But, after three days of indoor confinement and being spoiled rotten by a great friend who knows my weaknesses and brought me these:
filled with REAL English cream AND after thoroughly enjoying them both AND not wanting to develop a derriere like this:
I went for one of my favourite walks when I'm in Nottingham. I started off down this path:
In the spring the grass is full of blooming daffodils and crocuses. The wall is the boundary of Wollaton Hall. The path continues along the road until it curves gently to the right:
Ahead is St.Leonard's Church, a row of cottages and the local pub, the Admiral Rodney. I love this view, to me it is so quintessentially English. The church has been here for 800 years and each time I visit Nottingham I like to go and sit inside for a while and savour the atmosphere. Today, the church was a busy place….. ladies were setting up tables and supplies for a school field trip planned later in the day. There were archaeology students from Nottingham University studying various features for a project they were doing:
Apart from being a beautiful and historic church, St.Leonard's claim to fame is this:
The Wollaton Antiphonal
This is a very rare manuscript dating back to medieval times and was scribed and illustrated by monks who often spent their lifetime completing one such work. The artwork and script is superb and the colours so vibrant. Many of these works were destroyed during the Reformation when Henry viii broke off all ties with the Church of Rome so he could divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn - I guess I did remember something from history classes!!
As I was looking at the display, the sound of monks chanting could be heard in the background. I sat in one of the pews to listen to the chanting - ahead of me I could see this:
The tomb of Sir Henry Willoughby. After reading The Pillars of the Earth I really could appreciate the attention to the detailing of the carvings and the time and effort it must have taken. With the chanting I could almost imagine myself being transported back to medieval times but wait, look closer:
On either side of Sir Henry were two half-sized effigies of his wives, so a total of four wives!! No wonder his hands and feet are missing!! I jest of course! At first I had thought these were effigies of his children but in the Middle Ages women often died in childbirth and at a very young age of now curable
diseases. How sad…. but what a peaceful place to remain in perpetuity
Under the tomb is another carved effigy of a half rotted corpse, a reminder to us all of our own mortality!!! There's something very soothing about old churches - I plan to be back!
Outside the church there is a memorial to all the Wollaton men who gave their lives in the Great War:
Lest We Forget
Across the road is this lovely cottage:
And centred in the middle of Wollaton Village is the Admiral Rodney, I've been here many a time:
Further down the road is the old Village School:
Of course no village is complete without this:
And of course I can't possibly go by the library without going inside:
The library was really busy, especially the children's section but I wasn't allowed to take any pictures because of the kids, a sign of the times , but I did chose some good books. I LOVE libraries, after all:
"A library is the only place you can lose your innocence without losing your virginity"
Now who said that???? I'll give you a clue!
Talk soon
Zoe
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