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Random thoughts while visiting with the dead

Robert’s working away form home today and I’m feeling a bit morose, a bit jet-lagged and a bit lonely. Went for a walk down to the village, to the church to visit with my Knight Templar and his Lady.

It’s such a hot day today, hot and muggy. The door to the church is huge and heavy and oak and needs both hands to wield the latch, but once inside it’s so cool and so silent. The only sound is a gentle dull thud of the movement of the huge clock hands. These deep, Cotswold stone walls block out the outside world so beautifully. Isn’t it fantastic to be in silence once in a while? Do you have anyplace you can go where there is silence?

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Here is my Knight. His name is Thomas Moore. I don’t know much about him except that he died in 1347. But isn’t that so fantastic to know? Isn’t it so fantastic to be remembered for 666 years.

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Here is his lady. I’ve no idea what her name is so I call her Isabelle. To me it suits her. She’s here dressed in her whimple and tunic. Must have been so suffocatingly hot to run around in a whimple and tunic on a day like today.

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Her feet are on her King Charles spaniel. (Actually I have no idea if that’s a K C spaniel except that ladies of that era always had a K C spaniel around them. Didn’t they?) I wonder if she ever ran with her dog to the middle of a field or close to the Thames and took off her whimple and tunic and felt the wind’s caress?

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There used to be frescoes painted in the alcoves above them. If you look very closely you can just make out Christ and a few angels. The originals are in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. I keep meaning to go have a look.

Linking with Nancy from a Rural Journal for random Friday thoughts. πŸ™‚

Comments: 25

  • July 12, 2013
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    What a lovely place to visit! So much history there, and I enjoyed your imaginings about the people buried there. I love to be in silent, dark, cool places like large churches.

  • July 12, 2013
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    Wow — I can’t even imagine having such a place to visit all by yourself. Thank you for the history lesson — I just love it! xo

  • lynn

    July 12, 2013
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    My goodness I think I have seen your Knight, 1987 a friend and I walked and bused the Cotswolds, staying in all sorts of quaint and cozy corners, I shall have look through my photos. what a delightful place to go, some of my favourite places are where history is still present whether in the architecture, statues, given life by our presence.

  • July 12, 2013
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    Great stuff Veronica!! Is that a lamb at the lady’s feet? Amazing.

  • July 12, 2013
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    Well I must say this was quite interesting. I’ve never seen anything like this in a cemetery. It was fun to read about your Knight and his Lady.

  • July 12, 2013
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    wow, i love history of any kind. thank you for sharing with us at F5F. ( :

  • July 12, 2013
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    Lovely pictures. So glad you have somewhere to go when it is hot and muggy.

  • July 12, 2013
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    I am so eager for a trip to England and your post reinforced my desire to see Oxford and Bath and a dozen other places. Thanks!

  • claudsy

    July 12, 2013
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    Ah, Veronica, you made such a lovely walk with history. I’ve been delving into the things old lately and the history that travels with them. I thoroughly enjoyed this post and its pics. Thank you so much for sharing.

      • claudsy

        July 13, 2013
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        I enjoy them. They give me a feel of being there in person. One of these days I want to stroll through places Old World in person and just soak in all that I can.

        Thanks for the good wishes, my friend. I hope you have a terrific rest of the summer.

  • July 12, 2013
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    I love how his legs are crossed! wish there was such a treasure in one of our nearby villages…

  • July 13, 2013
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    Love the history, the facts you give and the stories you build around each piece.

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