For much of my blog writing I have felt unsure, or maybe even shy, of commenting on other blogs. But by the same token I have become more aware of people who have now become my friends. I still ask myself what are you doing writing about everything under the sun. The answer is of course I enjoy the backdrop of life, the history of all the things around me. Pure, unadulterated curiosity in fact. Today I read several blogs, which I do every morning battling against a weak link called the internet. Nothing blows my mind more than having typed in a comment and pressed publish only for that silly little sign to appear.
Today which is St. Davids Day, the first of March, the cromlech that is hidden amongst the rocks on St.David's Head appeared, so that is why you see it above.
Reading Sue's blog (my Quiet Life in Suffolk) I suddenly remembered the Saint Winneral she was talking about, you can find him here in Cornwall. The photographs must have come from our friend Roy and I was immediately struck as I looked at them by the beautiful simplicity of the church, though a cross 'bloody Normans even got down here' crossed my mind.
A rather small, simple Cornish church, wearing its religion quite well. If you study the stone decoration round the door apart from the zig-zag of the Norman, you will see in the lower semi-circular arch, the maze in one of the panels. Anyone who has been to Cornwall will have probably walked down that pretty little valley with the maze etched on the stone, I always thought it was more recent. Never studied mazes though they do appear in certain places.
Edit;
Mazes and labyrinths: The difference is a maze is multicursal and the labyrinth is unicursal (only one path) So the two Rocky Valley motifs on the stones are a labyrinth. Date speculative could have been made 4000 years ago, or later for instance in the Iron Age, or maybe modern. Well that gives it a long history!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winwaloe
For the first time in fifty years we are not living in Wales on St David’s Day.
ReplyDeleteBut the daffodils are out and Wales is looking good, I think it also has a better government than the English one ;)
DeleteThank you for the info about St Winneral. That church, with it's low roof looks as if it is hunkered down against the weather.
ReplyDeleteMazes could be a good topic to explore their history!
The only 2 I knew are modern hedge mazes at Somerleyton Hall in Suffolk and a brilliant one we always went to at Blackgang Chine on the IOW - now in the sea! It had the cafe up above it and we used to look down on the people getting lost in it before going in and getting lost ourselves!
So different to your wealthy churches in East Anglia Sue. The only maze (where I got lost) is the Longleat one, and they also used to create a maize maze in a field somewhere outside Bath.
DeleteA strange church in many ways.
ReplyDeleteWell that small archway is intriguing Tom. But the materials reflect local stone and design of course.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on not commenting, I often lurk and read for a long while before commenting. What a delightful church, I wonder what stories it could tell, that doorway is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWell the church could probably tell us of rebuilding over the centuries and it will have a history in the parish records. I just love the way the saints have their names dedicated to churches. The early monks took to the sea in their little boats from Wales down to Cornwall. Winnaloe took an opposite direction from Brittany and travelled anti-clockwise....
DeleteSo much different history in the interior of that lovely church. And on its outside, too.
ReplyDeleteYes Joanne it has worn well over the years.
DeleteI, for one, am glad you got over you shyness. You have so much to share.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very kind comment Debby, thank you.
ReplyDelete