Saturday 24 March 2012

17 Mile (ish) Trip



Huge covering of mist greeted us today, however by half seven the sun broke through as I pedalled slowly past the early morning dog walkers and huffed and puffed my way to the back roads.  Here I delighted in avoiding dead rabbits and various birds left by speeding careless, or uncaring drivers and as yet undiscovered by the crows.  And were there crows?  I'll say!  Of course they could be Rooks but as no-one can tell the difference it makes no difference.  Each time a skwack was heard each nearby tree had a dozen nests.  Soon they will be full of raucous young, deafening anyone within earshot.  I would have pictures but they are remarkably shy and the mist hid the brutes anyway!


The idea when I began was to trundle around the back roads in the sun looking for interesting things.  The mist did hamper this somewhat, as did interesting things that were too far away or too near the windows of the expensive houses that I passed.  I know these houses are expensive as there were Mercedes and the like parked there in abundance.  Now I am not one to look through folks windows but I did notice few people were up and around.  Few closed their curtains either!  While I enjoyed the trip I did make the slight mistake of going down a new road and enjoying the slope downwards.  Great relief from the pedalling but the road sign at the far end pointed me towards Dunmow and unwilling to go back up the slope I foolishly went on, this was far too far from home for my knees.  There was nothing for it but to continue until and hope for a way back to appear.  Luckily I stumbled on a road back and ended up in Felsted instead.


Felsted has yet another 12th century church and I suspect a Saxon one stood there for a while before this time.  Again possibly this spot was used as a pagan site even before the Romans began their tour of Brittanica.  A lovely church, closed today sadly while they spend money renovating the place.  Nice door at the base of the tower, with a Norman arch (please confirm).



Just how many people have passed through this door over the years I wondered?  Today I suspect merely those intent of playing the bells that hang high above, certainly not to fix the clock on the side that appears to have been stuck at three minutes past twelve for ten years!  Right next to the church is an old school building dating to the 1500's.  I wondered why there were names cut into the wood.  Graffiti has always been with us.  We must let the world know we exist.


The flash was required as they lie in a darkened alleyway, but it is possible to make out some names, and the date 1806.  About that time the school moved to an impressive site just down the road and became a major public school.  The school was popular enough for special trains to run from Liverpool Street to carry the sons of the rich to their education at beginning of term.  


A gurgling river would have made a better picture had I not been looking into the now bright sunshine.  The scene would also have benefited from not having an empty water bottle lying there.  Plastic has brought much benefit to us, as well us filling us with toxic chemicals, but people's inability to dispose of it properly is a pain!  Wallace would agree!


   

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9 comments:

alan1704 said...

I like graffiti, there is something reassuring that someone else has been there before me and has seen the same things i'm looking at. Just like opening up a book and reading greetings from previous owners. We all have our own corners and sometimes they touch others.
By the way, great post.

Unknown said...

William--perhaps? After all, he did wander around a lot before he started his crusade.

Adullamite said...

Mametz, The Cilician gates, in south east Turkey, were reported to have graffiti from troops passing through, Greek, Persian, Egyptian, Hittite, they all left a mark.

Jerry,Possibly not, as he was dead 200 years before this....

alan1704 said...

Hi- I once visited Standen close to home. In the stables and rooms American and Canadian soldiers who were involved in the D-Day landings had carved their names into the wood. Many didn't come back and gave their lives a few days later. It was very moving and a fitting testament to them.

bigrab said...

Interesting stuff. There are grafitti carvings in the caves at Berwick upon Tweed dating back 400 years.

Good photos...

A. said...

A crow in a crowd is a rook, and a rook on its own is a crow. So I was told.

So you are having the mist too. And there I was thinking it was a sea mist.

Adullamite said...

mametz, Aye, i expect soldiers like to leave a mark at such times.

Rab, I didn't know there were caves there.

A, Lots of mist to see round here.

Jenny Woolf said...

This is a lovely post, catches the feeling of finding these mute reminders of the past.
I think it is a Norman doorway and a fine one too. Sometimes the Victorians copied Norman stuff but that hasn't had the chance to get old and crumbly. I am fascinated by the old school graffiti, and "Wallace" is beautifull carved, almost like a trendy bit of modern lettering. Do I see the beginning of a date 18-something by it.
The misty pictures are beautiful. I'm glad you got back okay and hope your knees are feeling better.

Adullamite said...

jenny, Thanks, not clear what date is by Wallace.