The Earliest Corms

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This afternoon Jackie drove me to New Hall Hospital for a physiotherapy session with Claire. This was encouraging. She has no need to see me again.

On our return home we turned off the main road to investigate where a bridge over the River Avon would take us. We were intrigued by a castellated tower we saw in the distance. Was it a castle or a church? Naturally we needed to seek it out.

This was the Church of All Saints at Harbridge,

a village on low meadow land to the west of the river between Ringwood and Fordingbridge. ‘The name Harbridge probably means “Hearda’s bridge”.[3] In the Domesday Bookof 1086, Bernard the Chamberlain held Harbridge from the King. Before 1066 it had been held by Ulveva. Harbridge is a referred to as a manor by the early 15th century.[1] In the early 19th century the manor passed to the Earl of Normanton, and like nearby Ibsley and Ellingham became part of his estate of Somerley.[1]Harbridge was a civil parish until 1974, when the parish was amalgamated with the parishes of Ellingham and Ibsley.’  ‘The church of All Saints consisting of chancel, nave, and west tower, was rebuilt in 1838.[1] The tower retains its 15th-century masonry, but it was raised in the 19th century reconstruction.[4](Wikipedia)

I wandered among the older gravestones, most of which were weather-worn and lichen-coated, rendering them indecipherable. Robert Robinson’s was the only name I could discern.

Tiny natural cyclamen were scattered among the graves. How many lifetimes could it be that the earliest corms had occupied this consecrated soil?

Elizabeth stayed overnight with Mum. Jackie and I dined at Lal Quilla. She chose chicken sag as her main meal, which she enjoyed, while I savoured lamb Ceylon. We shared special fried rice and an onion bahji; and both drank Kingfisher. The restaurant was quite busy, but we still received friendly service and excellent food.

 

 

 

 

A Beautiful Memorial

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This morning Jackie drove us around the forest.

Housing development 1Housing development 2Housing development 3

A new residential development is being constructed almost opposite the Parish Church in Hordle Lane.

The builders are Considerate Constructors

and, as such post aMonthly site update

Cyclamen

On the way to Tiptoe, cyclamen emerge from the verge of Mead End Road;

Gates Cottage

Gates Cottage lies on a bend;

Couple in horse and trap

and we exchanged greetings with a couple riding in a trap.

Wobbly Cottage 1Wobbly Cottage

Wobbly Cottage, built on a hill,

Wobbly Cottage 2Boundary 1Boundary 2

enjoys splendid woodland opposite

Boundary 3

and alongside.

Landscape 1Landscape 3

 

Landscape 2

A little further along the road, Boundary car park offers splendid views of moorland

Horse led into landscape

to which this horse is being led.

Pony trekking

Cyclists were out in force, and outside Burley, pony trekkers adopted their two abreast defensive technique.

Pony crossing road

Wild ponies, knowing they have the right of way, don’t bother.

Please close these gates

Driving through Thorney Hill, Jackie spotted a rather beautiful little church. As we searched for a suitable parking spot, one of two gentlemen clearing a ditch in front of it beckoned to us and opened the gate

All Saints Church 1All Saints Church 2

leading to the Renaissance style building. We were to learn who was represented by the angles over the circular window and the bell tower.

Jackie outside All Saints ChurchGraveyard and landscape 1Gravestones 1Gravestones and pony

First, we wandered around the graveyard with its New Forest backdrop.

Inside we received a warm welcome by a couple greeting visitors. We had had the good fortune to discover the church on the day it was taking part in the Historic Churches open day. Normally, apart from regular Sunday services at 9.20 a.m. it is only open on Saturday afternoons from May to September between 2.00 and 4.00. The information that follows is gleaned from the leaflet ‘All Saints’ Church, Thorney Hill’.

The church was built for ‘Lord John and Lady Constance Manners. Lady Constance was born Hamlyn-Fane, a family with connections to the Earls of Westmorland.’ ‘The family also owned Clovelly Estate, and it was in All Saints’ Church Clovelly that she married John Masters, 3rd Lord Manners of Foston in 1885.’

‘John and Constance Manners had five children: Mary Christine, twins Betty and Agnes, John and Francis. During a visit to India Mary Christine contracted cholera and died. She was buried in Clovelly, but the family near [their home at] Avon Tyrell [house] and built All Saints’ Church in 1906.’

Shadows on pillar and steps

‘Detmar Blow, believed to be John Ruskin’s last protégé, was commissioned to design All Saints’ Church.’ ‘A sense of space is created by use of both square and round pillars, made from fine Caen stone.’

Church door 1Mary Christine Manners carvingMary Christine Manners carving and spider

‘On the two sets of wooden doors are carvings of a cherub face, believed to be that of Mary Christine. On our visit a small spider was engaged in spinning a shroud.

Inscription to Mary Christine Manners

‘A commemoration plaque to her is situated on the back left hand wall. It is carved by Eric Gill and listed by the Tate as among his finest work.

Inscription to and effigy of John Manners


John Manners effigy

‘Sadness again struck the family when their son John was killed in the first days of the First World War in the retreat from Mons. His body was never found. Constance Manners chose Bertram MacKennal, an Australian sculptor, to make the bronze effigy of John, now placed in the Church. He uses a soldier’s belongings to great effect in the sculpture. The inscription and distraught angels above are carved by Eric Gill.’

Mary Christine Manners photograph

A photograph of the young lady stands on the wall above her brother’s monument.

Altar and mural 1

‘The most striking feature in the church is the mural. It was painted in memory of Constance, who died in 1920, by Phoebe Traquair, an Irish lady by birth who lived in Scotland. It is one of only two of her murals in England; all the others are in Scotland. Phoebe was a leading member of the Arts and Crafts movement and worked in many media, including enamelling, jewellery and book-binding. She completed the mural in 1922 aged seventy. The theme is Te Deum – Praise the Lord. As in others of her murals Phoebe Traquair has used the faces of real persons, living and historical, when painting the characters…..quite a few have been identified with varying degree[s] of certainty’ These are available on consulting a key kept in the church.

Cupola above altar

‘The dome top is painted gold which reflects and gathers the light around a portrayal of Christ in Glory. At his feet are children from Thorney Hill School possibly taken from a photograph of 1922.’

Pulpit

A floral display behind the splendidly original pulpit is perfectly colour coordinated.

Wooden steps

I ascended the wooden spiral staircase

Derrick in Organ Loft 2Derrick in Organ Loft 4

to the organ loft

Mural and chandelier

in order to secure an aerial view of the sanctuary through a chandelier.

Window in Organ Loft

The circular window behind me focussed on the forest.

Door furniture

The need for the Thieves Beware notice on the front door is made clear in the leaflet. ‘In the last fifty years All Saints’ church has suffered several disastrous events. The lead on the roof was first stolen in 1966. The aluminium which replaced it was found to be perforated with pin sized holes resulting in damage by damp. With the help of English Heritage a lead roof was again fitted in 2005 only to be partly stolen in 2013. Fire has struck several times, fortunately there was time for anything removable to be taken outside. The storm in January 1990 brought down all the trees in front of the church, snapping some of them in half and leaving the church inaccessible for weeks.’

This evening we dined on Jackie’s superb pork paprika, wild rice, green beans, and broccoli. She drank Hoegaarden, and I drank more of the Fleurie.

P.S. My friend Barrie Haynes posted this on Facebook: Barrie Haynes Thanks for that Derrick, truly one of the wonders of the New Forest. When I was a boy the children of Thorney Hill had a special class at school, as they were a rough lot and smelled! I’m not making this up. There was also a myth that the lady in question was in fact entombed there and because of an expert make over by the embalmer, looked just the same as the day she died. I had lots of friends in Bransgore, but we were warned that the church was haunted and we never went up there after dark! If she was brought back from India to Clovelly it would be very interesting to see the logistics of this operation, the cost must have been enormous but the Manners were never short of a few bob! Hope this is of interest to your readers.