Avebury and Winterbourne Monkton

With the pressures of modern life keeping our brains in a whirr (I have been forgetting to do the meditation you can tell), admittedly not the pressures of being down a mine a hundred years ago, but relief is still found in the soothing pleasures of a trip out fonting.  As it had been some time, (although a whole trip to Bristol needs updating on here), it was nice to get out, sit down and take up a pen. (My new pens. More on them later).

We travelled a by now familiar route out towards Devizes, through the weird hills and villages of Wiltshire.  Then further on to Avebury, home of the Stones.  It always strikes me as strange how many other people wake up and have exactly the same thought as we did, to go and visit them on that very day. (Although they had not had the same thought about visiting the font). However it wasn't heaving, and there were large enough spaces between other visitors not to feel like we were at Stonehenge or something.  As I had forgotten the tea flask we used it as an excuse to have a cream tea at the cafe, which was very nice.  Then we had a wander around the Stones, which are remarkably large, solid and smooth in places, and you have to wonder what it was all about. Even though we were walking round them in a circle, I got a bit disorientated but I enjoyed the calm feeling and seeing the sheep grazing in the middle.


Our main objective was of course to see the font in the local church, which has a fair few more visitors than your average village church. Most people just glanced at the font, if they noticed it at all, even though we were both sitting attempting to draw the detailed and swirling design on it, that is worn with time. The main features are two dragony/wyverny creatures with what I think were unusual amounts of detail, in the patterning down their sides. Very pleasing. I was drawing one with a particularly delightfully curving tail.  There was also a human figure, face bizarrely obliterated by a metallic thing, perhaps part of an old lock.  Above the figures were swirls reminiscent of several places, I shall have to look up - and below, an interlinking archways/pillars design very reminiscent of Durnford font.  I am sure with our extensive knowledge now, we should write a book making observations, as we have been able to see many links and similar designs throughout our travels that other people (the handful who also have this obsession) may not have seen.

We decided to squeeze in another font, just up the road in the next village, Winterbourne Monkton. My sister has visited both before as I remember seeing her previous drawings, but it is always nice to re-visit. And for me they were both new. We really were out in the middle of nowhere, or so it felt, and there were butterflies joining us as we had our picnic lunch.  This font was another elaborately carved and very striking design, which carried traces of paint from years ago, including blue and red. Then it seemed only too fitting that I used my new colour pens in their fancy case, which are fine-tipped. I am quite pleased with my drawing as I depicted different areas of the design in different colours. The bold zig-zag band that forms the main part had traces of blue on it. There is a human-oid figure with splayed out legs and arms, possibly other bits, or is this part of the whirly flower design that fits neatly above and below the zigzags. I think it was put there because if you imagine it removed, the zigzag design would not meet up neatly - you can imagine, can't you, the carver getting round to the end of the pattern and realising it was not really going to work out. A bit like the strikingly free-hand looping patterns at Hinton Parva.  I was not good at depicting the deep cut trumpet design below the zigzags, something my sister did with much more 3D success.

Combe St Nicholas, Isle Abbots, Huish Episcopi and West Camel

Heading down in a similar direction to the Dorset day out, we set out to our furthest point, Combe St Nicholas in Somerset, with the intention of heading back and stopping off at various points between here and north of Yeovil.

First stop Combe St Nicholas, which is in rather pleasing, hilly countryside.  The outside doors were ominously shut but luckily for us, none of the churches we visited were closed that day. Once inside the church, we were immediately faced with the creature we had travelled to see.  On the right hand side as you enter the building, what can only be described as a cow type creature looked down at us from atop a column. It was quite chunky with a definite square-faced, cow type mouth and nose, and cowy ears. From its mouth came lines of swirling pattern that looped round and about, ending in a sort of hand shape, or flower.  The carved swirling lines are a familiar design, but never before seen emanating from a cow.

Onwards to Isle Abbots / Isle Abbotts, a village nestled so deeply in the countryside that I thought we would never get there. It was almost Melbury Bubb all over again (minus the rain) as I tried unsuccessfully to figure out which of the tiny white roads (on the road map) we were now on. They never seem to correspond to what is in front of you. My sister did well to spot roadsigns as they were nestled in the growth of summer foliage, and mostly hidden from view. We thought if the Germans had landed there in the war, they would have been completely flummoxed.  Eventually we found it and had our lunch on a handy bench. The tower was huge, as were many in that area - a sign of the wealth, no doubt. Inside a delightful sandy-coloured font, four sides, the one facing us showing a rather curious creature, upside down.

Each side has a different pattern on it, quite worn, but we deciphered some animals and different patterns. I found the upside-down creature fascinating: to me it honestly looked most like a dolphin - an unsual creature for a font design, but not beyond the realms of possibility. If someone had seen one on his travels (we are not that far from water) then he might have wanted to depict it for others. It was upside down, yet none of the other sides were, making me think this was how the person had seen the creature. Perhaps leaping out of the sea. It had the bulbous head of a dolphin, with a beaky nose, and no legs but a streamlined body which ended in a sort of tail. I'm convinced anyway. Either that or it was an alien.  Or a lizard. On the other sides we made out a sort of bird and a rather fetching wyvern, most interestingly shown between/behind a column design - quite an unusual feature to show something behind something else like this.

External factors meant we were glad to reach our third stop, Huish Episcopi - so called, apparently after "hiwisc" (house) in OE, and episcopi - to do with the Bishop of Wells. St Mary's church has a very fine example of a carved door, with the added delight of its reddish brown colour, possibly the result of a fire. The door had very chunky zigzag arches, with interesting designs around the top. There were two tiny creature heads on either side, and some fabulous columns with leaves and patterns at the top. A fine example. I'm glad to say that we no longer attempt madly to draw the whole thing, as was once the case when we began on these quests, but now realise that it is only possible to draw a detail or two.  Inside the church was a rather impressive window, with a lot of angels' wings and striking reds. It reminded me of the windows by Burne Jones in Birmingham cathedral. I didn't say anything at the time but it turns out the window is by Burne Jones. Fancy that!

Moving on from Huish Episcopi, we headed back towards home and decided to squeeze in a trip to

West Camel. This time we knew where it was having been on our last trip but not having had the nerve to interrupt a singing session that was taking place inside. This time however it was open and empty and we were delighted to see not just a lovely font with pleasing archway design, but one of the finest Anglo Saxon carved stones we have had the pleasure to see. This one had pride of place up by the altar, and is nicely secure. It had two sides carved with intricate and still well defined knotwork and interlacing patterns. One side definitely had two snake/dragon heads at the end of the intertwining bits. The other side might have had but the ends were more worn. It is definitely one of the best preserved pieces we have come across. And impossible to know where to begin to draw. Especially at the end of the day when we were tired. But I did an "impression" of it which was really a cop out, but it might be fun to try and do some artwork from the photos. I pondered on how they would have done the original - you would have to have had a sketch as you could easily go wrong with the under/over alternation between the patterns.

  

Dorset way

Stoke sub Hamdon

Each county appears to have its own unique feel and mysterious qualities. We all know Wiltshire is weird, as it has Stonehenge, Avebury, Silbury hill etc and the form of the hills often makes it feel enclosed and slightly mysterious ...but Somerset has a different feeling again and so does Dorset. It was almost as if when we crossed the border the atmosphere changed, but perhaps I am getting too in tune with the land and picking up echoes from times gone past... Certainly Dorset, with its pleasant countryside (sadly bathed in misty cloud for half the day) was rich in top quality romanesque delights.

Navigating from the road map, your favourite navigator made her usual useless effort of "oh yes we should have turned there" as the car sailed past its turning.  Our first stop, once we found it, was St Andrew's Church in Todber, an unusual building, which was supposed to have some Saxon carving outside. Alas, said carving was no longer outside and the church was shut, so we returned through the drizzle and dripping trees to the car.  Next stop, Melbury Bubb. A small distance away but not on any direct main road. We decided to "take the cross country route".   I don't know why as I didn't have an OS map and couldn't see the best way to go, even while I was giving directions. The small white roads got even smaller on the map and even less road-like in reality.  Luckily for me I am always driven with skill and care around the English countryside and just kept the map out of sight so that the ludicrousness of our route couldn't be seen.  Eventually, having been down the tiniest and most hidden of Dorset's backroads, including via a diversion, we found Melbury Bubb (to our great relief). Most of the names around there are equally as remarkable - Piddletrenthide, Glanvilles Wootton and Huish Episcopi. Of all things.

Melbury Bubb church was, thankfully, open. A man was inside the door and evidently slightly surprised to see us. "Are you researchers?" he asked us. Well, yes, we are! Never thought of ourselves like this before but in fact that is exactly what we are and it felt good to be recognised as such! The church is apparently "always open" and no wonder - inside the door is the most amazing font ever! It was made into a font out of an existing carving and so the scene is upside down. Someone has done a drawing of it so you can see what is on there. But in fact it is not hard to see (when you have your head the wrong way round). Around the sides are a menagerie of creatures -some I swear we have never seen carved before - a stag with impressive antlers, a dog type creature, a horse... and some strange creatures in between, perhaps a lizard, perhaps a sea creature - really quite hard to tell. All with the requisite curved tails tucking up under their bodies - but in fact tails reminding me of Saxon knotwork as well, as they became a long and weaving pattern, looping in and out of themselves. I was musing there must have been a crossover between Saxon and Norman styles and so perhaps this was part of it? Lovely animal feet and the ususal characterful faces, with amusing expressions. These creatures are neither serious, or in my opinion, religious - we were debating whether they were symbolic of something religious. Perhaps. But perhaps not. Although they are not - apart from these ones - usually creatures that would have been around day to day. So here the stag and horse were interesting. But in other places - the creatures you'd expect to see would surely be wolves, badgers, hares, etc? All very interesting to think on.  It helped to draw them upside down as you were forced to draw what you saw and on turning your drawing upside down it was quite fun to see the result. A lovely spot with an absolutely amazing font. Find it if you can.

Moving on (the heavens opened, it was absurd), our next stop was Melbury Osmond. Inside the church set into the wall near the altar was a creature again with winding crossing patterns around it, this time a bit like a dragon? And possible plants?

Final stop on the tour was Stoke sub Hamdon. From the notes in our sacred blue book (I say our, but the book is all my sister's hard work) the church promised many things of great excitement and it was not wrong! I may have been tired but I became quite emotional. The first thing to greet our eye was a truly wonderful tympanum. My sister is so kind, she likes the initial discovery to be a kind of gift and will often let me go first as it were, to get the full impact of the surprise. The tympanum is very well preserved (apart from a small part where we believe someone had tried to chip it away! Poor thing!)  It is spacious and airy, beautifully considered and spaced out, with a Sagitarrius, a tree of life, three gorgeous birds, a wolf/lion and a fabulous, jaunty lamb of God!  Who doesn't love a lamb of God and this one had a real way about it. The birds had a very appealing design, straight backs and all seen from different angles. They reminded both of us at once of the ones in Little Langford. Ah, we are fonts of all knowledge now (pun intended).  The other creature was possibly a lion (as in Leo) or possibly a wolf - it had a woolly neck so the lion theory fits. But whatever, it was all very nicely done and fun to draw.

That was me drawn out really, so I just had to admire the other treats inside  - the chunkiest font you ever saw with a double band of carving which meant the rest of it would have had to have been chipped out for a year and a day. The most amazing triple arches inside with different pleasing patterns, all very well preserved. Far too much for one person to take in.  On the outside wall as well there was a super-cute dragon being attacked by some stupid person (why did people treat dragons so badly?) with not just a spear but a lance as well.  I loved its curving body and amusing expression. They really knew how to draw character.

I believe Dorset could be a great place to spend more time fonting, it had a nice feel, it certainly had many hidden wonders and it is not too far to go. We have been enjoying a wealth of fonting opportunities recently so long may the good weather continue.

Rediscovery

The Time is Now revisited one of the churches we visited when we were first discovering fonting and its delights. My sister thought that maybe we had not fully appreciated the carving when we visited the first time. I was sceptical but we are both aware of what we are now calling "the Pipe Aston effect" - referring to the first time I was taken to see amazing carving at Pipe Aston but didn't appreciate it one tiny bit. I think I looked, said it was ok, and wandered off somewhere. I had no recollection of it afterwards and certainly hadn't been blown away. But then I didn't realise what I was looking at or really see it. Probably too busy looking at my phone or something.

Anyway sure enough it was true when we went to rediscover this church that the carving inside was truly something special - a brilliant dragon's head and a separate piece with a most unusual design - a beaky creature, but gripping not a door, but a swirling pattern design, reminiscent of Saxon knotwork. A true gem! Both had real character and were true gems and I found it hard to believe we had seen them before but truly appreciated them. There was a third item, part of a tympanum, that although more worn, was equally impressive.

I must admit that I fell in love a little with the dragon's head, it was larger than most and had such a chirpy expression - almost a light in its large eyes.  Real character.  I didn't quite capture it in my drawing but that's always the way.  That is what I love most about the carvings, specifically the animal carvings - the artist always captures character and there seems to be real humour in them as well.

Bibury, Windrush and Cold Aston

On a beautiful sunny day we decided to head further afield to explore the rich pickings in the Cirencester area. North east of the town is a small Cotswolds village called Bibury. We (in our ignorance?) had never heard of it, it was in the middle of the countryside. So it was to our great surprise when we turned into the main street to see coachloads of Japanese tourists standing in the road, sporting pollution face-masks and taking photos with their selfie-sticks. A look to the right confirmed why - Bibury is home to a remarkable and ultra-quaint row of weavers' cottages, that are quintissential English cuteness. I recognised them instantly as the recent location of the yellow car parade that went through the village in support of one of said cottages' residents.  Even though there were ice cream shops along the main road, we drove on to the church and were lucky to find a parking space.

What an unusual place, there was even an interesting old building backing onto the churchyard where we had our boiled eggs (now a must-have) and weak lemon drink. Many tourists had drifted up as far as the church (we are not used to being disturbed) which had several things of interest, including a deceivingly simple circle design that proved impossible to draw. Even at home. The interior had several carved features and a copy of a Saxon carving which is now safely in a museum.

Back on the road, we were spoilt for choice and headed off to Windrush in Oxfordshire (we are slowly getting further and further afield and several counties from home). It was a quiet, idyllic spot (bar the Tory posters dotted throughout the well-to-do villages) - with lovely views. What's here...? Oh my god, a DOUBLE beakhead door! Double beakheads! Previously unheard of an unseen in our travels. Not one arch of beaky creatures gripping the door, but TWO, an inner and outer arch. They had been strangely cleaned but maybe this was a good thing - just weird given that we are used to worn and weathered carvings. The cleanness of them gave them a weird new feel. But more to the point they were quite unusual beakheads. Their blank, almond shaped eyes, and long beaks, gave them a decidedly menacing feel, which we both thought, and we were rather wary of them.  My sister tripped backwards up the step and ended up sitting down which was perhaps unsurprising, given their startling appearance.

Last stop, which we squeezed in, was Cold Aston, yet another small cute Cotswold village. Unfortunately the church was next to the school - I say unfortunately because while we were there the poor innocents were marched into the church for a short lesson on kindness or something.  We however were busy engaged in the carvings in the porch, and a rich and varied treasure trove they were. My sister diligently drew the extensive saltire cross pattern filling the tympanum and some of the carved woven pattern in one of several chunks of carving set into the wall. I was intrigued by a relative of the minute head at Maperton, one almost green-mannish head with (what I thought were) leaves for hair, and a hole in his head which formed part of a drain for water (or so it seemed). He seemed quite a cheerful chap (at least in my drawing) and I was pleased with my effort.
 

Back on the road again!

It was with great delight and a whole new list of Places To Visit that we set off on what was definitely a spring morning to recommence Fonting in Earnest for 2017. The winter months are a trying time for seasoned and addicted fonters such as my sister and myself (I don't know any others offhand). So we have been keenly awaiting a day when the light is good and the weather is warm and yesterday we seized our chance. Excitingly, my sister has found a historical account of a local natural history and walkers' group who explored many local churches, including quite a few which were not on our original list! We don't know if this was because Mr Pevsner got sick of looking sometimes, or whether they were somehow overlooked in my sister's original research (I can't imagine this being the case) - but whatever the reason, we were in luck yesterday with our new discoveries.

With a map of North East and North Somerset to hand, and new villages ringed in green, we found a small cluster south west of Bath. In true fonting style, the first one took us up the path to a farm, but it wasn't my terrible navigating, it was actually the home of a small family church that had belonged to the Bampfyldes, and was now being cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. We were thrilled to find it is open every day and that the visitor book showed regular visitors. The church walls are at pleasing angles and there is much of interest: Georgian box pews, an old organ, a wall painting and just inside the door, a beautiful Norman font. A deceptively simple design, with a scallop shape on each side, but once you start looking you see it is not so simple after all and in fact very pleasing. It was a peaceful spot to sit and draw with sparrows chirping outside and the possibility that Charles I himself might once have been there.

After a satisfactory pencil sketch of the font, our next stop was Hemingford, just nearby, which had another scalloped font but this time with many scallops. We were both cautious at first as it looked a bit too uniform and neat to be authentically Norman, but on inspection and after discussion, we agreed it was, as it wasn't completely uniform. The stone is not what we are used to in Wiltshire and it reminded us both of concrete. I drew the scallops with much artistic licence. There were also some Norman capitals and an unusual little face at the foot of a column. Just outside Hemingford we spotted a fast flowing spring.

Our third church in Kilmersdon was also the spot for a picnic. Disappointingly, the church (place of sanctuary for some) was locked but there were some pleasing corbels on the outside and some large, later-than-Norman creatures (grotesques) which were quite unusual and very amusingly carved. Several had cloven feet and were twisted around, with teeth and snouts not unlike our beloved dragon heads. The one I tried to draw looked like a frog ready to leap from its perch down onto your head.

We drove on until we came to Radstock, again, disappointingly shut. But on to Priston, where an enormous golden cockerel tops the tower. Inside the porch were two Norman capitals. The design of one had been used as inspiration for the arches inside - which we soon figured out were too neat and too unworn looking to be Norman. We also realised that Norman carvings tend to vary but these people had repeated the design from outside with no variation. But it was sensitive of them to take the original design and use it again.

Our last stop was Stratton-on-Fosse, where there is a peaceful spring with watercress (keep away) and water parsnip (again, avoid). Sadly the church was shut, but it rounded off what had been a very pleasing day with much drawing, mindfulness, tranquillity and fun. The best thing is we now have many more villages circled in green to visit.

Snailing

I have been enjoying another blog called Taxonomic Collections where you can learn all about different British species, such as seaweed and snails. I was particularly taken by the pages on finding snails, which seemed to live in all sorts of habitats - and so hopefully should be easy to find. I was lucky enough to go out "snailing" as I called it, ie looking for snails, with the writer of the blog.

Having read the advice in those pages, I knew that looking for snails is not glamorous but involves searching under foliage, in cracks in rocks, turning over leaf litter and poking around in places that involve mud and damp. I was prepared: walking boots, warm clothing and small plastic pots to keep our finds in.  I was not disappointed. In a nature reserve on the Somerset/Wiltshire border, we managed to find many snail shells of various shapes and sizes. At this time of year, actual living snails were not to be seen, but there were shells aplenty. Being a complete snail novice, I was amazed by how many different types there are and how varied the patterns and sizes. What was most surprising was the tiny weeny snail shells - at first I could not even spot them but after a bit of time snailing I got my eye in and could spot a shell just a few millimetres across. I had no idea so many species are so tiny fully grown, and that snail shells can be different shapes, including long, thin ones a bit like a grain of rice. I found a larger brown snail, which my sister said was probably a Roman snail. "So," I said, my brain a bit slow in the cold weather, "Were the Romans round here then?" Behind us in the valley was the city of Bath, rather a big clue.

We put our shells in a secure pot in order to identify them back home.  It helps if you can make a note of where you found it which will aid your identification later. We also saw an array of colourful fungi along the way including some bright red "Elves' cups" which really do look like the elves use them to drink from.

Back at the house, we looked at the tiny shells under the microscope. What a world in miniature that opens up! You simply cannot appreciate the beauty of the shells with the naked eye. Details like ridges, stripes and colour come to life and I was drawn into the snails' world. We used a key to try and identify the type of snail.  I like that part, as you work through each section of the key and identify whether the snail has the feature it mentions. If yes, you move on to another number. If no, you are directed to another place. If you are able to do this accurately (and I expect it depends on the key and the amount of detail you can see) then you hopefully end up at the correct snail species. My sister gave me an easy-to-identify one to start with and I was hugely pleased to end up at the correct species.  I wanted to go through all of them but I think that might have meant overstaying my welcome. One tiny rice-grain shape shell was hard to identify with the key we had, but my sister has since identified using another source.

Who would have thought snails could be so fascinating. And they are out there, waiting to be appreciated! Only last night someone on a lovely quiet programme about Scotland was saying, If you can find something that absorbs you it is the best way to relax. I found hunting for and identifying snails very absorbing; it was immensely satisfying and relaxing to be out in nature, noticing and appreciating small things, but in fact all these small things are the very essence of life and for me are the only things worth appreciating. It brings things into perspective. It is a bit like mindfulness meditation, where you focus on the breath, on the here and now.  When your brain is busy at work or worrying about the entire world and its problems, it is hard to function well. But if you can centre yourself and take in your surroundings, it helps to calm and stabilise you. I need to stay connected to the natural world, the rhythm of the seasons, nature's cycle, as it grounds me and connects me to everything. Snailing is just one fun way to do this!