I know what you're thinking - that's not a church! It is the countryside though... so I'll allow it. Oh wait! This is my blog, so I'll allow what I please! *smiles* The weather here in the U.K. has finally started to act very England-esque and it has been raining for about the last 24 hours. The good news is that it's supposed to stop around lunchtime and that's only about an hour and a half away!
Earlier in the week when the weather was much less gloomy we took a little trip to the town of Mildenhall to get some gas - something that can be done on the Air Base and costs much less than filling up anywhere else - and because we couldn't (at this point) go on base, my sister left us in a park (there are SO MANY parks) to explore while she ran her gas errand. The swans are beautiful but honestly - so rude! They hissed at us and were just all around impolite.
Did you know? All the swans in the U.K. are the property of the Queen? I think I'd prefer to own all the corgis in the U.K. but I don't make the rules. On the way home along the country lanes, we made our way through lots of little villages and one thing that is definitely a feature in the each village is a church. Most of them look like they've existed for hundreds of years - and let's be honest - in England, they probably have! In Icklingham we passed a church that; shockingly, had a sign out front that said "church is open" and we couldn't resist....
Seriously - does that not look like you've stepped back in time a few hundred years? *sigh* I love it so much. Can't you just picture the Dashwoods walking to church here? Mr. Darcy & Elizabeth Bennet? Anyone?
The stonework and the thatched roof - it was all just so delightful and the whole thing made me feel a little bit like I was in some Jane Austen novel. Who am I kidding - most of the buildings in the English countryside make me feel like I'm in a novel of some sort! We had to walk around to the side but sure enough, the lovely little door pushed open and we were able to step inside the church to explore some more!
The note on the picture above says the floor tiles in the pictured section are the original Medieval tiles and asked that you not walk on them. I mean - wow. The history was just seeping from the walls! There was a poem about churches currently being closed (due to the lockdown in place) and it mentioned that during the destruction of the monasteries, Thomas Cromwell removed the wings from the angels of the church. Kind of humbling to realize you are standing in a building that's been a sanctuary to the masses since at least the 1500's... probably longer.
We didn't encounter a single soul as we perused the stain glass windows, vaulted ceilings and Medieval tile work... and I am sad now to realize that I didn't get a picture of steps carved from the stone wall of the church, spiraling up to a small space where the priest could stand to share the message. I think I will always be fascinated to see buildings that have experienced so many history... so many lifetimes lived within the walls of a place - I hope I'm always in awe of that.
We were soon on our way back toward the town my sister lives in - stopping once or twice more to snap pictures of thatched roof cottages and more churches - but I think that little church in Icklingham and the opportunity to explore for just a bit was special. I can't believe I've already been in the U.K. for a week and a half! I'll be US bound next Sunday so I'll be sure to squeeze in as much exploring as I can between now and then!
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