Sunday 12th September 2021

Would have been my parent's 57th wedding anniversary.

I'm sure they're finding something to talk about through eternity.

Ahem.

And it was day two of the heritage weekend, and there were three churches on my list; one in Canterbury, one on the outskirts (more in the country, really) and one in Rochester.

As none opened until ten, Jools went swimming, and I stayed in as the forecast was for cloud. It was sunny and warm, but I had have gone back to Temple Ewell the blog would never have got written, so, just as well for all really I stayed home. Had a shower, put the bird seed out, washed up and made breakfast, or had it ready for when Jools came back.

St Mildred is named after an abbess from Monister in Thanet, and there is this chuch and Canterbury, and the one at Preston (by Wingham) that bear her dedication and her protection. St Mildred in Canterbury is a large and sprawing building, full of fine detail, situated overlooking what was once a flood plain for the Great Stour, but is now a small grassy area and the inner ring road.

Once Jools came back, we ate, drank more coffee and ate croissants, washed up and I loaded my gear into the car and we were off, just the short drive to the city. Traffic was quiet, but apparently, indicators were voluntary, but we reached the car park safe, and walked past the castle, a Norman tower, now closed to the public due to it being in a poor state of repair. I hope it gets fixed soon, its been closed a few years now.

The church is open, I go in and meet the priest, she is fine with me taking shots, so I get busy. Just as well I do as the wardens and lay members arrive and are all over the place. But I had the shots I wanted, one even pointed out the fragments of ancient glass.

St Mildred is very high, even I could see that. Incense swirlers, stations of the cross and a passion scene where the Rood would have been. A modern one, but still uncommon.

I bid them farewell as they prepare for the service, but more people arrive, doing touristy and photoraphy things as they get the church ready.

Next up was Broad Oak Chapel, a short drive round the city, through the retail park, over a level crossing and up through a wood to the village. The chapel was a 1930s building, unremarkable, but there was a service on, which had begun at half ten. It was now eleven, and no time to wait, really, so we turn round and drive to Thanet Way, avoiding the traffic chaos in Canterbury.

The Thanet Way turns into the motorway, despite having had first and second breakfast, I was hungry, and knew Thanet Services had a Greggs, and a sausage roll would hit the spot.

We pull in and walk over the motorway, past Burger Kings and Costa to Greggs. I wanted a chicken bake for Jools and two sausage rolls for me. Two sausage rolls for the price of three, love?

OK, I hear myself say.

We get coffees too.

So, Jools got the bake and a sausage roll, I had two sausage rolls, meaning we had one elft, neither of us wanted it, so it would do for a mid-morninf sack on MOnday.

Back in the car and into the urban sprawl that is the Medway Towns, through Upper Chatham into Rochester, following the sat nav through streets lined with posh terraced houses until we arrived at St Margaret's. The church not the village.

I saw over the ball bunting was out, so we were at the right place and it was open.

St Margaret's has a Medieaval tower, early 19th century nave and a late 19th century nave. The tower isn't really visible from the church, so it works, but from outside it jars. Apparently Army and Navy officers had houses built in the area, and the tumble down church wasn't a la mode, so they knocked most of it down and built a new one in the latest, short-lived style.

Did I want to go up the tower; there's fine views?

Damn right.

So, in the head of midday, I take me and three cameras on a climb up the steep and narrow spiral staircase for fine views over the river and former city. It was worth it, just. But good to have done it. THings I do for photography, but I did get to see the bell chamber, and pondered how folks with hemp ropes and muscles got the bloody things up there.

I go back down and meet back with Jools: shall we go home? We shall.

So, back through the sprawl to the motorway and back home.

Instead of watching football, I review my shots and finish the blog for the day, then watch the football, Liverpool v Leeds, which used to be the biggest game of the day when I were a kid. Liverpool won out. During the second half I made dinner, caprese with bread. As a starter (how posh), we had raspberry balsamic vinegar, into which we dipped chunks of bread.

There's fancy, see.

Once the footy had finished and we had cleared up, it was nearly dark and wel on the way to eight, and the weekend all over again.

But the good news is I have a week off from Friday, and am going away. More of that nearer the time.