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!

Deerhurst and Upleadon

Once in a while we are on route somewhere other than a church and are tempted to squeeze some fonting into the journey. Well if we are passing near to a known site, it seems silly not to visit. Happily the Blue Book makes it easy to find somewhere not ludicrously off course.

One such stop-off was the village of Deerhurst. Luckily for us, it was well signposted as in addition to the village church and the delights therein, it has an extra building of Saxon origin, Odda's Chapel, now cared for by English Heritage. This was apparently built by Earl Odda for his brother Aelfric. Strangely someone had incorporated a farmhouse into one end in Tudor times, which looked rather odd. But the building itself held less interest for me than the contents of the nearby church, St Mary's. The existence of a second Saxon building is quite unusual. So it was not surprising that both are clearly signposted, which saved us our usual trick of hunting down every side road. In fact the church had no end of signs, with one taking us all the way round the building to the "angel" high up on the back wall, another pointing to the toilets (a rare and welcome facility for the travelling fonter) and even an array of labels inside the WC in case you weren't sure how to identify a hand dryer. But it was a joy to see that someone evidently welcomed and expected visitors.

Inside the church (diligently being cleaned by someone) we were greeted with a wonderful sight. You may think you have seen something already when you have seen a photograph, but it does not beat seeing it for real. Deerhurst's font is one of very few surviving Anglo Saxon fonts... if indeed there are any. We bought a pamphlet (one of many) on the Anglo Saxon features of the church and it suggested that Deerhurst is the best example, if it is indeed a font, which the author thought it was. It seems to fit the dimensions of the fonts we have seen, and the base, if it is the original base for a font, has the same intricate spiral/scroll pattern which decorates the top bowl. It is an elaborate pattern which suggests that it must have been an important place to have such a lovely font. We sat ready to draw. R went to look for lights to that area of the church. To my sheer amazement, sensitively done floor lights came on all around the base of the font and lit it up so you could best appreciate the carving. I have never seen a font so well appreciated and cared for by its parish and being as fond as I am of them, it felt like the pinnacle of font appreciation - if only every beautiful font could be appreciated and valued in this way. Some cost and consideration had gone into presenting this font and it is so nice to know it will be looked after.  Unlike in times gone by when it was found being used as a drinking vessel in a farmyard and rescued by a bishop.

Drawing the pattern proved more difficult. We would have needed a lot more time than we had to make any decent attempt and mine was more of a rough representation. It turned out that the swirls were quite complicated and not all the same and it made your eyes go funny looking at them for too long.

The church also has beast heads, two wonderful ones by the main door, with fangs, pointy ears and a prominent snout, not so much dragons but a cross between wolves and something else, and two at the back of the church, which according to the pamphlet, could have been adorned with paint and jewels for eyes in their time, one of which looked like a hippo to me.

Upleadon
Upleadon is not far from Deerhurst and provided a good stop-off point on our return journey. However, it was not so well signposted, as usual, so we found ourselves in familiar territory driving into the village and then having to go back on ourselves, ask a stranger and then keep our eyes peeled. It was a little way out of the main village next to a large house and farm. It is very unusual with a tower of brick and timber. This one boasts a rather fine tympanum over the main door, with nothing less than a Lamb of God, complete with jaunty foot, and flanked by two "lion-like" creatures, with the requisite tails curling up under their bodies. It was not unlike the design at Pen Selwood, a thought we both had, cheeringly - we are now a walking resource on these things.  I loved it - it had a pleasing simplicity but with some unusual details such as the rather attractive circle around the lamb, which was a plain and a beaded band intertwined. As I drew it, mine seemed to go a bit haphazard and I think the carver found the same difficulty.  The animals had rather humanoid features.

There was another creature on the left hand capital of the door, with an interesting tail, and a design on the right hand one.

It may have been out of the way and harder to find than Deerhurst but it was equally pleasing and quite a peaceful spot.

Dictionary entry

to go fonting  verb. intransitive. To visit places to see Romanesque carvings, ie of Norman or Saxon origin, primarily churches.  Note carvings include tympanums, corbels, capitals, columns etc as well as fonts.  Note that other words cannot be used in a similar way, i.e. you cannot say "to go tympanuming" as, a) it is too difficult and b) it is not a phrase.

Romsey

When asked what I wanted to do for my birthday, the answer was simple. Yes, animals are always a good option but fonts (or rather, Romanesque carving) won. As a special treat we went that bit further to Romsey Abbey, near Southampton. And it really proved to be the sort of special treat you want for a special birthday, as mine was.

Before we even got inside, we were delighted to find wonderful Norman corbels high up around the outside walls. Most were of faces of people or animals and some distinctly different to those we have seen before; some faces had things inside their wide open mouths such as figures of people. There were also a number of pairs of heads. The garden outside was a lovely spot to stuff our faces so we admired the corbels as we ate.

Around the corner from the main entrance was a figure of Jesus, on his cross, not unlike the one at Langford. Over this one was a hand of God. The Jesus was next to a rather fine door, I'm not sure how much of it had been touched up as it seemed in remarkably good nick.  Then more corbels (it was a bit overwhelming) and then we finally made it to the front entrance.

Inside you are struck by the high walls and lofty ceilings of the building. It has many treasures and they are keen for you not to miss any of them, as a detailed map was given to us by an interested guide (although this was once we had been round the abbey already). We were both soon going from one thing to another, doing the usual thing of "look!" and then finding something even more exciting around the next corner. In terms of Norman carvings, the place is a real gem. Towards the back of the abbey, every column seems to be topped with a carved capital - and all seem different. You have the foliage design, reminiscent of Knook, and some more unusual ones of people and animals. The abbey had provided a drawing of some of the more complicated ones, suggesting what was being depicted, but cynical and questioning as we are, we did not take everything as gospel (despite being in a church). The only problem was that all the capitals were hard to see for two reasons: the main one being the height - it was impossible to crane your neck back and to see anything in detail with them being so high above your head. And secondly, each was lit with a bulb that shone down into your eyes so you could not see very well anyway. It was a real shame and we considered writing to the abbey to see if we could get a ladder or platform from which to view them all close up, under the guise of wanting to produce a book on them.

see how high they are

The back of the abbey is just one carved capital after another and then you come across the far right hand corner, where there is a Saxon rood. Thankfully you can have a proper look at this one. The figure of Jesus on the cross and the people around him stood out from a darker coloured backgro
und... which on closer inspection appeared to have been painted in bronze enamel paint, which had been applied quite carelessly. We almost began hyperventilating at this - clearly someone had done this in the recent history of this ancient carving. I just hope the offending paint can be removed without any damage.

Luckily there were plenty more carved capitals around the corner to distract us, including a rather cute one of animals biting each other. It is just a shame we could not draw anything because we could not see it in enough detail at that distance.  Unsurprisingly, many people going round were not looking up and so were walking past, in our opinions, the best bits.

So to fully appreciate the abbey we need to return with ladders and permission to shin up them, although even then I don't think I'd be able to draw at such heady heights. But even without drawing it was the perfect place for a birthday.

Who did this!?