In Search of Primroses and "A Frog he Would a Wooing Go"

Most years just before Easter I visit a local churchyard to see the display of wild primroses. My usual destination is St Giles, Packwood, where, if you time it right, there is a stunning display with a carpet of primroses covering the churchyard. Unfortunately, I had forgotten Easter was early this year and discovered that, although a few clumps were already flowering, it was too early for the main display.

Behind the fence is Packwood Hall which is next to the church. The hall, now privately owned, dates back to the 17th century and has a moat. Edith Holden of The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady fame visited there on 24th February, 1906, and picked a bunch of snowdrops from the church and was shown a lamb by the farmer at the hall.

St Giles

St Giles dates back to the 13th century and is dedicated to St Giles, the Patron Saint for beggars and the lame, and today the church is always left unlocked allowing it to be used as a place of refuge for those in need.

Sara Ford from nearby Packwood married Michael Johnson at this church in 1706. Their son Samuel was to become a famous literary figure and dictionary author.

A lovely feature of this churchyard is that, although the area near recent graves is kept tidy, the area where the older graves are located is left to its own devices and nature has taken over with ferns, brambles, ivy etc. scrambling over the ancient tombs and gravestones. It is a real haven for wildlife and over 100 species of wild flower have been recorded here.

A few clumps of snowdrops, now past their best, remain and Lesser Celandines are starting to flower - sprinkled over the grass like golden stars.

Celandines also known as Pilewort have been used to make an ointment to treat haemorrhoids. Local names for this harbinger of Spring include Golden Guineas, , brighteye, butter and cheese, cream and butter and starflower. In the Language of Flowers this plant stands for "joys to come" referring to its appearance so soon after Winter. It was William Wordsworth's favourite flower and he asked for it to be engraved on his tombstone. Unfortunately the stonemason carved a Greater not Lesser Celandine!



I couldn't see any violets yet and just a few clumps of primroses were starting to flower.

In folklore Primroses are a symbol of youth and it is thought they are lucky in love and marriage

A memorial to Graham Baron Ash and his parents who once owned Packwood House before the latter passed it on to the National Trust.

This gravestone has some interesting carvings. Cut flowers can symbolise a life cut down in its prime and a hand with a pointing finger can imply divine presence. I'm not sure what the ears of wheat signify.

This tombstone always fascinates me- it makes you wonder if you leant on it or pushed it would it give way and open and entrance to the Burdett vault!

And this is the vault behind.

A blocked up priest's door

A few more old tombstones and graves.

Sundial on the Tower

This a mass or scratch dial. Centuries ago a stick was inserted in the hole to act as a primitive sundial or clock so that the time of masses could be calculated.

The Tower of Atonement

Nicholas Brome from nearby Baddesley Clinton who committed two murders - his father's killer in 1471 and, as mentioned in the past, the priest of Baddesley Church in 1483 when he found him in the parlour "chocking his wife under ye chinne". His atonements for evil deeds included arranging for the construction of the tower at St Giles.



On the way home I drove past Packwood House to see if the roadside daffodils were yet flowering. Again, I was too early - some are out but many of the plants still contain buds.

If I get chance I will return.




Garden Frogs

Garden frogs spawned last week starting on the 13th March although we are a little worried about the effects of below freezing temperatures at the weekend.

Books, Shopping, A Canal and a Church plus a cake

Some recent reading.



Having got up to date with the Shetland and Vera Stanhope series of books, I thought I would try some more of Ann Cleeves' work. This book was totally different and I suspect one of her earlier novels? I enjoyed it but there again I've been a birdwatcher for years and years and even attend the occasional twitch. I am not sure how a reader who doesn't know much about twitchers would get on with story as there is an awful lot of the book taken up by the subject. But it is an easy and entertaining read and I will try the next in the series.

This book by Martin Edwards is, in my view, the best so far in the Lake District Mystery series.

Really loved this second Nikki Galena story.

Rosie from "Corners of my Mind" blog recommended this book after I had finished reading The Dinosaur Hunters by Deborah Cadbury. This is a super book detailing the life of Mary Anning - a famous fossil hunter from the early 19th century. The book has made me want to return to Lyme Regis and also do more research on this remarkable lady.

Ramble through the Heart of England was on sale in a local bookshop for just £2. I bought it because it includes some fairly local places such as Lichfield, Bosworth Field and Shugborough Hall. It is an interesting "slow travel diary" and contains snippets of information about churches, canals, birds, trains, pubs,famous people in the localities visited, wild flowers and butterflies etc.

Towards the end of last year I had planned to go to an exhibition at Compton Verney featuring the illustrations in the book below. Sadly, for one reason and another I never went so decided to treat myself to the book instead. This is such a beautiful book with wonderful illustrations and "spells" written for various species in the countryside. The words such as acorn, bluebell, otter, fern, dandelion and bramble, are sadly disappearing from the vocabulary of young children and this book aims to bring them back to life. Every primary school, if not every child, should have a copy of this excellent book. I cannot praise it enough.

Determined to read more of Mary Anning I bought this book - it is very short but it is informative and worth reading if you want to learn more about Mary, early geologists and fossils.

E was on holiday last week and, on the spur of the moment, decided she wanted to visit a shopping village at Trentham which had been recommended by a friend of hers.

It was good to discover Natural World as our local branch shut down years ago.

There was a very good pottery shop which had Portmeirion pottery and ranges by Hannah Dale plus some pieces of Moorcroft. I do love Moorcroft but sadly it is far too expensive for me to consider buying any.

A bear shop! I decided not to go inside as a purchase might make Timothy rather jealous! but

I did make a few purchases at the Cheshire Cheese Company shop.

We had lunch at the Riverside Cafe - in my case a cheese and tomato toastie.

Timothy posing with the cheese and chutney purchases.

We spent so long in the shopping village and home and garden centre that we didn't have time to visit the gardens and woodland walks - hopefully we will go back later in the year.



On Sunday D and I decided on a canal walk at Catherine de Barnes walking in a different direction to usual and a route taken by Edith Holden in The Country Diary of an Edwardian lady.

Daffodils are starting to flower.

Mr and Mrs Mallard

But as you can see the tow path was very muddy and, although I was wearing wellies, D only had shoes on so we didn't walk very far!

On the way home we stopped off at the hamlet of Bickenhill. I knew the church would be closed as I had tried to visit before so just had a quick walk round the exterior.

St Peter's Bickenhill

Parts of the church date back to the 12th century although there is little left to see from that period. Alterations occurred in the 14th century and the west tower was added in the late 15th century. There was a major restoration in the second half of the 19th century.

Another local church that has marks where arrows were sharpened centuries ago.

17th century graffiti

Baking


I made this triple ginger loaf cake a week or so ago and it really is delicious especially if you like ginger. You can find the recipe here

Frogs have started spawning in garden pond today - there has been a lot of activity and thankfully no sign of the heron! I will try and get some photos tomorrow.