More photos from Staffordshire/Derbyshire

More photos from the week in Staffordshire/Derbyshire.

 A stone Cross, very old, with Celtic designs upon it in Bradbourne Churchyard - notice the "cup and ring" designs which are very ancient and universally found in Celtic art. These are very similar to the Welsh spirals.

 A giant yew tree, over 1500 years old, in Doveridge Churchyard. There are many old yews to be seen in this area, and yews are among the most longlived trees in Britain. This one seems to be a clone of trees,arranged in a semicircle with a hollow centre, the original tree having died. Its branches are propped up on all sides. Yew trees have poisonous berries, which may be why they are mainly to be found in churchyards well away from livestock. Yew trees also provided wood for the famous English longbow. It seems probable that these areas were pagan sacred sites that were appropriated by the Christian church.

 Carvings on old pews in, I think, Alstonefield church. Most churches have pews of a more modern date, as seating in churches was "reformed" several times. It was deemed most important was that there be seating for the poor, where annual fees need not be paid; the Victorians installed new seating and enlarged churches. Of course churches were packed in those days, today I expect that there are more than enough spare seats for services....this carving reminded me of the motifs shown in many Welsh quilts.

 Coal carts in Silverdale churchyard, a reminder of the local coal mines that were formerly so important to the local economy. Presumably, ironmongery is represented by the gates in the background.

 Another giant yew tree at Ellastone Church, one of several at this church.

A beautiful door at Bradbourne Church, with carvings of animals real and imagined around the arch.

A final photo - ringing handbells in the hot tub!! Molly Jonathan and Faith ringing handbells - just to note that these are toy plastic handbells and not the real (and rather expensive) bell metal handbells. Considering that they are an inexpensive childrens toy, they sound very good!

St Mary le Tower Ipswich Outing to Cambridgeshire

Yesterday was the annual ringing outing of the St Mary le Tower bellringers. The day was arranged by George Pipe, a well known ringer from Ipswich. We went to Cambridgeshire, a round trip of about 150 miles. Seven churches were visited, most with spires (unlike most Suffolk churches which have sturdy towers). Before lunch we went to Ely. The cathedral at Ely has no bells, so we rang at the parish church, St Marys. The black and white house is associated with Oliver Cromwell.

We also rang at Bluntisham. Some of you may be familiar with the books of Dorothy Sayers, who wrote The Nine Tailors and Gaudy Night among others. The bellringing in The Nine Tailors is at fictional churches in the Fens, but as her father was rector at this church, Bluntisham, she knew bellringing from her childhood days. There are eight bells here.

We had lunch at Stretham in the Red Lion. When we came out, my car had a very flat tyre, with a big nail to be seen sticking out of it! Luckily we were able to put on the spare (temporary) tyre and drive to the next tower. I will have the get the flat tyre repaired on Monday morning.

And here is All Saints Church, St Ives. The town is attractively situated on the banks of the Great Ouse River. You may remember the nursery rhyme:

As I was going to St Ives I met a man with seven wives, Each wife had seven sacks, Each sack had seven cats, Each cat had seven kits, Kits, cats, sacks, wives, how many were going to St Ives?

There is more than one St Ives, the other is in Cornwall, but as the one in Cambridgeshire is an ancient market town, it has a good claim to be the one in the rhyme...

The church had an exhibit of church vestments; we concluded that the parish lunches were a good fund raising effort, as most of the vestments had been paid for by these.

Here we are ringing at St Ives - eight bells.

And here is Hemmingford Grey church - again on the banks of the Great Ouse. A sign in the churchyard says that it is prohibited to fish from the churchyard - the river runs along one side of the church...Lucy Boston's house is located nearby - it is supposed to be the oldest inhabited house in England, the Children of Green Knowe books were written here and Lucy also made a series of quilts which are featured in a book.

View from the church yard across the river at the end of the day. We went to the Axe and Compass pub before driving home to Suffolk.

Engagement Congratulations

We often ring the bells for special occasions - this week we rang a quarter of spliced Surprise Minor - and the special event was the engagement of Richard Munnings and Ruth Eagle, who got engaged a week ago. Here's the photo taken last night after the quarter of spliced Rossendale, Stamford, Warkworth and Annable's London. Rather hot work this week! And, just as we were starting off, the treble bellrope (the one I was ringing) broke and it took about 20 minutes to go up into the bellchamber and fit a new rope. But the ringing was very good after that, if I do say so myself....

Congratulations Richy and Ruthie!! ( that's them in the front row, with me on the left) .The other ringers are Kate (Ruth's mum), Mike and Mary.

Bank Holiday Outing to Norfolk

Yesterday we went on a trip to Norfolk, ringing at four towers as arranged by Mr. Norris. We rang four quarter peals: Cambridge at Brooke for their flower festival, Plain Bob Minor for Alaric at Dickleburgh, his first quarter on six, then Norwich at Bressingham and spliced surprise minor (Cambridge, Beverley and Surfleet) at Banham. Nearly a lock out at the last church! Finishing with a curry at Bungay.

I used to think it was just a story, but it apparently is true that a distant ancestor, Robert Fuller left Redenhall in Norfolk and sailed to Massachussetts on the Mayflower. His grandfather was the town butcher and helped to pay for the bells at Redenhall. So a real family connnection at Redenhall, and probably also at Bungay nearby - what a handsome church! Perhaps that's why I like bellringing...

More on the star quilts tomorrow....