April Book Walk

Our small gathering of readers rejoiced in a beautiful morning on the Brampton Valley Way and couldn't wait to share our pleasure in the two chosen books. We all felt that Through England on a Side-Saddle by Celia Fiennes had a wonderfully conversational style, even though she was writing in the lanuage of the time, which may sound strange to the modern reader. She writes as though she is sitting in a drawing room, recounting the things she has seen, to an intimate gathering of family and friends. 

Kate (seen above) discussing Through England on a Side-Saddle by Celia Fiennes and Country Churches by Simon Jenkins with fresh coffee and apple turnovers. 

It was amazing to think that she set out across the country on horseback, aged 24 and that her two journeys, which took in many of the spa towns, was taken ostensibly to improve her health! The other remarkable thing about her account is the interest and delight she took in all the innovations and industrial processes she saw along the way. She comments on the inhabitants and their various plights, in a concerned manner showing a keen interest in Anthropology. She notices the local diet and highlights the fact that most meals consist of some form of bread. The Old Foodie has a lovely blog about Celia Fiennes and Clap Bread.


Celia Fiennes also stayed in many fine Manor Houses during her travels and was obviously very well connected. By following this link you can see illustrations of some of the views she would have seen and there is also a lovely image of the Celia Fiennes Way Marker. There were stopping points that were both familiar and strange to us, Andrew had a very recent knowledge of Staffordshire and particularly Newcastle-under-Lyme (spelt Newcastle-under-Line in Celia's journal) and Kate had very clear recollections of Devon. We were left curious about this intrepid traveller and wondered what the rest of her life had been like.

With Country Churches by Simon Jenkins we became aware of just what a huge part photography plays in our everyday understanding and interpretation of structure and place. He gives a succinct description of notable country churches just in words, there are no illustrations. Reading this book was reminder of what a fulfilling experience it can be to visit a country church even if one lacks any kind of religious conviction. We discussed the churches we had visited that were mentioned in the book and were struck by the fact that they were not merely symbols of faith, but they also contained clues about the industrial, political and agricultural history of a village community.

As we were all visual people and Kate is a professional photographer, she had gone that extra mile for us. One of the churches described by Simon Jenkins was in Wellingborough, very close to Kettering and Corby, so Kate went on her own exploratory journey to visit St Mary the Virgin, Knox Road "Comper's masterpiece interior".  She was given a tour of the church after knocking on a door and asking for the key, very much as an earlier traveller might have done. You can see below a selection of marvellous images taken by Kate. We saw them on her laptop, whilst sitting at a picnic table at a stopping point on the Brampton Valley way. Celia Feinnes would have approved!

Please be aware that the copyright of all these images belong to Kate Dyer and should not be reproduced without her permission. Kate can be contacted via Corby Community Arts

We take the architecture and existence of our country churches for granted but their future cannot be taken for granted. For more on this topic you might like to read A Little History Of The English Country Church by Sir Roy Strong and you can read more about the work of the Churches Conservation Trust here .

Steep and Wet - The Edward Thomas Birthday Walk 2012

Walkers gathering - photograph by Andrew Rushton

Each year, on the Sunday nearest to Edward Thomas's birthday (3rd March), the Edward Thomas Fellowship organises a walk in the countryside near his home at Steep, near Petersfield in Hampshire. This event is the main annual gathering for Fellowship members and other admirers of Edward Thomas. There were two walks this year, forming a figure-of-eight route around Steep. As Andrew and I had to get back to Northamptonshire we only took part in the first walk. We met in the car park at Bedales School Steep  at 10.00 and collected our walk sheets before setting off on the morning walk of about 4½ miles and which included a visit to the Memorial Stone.

Part of a very useful PDF detailing Literary Walks in Hampshire the link will take you to the complete PDF.

Destination...In the Mist - photograph by Andrew Rushton

I have seen posts and photographs of the walk from other years, when the sun was out, when flowers and greenery caressed walkers as they passed, but this year the rain began in the car park. First as a bit of a drizzle, culminating in damp, fat snow flakes spied through the window of the village hall where we had our lunch. 

The rain did not deter the walkers or the readers, the route was punctuated by poems written about Edward Thomas and his work. There were hills, it was cold, the views were obscured in places by mist and I was put to shame by the other, older, hardier walkers who made light of the rain and remained unconcerned by the treacherous, slippery chalk just beneath the surface mud. 

Uphill on the Road - photograph by Andrew Rushton

Like the Touch of Rain by Edward Thomas

Like the touch of rain she was
On a man's flesh and hair and eyes
When the joy of walking thus
Has taken him by surprise:

With the love of the storm he burns,
He sings, he laughs, well I know how,
But forgets when he returns
As I shall not forget her 'Go now'.

Those two words shut a door
Between me and the blessed rain
That was never shut before
And will not open again.

I am still being mocked for my fearful whining as I write this! Getting to the memorial stone was quite pleasant, trees offered some shelter, there were conversations with other walkers and the walk uphill seemed easier (less frightening for less than agile, physically timid me!) than the descent. I only really felt safe once I'd found a long stick which convinced me that I was less likely to lose my balance and slide to the bottom of the Shoulder of Mutton.

Round the bend - photograph by Andrew Rushton

A Literary Pilgrim in England

 By Edward Thomas

Through Wet Leaves and Mud - photograph by Andrew Rushton

"Nights of storm, days of mist, without end;"

Edward Thomas would have been horrified by my performance, at the Memorial Stone, we were told  how he would stride up the hill then gallop down with his laughing daughter on his back. How wonderful to be so at one with the body, the landscape and the elements.

View From the Memorial Stone -photograph by Andrew Rushton

Follow the link to the poem

Rain by Edward Thomas

"Rain, midnight rain, nothing but the wild rain ...."

Kathy Page at the Memorial Stone

Follow the link to an interesting essay

Whispering in the Dark: the Poetry of Edward Thomas by James Priory

I haven't been so wet for a long time, but in spite of that it was a wonderful walk, I didn't fall over, I had packed dry clothes, I had experienced the day in the company of dear friends and I hope we'll come back and take the walk again in finer weather!