As today was so beautiful we went for a walk to Little Baddow church, parking the car near the River Chelmer so that could walk across the field, there were skylarks in this field. One of my interests in church yards are the wild flowers that still remain, but not to be seen so far in this quiet spot. Planted graves with spring flowers had encouraged queen bumblebees out, a red tailed one and a yellow tailed one, they worked the crocuses and heather flowers..
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Norman church with later 15th C addition of tower.
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| Slightly eerie these barrel shapes |
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| Elegant memorial, many of these type have a tendency to subsidence, so that the top becomes askew |
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| red tailed queen |
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| this queen had yellow banding |
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| timbered old Manor house |
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| Busily intent bottom feeding this swan took no notice of anyone |
Like all churches the range of headstones reflect the fashion of their times 18th century table top tombs, Victorian extravagance and even a 1930's modernist stone. Sad yes, but the peace of the place is timeless, there was also a very new headstone for a soldier killed in the Great War.
Earlier blog on Little Baddow Church
This is a postscript, or not very interesting photos. The first one shows a fairly newish grave just outside the main grave yard, newly planted it had a host of hoverflies round the flowers and what looks like dog paws across it, though it could have been fox.. The other photo is a close ground shot of the lawn, but which shows a patchwork of wildflower plants, so there is always hope.
And perhaps this photo to underline the parlous state of the small streams that feed into the river due to drought, though the Chelmer itself runs well...
What a lovely post for early spring. Wonderful to see the bumble bees and honey bees out foraging again.
ReplyDeleteBaddow Church looks interesting and so peaceful.
Although the spring sunshine is so welcome, we really do need some rain.......
Interesting place to visit even from afar. Near my girlhood home was a small graveyard with woods grown up all around. Some of the stones were quite elaborate. I noted a surprising number of infants and young mothers had died within a space of a few years--wondered about their family stories.
ReplyDeleteThat second to last photo of greenery shows plants very similar to what I've been yanking out of my flower beds--a naturalized lamium, called henbit by the locals.
Hi to you both,
ReplyDeleteYes DW we do need rain desperately, especially this part of the world, and isn't spring early? bit worrying that.
MM, We walked through at least a 20 acre field to get to the church, and not a weed to be seen, the churchyard was a small oasis in a desert. I recognised one of the turf weeds as ground ivy, a pretty little blue flowered plant that used to snake along the stone steps and rockery in my old garden, seem to be losing the names of plants here in Essex!
Aha - I see that I am among my dear friends here today! God's Little Acre - that's what they used to call the churchyards, as they were allowed to bloom in all their wild glory. If only "they" would leave our local one alone - an acre of wild Columbines (Aquilegias) - absolutely stunning - so they cut them down because someone wanted it "tidy" . . .
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