CORNWALL 2017: The St. Mawgan and St. Eval Parish Churches

Believe it or not, this is my last Cornwall  2017 post before I go back to Venice and Verona.  Or did you think I had also finished our Italy trip????  HA!

As you may recall, we had off-n-on rain our entire time in Cornwall except for that beautiful Sunday in Tintagel (King Arthur's legendary birthplace) and Boscastle.  But that didn't stop us from getting out to see something of interest.  And because Pauline knows we love the parish churches, she picked two that are geographically close to each other.

As you can see from the inset, we drove to the north coast of Cornwall, 

approximately 17 miles from our St. Austell home base.

We first went to Mawgan Porth beach where we got the lay of the land...

and the Atlantic Ocean!

(It's also where we ate our lunch that day.)

From the beach we drove 2 miles to visit our first parish church of the day...in the rain.

This is the St. Mawgan in Pydar parish church from the 13th century.

Usually the churchyards are every bit as interesting to me as the church interiors.

There's an old thorn tree associated with the legends of Joseph of Arimathea...

a memorial to the 10 men who froze to death while at sea in 1846 (center-right)...

and a lantern cross carved around 1420 (top-left and bottom-right).

Look at how the gravestones circle the church, from front to back!

It was a Monday when we were there, but there were bell ringers...practicing?

Wouldn't we all love to ring the bells!

We did indeed feel welcomed, even though much of the space was dark, without the lights on.

The font is 15th century, Norman style, made of Pentewan stone.

The pulpit is from 1533, Dad.  And I know you'd love to play that wee organ, Mom.

And should any of us require a kneeler, there are plenty to go around.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

From St. Mawgan we drove the 3 miles to the St. Eval parish church, also from the 13th century.

It happens to sit out in the middle of nowhere, visible for miles around,

surrounded by the disused RAF (Royal Air Force) runways of the WWII command airfield.

See the sundial over the entrance?  "We shall Die."

Besides the church itself, 21 war graves are maintained here by the RAF.

The RAF ties to this church after the war are very strong, as you'd imagine.
It was their church while stationed nearby.

It was another dark church that rainy afternoon, but you can get the gist of it.

The bench end (top-left) is from the mid-16th century.

The "plain" font is also from the Norman times.

Pauline is always on the lookout for green men in these old churches.

These are from the high-up ceiling in bad camera light, but, again, you get the gist.

Besides, Pauline often tells us green men don't like being photographed. :)

Back down on terra firma, there is "World Peace!"

And a reminder that the RAF is covering our back.

In fact, Pauline's dad, from Squadron 612 (top-right), used the base back in the war.

Thank you!

And thus ends this 6-day stint in a very special place:  CORNWALL, England.

We'll never forget it.

CORNWALL 2017: The Facebook Preview

Let's take a break from our Venice/Verona trip!

We just got back from Cornwall late last night, minutes before midnight, and are now up and at it in getting settled back in.  You know how that it.  It's always good to get back home.  Astrid even went back to work today after maybe 4 hours of sleep.  What a trooper!

What you are about to see is a learning curve for me away from the laptop and PhotoShop!  We took only our iPads for this 6-day trip, so I learned how to make collages with the Live Collage app, figuring out every new day how to tweak images the way I wanted there as well as in the Photos app.

So, here goes:

Friday, May 12:  Arrival in Exeter

As soon as Chris and Pauline picked us up at the airport, Pauline said she had a surprise for me!

We think it represents the  Red Arrows from the Royal Air Force aerobatic display team,

even though they usually fly in teams of 9.

Ironically, it was the only weathervane we found the entire trip, other than a couple of arrows.

But it more than made up for the lack elsewhere.

We ate out at a pub that day but that was basically it, before driving home near St. Austell.

Saturday, May 13:  Mevagissey Fishing Port and the Spit Cliffs

Pauline and Chris racked their brains for us on what to see and where to go each day.

But they found out it doesn't take much to make us happy!

 So we first went to the fishing port of Mevagissey, 16 km away.

Lucky for us, we were there during low tide.

Do beached boats enthrall you like they do us who never see them??!!

After eating lunch back at home, we three girls went out to take a walk along the Spit cliffs.

Actually, Chris dropped us off at the beginning and then picked us up at the end in Charlestown.

 During the 4 miles, with the English Channel on one side and a golf course on the other, 

we had intermittent rain but didn't care a hoot.

Sunday, May 14:  Tintagel Castle and King Arthur's Birthplace

When Astrid and I found out there was a legendary birthplace of King Arthur 39 km away,

we made it absolutely clear that THAT would be a highlight of our trip!

So we picked the best weather day to go, which was Sunday.

OMG.  Wait till I show you more later...but for now, that's the statue of Merlin with Astrid, 

overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the north Cornwall coast.

Monday, May 15:  St Mawgan and St. Eval Parish Churches

After Sunday's gorgeous, sunny day on the north coast, it rained the rest of our time!

Rain limits what you can do, of course, but it didn't stop us from going out to do something.

We didn't need much, especially after the full day on Sunday.

So off we went to see two parish churches, both from the 13th century:

St. Mawgan (top row) and St. Eval (bottom row).

This time on the inside, St. Mawgan (top row) and St. Eval (bottom row).

I love these wee parish churches almost more than the cathedrals, to be honest.

I always think of my preacher dad loving and choosing them for his pastorates.

Tuesday, May 16:  Looe

Knowing we love the seaside ports, Chris and Pauline came up with our final adventure, 42 km away.

We actually arrived while the tide was still in but, after first eating lunch, we got lucky.

Look at that.  Pure magic for us!

Wednesday, May 17:  Exeter Cathedral (and home)

Wednesday started off with a 2-hour train ride to Exeter for our flight back to Amsterdam.

Dear friend, Lisl (from Bath), came by train to join us (including Pauline) for the rest of the rainy day.

After a lovely, leisurely lunch, we walked to the nearby cathedral and had a peek.

No time for a good look that came with an entrance fee, so we did just peek.

For me it was enough...or at least better than nothing.

A great way to end a good week with friends!

You know me...this is but the skeleton to which I will add the flesh in the days to come.

The good news is that we have no further trips on deck till America in October,

so there's a nice, gentle sigh being released as I take my time, now, going forward.

ENGLAND 2016: Cornwall's Roche Rock and Parish Church

So, now I start a new set of posts on our 10 days in England, from September 23-October 2.  There will be no rhyme or reason to it...just what strikes my fancy for the time allotments I give myself each week.  I may even post irregularly, just to get it done.  HA!

Our main base while there was with Lisl and Michael in Bath, with whom we have myriad memories.  But in between their bookends, we spent 4 days in Cornwall with other mutual friends, Pauline and Chris (like last year).

Today I start in Cornwall with the village called Roche, just 2+ miles from where Pauline and Chris live.   Roche means "rock" in Norman-French and gets it's name from the outcropping of rock we went to visit that day.

OMG!  You see the Roche Rock from the road, just sitting there, 20 meters high (66 ft).

At the top is a ruined chapel dedicated to St. Michael.

To get the lay of the land, this was where we walked to get there, just off the side of the road.

And then we walked around it, taking in its various faces.

When we discovered you could actually climb to the chapel, yup...up she went!

Not to be outdone, of course, I had to follow suit!

(Thanks to Pauline below who documented the veracity of the event, both up and down.)

But at least I was smart enough to not follow Astrid to the upper level,

where she was able to take in these breath-taking views.

Once at the first level, I wasn't too proud to admit my legs were shaky.  HA!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Once down off the Rock, we drove into the village to visit the parish church dedicated to St. Gomonda. 

The 85 ft. tower is medieval, 15th century, but the rest of the church was rebuilt in 1822.

You know I always want these big views of the nave first.

And then come the details, the impressions.

The cushions in particular keep my interest in the English churches/cathedrals, large and small.

But what Pauline most wanted us to see was the "pulled tongue" on the ceiling (bottom-center).

Can you imagine that up there in the middle of a church service, staring down at you???

Short and sweet, Roche...the Rock and the Church.

But what a memory to start off with, right?!

St. Mary Redcliffe Parish Church, Bristol, England

As promised, here we are at the end of our England 2014 trip, after 10 full and glorious days in May.  Besides a meet-up of 21 photobloggers, we spent overnights with 3 separate couples, all of which I've told you about already.

Today, I close this Great Adventure with the St. Mary Redcliffe parish church in Bristol, England.  For how much we both love churches, both large and small, it seems appropriate to finish here.

For one thing, you can't miss it with it's 292-ft spire!

It's apparently the 3rd tallest of all England's parish churches.

Built from the 12th-15th centuries, it's been a place of worship for 800 years.

Queen Elizabeth I said it was "the fairest, goodliest, and most famous parish church in England."
Thankfully, it narrowly escaped destruction from bombs in WWII.

 When you can spend a lot of time in the entrance alone, that tells you something.

In fact, it tells you a lot!

As you know, I always head straightaway to the nave.

Then I look up to the windows and the ceiling.

And then down to the floors.  I'm never disappointed.

Always look up; always look down...and see what you catch in between.

I told you I've started collecting church cushions.  This is why.

The altar, the choir, the brass lecterns...all of it.

But this time I totally missed the pulpit and the organ.  How did that happen?!

Maybe it was because I got caught up in the Chaotic Pendulum!

I watch this and stare every time.  Who thinks these things up?
(too bad the sun was so bright)

"Through Journey into Science, we offer a forum for the whole community to come together to discuss, wonder at, question and think about the issues advances in science and technology are raising for our world."

Amen.  Selah.  So be it.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

We can hardly wait to go back to England again, hopefully two years from now, if not sooner.
(Next year we already have two sets of people coming to see us here in Dutchland.)

Thanks to all who made this another trip of a lifetime.  You know who you are!
And thanks to all of you who have come along for the ride.

For Chad and Norma: Neighborhood Shenanigans

We actually did venture out away from their incredible Cottage, though a bit reluctantly, I might add!  And all of it was just a hop, skip and a jump away.

First, we did something I've never done in my entire life...something that actually brought a tear to my eye because of how soulful it was:

 We could have walked to where we went but we drove past the neighbor man,

who clearly adores Norma...

...to the Crumps Barn Studio, where Jeremy and Lorna live and work.

They bind books!  Yes, they're bookbinders and publishers.
Lorna is also an author and Jeremy is a joiner-carpenter.

They had already bound the book that Chad wrote on his own personal history,

after which Chad had the brainiac idea of them teaching us how to make our own notebooks.

The thing is, this was so totally up the alley for both Astrid and me.  Totally!

I chose the polka dots; Astrid chose the floral pattern.

At one point I thought about how much my dad would have loved doing this...

which was when I gulped down a big, soulful tear.

I'll never forget it!

 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Following the bookbinding, we stopped at the neighborhood parish church of St. Mary the Virgin

in Syde, one of the oldest and smallest in England, from the 12th century.

 It just oozes with charm.

Once again I had a tear in my eye, thinking of my dad in that pulpit...

...and my mom at that organ!

(Are you noticing how much I love church cushions and stacks of hymnals?)

 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Later that evening we went out to eat fish-n-chips!

This is The Highwayman Inn in Cirencester, in the heart of the Cotswolds.

More English you cannot get...especially with the peas!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

The next day, our last with them, we went for a walk from The Cottage, the other direction.

In fact, right across the lane from The cottage you start with the sheep...
the brethren (as sister Ruth calls them).

I could have stopped right there and not continued...so very soulful....

...but on we walked and walked....

...in and out of the most heavenly of woods,

past the lumberjacks and picnickers and horse-riding obstacles,

to the lovely pond where dogs get their own training.

And don't forget the wildflowers, of course, all along the way.

This is all private property, maintained by the owner, but you are permitted to walk through it,

as long as you close the gates behind you.

And to top off all that wondrousness, Chad and Norma's first dates go back to these very woods,

back in their teen years, eons ago.  No wonder they got married, right?!

Next up:  nearby Cirencester and the Parish Church of St. John.