Sunday 16th September 2012

Good afternoon. And welcome to Sunday afternoon. We're just back from the old folks where Jools' Dad smoked and told takes of Dover past, and we listened. Let it not be said we know our roles and play them well. I did notice this afternoon that Nan's room has a sea view. I say sea views as it she lives beside the harbour. I think the bit of sea she can see between the pitched roofs of the houses opposite may be off Ramsgate, and she may be now at least twelve inches too short at the age of 98 to see the sea for herself, and there is also good chance, as she didn't have her hearing aids again, she didn't understand what I said anyway.



It has now been three and a half weeks, August 22nd to be precise, since I was germ free. I have no idea what I have, but every four or five days I get sneezy, then congested. I hates it as I can't sleep,and it looks like I have yet another bout about to begin.

There is always whisky.....

Friday afternoon we headed to Ashford to go to the cinema to see the new version of Dredd. On the way we set out to find the ruined church of St Mary at Little Chart, but despite finding the village and looking everywhere, we found the new church, but not the old one.



The film was fine, but despite going at the cheap time, along with the 3D glasses it cost us £19.40 for just the two of us. It really is not a cheap thing to do any more, and that was without buying any snacks, despite the popcorn smelling so delicious.

Yesterday was another glorious autumnal day, and we headed out to take yet more pictures of Kentish churches, this time not quite so far away, but armed with a large scale map, we proceeded to visit the cross-shapes in an area.

I guess we did about three in the end, but it was pleasant enough, and all were open, which is always good.



First of all we headed to The Leas in Folkestone,the reason was to photograph a topiary crown. Yes, you read that correct. As it turned out, we were too late and it has been taken away, but it was wonderful wandering along the broad grassy expanse of the Leas up to the once luxurious hotels right at the southern end.

And after taking my shots we head back to the car and out of Folkestone and into the countryside. We had consulted maps and asked friends, and found that the ruined church, despite being the parish church for Little Chart, it isn't in or near the village.

We found the church with no trouble, and had the site to ourselves. The church was severely damaged at the end of WW2 when a doodlebug landed short of London; thankfully no people were injured but the church was damaged beyond repair. Now, nature is taking it back, with ivy half covering what is left of the tower.



We consulted the map, and headed back towards the motorway, but Jools had noticed a cross near the hamlet of Charing Heath and so it was there we went to first. Along narrow lanes and through wonderful villages, we ended up at Holy Trinity, almost passed it as it sat beside the road behind a hedge with no signs.

The church is a simple Victorian building, but with a wonderful wooden pitched roof which gives it an air of grandeur. A mother and her daughter were inside discussing arrangements for the daughter's wedding in a couple of weeks time, but they made us welcome and made sure they did not disturb us. I got my shots from all angles, including up a flight of rickety stairs to the small balcony; the things I do for photography!



Back in the car and along more country lanes to Harrietsham. it is a fine stone church, very large for a small village it serves, and it was a hive of activity as the churchwardens and volunteers prepared for the annual village fete that afternoon.



As always, we were made very welcome, with the churchwarden and church historian on hand to answer any questions and to point out details of interest. As they were clearly very busy, we left after getting my shots, and we headed back south, this time back to Little Chart, as during our church hunt the day before showed us how picturesque the village was.



We walked up the main street, taking shots of the really nice places; thatched cottages and clapboard houses; then into the local pub for a pint and maybe a bite for lunch. They didn't seem to be very ready for customers, asjust the one ale was one; just Doombar which isn't my favourite pint. So, we drank up and headed out.



A friend's picture on flickr had alerted me to a very picturesque church on the edge of the Romney Marsh, so we crossed Kent by narrow lanes and byways through wonderful, if oddly named, villages and hamlets.



We arrived at Bilsington, and found the spot where the church should be, but could only see a sign. The church was behind a farm. So, we parked up and walked along the lane inbetween two high hedges, and in due course we could see gravestones.



The church sits on the edge of a hill, overlooking the marsh with it stretching away into the haze. The church is surrounded by farmlands, sheep, and it is a wonderfully remote location. The single bell isn't in the tower, but sits in a frame underneath a small pitched roof. The door was open and so we went inside.



The church, or parts of it date to the 13th century, and the mid-point of the naive, the two halves of the church are on slightly different axis. all in all it was a wonderful church, and a real hidden gem. I only discovered that the church we wanted to visit in fact was a couple of fields away; so we will have to go back.

Anyway, with that it was time to head back; I put on the radio to listen to Norwich play west Ham. They fought out a dour 0-0 draw, and so City remain win-less this season. And we have all the 'big' clubs yet to play. Still, it's still early days.