A moment of Welsh solitude

October 16, 2024

During my recent travels to Wales I spent a night staying in the village of Cilycwm. I arrived mid afternoon and decided to make the most of the day’s remaining light to take a short stroll around the village. To my surprise the village church was open so I wandered in and spent some quiet time there exploring its photographic possibilities.

For some reason I’m always drawn to solitary chairs…

A lovingly crafted cushion on one of the pews.

There had evidently been a wedding in the church within the last few days and it was lovely to see the small posies of flowers adorn the pews.

Photos taken 19 September 2024

Return to St John's

September 10, 2024

St John’s Chapel is one of those places I tend to visit when I’m performing there, rather than simply as a visitor. Since I last played here, almost exactly a year ago, the chapel’s organ has finally been restored and returned to pride of place in the upstairs gallery. This milestone has been in the planning for decades, so with a free day to go into Chichester I just had to go and take a look. Sadly the door to the stairs was locked so I couldn’t take a closer look at the organ, but it certainly looks at home from ground level.

The chapel’s magnificent triple decker pulpit, which allowed the preacher to be seen by everyone, whether they sat in the gallery or on the ground floor.

Such elegant, curved handrails…

Every part of St John’s has such beautiful play of light.

The ornate, gilt ceiling rose.

Each pew has a number, carefully painted onto the end. Click on any image to see it enlarged.

I couldn’t resist this small puddle of light on a pew end.

Photos taken 9 September 2024

Church light

July 24, 2024

With a few frames left on my roll of Ilford FP4+ after my jaunt to Portsmouth I found opportunities to finish them up in two churches I visited recently. The first came at Boxgrove Priory where I was giving a concert the following day. As Yat-Soon tuned his harpsichord I spent a few minutes looking for photos, unsure how well my little camera would fair in a dark church with ISO125 film. As it happens, the f2.8 lens did me proud!

The beautiful painted ceiling of Boxgrove Priory…

A few days later I made a fleeting visit to St John’s Church in Duxford - one of my favourite places for beautiful light combined with medieval architecture.

On this occasion the light was quite flat, but I did see a fleeting glimpse of the sun on the floor of the church…

Photos taken 3 July 2024

Looking for light

July 8, 2024

During a fleeting visit to Chichester in June I had time to return to the Cathedral, a place I used to see on a daily basis when I worked in the school here. The sun was creating some lovely effects, painting the building with pools of light - just the sort of illumination I love!

This shaft of sunlight was shortlived - after a couple of minutes the sun had moved around and it had vanished.

Photos taken 20 June 2024

A country church

May 26, 2024

With some spare time on my hands I took a short diversion on Friday to visit St Andrew’s Church in Whitestaunton, a day ahead of a concert I was due to give there. It’s a beautiful medieval building which proved to have a lovely acoustic for recorder playing, not to mention some lovely architectural details.

A little ecclesiastical comfort.

I found this regal lion carved into one of the flagstones in the side chapel.

Photos taken 24 May 2024

Second time lucky

April 16, 2024

In early February I visited a muddy field in Devon in the hope of visiting a quiet redundant church. The welcome from the resident sheep was warm enough, but the door of the chapel remained steadfastly closed, despite my best efforts to persuade it open. Two months later I found myself in the area again so I decided to have another try.

I quietly let myself in through the gate and carefully picked my way across the muddy field. The sheep had gone, replaced by a solitary but equally friendly pony. I suspect visitors are infrequent, especially in the winter, so I stroked his nose to say thank you for the welcome.

My destination was Ayshford Chapel, a 15th century building built as a private chapel for the Ayshford family who lived next door at Ayshford Court, but today it’s cared for by the Friends of the Friendless Churches.

To my delight, despite this winter’s incessant rain, the door responded to my weight this time, opening to allow me a glimpse of the beautiful, salmon pink interior - a reward for my persistence. For a small chapel in such an isolated spot the depth of colour was wonderful - a lovely contrast to the greyness of the skies outside.

To my joy the sun also came out periodically, bathing parts of the chapel with a golden glow - exactly the sort of light I love seeing in churches, albeit infrequently this winter.

On the altar I found the Ayshford family bible, stored in a beautiful wooden casket. To avoid the attentions of mice and the droppings of bats it was protected with a transparent plastic box but I lifted this off for a few minutes to take my photos. before covering it up again.

Even when the sun went in the light was beautiful; the gently coloured coloured glass allowing soft pools of light to catch the simple oak pews.

A few smaller scenes from around the chapel. It was only when I checked my photos later that I realised a small snail was resting up beneath the door hinge!

Click on any of my images to see them enlarged.

The small organ was covered with a cloth, but I sneaked a look beneath. I don’t know how often it gets played but the bellows still work and I spent a few minutes pedalling away to play a little Bach.

The chapel’s one big memorial, to two members of the Ayshford family who died in the late 1680s.

Just before I departed the sun appeared again and I think these are probably my favourite photos from my morning at Ayshford Chapel. Thank goodness I gave it another try - my persistence was definitely rewarded!

Photos taken 5 April 2024

If you go down to the Thames today

March 27, 2024

Just a few yards from the racing River Thames stands the church of St Mary Magdalene at Boveney. I popped in there one Saturday afternoon, expecting to have plenty of time to take in the details of this charming redundant church and perhaps enjoy a walk along the riverbank. Instead it turned out to be a photoshoot against tue clock with just an hour before the gate to the car park was locked.

I’m always drawn to the smaller scenes which tell the story of a church, for the simple wooden altar to a pile of kneelers.

This piano has seen better days, with many of its hammers sticking up at jaunty angles.

Photos taken 9 March 2024

St Mary's in colour

March 5, 2024

By its very nature pinhole photography is a slow process, with each frame often taking several minutes to expose. While I waited patiently for my pinhole photos to develop at St Mary’s Church recently I used the time to take a few iPhone snaps - some of scenes which interested me and a couple of behind the scenes photos too.

Photos taken 15 February 2024

Close to home

March 4, 2024

I’ve visited the church of St Mary the Virgin in Stansted Mountfitchet before, but on that occasion I was on a mission to find some suitable photos for an educational blog I was writing. On this occasion I had a much needed morning off and was determined to do some pinhole photos but needed a location close to home. With a journey of just three miles St Mary’s fitted the bill perfectly!

One should always have in mind that you can never get too close with pinhole photography - a strategy which worked well with the church piano.

More close up details.

As I ventured out into the porch the sun was positively warm (much warmer than inside!) and the ornate wooden arch was throwing interesting shadows onto the door.

Along with the warmth of the sun, the snowdrops in the churchyard also gave a hint of spring to come…

Photos taken 15 February 2024

If one church is locked, try again!

March 3, 2024

At the start of February my travels took me to Somerset so I made a brief foray across the border into Devon to visit a redundant church. Sadly (despite assurances to the contrary) it was locked so I followed my nose until I found somewhere else to photograph.

Unlike my original destination, All Saints’ Church, Monksilver is a working church so I enjoyed photographing some small scenes which tell a little about the building’s life.