Coloured counties
Travelling across Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire today, fields of yellow-flowered rape stood out in bands between green grass and trees, blue and deep grey skies. There wasn’t time, today, to stop and photograph such views, taken in beyond fences and dashing objects on the road. So here’s a picture from a couple of years ago, of a similar field in Gloucetsershire with the tiny 13th-century church of Hailes, probably originally the cappella ad portas of the once-great Hailes Abbey, a major medieval pilgrimage centre.
This image symbolises my belief, exemplified I hope by many of the posts on this blog, that a major part of the impact of a building has little to do with the architecture itself. Here at Hailes, the architecture is modest, although it has a simple Early English gothic perfection of its own. But it’s the setting that counts. Up a winding lane off the main road. Orchards beyond. Ruined Cistercian arches not far away. And in front a yellow field that would make the pulse of a Van Gogh race.
A good point, Phil, and beautifully illustrated with your picture of a building totally at home in its rural setting. I'm acutely conscious, living among the construction sites of contemporary London, of the need for buildings to enhance the urban scene, rather than clamouring for attention.
ReplyDeleteWell said Phil! Its snowing here in Newfoundland on the 7th of May and the simplicity of the small church against the beauty of the colours of a lush spring make the image immensely satisfying. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt was a wonderful day. The rape fields behind the trees and against the skies reminded us of the art of Wolf Kahn, who loves such subjects. Interestingly this photo also reminds me of his work, this time his studies of New England barns. Maybe barns and churches aren't so very different.
ReplyDeleteJoe: Indeed. So few new London buildings mind their manners. Many factors, from the egos of architects to the price of urban real estate, make designers and clients alike crave for architectural 'statements' and 'stand-out buildings'. The result, all too often, is that the urban conversation between buildings turns into a shouting match.
ReplyDeleteLili: You;re welcome. I'm glad I've brought a little warmth and colour to Newfoundland!
ReplyDeleteNeil: Barns and churches? Yes. Wasn't it William Morris who compared the barn at Great Coxwell to a cathedral?
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind me saying so: this blog is entirely AESTHETIC - very little consideration of FUNCTION here: e.g. is the church doing its job as a place of worship, and springboard for Christian social action, is that field an awkward shape come the harvest, was a nuisance to plough? And the trees in the background - no commercial value and, when old, might fall on something. Yet we don't care about these things for the moment - we just love it and enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteJoseph: Yes. We enjoy wallowing in aesthetics! But I can add that the field is rather an odd shape, but not much odder than many of those nearby: crops are regularly grown in it. The church is part of a very large group parish and, being somewhat isolated, is only used for services occasionally, but plays its part. As for the woods, I'm not sure how they are used.
ReplyDeletePhilip
ReplyDeleteI remember more than fifty years ago being a choirboy at Stanway Church, Didbrook Church and Hailes Church.
Hailes was the least used of the three for services and I seem to recall just for special services like Harvest Festival. It was always my favourite, the most isolated, quiet and very serene. Seeing your photo makes me now want to return for a visit, so thank you for that. I'm glad to say that fields of Rape didn't exist in those days