Monday 15 August 2016

Look Through Any Window - The Hollies

Our day was more Cultural than Natural, as Jean-Francois was keen to see, here on his maiden visit, anything remotely English. If you happen to be in this part of the World where else better to start than at the END of it?
maybe as close to an
English Country Pub
as is possible to get even though they all,
these days,
have the SCRUMPY STAINS scoured away!
Reaching Clouds Hill, he was asked if he was familiar with
Lawrence of Arabia Link
and it was coincidental that he is one of J-F's all time hero's!
When told than we were at that point driving along the very road on
which he was 'murdered' (my own theory, you don't have to subscribe)
his whole demeanour changed to that of a schoolboy.
First stop however was one which is mandatory for any of my guests
which is the unique 
MORTON CHURCH
Look Through Any Window 
Hope this can be read!
half ancient by many standards
and sporting
My Companions Very Own Motif.
Lead Piping,
NAVE,
FONT
and what might pass as a
HATCHMENT
all dwarfed by the magnificent
ETCHED not STAINED GLASS windows.
J-F was allowed to conduct the Service before viewing
 
 the windows, attributed to
LAURENCE WHISTLER LINK
brother of artist Rex, he of 
Whistler's Mother 
fame.
The photograph shows German Bomb Damage from WWII.
 
More etching and
superb deck tiles.
By no means my first visit here but the first time it was noticed
that even the small lancets in the porch are etched.
The scared Oak outside looked rather Cathedral-like?
but it was now time to test his Powers of Observation.
 
Entering Morton Cemetery via the
LYCHGATE
I quickly strolled to the end of the path and just sat quietly on the bench.
He did pass it twice, on both occasions giving it a quizzical look,
before realising that this was the

GRAVE of T. E. LAWRENCE

GRAVESTONE??
By now we were 'puffed out' so what more traditional than a

 
DORSET CREAM TEA
in the old School House?
No time to loose, it was quickly onward to
and pay homage to another of our Counties Hero's
THE BARD
who is Novelist and Poet
THOMAS HARDY (ORDER of MERIT)
While the inscription reads
"here lies the Heart of Thomas Hardy"
legend has it that once the Apothecary had removed the organ it
was quickly filched by a cat??
Otherwise, the rest of his remains are interred in
Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey
To complete a Hat Trick for the day you need walk no more than
10 paces to view the grave of yet another luminary
POET LAUREATE
Father of Actor Daniel Day-Lewis
 The tranquillity of the grounds and the Church itself are worthy of a closer look with both
 GARGOYLE
and
 GROTESQUE
 GOTHIC ARCH
 ORGAN and CHOIR
above transept door
where Hardy's father was said to have played 'sackbut', an early Baroque
version of the Trombone, with the local Band.
 Nave and pseudo Norman Arches,
 an ancient Sarcophagus and the
 VICARAGE.
Close by is

 KINGSTON MAUWARD HOUSE
 now an
Agricultural Collage
but only open to the public on certain days of the year.
Entry

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