Google says that today (Tuesday) is the first day of autumn, and as the interwebs never lies or forgets, unless it does, then it was.
I dropped Jools off at work, then waited for the guys to arrive for work so I could make them a fresh cuppa before heading off to meet a friend to photograph some churches. As you do.
John Vigar is the author of the reference book we used in the initial stages of the Kent Church project, and I then got to know him through Flickr. He is due to move from the county soon, and he asked if we could meet up before then, as previous plans had collapsed. I arranged to meet him in an out of the way church in the far west of the county, Stone-in-Oxney, as this was the first church I visited using his book as a guide, and my shots were not that good. The stone in the name is a Roman carved altar, which is rather nice, and my shots last time failed to come out.
Instead of driving up to Ashford and then down the main road onto the marsh, I headed along the A20 to Lympne, and then along the edge of the downs before passing along narrow lanes onto the marsh and onto Oxney. I had forgotten how lovely and quiet this part of the county is, as it is an area seldom visited. It is criss-crossed with drainage ditches as this used to be marshes and channels. Anyway, along the lane into the village, over a narrow hump-backed bridge and up church hill, with its wonderful views over the marsh. I was 20 minutes early, so I looked round the churchyard, and admiring the ancient houses scattered around the church.
John arrived and we chatted a while before we entered the church, making straight for the stone which is hidden in the bottom of the bell tower. We looked around the church, taking shots. And then decided where to go to next. A plan formed, Snargate, Snave and then Brenzett, at which time it should be opening time. So, I program the sat nave for Snargate, and we set of in convoy.
Snargate I had been to before, but found it closed. But it was open this time. Once again, we whizzed round, getting shots and John filling me in with the history and interesting aspects of the building, something he did at all churches.
Snave was next: it is situated beside the main road, along a lane, but as it is set back and accessable down a track, it is so easy to miss. As I did this time, but John knew it was there, so we parked on the lane and walked up, first around the church, and then in through the small side door, which although was not marked as such, was the entrance as the door in the porch was locked.
Inside it was an usual shape, but explained by John to extensive rebuilding in the middle ages. Once again we got our shots, and so looking at my watch I saw it was twenty past twelve, beer o'clock, so we decide to head to Ivychurch for a pint and a sandwich in the Bell, as I saw it was a recommended real ale pub. It was a ten minute drive to the pub, and it was crowded, even on a Tuesday lunchtime, a good sign. We both had pints of Cornish ale and ordered a sandwich before heading outside to sit in the sunshine beside the quite village high street.
This is the life.
Next up to Brenzett, where we found it, as expected, locked, but there was a keyholder listed, so I went to the cottage at the end of lane, and she was happy to let me have it. THe church is splendid inside, and so we got more shots (can you see a pattern emerging so far?). John said that an extension had just been completed at Kenardington, so we went there, another ten minute drive away there, and found that open as well. Oh lucky us. These churches are mostly hard to find, even when standing a few dozen yards from them, being marked by a simple wooden sign.
Penultimate church was Warehorn, a church I had also been to before, but not been able to get into. It is a mix of different styles and materials, and certainly is not the most attractive of the marsh churches. Anyway, it too was open, and another fine church. Sadly, the pub opposite has closed, and work seems to be going on inside which may mean it being converted to a house. A shame as their food and beer were both excellent.
Final church for the day, and my final one of all the standing Romney Marsh churches was Burmarsh. We found it with no trouble, and after walking over the narrow bridge into the church we too found it locked. But a quick walk to the keyholder meant I had the key, and we were inside the tiny church. Sadly, its marsh setting means it is suffering with damp and subsidence, but seems to be surviving, and is excellent inside. The pub next door, The Shepherd and Crook also looks mighty fine too, and may require a return trip.
I now had to bid John farewell as I had to go and pick Jools up from work, just as well I did as she finished even earlier than normal after changing offices and is now back working in just about the same one as she did before the sacking. Anyway.
We head home to find the first outer coat on and drying, but the guys have to wait until it is nearly dry before smoothing it down, and it took hours. It was nearly dark before they finished, and they packed up at just gone seven. I cooked warmed up roast beef and all the trimmings, so we sat down in little over half an hour later for a fine dinner washed down with a nice bottle of rose wine bought last week.
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