Country Churches Reprise

On a recent trip to Derbyshire Carole Miles and Andrew Rushton had the pleasure of exploring St Oswald Church in Ashbourne and only after their return to Northamptonshire did they realise that it was one of the churches recommended by Simon Jenkins in Country Churches, one of April's book choices. The building is imposing and rather disturbing from the outside, features like the clock are set to one side rather than centrally, life and death press for your attention from the moment you enter the gates. Elegant headstones rest amongst a sea of waving bluebells, buttercups, daffodils and long grasses. Jenkins says that it was a church for "the clergy and the gentry" and George Elliot said it was 'the finest mere parish church in the kingdom'. Jenkins goes on to say that "The interior is as eccentric as the exterior. No corner is without interest" and he is absolutely right, decorated ceramic tiles, tombs, painted ceilings, stained glass and green men jostle for attention and the interior offers a clearer view of the pink limestone. It is easy to loose yourself in the space and the detail and very well worth a visit.

St Oswald, Ashbourne Derbyshire Flickr Set

Brampton Book Group - Sunday April 1st - 1st 11.30 - 12-30

Led by Kate Dyer Sunday April who will be discussing

Through England on a Side-Saddle - Celia Fiennes

"Celia Fiennes lived at roughly the same time as Daniel Defoe. She was born in 1662 at Newton Toney, Salisbury, the daughter of a colonel in Cromwell's army. She is remarkable for the journeys she made, and the account she wrote of them: she rode side-saddle through every county in England, accompanied only by two servants. Although she always lived in the south, in 1697 and 1698 she made two long journeys through northern England and Scotland. She travelled to improve her health, visiting many spa towns, but also for personal adventure. Her account of her travels seems to have been written after her travels had largely ended, in 1702. She described both the great houses she visited and the developing new industries. She died in 1741. The original text of Fiennes is not divided into chapters but we have tried to separate out her different 'journeys'." from A Vision of Britain Through Time

and

Country Churches - Simon Jenkins 

The chairman of the National Trust and well-loved writer, Simon Jenkins, chooses his favourite 100 English country churches. Generations of inhabitants have helped shape the English countryside - but it has profoundly shaped us too.It has provoked a huge variety of responses from artists, writers, musicians and people who live and work on the land - as well as those who are travelling through it.English Journeys celebrates this long tradition with a series of twenty books on all aspects of the countryside, from stargazey pie and country churches, to man's relationship with nature and songs celebrating the patterns of the countryside (as well as ghosts and love-struck soldiers).

If you'd like to join us but haven't read the books - don't worry - there will be copies to read after the event. Bring a flask and a picnic and join us in the seating area / car park at the Maidwell 

If You Would Like Tickets To Attend Departures Read On!

Departures

A Reading By Kathy Page

Friday March 2nd

6.30 - 9.00pm at the Water Tower 

Benefield Road, Brigstock, Kettering NN14 3JA

As part of her contribution to Back To Books project
On the Right Track author Kathy Page will talk about
the story as a journey, read  a selection of her short fiction
and  also introduce her latest book, In the Flesh,

a collection of  personal essays about the human body
and our oddly complex relationship with it.

The event is free and on a by ticket only entry
- to secure a ticket please click here

Back To Books would like to thank 

Rosalind Stoddart, FRSA Independent Cultural Engineer 

for making the wonderful space at the Water Tower available

for Kathy's return visit

Kathy will be bringing copies of In The Flesh and her
wonderful collection of short fiction As In Music.
Click the here if you would like to order your  signed
copy of either / both books.



Kathy Page’s seven novels include
The Story of My Face (long-listed for the Orange Prize)
Alphabet (a Governor General’s Award finalist),
and The Find (short-listed for ReLit award).

She also writes short fiction and memoir.
Born in London, she lives with her family
on Salt Spring Island, near Vancouver. 

www.kathypage.info

For more information about forthcoming events at The Water Tower

visit The Water Tower


  

KATHY PAGE'S RESIDENCY HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS

                                 

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $154 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country.

Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. L’an dernier, le Conseil  a investi 154 millions de dollars pour mettre de l’art dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays.