Sorry folks, last week didn't improve much with keeping. Keith had his UTI (onto the 2nd lot of antibiotics by then - fortunately these worked.) I was more than a bit tired and worn out and I just wanted to crawl into a corner with a good book. It was very difficult to even drag myself out of bed each morning - I felt like I'd run a marathon overnight.
Danny, Emma and "I" were here this weekend, which cheered me up. "I" helped me bake some Chocolate Chip Muffins for them to take home, and we discovered she has a new passion - washing up. She stood on the stool and washed up the same plastic bowl for quite 20 minutes, very happy and chattering to herself :) Then we did some jigsaw puzzles I'd found in the local charity shop. I've just ordered several dinosaur ones (all in the same pack) for Christmas. Danny wants this to be a screen-free house when they visit, so it will be simple toys and then board games as she gets old enough. They went for a walk in the rain, which then rained MUCH more the longer they were out, and came back soaked.
Anyway, here is St Mary's Church at Clifford for you.
I presume this was the site of an old preaching cross, now topped with a more modern sundial.
There were a lot of chest tombs in the graveyard - not all as upmarket as this one. In fact, the whole graveyard was densely "planted" with various tombs so I think this must have served quite a large part of the parish.
The church is 12th and 13th C, and this font dates from that period too. Restorations were carried out in 1839 and 1888. HERE are the listing details if you are interested.The door above is also dedicated to Hubert Bagster Trumper T.D. It sounds like he was much liked and admired in the county.
The great and the good are remembered. I liked the castellated memorial two down, though the dedication is hard to see now.
HERE is a link to the family - as you will see families intermarried in this area and a few of them will already be familiar to you. It really is worth following the link and reading.
This is what I really came to see. I am thrilled that this effigy has survived down the centuries. Such a thing is rare - the only other one in the county is at Much Marcle. He dates from the late 13th C.
In memory of the fallen . . .
A rather splendid church organ.
The manor house, just across the lane.
View across the ploughed fields just before the church.
I am shortly off to view the Monday auction again. I shall take a good book (and need it!) It's a shame it doesn't start till mid-afternoon. Keith is interested in something, so it would cheer him up if I am able to get it. I am still struggling with low energy levels but at least I will get out and I can leave Keith some nibbles whilst I'm away.
Gabby is coming up to see us tomorrow, and Tam and Jon at the weekend, so that will cheer us up greatly. Tam and Jon can cover whilst I go off to Malvern on the Sunday. BFN.
At least you seem to be getting some much needed help now, as long as house guests pull their weight and don't leave it all up to you to do. I'm sure they do help you. Good to see you getting out and about, and hope for success at the auction for Keith.
ReplyDeleteNo, the kids are helping. Though I didn't force Danny to help me inside with the seed stack yesterday as it was raining so hard. Gabby gets to do that tomorrow! I left bids at the auction. We will see what transpires.
DeleteGlad to read Keith is feeling better and hope you catch up on your sleep. That family history was so interesting, I love history and am the keeper of all the family paperwork and photographs. I hope you manage to get the item Keith wants at the Auction, is it militaria? Off on the school run tomorrow which should be interesting when home fielding kitty cats off the worktops. We've been and put down a deposit on a new suite today, I eventually stopped dithering and made an executive decision! Hugs Gill Xx
ReplyDeleteI can never understand why some people don't find history interesting - it's about people after all, and what they did, and who they met. The auction will phone me later if I've been successful.
DeleteWell done on ordering your new suite. I hope there's not too long a lead time on it. Kitties here have been after Keith's fish at teatime!
So pleased you had such a lovely family visit and have more to come soon.
ReplyDeleteA lovely church - glad you got out to visit one. The effigy is just superb.
I've just started reading a good book on Victorian Stained Glass by Trevor Yorke - a subject I could do with learning a lot more on!
Take care.
Yes - I sent them a middle of the night woe-is-me message so they've obviously worked out a plan . . . I know stained glass is your thing, so you will be enjoying that book.
DeleteThat is a nice church and not that far from Builth, must add that one to one I would like to visit. The effigy is in good condition and I spotted one in Brecon Cathedral the other day though it is damaged.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few in the churches around where I live in Oxfordshire which I have seen. I managed to complete my quest to visit the Churches Phil Jones had on his website at Brecon.
Do you know what happened to Hisdoryan? her website seems to have disappeared
It's a pretty little church, just beside the pub. Must check out Brecon Cathedral for a wooden effigy - went there last year, I should have noticed it! Glad you've seen the ones you wanted recently local to you in Oxfordshire.
DeleteHisdoryan is now posting on Instagram instead - she's moved to Cardiff.
Having family visit can be extra work, but so uplifting. "I" sounds delightful. Hope this week is better for you and Keith both.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was tired after having "I" here! Not used to full on child care these days :) Fingers x'd for an improvement with Keith.
DeleteWhat riches in the church. The wooden effigy is a rare survivor, I have never seen one before. We’ve visited our nearby Elizabethan house, Parham, last Friday and again on Sunday as they have the most beautiful flower festival in the house, using material entirely from the garden. I love Parham and on Sunday we wandered across to the little church which still has its box pews and even a small fireplace in a side chapel to look at the 14th century lead font which is apparently quite unusual. Certainly the description says it is the only one of its kind. And yesterday after an early lunch which followed a morning of busyness I took us to The High Beeches, the most magical garden in Sussex. It is a woodland and water garden of 25 acres on quite a steep slope in the High Weald and so peaceful with the most incredible planting of rare trees and shrubs all beautifully looked after by just two gardeners. I ended my day in the company of my wonderful book group and slept soundly for a full eight hours. I have been feeling so stressed lately about lots of different things - admin of the financial sort including being the guarantor for our son’s new house share which was a complete nightmare, appts to make, house and garden maintenance, I was being stretched to my limits, but I hope I have ticked a lot of these off my list now. We have the electrician coming tomorrow, the roofer is here on Thursday and on Friday S has his pre-op appointment for his groin hernia. Life is just a continuous process and I have to tell myself that I am good at processes and can do it. I spent Saturday afternoon by myself in the garden. I had my list and got lots done including clearing the greenhouse border of tomatoes and basil and sowing winter salad crops but I felt so tired. S came out with a cup of tea and we sat on the bench in the meadow and felt the coolness and watched the sun going down and the bats were already on the wing and I felt better. I am so happy with my veg plot as we head into autumn with chard, spinach, black kale, purple sprouting broccoli, leeks and garlic all in and looking good. I made the most delicious squash and borlotti bean stew on Saturday morning and we ate a portion on Saturday evening and three more portions are in the freezer, plus eight bags, equivalent to 8 cans, of braised borlotti beans are also in the freezer. So there is no need to beat myself up about all the things I cannot do or have failed to do. Hope you are having a better week BB. I know you are good at processes (you are a producer and a maker so you must be) so as long as we keep going and cut ourselves some slack from time to time all will be well. How is the weaving going? Sarah x
ReplyDeleteI am glad that this set of antibiotics seem to be working for Keith. What a lovely church and that organ is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to sound slightly weird, but I could visit old country church graveyards for hours.
God bless.
What a lovely church, and churchyard. That preaching cross that is now topped with a sundial looks too high for anyone shorted than a giraffe to use - or is that an optical illusion? I do hope Keith improves, and you get plenty of help with the washing up - aren't little ones a joy ... tiring, but a joy!
ReplyDelete