A blog written in 2009 I think. Derek Jarman came too mind yesterday, and I watched his Avebury video (remastered) and thought about his garden and shack on the shore. It is up for a tidy sum nowadays by the way...But it brought back the memory of St.Peter-on-the-Wall, called thus because of its Roman connections set in the marshland that is part of the Dengie Peninsula in Essex. One thing I never mentioned at the time is the Bradwell-on-Sea nuclear power station that also stood on this shoreline. Over the years since I last saw it it has been decommissioned, but a Chinese company has taken the site over to build another one!! So at the moment it is in a 'quiescent' state but future plans lie here.
Landscapes are a wonderful way of discovering the world, everyone so different, all down to of course the geological rocks which dictates the plants. There is definitely a feeling of loneliness on the marshes.
And so the virtual visit, but this time in the mind only.
"In a blog on my other site, I mentioned Saint Cedd* as he sat beneath a great oak tree, and I shall perhaps write about this saint later, but on Tuesday we visited the Saxon chapel of St.Peter on the Wall, founded by Cedd in AD 654, the chapel still standing in a bleak location by the sea.
Firstly you must imagine the scene, the flat Essex landscape merging with the great estuary, and then the drive through the village of Bradwell on Sea to the position of the chapel on its promontory facing the grey expanse of the sea.
Park the car in the grassy car park, walk along the straight long track between brown ploughed fields to the building sitting on its grassy knoll; you are one of many pilgrims to have walked this way, this may be somewhere to visit as a tourist but never forget that pilgrims came with a great deal more in their hearts.
The building is not beautiful, uncompromising it has stood for 1400 years. Grey in the sunlight, it is made up of reused roman stone and tiles, refurbishing tiles and bricks complete the top half.
It is built on top of roman gateway, foundations to a fort, the old Fosse running parallel to the entrance of the chapel, the Roman fort of Othona it is thought, one of The Forts of the Saxon Shore.
Touch the rough texture of the worked stone at the corner, look down at the half hidden buttresses in the grass layered with the red of Roman roof tiles, turn the ring on the great oak door pushing its heavy weight till the interior unfolds before your eyes. The austere simplicity of rough grey stone and flint walls dimly lit by the light from the windows. Benches in front of the modern altar to sit quietly on and take in the atmosphere.
Now let the mind travel along its walls, here are the arched domes of the waggon doors when it was used sometime in the medieval period as a barn. There is another arch facing you, now blocked in, that would have led to the basilica type apse at the East end. Focus on the great colourful cross high on the wall, for this chapel is still used twice a day by a local 'Othona' Christian community. then note in the right hand corner, a long vertical stone with a candle on top, at the base is a large rounded stone, with flowers grouped around it. A puzzling enigma, is there a touch of paganism here?
One more thing to note here is the modern altar, a square rectangular slab of stone on three pillars, and here we come to the Celtic heart of this chapel, for it is these three modern stones that represent Saint Cedd's other communities..
The left stone is a gift from Holy Island, Lindisfarne, it was here that Saint Cedd was trained by Saint Aidan.
The centre stone is a gift from the Island of Iona, the Celtic mission in Britain started here; it was here that St.Colombus founded a monastery where missionary monks were trained.
The right stone is a gift from Lastingham, Cedd left Bradwell to build a monastery at Lastingham in the Yorkshire Moors, and it was here he died of the plague in AD.664
The bank of the promontory folds down into a boggy sea marsh, a nature reserve, filled with wild plants, a pleasing palette of greys and browns, shot through with the red of plant stems. A lone birdwatching hide stands almost bird shaped itself on its long poles, gaunt and lonely looking out to sea.
Going back to the car and settling into its warmth from the chill Essex winds, picnicking on hot tea and rolls a great flutter of wings and young starlings fell around us settling to drink from a puddle. Soon two more waves of these birds landed, harassed, ever so slightly by a blackbird, a thin flutter of nervous excitement running through the flock as they perceived danger, each a perfect image of his companion.
Information taken from; A booklet by H.Malcolm Carter - The Fort of Othona and the Chapel of St.Peter-On-The-Wall...
I remember you visiting this when you and Paul were still in Essex. It's seen some history happening. A lonely place in winter I should imagine. When we stayed with K's brother in Essex, we would walk the salt marshes at Brightlingsea and though pleasant walking and sea air, not for me. I like my hills and heather and trees.
ReplyDeleteSt Cedd had a sad ending. You don't expect saints-to-be to die of the Plague - not that one would ever expect them to be immune of course!
Totally different from your Wales Jennie. I actually lived in Essex for a while as a young girl, and my first marriage was in a cold Essex church. The countryside can be very beautiful.
DeleteIt could easily be an old farm barn until looking inside. Thank you for sharing the photos and info
ReplyDeleteIt was a strange place Sue, the Othona community huts alongside hidden amongst the trees, but the little church was so simple in its interior design, that one felt the need to sit down and meditate.
DeleteWell, they certainly knew how to build them to last! Looks solid after all these years. I like the simple interior - peaceful...
ReplyDeleteIt has been patched up over the centuries Ellen but it has mostly kept its shape.
DeleteSuch an interesting and strangely beautiful area I have never isited.
ReplyDeleteDominated of course at one stage by a nuclear power station but the surrounding area is rather beautiful Pat.
DeleteI love the interior of that church. I'd have had to sit on the benches and wonder about the people who sat on the benches before me. As old as that church is, I'd have been sitting there for sometime doing a lot of wondering about a lot of people!
ReplyDeleteI remember it echoed with the noise of the door, the Othona people must have come from all over the world to see this strange place of worship Debby.
DeleteI think austere and beautiful can go together - it's a sort of early brutalist architecture, uncomplicated, strong and authentic - I like it.
ReplyDeleteIt's history is written in it walls Mark and the reuse of building materials from far back is part of many an Essex church by the way. Civilisation staying in one spot through the centuries, the patchwork of repair a necessity.
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