I started off with a trip to 663 St Helen Cliffe. I have to thank the churchwardens. I sent an email to the website address and got responses from two of them (I wish it was always thus) one of whom was at the church today.
Today Cliffe is off the beaten track and it is surprise to find such a fine building. The Decorated chancel is particularly fine and contains a fine sedilia. There are some medieveal wall paintings, an early Charles II Hatchment. The windows are in the decorated style, the glass though colourful is victorian.
Just down the road is 664 St Mary Higham. Apparently the church had an adjacent Nunery. The Nunnery had a notoriety in Tudor times and was dissolved 10 years before the official dissolution. The Nunnery is long gone and the church is now redundant. Still it is a charming building.
I did try another church in the area but an Easter Service had just started so on to Knole. It's a magnificent building with a wonderful collection of furniture and paintings. Oh and it was used in the film The Other Boleyn girl.
If you were paying to the first photo from Knole you would have noticed these....
15 comments:
Glad you had some sun for your visit. Knole looks very grand and the Fallow deer are always so appealing. Amazing that they are wandering around the car park!
Sounds a good trip and pictures great.
Wonderful pictures Pete. The deer are gorgeous. I wouldn't mind having that old wooden door, beautiful.
Sedilia - According to the Oxford English Dictionary
A group of three stone seats for clergy in the south chancel wall of a church.
anony - uh that's what i typed!!
oh by the way usually three I think.
You do pack a lot in. The weather is not as bad as forecast, but that wind is cold. Some lovely shots of the deer.
( there is always one). Superb shots, Pete. Thank you, you make such an effort here and I truly appreciate it. OC and I noticed that door, isn't it lovely? Tomorrow I shall look more closely at the windows...
Cripes, that word verification is hard to decipher...here goes!
It's too early for Easter. The flipping weather forecast is terrible for a lot of states over here - snow storms!
Pete, your photos are stunning. While I always enjoy the churches, the deer are fantastic! Walking around a parking lot?
Mary (uk) - VERY cold. still at least some snow.
TF - the door is very old, its 14th century
Mary (USA) - apparently it's the earliest Easter since the beginning of the last century. And it won't be this early again until 2160 apparently.
Easter Sunday must be between March 22 and April 25 inclusive.
next few Sundays are April 12, 4 and 24!!
Knole has a huge park around the house and you park in the park
Nice memories you allow me to revisit
in my County of birth!
I couldn't have resisted a little peek at Cliffe Pools while at Cliffe!
Mind you not a lot of point if it was wind.
Weather looks not too nice here- rain and wind. Hope its better in Essex.
C
I've been reading your blog for about a month now. I love the photos and the bits of information on the history of the places you visit. I live on the Canadian prairies so old is 100 years. When I travelled to eastern Canada years ago I was amazed at the 'old' there - maybe 300 years. But you have true old.
As for weather, here on the Canadian prairies we've had some very cold weather for March, but also some good thawing days. At least we haven't had the almost continuous snow storms of central and eastern North America. It's -9C here early this morning. That's normal for this time of year. Gail
pete, you're justt the best tour guide! Wish I was there.
Amazing visions from a very full day - all of it fascinating!
C = tut tut you never sign in!!
Gail - hi, ye strewth that's cold, i'd be hibernating. I will continue to find old stuff. lots more to come other the spring summer and autumn.
leaz - well if you ever make it...
ga - merci beaucoup
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