Photos from walk on 10th April from Pishill

---

Hedge at bottom of valley at Hollandridge Lane

 

Climb up to Turville Heath

 

 

Chiltern Way from Upper Assendon Farm.. Stonor House to the left.

 

Park Wood, Maidensgrove

 

Returning to Pishill. Blackthorn blossom

 

Pishill Church (just that, no saintly dedication)

 

Overlooking the Stonor valley in the Chiltern Hills, this church was built in 1854 to replace a Norman and later C13 church. Of coursed flint rubble with limestone ashlar quions and dressings, with chancel, nave, north transept and west belfry.

 

The north transept has one- and two-light trefoil headed windows and a C13 treble trefoiled NW window. The roof of the north transept retains a C16 arch-braced collar-truss.

 

The font is believed to be part of the C14 octagonal pier re-used. The reredos of 1873 is by Powell & Sons. There is a highly decorated organ.

 

The chancel windows have Victorian glass of 1871; there is a John Piper window, SW, 1967, representing the Sword and the Gospel. The stained glass in the window east of the porch is of 1874 by Cox and Son. [source]

 

If you want a detailed history of eccliastical squabbles, read this. But must include these paragraphs, just becasue of the name: Millenial Marsh

 

The [Pishill] Church History of the early-19thC was unusual. In 1801 Thomas Stonor appointed to the Joint living William Marsh (1775–1864), later to become well-known as ‘Millenial Marsh‘ & an ‘impressive‘ Preacher of Evangelical Doctrines. Although Marsh also had a Curacy in Reading, he Served his Oxon Churches once every 3-weeks, spending the Saturday night at Stonor Park, where he discussed Theology with Thomas Stonor & his Roman Catholic Chaplain & borrowed Sermons from the Library. When Marsh could no longer take the Services himself, he hired Substitutes at such an obvious Financial Loss that it was alleged that he was being subsidised by a Dissenting Society. In 1805 his Curate was a Mr Flockton, described as a ‘Ranting, Methodistical Extempore Preacher‘, who called himself a Gospel Preacher. By omitting parts of the Church Service & inserting changes, Flockton was said to have made the Church seem like a Dissenting Meeting-House & caused more harm than good, ‘especially to Servants‘, while the more ‘reputable & steady people‘ were very dissatisfied. He was followed by Henry Gauntlett (1762–1833), another important Supporter of the Evangelical Revival.

 

In 1811, owing to a Quarrel between Marsh & his Curate George Scobell, Services in both Churches seem virtually to have stopped. Scobell alleged that he had been abruptly dismissed without thanks or Pay. Marsh, who was considered to have ‘shamefully‘ neglected the Parishes, Resigned in consequence & the Churchwardens were blamed by the Official of the Peculiar for allowing the Churches to be left for so many Sundays without complaining. As the Living was so poor it was difficult to find a Successor: in 1813 it had been Vacant for several months, and in 1814 the Wardens were at a loss even to get anyone to say Sunday Services.

---

Beech trunk

Some flowers and leaves

 

At Turville Heath

 

Small leaved lime (Tilia cordata)

 

Violet

 

Bluebell

 

Narcissus/daffodil

 

Later

 

Few-flowered Leek (Allium paradoxum) aka Few-flowered garlic

Few-Flowered and Three-Cornered Leek are invasive wild onions that have been introduced to the UK from overseas. Both plants look remarkably similar, with only a few minor differences, most notably in the flowers. These plants are in the Allium Genus of plants, and so are related to onions, garlic and leeks and share a resemblance in flavour to both spring onion and garlic. Both of these plants are listed under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act in England and Wales and it is an offence to plant or otherwise cause to grow this species in the wild. As such, they are one of the few plants you can uproot. Their invasive nature means they can quickly establish in large areas, preventing the growth of other native plants, such as Wild Garlic, Bluebells and Daffodils. Despite being invasive, they are also extremely delicious, and have a huge number of culinary uses. When combined with other wild greens, such as Wild Garlic and Garlic-Mustard, the collective flavour they impart is just wonderful. [source]

 

Wood Anenome

 

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)

 

Do look in the gallery for the King Alfred’s Cake.

 

---