as it was affordable and the location is lovely. Although I do remember it had a really ultra modern kitchen - all stainless steel which was what put me off somewhat. A Shaker Style kitchen imho would be much better suited :)
Recent Reading
I thoroughly enjoyed the latest Joanna Piercy novel - she is back at work after the birth of her son but DS Korpanski is still on sick leave.
The 8th book in the Jackman and Evans series and a great read. I am really enjoying this series.
My son bought this book - its a short autobiography covering the author's childhood. Fascinating reading especially if you enjoy Alan Garner's books - The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is a superb book. Some of you may remember we visited Alderley Edge where many of his books are set. D and I recently attended a brilliant Zoom talk on the locations in his novels.
As you will see I've been reading more of the Faith Martin Hillary Greene books set in Oxfordshire. I just find these stories totally unputdownable!!!!
Some of you will remember I have read a couple of books on stories behind graves and churchyards which I didn't really enjoy that much but this set in Herefordshire was, to me, far more enjoyable, especially as most are churches I have visited or could in the future. Some amazing stories have been uncovered.
This Hillary Greene novel took a bit of getting used to as she is back in a different role. I won't say too much in case anyone else is reading the stories but HG is in her usual fine form.
Old family photos
I found a scan of an old family slide recently which made me smile. It must have been taken in the early 1960's before Land's End became the theme park it is today!!!! I'm top right in the photo next to my younger brother with my mother and paternal grandmother sitting below. Talking of boxes and boxes of old family slides I brought back when mum and dad's house was sold - we still have loads to go through and I still haven't looked into having a bag full of old cine films converted. I suspect it will very very expensive. B did think of doing it himself as we have an old cine projector but I think he gave up as it was so time consuming and even if he went ahead he has loads of his own and his parents' cine films to do first.
All photos, except the last one!, taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would appreciate an email first - thanks.
5 comments:
I have a plethora of ivy leaved toad flax. Mostly purple, although this afternoon I discovered a white one in the garden. They're very pretty. Such a shame they just take over everything.
It seems to have become quite the thing I suppose for Health and safety to put old gravestones up against the cemetery walls. It must make it very difficult, though, for people who are trying to identify old graves which has also become quite the thing I think
Sweet photo of you all back in the 60s. I have never been to Land's End, but I imagine today it would be quite the three ring circus. .
Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much. Ivy leafed toadflax is very pretty - you don't see so many white flowers though.
I agree ankd I've seen quite a few churchyards now with gravestones lined up on the wall. I know of an organisation in Herefordshire where volunteers go and survey churchyards and make a list of all the inscriptions. I think they are available on cd's?
We went to Land's End when the kids were little and yes its ruined - a bit like Alum Bay on the Isle of Wight. They may both be owned by same organisation I am not quite sure and I have a feeling same org owns Warwick Castle which is totally over commercialised too :(
Rustic Pumpkin - Think same company owns Lands End and Alum Bay but Warwick Castle owned by different Company. Just done a google search :)
I think a stainless steel kitchen would feel like a restaurant kitchen and not a homely, family kitchen. Lots of lovely books with some of the authors I read too. Lovely to have your old family photos. We have digitised most of the slides now and copied the photos but still have the orginals, no idea what will happen to them. I remember Land's End from the late 50s, we travelled there in a motor bike and side car, me in the back of the sidecar:) Dad joined the AA in the car park there. I seem to remembr I was taken to see the wreck of an old ship that could be seen from quite close to the cliff edge. Perhaps I'm dreaming this? Enjoy the rest of the bank holiday:)
Rosie - Thanks so much and I agree totally about the kitchen.
To be honest Rosie we did leave some boxes of slides there I couldn't face bringing them all home. Further complicated by the fact that many are my grandfather's! I think David has done about half. The problem is the one's remaining are in slide boxes that would slide into a projector for a slide show and are covered in glass frames.You have to get the glass off to fit them in the scanner and its messy as glass breaks and time consuming!
My memories of the AA are of the patrol men saluting your car if they saw the AA badge!! I don't remember the wreck I will have to look at the rest of the slides to see if I can find one.
Have a good weekend too :)
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