Beautiful, Chloe, as always. I am reading this from my office this week and even though I have a pile of things that must be done, I wanted to take a moment of stillness to read your post, because I knew it would have that calming effect of slowing things down and making me reflect. And it did, like your writing always does.
I knew not the history of those fragmented windows, so thank you. I also love the little sign from Norman.
Despite the unreality and uncertainty of those 2020 months, there was something to be said for just surrendering to being still and accepting the situation. It's become all too easy to be swept back up in routine now it's 2023. This was a good reminder to take moments and sit with them. The idea of doing that with a single line of poetry is wonderful.
Nathan, as always, thank you for letting me know your reading location :) I loved the little sign from Norman, too 🪶
It's amazing how distant a memory that period of time seems now, isn't it? And how, back then, it seemed so totally impossible that things would ever go back to 'normal', which seemed terrifying but also something of a relief, but that it just, sort of, did...
I'm going to try and bring the practice back in, from the equinox onwards...🍂
Your essays send me into little fits of joy. (And if you’re not already familiar with the Japanese art of Kintsugi, you will want to look it up—another culture’s recognition that to mend and repair, one mustn’t erase the broken bits. 💕
Kimberly, that is so lovely to hear, thank you. And, yes! Funnily enough, I tried my hand at Kintsugi during lockdown when my favourite matcha bowl broke. I didn't manage to make it usable again, but it looks incredible with the lightening strikes of gold going through it. All the more beautiful, in fact 💜
I really enjoyed your experience with the little green fly - I have had my own similar experiences in nature, and they always serve to remind me that ‘God’ and nature and us and everything are all one in the same.
I also really enjoyed your thoughts on the window - the beauty of not making it new but of rebuilding it to bare its scars - I love it!
Michael, thank you! I always so appreciate you reading & sharing your thoughts. And yes, I find that nature tends to make locating the divine a fairly easy task :)
I really do love what they did with the window. It feels so respectful.
Isn't it the wildest visual, too, of 17th century soldiers, on horseback, hurling the bones of kings, queens and saints through a massive stained glass window?? It really caught my imagination. I can't wait to go back!
Its an even more bizarre thought because they would have had to smash it first - cathedral stained glass is thick and structural, its not the soft leads between the glass holding the roof up! I have a box of offcuts of that type of window glass from the Centre International du Vitrail in Chartres. A couple if kilos of chunks in all colours. That keeps me in touch with God whenever I watch the light pour through the colours. (They live in a glass footed bowl - with a lid because some of the chunks are also sharp so dusting them can be my version of an extreme sport)
Well they definitely had muskets back then, and I think they used the window for target practice as well as throwing bones at them. From the way it was described it was a total mess, the cathedral was full of drunk soldiers on horseback just going nuts. Your window glass sounds incredible! What a treat to watch the light pour through it. Less to ever tackle cleaning it, of course. But worth the risk!
I also love that window at Winchester. I saw one last week which was a patchwork of scraps from different windows of different periods, tiny vignettes of a vanished whole picture. It's honest and inspiring to me.
It was Beverley Minster (Yorkshire). If you're in the south, I would recommend Canterbury Cathedral, acres of stained glass in pristine condition. Really stunning.
We’re going to be in Yorkshire in November, so will definitely make the trip. And will try to get to Canterbury before then, thank you! Can’t wait to get back to Winchester.
Reading random first lines of poems is a great way to spend your time. I do this often, but I usually pick a random verse and select from whatever book seems right for the moment. Those windows, by the way, are incredible.
Corey, yes, I agree! It's a practice I fell out of, but would love to get back into it. It's a wonderful way to spend time. I like the idea of mixing up book choices, too.
Aren't the windows incredible? I'm itching to go back...
I only wish I didn't live downtown and owned a car. At least once I day, I say to myself, “I wish I had a quiet spot under a tree with nobody around for miles,” just me and whispers of dead poets.
I used to enjoy visiting Winchester cathedral, to attend my daughter's school's Sunday evensong, but I never knew the history of that amazing, chaotic - yet calm - stained glass window! Imagine the discussions that that decision must have generated at the time, whether to restore, or remodel anew incorporating a record of that historical episode?
Yes, how quickly has the relentless conveyor belt of busy human existence resumed its pre-pandemic pace. Chloe, your beautiful, thought provoking writing always reminds me to step off, and whilst religion is in serious decline, I think its houses always induce restorative contemplation.
Eleanor, thanks so much for sharing that, I would absolutely love to attend evensong there! We’re hoping to go back for the Christmas market, so will hopefully get the opportunity then.
I had the same thought, about the discussions that must have taken place at the time...
I’m so happy to hear that you’ve been reminded to jump off the conveyor belt! That’s the perfect term for it. Thank you so much for reading, and for taking the time share.
Thank you for this essay and for reminding me if a wonderful couple if visits to Winchester cathedral more than 20 years ago. Lighting a candle where people have been lighting candles and praying for over 1000 years was moving to me. Some built places become infused. Thank for transporting me to lying in the grass with a glad and questioning heart.
The glass in the tiny chapel, which the main picture is a detail of, was designed by Edward Burne-Jones who was planning to join the clergy but then met William Morris and ended up touring French gothic cathedrals with him instead! Yay 💜💗💛
Yeah the whole thing is spectacular, and there’s three of them! When you see all of it you can see some Morris influence. I’m not certain of who’s who, but it’s titled The Annunciation, so if I was guessing I’d say it was angel Gabriel. Who apparently has some epic wings.
The windows are incredible. I am stunned that they didn't replicate the original design. But it certainly works. I love Norman architecture. In Sicily, especially on the west of the island (not affected by Mount Etna) the Norman buildings, alongside Arabesque, Roman, Pagan, Spanish, Bizantine are a reminder of Europe's long and mixed history. Were so lucky to live amongst these giants.
Aren't they just? I was stunned, too, but so glad. I would love to come and see that architecture one day, it fascinates me. On my mothers side, the family tree goes back to the Norman invasion of 1066 and it's quite something to think of (very) distant relatives just going about their days, doing some invading. How wonderful to be so close to so much rich history.
That is a very impressive family tree! Not a lot of record keeping in Sicily, which was largely illiterate into the 20th century. But all of those cultures influenced us positively, despite having invaded and enslaved us. It's easy to look back on it, a millennium later, and be grateful. Can you imagine living during those times?!
Oh my goodness, whenever I watch any sort of period drama I just think about how I couldn’t have handled the stress of the ever present threat of getting beheaded because your family fell out of favour with the king or because of another random invasion!
Beautiful, Chloe, as always. I am reading this from my office this week and even though I have a pile of things that must be done, I wanted to take a moment of stillness to read your post, because I knew it would have that calming effect of slowing things down and making me reflect. And it did, like your writing always does.
I knew not the history of those fragmented windows, so thank you. I also love the little sign from Norman.
Despite the unreality and uncertainty of those 2020 months, there was something to be said for just surrendering to being still and accepting the situation. It's become all too easy to be swept back up in routine now it's 2023. This was a good reminder to take moments and sit with them. The idea of doing that with a single line of poetry is wonderful.
Nathan, as always, thank you for letting me know your reading location :) I loved the little sign from Norman, too 🪶
It's amazing how distant a memory that period of time seems now, isn't it? And how, back then, it seemed so totally impossible that things would ever go back to 'normal', which seemed terrifying but also something of a relief, but that it just, sort of, did...
I'm going to try and bring the practice back in, from the equinox onwards...🍂
So much amazing. A strange, long-ago memory, often a sense of "but did that really happen?"
The inexorable quality of time.
🌱
Your essays send me into little fits of joy. (And if you’re not already familiar with the Japanese art of Kintsugi, you will want to look it up—another culture’s recognition that to mend and repair, one mustn’t erase the broken bits. 💕
Kimberly, that is so lovely to hear, thank you. And, yes! Funnily enough, I tried my hand at Kintsugi during lockdown when my favourite matcha bowl broke. I didn't manage to make it usable again, but it looks incredible with the lightening strikes of gold going through it. All the more beautiful, in fact 💜
How wonderful! Wish you could share a photo here. ;) Love that it's "functional" in new ways now.
Beautiful piece Chloe.
I really enjoyed your experience with the little green fly - I have had my own similar experiences in nature, and they always serve to remind me that ‘God’ and nature and us and everything are all one in the same.
I also really enjoyed your thoughts on the window - the beauty of not making it new but of rebuilding it to bare its scars - I love it!
And as always, I really enjoyed your writing.
Michael, thank you! I always so appreciate you reading & sharing your thoughts. And yes, I find that nature tends to make locating the divine a fairly easy task :)
I really do love what they did with the window. It feels so respectful.
Isn't it the wildest visual, too, of 17th century soldiers, on horseback, hurling the bones of kings, queens and saints through a massive stained glass window?? It really caught my imagination. I can't wait to go back!
Thank you, again, Michael.
Its an even more bizarre thought because they would have had to smash it first - cathedral stained glass is thick and structural, its not the soft leads between the glass holding the roof up! I have a box of offcuts of that type of window glass from the Centre International du Vitrail in Chartres. A couple if kilos of chunks in all colours. That keeps me in touch with God whenever I watch the light pour through the colours. (They live in a glass footed bowl - with a lid because some of the chunks are also sharp so dusting them can be my version of an extreme sport)
Well they definitely had muskets back then, and I think they used the window for target practice as well as throwing bones at them. From the way it was described it was a total mess, the cathedral was full of drunk soldiers on horseback just going nuts. Your window glass sounds incredible! What a treat to watch the light pour through it. Less to ever tackle cleaning it, of course. But worth the risk!
It’s definitely a bizarre scene to imagine. It’s good the window could remind of us of such a time. :)
I also love that window at Winchester. I saw one last week which was a patchwork of scraps from different windows of different periods, tiny vignettes of a vanished whole picture. It's honest and inspiring to me.
That sounds wonderful, whereabouts was that? I really can't stop thinking about the windows at Winchester, it's such an incredible place.
It was Beverley Minster (Yorkshire). If you're in the south, I would recommend Canterbury Cathedral, acres of stained glass in pristine condition. Really stunning.
We’re going to be in Yorkshire in November, so will definitely make the trip. And will try to get to Canterbury before then, thank you! Can’t wait to get back to Winchester.
Reading random first lines of poems is a great way to spend your time. I do this often, but I usually pick a random verse and select from whatever book seems right for the moment. Those windows, by the way, are incredible.
Corey, yes, I agree! It's a practice I fell out of, but would love to get back into it. It's a wonderful way to spend time. I like the idea of mixing up book choices, too.
Aren't the windows incredible? I'm itching to go back...
I only wish I didn't live downtown and owned a car. At least once I day, I say to myself, “I wish I had a quiet spot under a tree with nobody around for miles,” just me and whispers of dead poets.
Amen to that, Corey
I used to enjoy visiting Winchester cathedral, to attend my daughter's school's Sunday evensong, but I never knew the history of that amazing, chaotic - yet calm - stained glass window! Imagine the discussions that that decision must have generated at the time, whether to restore, or remodel anew incorporating a record of that historical episode?
Yes, how quickly has the relentless conveyor belt of busy human existence resumed its pre-pandemic pace. Chloe, your beautiful, thought provoking writing always reminds me to step off, and whilst religion is in serious decline, I think its houses always induce restorative contemplation.
Eleanor, thanks so much for sharing that, I would absolutely love to attend evensong there! We’re hoping to go back for the Christmas market, so will hopefully get the opportunity then.
I had the same thought, about the discussions that must have taken place at the time...
I’m so happy to hear that you’ve been reminded to jump off the conveyor belt! That’s the perfect term for it. Thank you so much for reading, and for taking the time share.
I have loved that Cathedral for 20 years. Now I love it more.
I can see why. The whole way home I was daydreaming about moving to Winchester and visiting it every day... Thank you for reading!
Ah yes, but your piece also sends me down a much longer memory lane
I am this old and clearly still a victim of long drives with only an AM radio:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E_EEC7Zn6gU
Awful, yes?
Haha, I was forbidden from playing this in the car!
Up a blade of grass “all elbows” - I love it even with me not completely getting it... 🙏🏼
Haha, thank you James! Let's sit and watch a greenfly together someday, you'll totally get it 🙏
Thank you for your beautiful writing, pace, and the images it conjures up.
Mya, thank you for being here and for listening! 💗
Another lovely piece of writing, Chloe. Thank you for helping me ease into my Sunday morning.
Ben, thank you so much for reading, and for having me join you momentarily in your Sunday morning.
Thank you for this essay and for reminding me if a wonderful couple if visits to Winchester cathedral more than 20 years ago. Lighting a candle where people have been lighting candles and praying for over 1000 years was moving to me. Some built places become infused. Thank for transporting me to lying in the grass with a glad and questioning heart.
Thank you Michelle, and yes all that history is quite moving to feel into. Hurrah for grass lounging and open hearts 💗
💚
💜
Where the chapel is housed is Norman. This made me smile. Beautiful Chloe, as ever. ❤️💔❤️
Thank you, Jill ♥️🪶
I'm starting to feel lost in the vastness of your Comments section, Chloe, but I will say: the random glass is spectacular. 💜🧡💙
The glass in the tiny chapel, which the main picture is a detail of, was designed by Edward Burne-Jones who was planning to join the clergy but then met William Morris and ended up touring French gothic cathedrals with him instead! Yay 💜💗💛
Is it Satan and Eve? I liked that too, the colors of the snake are gorgeous.
Yeah the whole thing is spectacular, and there’s three of them! When you see all of it you can see some Morris influence. I’m not certain of who’s who, but it’s titled The Annunciation, so if I was guessing I’d say it was angel Gabriel. Who apparently has some epic wings.
The windows are incredible. I am stunned that they didn't replicate the original design. But it certainly works. I love Norman architecture. In Sicily, especially on the west of the island (not affected by Mount Etna) the Norman buildings, alongside Arabesque, Roman, Pagan, Spanish, Bizantine are a reminder of Europe's long and mixed history. Were so lucky to live amongst these giants.
Aren't they just? I was stunned, too, but so glad. I would love to come and see that architecture one day, it fascinates me. On my mothers side, the family tree goes back to the Norman invasion of 1066 and it's quite something to think of (very) distant relatives just going about their days, doing some invading. How wonderful to be so close to so much rich history.
That is a very impressive family tree! Not a lot of record keeping in Sicily, which was largely illiterate into the 20th century. But all of those cultures influenced us positively, despite having invaded and enslaved us. It's easy to look back on it, a millennium later, and be grateful. Can you imagine living during those times?!
Oh my goodness, whenever I watch any sort of period drama I just think about how I couldn’t have handled the stress of the ever present threat of getting beheaded because your family fell out of favour with the king or because of another random invasion!
I mean the outfits, sure, but the stink if everything.
The outfits, 100%. The plumbing, 0%.
Listened to this, star-shaped in the long grass of my garden, looking up at a September sky. Beautiful. Thank you.
Simon! Quality choice of position, well done. Thank you so much for reading and for taking the time to share. Happy to have you here.