6 women, 2 flats, 2 cars (oops - 3 cars), big house -- 2+ weeks in England
It was super secret assignment - If he did a trip report he'd have to kill you . . . .
Jun 19th, 2009, 12:50 PM
#186
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"I felt so sorry for one of the girls - she was having terrible foot problems. I offered her some moleskin to at least help a little bit. Two days later she was almost in tears. Her foot was so raw - w/ a big patch of skin torn off. Why? Because she had stuck the moleskin to her foot - not inside her shoe! So when she tried to remove it after a couple of days it took a section of skin w/ it. I never thought to tell her HOW to use moleskin."
But you are supposed to stick the moleskin on your skin; you are just not supposed do it after the skin has blistered. It is to prevent blisters.
If you already have a blister, the remedy is the Compeed plaster.
But you are supposed to stick the moleskin on your skin; you are just not supposed do it after the skin has blistered. It is to prevent blisters.
If you already have a blister, the remedy is the Compeed plaster.
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Jun 19th, 2009, 01:19 PM
#187
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Really enjoyed your report. Haven't been on the computer for awhile, have bad back problems and awaiting surgery - have discovered that's the reason I was dragging my leg all over London in Oct.! - so didn't know you'd been, returned and had written this great report. You are so calm, those ladies were lucky to travel with you. Fun to hear your take on many places we've been. I always feel much freer/adventurous at Hidcote than Sissinghurst, although I love it too. Have you been to Bodnant, best place to wander for hours. Glad you enjoyed yourself and didn't strangle anyone, although I think you could have easily pled justifiable homicide. Where to next?
Jun 20th, 2009, 05:34 AM
#195
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"can't find visiting hours for Burford Church"
It's an irritating habit of many medieval Anglican churches to be coy about when they're open, pretending they're there for worship and for their own members (when their first role has always been to act as a centre for the whole commnuity - including travellers - and they typically get their cash from all local residents, whether we patronise them or their competitors. Or even, in Burford's case, if we give to Anglican churches nearer home as well)
St John's normally opens for visits around nineish on weekdays and closes in the late afternoon: I've been quietly shooed out late on Sunday afternoons, though that might have been on one of the rare Sundays they have an evening service.
The bigger Cotswold churches are usually tricky to visit on Sunday mornings (when there's a service or two), and summer Saturday afternoons (someone's always getting married). Smaller ones have services only one Sunday in four, and are usually open 9ish to 5ish all day. They often display keyholder details if they're closed, and it's perfectly normal to knock on the keyholder's door during daylight hours and borrow the key.
It's an irritating habit of many medieval Anglican churches to be coy about when they're open, pretending they're there for worship and for their own members (when their first role has always been to act as a centre for the whole commnuity - including travellers - and they typically get their cash from all local residents, whether we patronise them or their competitors. Or even, in Burford's case, if we give to Anglican churches nearer home as well)
St John's normally opens for visits around nineish on weekdays and closes in the late afternoon: I've been quietly shooed out late on Sunday afternoons, though that might have been on one of the rare Sundays they have an evening service.
The bigger Cotswold churches are usually tricky to visit on Sunday mornings (when there's a service or two), and summer Saturday afternoons (someone's always getting married). Smaller ones have services only one Sunday in four, and are usually open 9ish to 5ish all day. They often display keyholder details if they're closed, and it's perfectly normal to knock on the keyholder's door during daylight hours and borrow the key.
Jun 20th, 2009, 07:38 AM
#196
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Thanks flanner - since I'm panning an afternoon visit, what time would you say is the latest I could expect to be finished?
"pretending they're there for worship" - You aren't far from the mark in how I feel. Its one thing to visit Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedrals which have infrastructure for tourists. I feel a bit intrusive waltzing into a place of worship that isn't even a branch of my own faith if there isn't a visitor's desk and I'm not there to worship - I would prefer to have visitor guidelines for these edifices.
"pretending they're there for worship" - You aren't far from the mark in how I feel. Its one thing to visit Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedrals which have infrastructure for tourists. I feel a bit intrusive waltzing into a place of worship that isn't even a branch of my own faith if there isn't a visitor's desk and I'm not there to worship - I would prefer to have visitor guidelines for these edifices.
Jun 20th, 2009, 08:11 AM
#197
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I probably misled you.
No-one - absolutely no-one - thinks you're intruding if you go into an English church and just poke around, as long as there isn't a service going on. Everyone in the community - the vicar and the lay adminstrators, people on the CofE's register, the rest of us, the rest of the country - fully understands the Anglican churches (and many of the other Christian churches) are part of the country's heritage, and that they need to be open as long as possible for visitors. Practically whatever those visitors are planning to do in the church.
The complication is that many people who become vicars, or help create church websites, are committed Christians and see the heritage malarkey as secondary to the church's mission. So they believe they need to stress the church's religious role - and that almost always gets them to forget to explain about opening times and the like. Even though,intellectually, they accept that the building has been the centre of the community for most of the past thousand years, and that worship has rarely been the major activity conducted in it. (Everything else you can think of, is the answer to your question. From imprisoning rebels to concerts to showing films. Some villages put their post office in the church)
Don't for a nanosecond think they're discouraging casual, non-religious visitors. They absolutely aren't: it's impossible to live near a medieval English church and not be besotted by it, and want to show it off to everyone. And almost nowhere matches Burford for the sheer volume of things Burfordians want to show off. Much of it only marginally connected with religion.
As long as you behave with reasonable respect, do more or less what want in those churches (our local vicar, for instance, insists the flannerpooch come inside the church).
It'll take about 45 mins to see Burford church. Get there before 4.15 ish
No-one - absolutely no-one - thinks you're intruding if you go into an English church and just poke around, as long as there isn't a service going on. Everyone in the community - the vicar and the lay adminstrators, people on the CofE's register, the rest of us, the rest of the country - fully understands the Anglican churches (and many of the other Christian churches) are part of the country's heritage, and that they need to be open as long as possible for visitors. Practically whatever those visitors are planning to do in the church.
The complication is that many people who become vicars, or help create church websites, are committed Christians and see the heritage malarkey as secondary to the church's mission. So they believe they need to stress the church's religious role - and that almost always gets them to forget to explain about opening times and the like. Even though,intellectually, they accept that the building has been the centre of the community for most of the past thousand years, and that worship has rarely been the major activity conducted in it. (Everything else you can think of, is the answer to your question. From imprisoning rebels to concerts to showing films. Some villages put their post office in the church)
Don't for a nanosecond think they're discouraging casual, non-religious visitors. They absolutely aren't: it's impossible to live near a medieval English church and not be besotted by it, and want to show it off to everyone. And almost nowhere matches Burford for the sheer volume of things Burfordians want to show off. Much of it only marginally connected with religion.
As long as you behave with reasonable respect, do more or less what want in those churches (our local vicar, for instance, insists the flannerpooch come inside the church).
It'll take about 45 mins to see Burford church. Get there before 4.15 ish
Jun 20th, 2009, 09:03 AM
#198
Original Poster
Once you are actually "on the ground" you will understand a bit better. After you've entered a village church you will see it is normal, un-touristy, informal. They are just open. You'll see other visitors, maybe women doing the flowers, locals -- or not a soul.
Like flanner explained, most will be open all day long just about every day and others will be locked but w/ a note where to get a key.
There will often be one table or announcement board w/ church circulars/church business/congregation news, and another nearby w/ maybe simple guidebooklets/post cards and an honesty box to pay.
Like flanner explained, most will be open all day long just about every day and others will be locked but w/ a note where to get a key.
There will often be one table or announcement board w/ church circulars/church business/congregation news, and another nearby w/ maybe simple guidebooklets/post cards and an honesty box to pay.
Jun 20th, 2009, 09:22 AM
#199
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As has been said, old churches are well used to people wanting to have a nose about.
Stick a couple of quid in the poor box and everyone's happy.
Have a sit down and a think and the sky pilot will be made up.
CW - loves churches. Apart from when they are bothering the Big Man.
Stick a couple of quid in the poor box and everyone's happy.
Have a sit down and a think and the sky pilot will be made up.
CW - loves churches. Apart from when they are bothering the Big Man.
Jun 20th, 2009, 09:50 AM
#200
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Just caught up on your wonderful report -- thanks for writing it all out, the travel ideas and the dramah!
Minster Lovell! I *love* the ruins of Minster Lovell, chiefly for two reasons:
* The connection to Richard III -- who as all rightthinkers know was grossly slandered by those darn Tudors
-- as in "the cat, the rat, and Lovell our dog / Rule all England under the Hog" -- and read the fabulous story of what may have happened to Francis Lovell at Minster Lovell (section under "the dog"):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A42168116
and
* The setting. You pull into the few parking spaces in front of the church. You see nothing interesting. Follow the little path around the left side of the church, and then the view -- pow!! Totally breathtaking on a drizzly gloomy day like I saw it on last year.
Minster Lovell! I *love* the ruins of Minster Lovell, chiefly for two reasons:
* The connection to Richard III -- who as all rightthinkers know was grossly slandered by those darn Tudors
-- as in "the cat, the rat, and Lovell our dog / Rule all England under the Hog" -- and read the fabulous story of what may have happened to Francis Lovell at Minster Lovell (section under "the dog"):http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A42168116
and
* The setting. You pull into the few parking spaces in front of the church. You see nothing interesting. Follow the little path around the left side of the church, and then the view -- pow!! Totally breathtaking on a drizzly gloomy day like I saw it on last year.
