April 9th - Tewkesbury 6 - Deerhurst some more

We walked a short distance, past this tree with a gaping hole in its trunk

 and just the other side was the River Severn, flowing innocuously, but deceptively fast when you took a second look. Fast enough that the ducks on the water were fairly whizzing past, and preferred to fly back upstream rather than swim..




Looking back, we could see the tower of St Mary the Virgin, the parish church, and all that remains of the Saxon Minster. That was our next destination, just a few minute walk.

When we got there, past two sets of formidable steel floodgates firmly mounted to solid walls, and the remains of the old defences close by, we saw a sign:

Angels are becoming a sort of ostinato. You can just make it out, up high, on a wall at the east end of the church. The original circular apse was replaced by a later seven-sided building, which was later demolished, leaving just this angel. 

 Here he is in close-up, a photograph of a photograph from the information board inside the church.

The church interior, what's left, which is plenty, is stunning. Two more pictures from the information board:

 And one of a pair of Saxon carved beasts either side of the entrance door.

We left in peace, and came back to the Gatehouse for lunch (via shopping for milk and firewood for the log fire).

He went out for a prowl afterwards, while I stayed in, listening to music and getting on with working on the current patchwork quilt - this one -

I'm at the stage of quilting around each of the patterned squares to layer up the filling (an old fleece cot blanket which was second hand when I got it) and the backing - the remains of a duvet cover that he already had when I married him. So far, on this holiday, I have done 9 squares. That's not bad, as they take at least 15 minutes each. It's the right task for here because I can tuck myself under the rest of the quilt while I am working on a section - very cosy and warm.

Tewkesbury 3 - So like Skegness

Weather - bright, sunny, dull, overcast, drizzling, raining, sunny, bright, dull....

We went through the Victoria Pleasure Gardens opposite, down to a river. Not a river, an off-shoot of the Avon, made by the Benedictine monks for their mill. We could see the marks of the floodwater on the walls which bounded the gardens. This is what it looked like at the beginning of the year;



http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/WEATHER-Gloucestershire-flood-warnings-remain/story-20402012-detail/story.html

 

If you think of the Abbey as being at the centre of a clock, the Victoria Gardens are at about 9. The blobs are the trees we walked beside, and the building completely surrounded by water at 10 is the mill. Perhaps I should reassure you that the water is all back where it belongs now so our feet were quite dry.

 

Once at the mill, we walked up towards the town, peering along the hundred of little alleys that run between the buildings back down to the river. Just about every building has to be listed as grade something-or-other, especially the house that is only 8 feet wide...

 

I didn't take any photographs, exect this one; a rather fine angel carved onto a door.

 

 

He said I should have waited until the angel had emerged from the shadows but I couldn't hang around that long. Why not? Well, did I mention the weather? As well as the sun and the clouds and the rain and the drizzle, there was a continuous ICY WIND that made his ears tingle and kept my hands firmly in their pocketses. April? It's January in there here parts! SO BRACING - like the Skegness of the railway posters.

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O74309/skegness-is-so-bracing-poster-hassall-john-ri/

 

 

We walked up the length of the High Street and it started to rain. So we dived into an excellent cafe where we thawed out with hot chocolates (mine was a "baby choc", his was the "eggstravaganza" involving whipped cream and crushed mini-eggs). And immediately, the rain stopped and the sun came out. That was the kind of weather it was.

 

Excitement was provided by someone's car catching fire in the main street - one fire engine and one police car and all sorted.  

 

By now we really were too cold, so we made our way back to warmth and shelter.

 

On the way, we looked in at estate agent windows - we could sell our 1950s surburban heap of bricks and afford a four-bedroom sweetly pretty roses round the door cottage and have money over for cheese (we know people who really like cheese)

 

But if it is always going to be freezing or flooded here, we might think again....

 

Spent the afternoon back in the Abbey, having another look at the beautiful stone tracery, the stained glass, the ceiling bosses, the misericords (can't pass up a good misericord). They have a splendid selection here; I liked this hen and cockerel.

 

http://www.misericords.co.uk/tewkesbury.html

Back at base camp - less of the base, more of the mid-altitude camp, we played with fire, and finally won

 

 

 

At least, for a brief hour or so. It has now reverted to a pile of embers.

 

Oh well, "and so to bed" as Pepys said.

Tewkesbury 2 - Darkness and Light

When we put the lights out last night, it all went dark. Properly dark. We have out own personal streetlight at home, planted outside our bedroom window, which stays on until midnight.

After a few minutes, the darkness became less complete, but even so, it was night time for real.

The wonderful thing was waking early in the morning (the alarm has been set for 6 am for so many years that our internal alarms are hardwired now). A pale, silver light was creeping in through the windows and differentiating the high lights and shadows of the monk who supports one corner of the ceiling. How fitting, that he should be the one to see in the dawn - lauds?

The light slowly, imperceptibly, but actually rather quickly, if you see what I mean, became yellow and then gold. The Angel Gabriels's hair was tinged with gold, then his face, then the angels on the other side of the room...

We started the day with coffee in bed (I did that bit) and then croissants and marmalade and more coffee downstairs in the morning sun (he did that bit). Whisky marmalade, thanks to a Christmas present, and Chantry Hotel marmalade, thanks to a good friend.

Once we were ready, we sallied forth into the town.

Tewkesbury 1 - Angels!

Horrible horrible drive through  driving rain and blinding spray thrown up by vehicles. Rain reduced to just a light drizzle when we got to Avebury (remember the stone circle? I think we stopped there with Hilary on our way back from Cornwall). Well, we stopped there for lunch, but didn't stay long - cold, windy and wet.

 

Extraordinary swathes of COWSLIPS along the verge of A417 towards Gloucester and M5 - never seen so many in one go in my life. I've read about making cowslip wine, and always wondered as you need BATHTUBS full of flowers, and I've not seen that quantity in one go before. 

 

Arrived in Tewkesbury shortly after 4pm - still raining. The gatehouse is stunning - in many ways. Was pretty much pole-axed by the stairs to get the "first floor" - steep spiral staircase of 44 narrow windy stairs - well lit, glad to say. Once I'd made it to the top, and caught my breath, I found myself in charming living room with old-fashioned furniture, antique portraits, polished dark wood tables... You can see all here|:

 

http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/search-and-book/properties/abbey-gatehouse-4453.

 

The man was a hero - he made a zillion trips up the winding stair from the car with all our stuff (food, clothes, "tech").

 

Once we had recovered we lit the fire, had a cup of tea, and later went for a little potter round the Abbey itself. The quality of the stone carving in the Abbey is amazing - there's a chantry where the stonework is as thin as wood, and appears to be so light that a breath would blow it away. There are ceiling bosses and arches and pillars and niches where statues used to be, and traces of wall paintings... some fabulous, glorious modern stained glass in rich green and gold. We'll have to go back there.  

 

When we go to bed there are beautifully carved stone angels keeping watch (how DID they escape the vandalism of earlier times?). Here's Uriel, with the book of Revelation

 

 

and Raphael, praying for healing (a previous guest worked out who they all are - there are four, Gabriel, reading a long message, and Michael with a shield are also with us.)

 

 

 

 

 

I remember singing this song, from "Hansel and Gretel", when I was at school. The London Quartet sing a luscious version of it on their album "Lullabies and Goodbyes" which I frequently listen to;

When at night I go to sleep,
Fourteen angels watch do keep,
Two my head are guarding,
Two my feet are guiding;
Two upon my right hand,
Two upon my left hand.
Two who warmly cover
Two who o'er me hover,
Two to whom 'tis given
To guide my steps to heaven.

Here it is for you to listen to...

http://metoperafamily.org/video/watch/hansel-and-gretel-evening-prayer-aleksandra-kurzak-kate-lindsey/1498420822001

Sleep well.