On the Facebook site ‘Ancient Stone Bothering’ Mick Walbank posted excellent pictures of fonts and gravestones in Mediaeval churches in Suffolk. This brought back memories of when Mike and I lived in Suffolk and followed the Michael & Mary line on what we called a ‘church crawl’ as there are a lot of churches built along the line – some still in use, some ruinous and some something in between. Mary Michael Pilgrims Way.
We bought T- towels in the churches that were open and not ruinous – mysticism and practicality – that’s me – that’s humanity.
This week, it rained – day after day – it rained, so I took the opportunity of being pretty much stuck indoors to go through our old photo albums and walk the Michael & Mary line again.
I then thought I’d make something of the memories for if anyone else would be interested in visiting these fine old churches.
It isn’t an extensive pilgrimage – just the churches we have photos of
Ashby church
With me…connecting
Lound Church
Which has a beautiful Rood screen
And gothic-style font
The line ends at Hopton, with its Old Church
And ‘New’ Church
St. Mary’s, Haddiscoe is in Norfolk, but is also on the Mary line. In fact, in Hamish Miller & Paul Broadhurst’s book ‘The Sun and the Serpent’ they state that the line passes right through the old font
Friend Wendy used to live in Haddiscoe, and wrote a poem for St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s Haddiscoe
How silent stone can speak
With echoes of a thousand feet
And voices raised in praise or fear
In triumph or retreat
What ancient battles here were fought
What care and spiritual solace sought
In sacred trance and heavenly dance
Loud chant and quiet thought
Whose hands a thousand years ago did lay
Those reverent rows of flints and pray
Their God would see such labours love
And walk with them each day
Through the marshy mists of time appeared
Mysterious monkish knights in weird
Apparel, armoured robes with sword and shield
Fierce power exert, then disappeared
Beyond, the Beltane fires burn bright
And trace the course, Walpurgis Night
Which blazing sun will follow right
Across this land, ancient site to site
Our stone circle is
A round tower upon a hill
Where powerful reverberations
Of old ceremonies reach us still
Secrets of energy lines
Earth, Moon and Sun
A new dawn is arising
Awakening has begun.
Wendy Alford March 2006
Our photos are from 2005, so there might be some changes. For example, Hopton Old Church might have deteriorated further – but the energy will still be there.
Leave a Reply