When your legs don't want to work! Plus a visit to St Thomas a Becket Church, Huntington.

 Well, it was just as well we went to Brita's lovely little Antiques Fair at Llandeilo on Saturday, as our planned trip to Malvern Fleamarket didn't happen on Sunday.  When we got back from Llandeilo, we both felt like we'd walked there and back (about 70 miles!)  I got Keith's Mobility Scooter into the car, and was thinking about making the rolls up to eat on the morrow, but put that on hold.  We ate our evening meal but both of us were feeling worn out and groggy, and so listened to our bodies and I didn't set the alarm. I woke around 6 a.m. but was so glad to be able to just turn over and go back to sleep.  

Yesterday we had an appt. with the Solicitor in town to have a fresh will made up for this property, but when the phone went at 10a.m., I said to Keith, "That will be the Solicitor cancelling our appt", and indeed it was. I was pleasant, but called into their office when I was in town and then I said, this has been going on since November when we first made an appt. and had to wait until mid-January for that, and then that one was cancelled.  Perhaps they didn't want our custom, in which case we would go elsewhere.  Hopefully they will get themselves in gear now but tbh, I think I will try a different solicitor.

Right, change of subject - I saw this old farm cart on the way to visit St Thomas a Becket Church at Huntingdon.  Quite a rare dedication apparently.

It is believed that this church stands on the site of a much earlier Saxon church.  It's certainly in a quiet spot - you drive through a farmyard to reach it.  It is reputed to have been rebuilt in 1210 at the behest of Richard le Bret, one of the murderers of Thomas a Becket as part of his penance. Post-Reformation, all but 4 churches dedicated to Thomas a Becket were rededicated, as he was deemed not to have been a saint.

By 1890 it was in quite a state of delapidation, as were many churches by the Victorian era and was rebuilt at the expense of Lady Arabella Romilly of nearby Huntingdon Park. There is more info HERE.  Also HERE.  The 2nd link gives excellent photographs of the interior and more information.

On the approach I noticed the remains of a tower beyond the fields, and it was connected to the Norman establishment in the area, and at one point the Chaplain lived there. This is right by Offa's Dyke, a wild border area which needed controlling.

The glass in the porch was very pretty.

The font is 14th C.

Lovely solid oak pews.

A Lancet window with a beading of stained glass surrounding it.

Memorials to the local Watkins family.

Sorry, not good light down this end of the church, so you can't see the Rood screen very clearly.

Sorry the photos are rather blurred.  This was the old camera which has been playing up more and more so in future I will just use it for local walks and stick to my new camera for  trips out.

I've made a big pan of soup/stew for lunches for the next few days - there were sad looking veg at the bottom of the fridge, and I had some mince to use up, plus two tinned chopped tomatoes, one of green lentils etc.  I did the grocery shop early yesterday as snow is on the way (just a tiny sprinkle on the hilltops first thing so far) and we are all stocked up now.  Keep warm everyone.