Saturday 4 May 2019

Albion Smiles

The English countryside was wearing a broad smile this morning. A slightly chilly smile, it must be admitted, but a pretty one nevertheless.



Pretty enough to seduce me into a long walk just west of Hitchin anyway. This is not an area famed for its scenery and the weather forecast wasn't very encouraging either, but if you don't get out there you'll never know. Prepare to be pleasantly surprised.


Hertfordshire is full of surprises, just a mile or so from the bustle of Hitchin marketplace you can find yourself in a little slice of rural England-as-we-like-to-imagine-it.


If you've got to do a little road walking during the day then it's always encouraging to see an "Unsuitable For Motors" sign, and the lane soon deteriorated into a rough farm track - excellent!


It's been a splendid year for cowslips and some are still lingering in odd shady spots, like along this sunken lane.


Just a hint of the Chiltern Hills ahead, though we're not officially in the "Chilterns Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty" today. Looks nice enough to me.


A scattering of sheep on the distant hillside and grass green enough to conjure up Blake's "England's pleasant pastures". Lots of feet must have indeed passed this way "in ancient times".


If Vaughan Williams is more to your taste then there was a lark ascending too.


I'm making my way to the village of Great Offley, whereupon, having had a nosey around, I shall turn around and walk back by a different route.


Great Offley must have one of the daftest churches I've ever seen. The nave is of fairly standard "English country church" design, albeit with a porch that looks too big for it. The west end has an attractive red brick tower that looks like it belongs somewhere else. Then there's that chancel. You could be excused for thinking it might be a water tank, or a piece of 1960's brutalism, though it actually dates from 1777. What were they thinking about?


Down in the village was this attractive half-timbered building with red brick infilling. Long time readers might recognise this odd-shaped roof as being that of an old dovecote; it's very much the standard design for such buildings in these parts.


I'd hoped to treat myself to some chocolate, but found that the village shop had closed down a couple of months ago. My informant also told me that it would be opening again in a few month's time - I decided not to wait.


I had to make do with sweet scenery - a feast for the eyes at least.


The map calls this narrow track I'm following "Windmill Lane". Our ancestors certainly knew their land well; this was quite the windiest stretch of the whole walk. The windmill though is long gone - it probably blew away.


We're getting near to the end of the walk now. My steps led into the pleasant little hamlet of Charlton where I found a house with a Blue Plaque.


It told me that in this house in 1813 Sir Henry Bessemer was born. At first I couldn't place the name, though I knew I'd heard it before. He was the inventor who revolutionised steel-making with his Bessemer Convertor; I vaguely remember learning about it at school. This is hardly the sort of countryside you'd expect to be the birthplace of such a man.



Take care.



24 comments:

  1. The architecture of the church is indeed peculiar. The countryside is quite pretty!

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  2. That wander through the countryside is good for the soul. Just gorgeous!

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  3. That is as lovely a walk as I could hope for, but I doubt you would ever lead us along a boring or mundane path!

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  4. That was a lovely walk. What a unique church that was too, very odd!

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  5. I think your walk was outstanding, and I am in full agreement that a sign indicating that the road is unsuitable for motorists is about the best news you could have. I am just curious, how far did you walk on your round trip.

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    1. About 11 miles, David, though a couple of those miles was getting from Hitchin rail station to open countryside, not that Hitchin is at all unpleasant as towns go.

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  6. So green! Hopefully in another month it will be the same here.

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  7. Wonderful rolling hills...though that wind must have given you a bit of pause. That church (whatever it's name) must house a congregation that is very accepting of it. I'm so happy to see sheep in big pastures of green!

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    1. The church wasn't open, Barbara, but a little research tells me that the chancel is stuffed full of monuments to the local lords of the manor and it was their descendants who paid for it.

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  8. The more I see of your English countryside, the more I like it! Absolutely stunning photos. As a hiker, I'm really drawn to photo #5.

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  9. Hi John - what a wonderful walk ... I've loved being back in England this year ... taught me to appreciate the way the gentle greening of Spring arrives slowly in little England.

    You've captured some delightful photos - while the church is quite an extraordinary amalgam of construction ... funny old 'water tank' - as you say, one wonders why ...

    Bessemer - how interesting to see his birthplace ... and then to know he gave steel to Sheffield ... cheers Hilary

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    1. I think the reason for the windowless chancel is simply that there were so many family monuments lining the walls that there was no space for windows! Why they didn't build a separate side chapel for their ancestors' memorials is another matter.

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  10. Could your country scenes here and mine a few days ago possibly be any more different John, chalk and cheese.. at least until we get more rain 😊 Gosh the Great Ofley church is proof that even back then there were some disastrous choices in architecture.

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  11. You do find the most beautiful places to walk. Love these photos.

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  12. Wonderful idyllic country scenes. The church addition is odd indeed.

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  13. Green, green, green! An English spring — it’s just so lovely. That church is certainly odd with all the bits added with no regard for style of architecture. Certainly is one-of-a-kind!

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  14. I about laughed out loud when you said the windmill of Windmill Lane was long gone...that it probably blew away! I just think that is hilarious...maybe I am tireder than I think! I enjoyed all photos, but especially 5th and 11th!

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  15. Thanks for taking us along, again! The countryside is beautiful and I love your narrative.
    I appreciate your info on my shipping marker about church spires being used as markers. That makes perfect sense, but I would never have thought of it!

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  16. I really enjoyed this walk with you around the idyllic, beautiful countryside. I’m always attracted and pleased with this kind of British feel.

    Yoko

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  17. What wonderful countryside and most peculiar church.

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  18. Beautiful photos of an idyllic countryside. The church is most unusual just as if someone put a jigsaw puzzle together in the wrong way:)

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  19. The countryside is so pretty, I know I would have a wonderful time walking it. Great photos as always, John.

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  20. So beautiful! I miss the English countryside!

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