Garden, Reading and a Brief Trip to Herefordshire

On the patio quite a few plants have self-seeded - yellow corydalis, lobelia, marjoram and valerian.

The Christmas Tree re-potted last year has put out plenty of new growth.

Wall Pennywort plants continue to do well in the greenhouse although an inspection today suggests some of the leaves are being nibbled :(

Scented white flowers of a climber on the patio arch.

Marjoram is flowering - Gatekeepers love this flower but I haven't seen any yet this year.

Lavender

We are growing potatoes in "bags" on the patio.

Orange and yellow "lilies"

St John's Wort

Last year for the first time the Passion Flower flowered and there are loads of buds again this year too.

Blackberry flowers

Astrantia which I love is starting to flower.

Last week we watched a female Blackbird taking food into shrubs where a recently fledged youngster was hiding. As the week wore on he/she became more brave and started flying round the garden.




Recent Reading

This is an interesting little book which I have now taken to the caravan.

The Caravan Park mid-way between Bromyard and Leominster finally re-opened last Saturday so on Sunday we made our first trip there since last October to take the items we had bought for the kitchen.

The Worcester Road passes NT Brockhampton which might be worth a visit in the not too distant future. The grounds and estate are open if you pre-book (I've just checked tomorrow to get an idea and there are still time slots available) and I gather the estate is big and you could walk for miles so it sounds like a good place for a "safe" walk.

By social distancing the caravan was handed over to us and we finally got the keys.

Here it is in its new location.

The owners of the park had made a lovely gesture by leaving us a huge bouquet of flowers and a bottle of sparkling wine.

Timothy imbibing!

View to the front and

view to the rear of the caravan.

The people who had a caravan on the plot previously had left a bird feeding station which will be useful and save us having to buy one!

There is a little area to the rear of the caravan where you can create a small garden which again the previous plot holders had done - we even found a small apple tree!

B spotted a Red Kite (I missed it) but apparently there are 3 in the area so I should see one on a future visit.

I spent most of the time washing up and putting away all the kitchen items we had bought with my daughter's help.



But we did walk down to the pool and wildflower area.

The pool is mainly used by people who want to fish but

there is a small bird hide.

The wild flower area where I saw quite a few Meadow Browns - it was quite cloudy and very windy so I think you would see a lot of butterflies and bees when the weather is better.

Meadowsweet

We only stayed for the day but will hopefully be going for a short stay in the not too distant future. I still have items to take as we only had room in the car for so much. Unfortunately the lock down has meant I haven't been able to get all the items I wanted to.

The journey only took an hour and twenty minutes as the motorway was unbelievably quiet and there were none of the usual traffic jams by Worcester where there are roadworks. Herefordshire itself seemed remarkably quiet which is good news for future visits although of course places like Ludlow may well be busy and I think it will be a while before we venture to places like that.




All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera

Garden, Reading, Baking and Two Churches

A few days ago I was in the garage and noticed there was a dragonfly perched on a nearby pole in the garden.

I am not sure whether it is a Common Darter or Ruddy Darter.

Rosebay Willowherb has self seeded on the patio.

Recent Reading


This is a new author for me - the book is quite short and introduces Kate Shackleton and her first case. I enjoyed the book enough to buy the next in the series on the Kindle.

This book was really interesting - just wish I had the "proper" book rather than a Kindle version. I do like Arts and Crafts Gardens and Houses and one day will return to Wightwick Manor and Hidcote.

The latest Maisie Dobbs story was good - I have enjoyed this series. For some reason I have a feeling this may be the last MD story but I hope I am proved wrong.

E made a Cherry Cake yesterday - another recipe from Mary Berry's "Fast Cakes". We are still ok for flour having got some from Shipton Mill but trying to order cake making ingredients when you do the supermarket online shop is still proving difficult. So many items are out of stock from mixed dried fruit to greaseproof paper, from vanilla essence to light muscovado or even light brown sugar! I did, however, manage to get some more plain flour and some icing sugar in this week's Morrison shop.

Last Sunday E and I went for a drive around the Fillongley Lanes. I was hoping to stop off briefly at two churches I have not visited before to get photos of the church exterior and churchyards. E was not impressed and insisted on remaining in the car on both occasions so I only allowed myself 5/10 minutes at each church. A shame as there seemed a lot of interest - I shall have to return on my own.

St Leonard's, Over Whitacre

The church is on a main road outside the village and as I knew I couldn't park on the road I checked google maps and found there was a car park at the church next to the village hall. I used to do a BTO Atlas transect walk round this area some years ago and I never realised the car park existed but used to park in a pub car park in Over Whitacre itself!

By the North West churchyard gate there is a former school which now fronts the village hall. The building is 1840's Tudor in stone with a cross on the central gable.

The church sits on a hill looking towards the town of Coleshill and in the very distance the city of Birmingham. The church with its Baroque and dramatic steeple was built 1765/6 and possibly it was the early work of Francis Hiorne.

The West Door is flanked by volutes.

The church is now open for private prayer if you contact the church warden. As far as I know this church is usually locked and I have never seen any details of open days.

The churchyard contains 18th and 19th century memorials in slate and stone including one to a local steeple builder who lived in nearby Over Whitacre. I really should have read my Warwickshire Pevsner before visiting!

The base of the churchyard cross supporting an octagonal bowl with quatrefoils alternating with the symbols of the Evangelists.

St Cuthbert's Shustoke seen across the fields.

And so onto the village of Fillongley and

St Mary And All Saints

The nave of the church was widened and rebuilt around 1300.

Although it appears the church will be opening for private prayer it is not I think a church that is normally open to the general public who wish to take photos. So many of the North Warwickshire churches are kept locked.

The church has some good examples of 17th century table tombs (such a shame I didn't have longer to look round!) and the remains of two crosses - one 15th century restored by Bodley and Garner in 1896.

According to "Ghosts of Warwickshire" by Betty Smith this church is or was haunted. Over the years there have been many reports by people walking along the churchyard path of the cowled figures of monks chanting Latin verses and some individuals felt they were being held back by an invisible force.

During World War 2 the vicar's wife went to the church as it was getting dark and inside she saw a man wearing what appeared to be a black cassock standing by the altar. She thought it was her husband although thought it a little strange as she had just left him at home sitting by the fire. As she walked towards the figure it suddenly disappeared into thin air.

Stories of the ghosts spread around the village and one very sceptical man who didn't believe in ghosts said he would spend the night in the church BUT just after midnight he came running out of the church terrified. He refused to tell anyone what he had seen or heard and never went in the church again.

Fillongley never had a monastery so who were the monks who haunted it? Eventually it was discovered that the altar stone in the church had come from Maxstoke Priory a few miles away and it was thought that the ghostly monks had come with it.

Maxstoke Priory was founded in 1331 by Sir William de Clinton of Maxstoke Castle. The monks, however, did not lead very pious lives and there were many complaints about assaults and marauding and in 1399 one of the brothers murdered one of the other monks.

The Priory was dissolved during the Dissolution so perhaps the 7 monks who were residing there at the time made their way to Fillongley along with the altar stone?

When the hauntings began to really worry the villagers a clergyman volunteered to go to into the church at midnight and read a Special Divine Service designed to remove spirits. As he read the latin verses he bcame aware of other voices joining in and making the correct responses - the ghostly monks were taking part in a service that was supposed to exorcise them!!!! The clergyman fled rather rapidly!

At Maxstoke Priory there have also been reports of the voices of monks chanting in Latin.




I have no idea whether the church is still haunted but I certainly didn't notice or hear anything strange during my very brief visit! In fact only once in all the churches and churchyards I have visited did I experience something a bit "strange". I was taking photos of the font and so strong was the feeling that someone was standing just behind me that I kept turning round and looking but there was no-one in sight. The sensation disappeared once I had moved away from the area by the font. I am sure there was a logical explanation as there were several people in the church praying and it could be one of them left and passed behind me without me noticing.






I hope everyone is staying safe and well. Take care all.



All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera


Reference
"Ghosts of Warwickshire" by Betty Smith
"The Buildings of England Warwickshire" by Chris Pickford and Nikolaus Pevsner