Thursday 24 September 2020

Touching The Past

The ancient Celts spoke of "thin places", where there was little distance between the real world and the spiritual world. I've never experienced that feeling, but I'm convinced that there are places where the present and the past are in close proximity and it's possible to feel your way back through the centuries.

The village of Hawkedon is connected to the modern world by only the most delicate strands; narrow by-ways that snake through the countryside, etched deeply through years of use and overhung by high hedges and spreading oaks. We passed a huge modern tractor in a field gateway and were thankful that we hadn't met with it along the road.


Although English villages can vary enormously in their size and layout, it's difficult to bring to mind any that are quite like Hawkedon. There are other settlements built around a village green, but here the green is large and the few farms and houses gathered around it are widely spaced, like a gap-toothed grin. And there, right in the centre of the green space, there's the church standing in its walled churchyard, completely surrounded by grassland.


There's something about the isolation of the church, away from the houses in an elevated position, that suggests that this is an ancient site, quite possibly an old pagan centre that was taken over at the very birth of Christianity in this country. The view from the south revealed a nicely proportioned church with a rather attractive little porch. Lets look inside.


It's difficult to explain, but there's an atmosphere of deep harmony and history here. Just stand there for a while as the dust motes are lit by the slanting sunlight, the warm light reflecting off the stone walls and illuminating the dark woodwork, and you'll realise this is a special space. And there are clues to its complex story everywhere.


The ends of every bench bear what are known as "poppyheads", upstanding decorative carvings many of which are difficult to interpret. Those three oriental gentlemen in the centre may perhaps be the three wise men, though they appear to be wearing some kind of hoods rather than the crowns which are more usual. That one on the right must be some kind of angel. But what's that on the left picture. Well, they may be lions, though they have very human faces. That's often the trouble with medieval carvings - the craftsmen who made them had never seen the things they were depicting.


And what's this strange beast at the end of an enormously heavy chain? I've no idea and I can't explain what he's doing in this remote Suffolk church. Just because you feel history is near doesn't make it any easier to figure out (any more than having a foreign language shouted in your ear makes it any easier to understand)!


Then there's this odd memorial to Richard and Dorothy Everard. The rather ugly cherubs and skulls are normal enough on a seventeenth century memorial but the inscription is unusual in its blandness: all it tells us are their names and that the memorial was paid for by their two son-in-laws - nothing about their lives, no mention of "resting in peace" or other common platitudes and, most surprisingly no mention of God, heaven, angels or anything religious at all.


In the east window there are panels made up of small pieces of medieval glass. These fragments are what survived destruction by the Protestant iconoclasts, reassembled at a later date though inevitably with many pieces missing.


Up above there a later pieces of stained glass showing various saints.


Turning around we can see the west gallery, where in days of yore a small band of musicians would have accompanied the hymn-singing. The organ now resides up there.


And there was nothing to stop me going up there for a view down onto this atmospheric and beautiful old church.


But I'd also heard that there was another interesting but little known church just a mile and a half down the road in Denston, along another of those delightful country lanes.


Denston is a slightly larger place with a number of interesting farms and cottages in the vicinity of the church.


This was turning into a brilliant day full of subjects for the camera.


The church is a beauty too; a complete example of the style known as Perpendicular with many windows allowing lots of light in. And from what I'd read it has been little changed since the time it was built. Unfortunately a small brass padlock on the door prevented any further investigations. Never mind, it'll be somewhere to visit another day.


Take care.

 

34 comments:

  1. That church in the last picture is exquisite John - I look forward to your visit when the padlock is off the door.

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  2. Hi John what an extraordinary day ... just lovely to see and to share all the tidbits ... gosh what a wonderful day you had. Hawkedon looks to be an exquisite village ... that church is stunning - I'd love to visit some day. Looking forward to your Denston revisit sometime. Thank you - really cheering to see ... Hilary

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    1. There's not much at Hawkedon apart from the church, but this whole area of west Suffolk is full of interesting buildings and lovely scenery.

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  3. Thank you. For the beauty, for the information, and for the mysteries to ponder...

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  4. This post is a dream for me and includes must read!Most of the old churches was build on pagan ground .The tree sculptures often reflect animals and gods in the Norse mythology .Remember the vikings took land in Northumbria I think(They wanted to take it all but was challenged out)The travles vere many in those old days and they took the woodcarving with them I like this post very much today!Interesting!you are lucky to live close to such beautiful old things.Much history!

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  5. I;m so glad I noticed a comment you made on another blog, and thus realized I hadn't seen anything you've posted recently. Blogger somehow left your blog off my list some time, and I have missed seeing your great photos. But your blog is again on my list!

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  6. What a beautiful old church (the first one). It is such a treat to be able to see the inside of it and all the history and beauty it holds. I do hope that you are going to put all these post of your daily walks into a book. There is so much beauty and history all around you. And you have a wonderful way of describing it all. I've really enjoyed this post. You have a grand day, hugs, Edna B.

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  7. I like how you said, "Let's look inside." Made me feel as if I was right along with you and, of course, your pictures show all of the great details you explain so clearly. Thanks again for another terrific hike!

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  8. I love your description of the present and past in close proximity. Another astonishingly beautiful place which straddles time. The church looks like a great place to sit and rest for a moment to take in the centuries!

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  9. My whole visit to England felt as though I was in a “thin” place. My mind would spin at thought of all that had gone before. I love the church with carvings and would like to guess the chained animal is a bear.
    Thatched houses with gardens and roses are always favorites. Thanks for all the journeys!

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  10. "Those three oriental gentlemen in the centre may perhaps be the three wise men, though they appear to be wearing some kind of hoods rather than the crowns which are more usual. That one on the right must be some kind of angel."

    Could it be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

    Could that be a real skull on Richard and Dorothy's memorial? Yikes...


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  11. I'm envious of the wonderful places you get to visit that are nearby to you.

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  12. I am surprised by how many small churches there are unlocked where you are. Not something you'll find over here. When we walked the Cotswolds it was such a treat to explore the interiors of churches and read the inscriptions; sometimes even meeting up with members there doing some task and willing to answer questions. Surprising that the last church was locked.

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    1. Most rural churches are open during the daytime, Marcia, though more are locked at the moment due to present circumstances.

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  13. What a delightful village and church. I see in that memorial to Richard and Dorothy it mentions the men are married to the daughters and heiresses (I think I am right) in which case it almost looks as though the sons-in-law had to put up a memorial in order to inherit or perhaps I have an over vivid imagination.

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    1. You may well be right. It was not uncommon to find people changing their names in order to be included in the wills of rich father-in-laws.

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  14. Wish I could feel that feeling. Too autistic I suspect

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  15. Thank you for the fascinating post, John!
    The concept of "thin places" is intriguing even though I'm not sure if places can be "thin" or is it only our brain that produces such a feeling.
    The old architecture is beautiful and I love the flowers in the penultimate photo.
    Isn't the strange beast very clearly a bear? :)

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    1. It may well be a bear, though why a bear should be in church is another matter.

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  16. You obviously had a very enjoyable day and I am sure you were disappointed to find the door to the church locked. It always seems like a contradiction somehow to bar people from a house of worship.

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    1. I don't think this church is usually locked, David. In these confusing times I get the feeling that church wardens are not sure exactly what they are supposed to be doing.

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  17. “ The village of Hawkedon is connected to the modern world by only the most delicate strands; narrow by-ways that snake through the countryside, etched deeply through years of use and overhung by high hedges and spreading oaks.”. That’s some fine writing, John. I think it’s because you have such interesting and peace-conducive places to visit! I think the sons-in-law of Mrs Everard made a statement with their omissions, don’t you? Churches here didn’t used to be locked either but sadly almost all are today, even the small ones in the country. They have to be.

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  18. I'm pretty ok about not feeling those 'thin places' John, I do know some who claim to, I like being in the present 😉 So nice to go on these walks with you, to be honest I don't think I'll get to UK again, I don't think my nerves would cope with the over 24 hour flight, so I am super happy to visit vicariously through your good self 💛

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  19. I am always amazed that you can visit most churches and go inside. And I am so glad you can. Someone was talking about your comment about thin places...'Thin places' is a good way to describe it. I am amazed that everyone does not feel them. I wonder if it has to do with all we have read that makes us more aware of what happened before us.

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  20. What an interesting little church! I love the old churches you explore. Just think if those walls could talk....

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  21. If only that church could talk, imagine the stories we would here. Lovely photos and narrative as always, John.

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  22. I understand the feeling you got in that church. I had the same feeling when I visited a small church in Suffolk where some of my ancestors were baptised, married and buried.

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  23. Certainly an interesting old church with lots of atmosphere. Nothing frivolous about the bare beams and the roughly cut crossbeam. Here's a wild speculation on the beast. The devil is described as a beast so perhaps this beastly carving represents the devil and it is chained because the church is restraining him. Newer stained glass windows tend to make the figures look attractive but old art was more realistic with plainer or even ugly depictions.

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  24. merci pour cette visite insolite !

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  25. Old churches are always interesting to visit, really any older building for that matter. I was glad that you were able to enter the one in Hawkedon to show us around, John. Here's hoping that on a future visit you will be able to go inside the church in Denston as the exterior looked quite interesting on its own. Also I liked the signpost in the second photo and wondered if those places are future destinations.

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  26. Also, thanks for the heads up that "Up on the Roof" was also a UK hit for Kenny Lynch as well as The Drifters in the US. I listed to his version of the song and included a mention in the post.

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  27. I think you caught the feel of the thin veil between us and...whatever is on the other side. That chained beast is fascinating.

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  28. Talk of thin places (Lindisfarne Springs to mind) reminded me I once heard talk of a Muslim term for "a place on which the light of God shines". I wish I could remember what it was!

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