Photos from walk on Thursday 21st December from Compton to Aldworth

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It’s been a very grey cloudy December, and today started the same.  No flowers or insects in the hedgerows, just a familiar set of berries (ivy, hawthorn and sloes) and, new today, a pile of horse sh*t – see the gallery.

 

Years ago this stream flooded the adjacent footpath and we had to walk a long way round, but today it flowed peacefully under the Coombe Road bridge.

 

Catkins are starting to emerge

 

Yet there are a few plants still displaying autumn leaves

 

The cloud was beginnning to break up

 

Part of the lane towards Aldworth has been cleared opening up the view of the church, St Mary’s Church, Aldworth.

 

In 1984 the outside of the church was completely renovated. The work involved removing the defective cement screeding and re-pointing the flint work.

 

An unusual feature round the side of the church. Apparently the external arched recess for the effigy of ‘John Everafraid,’ now blocked.

 

During the Civil War, an officer in King Charles’ Royalist army, Colonel Symonds, visited the church and prepared notes and drawings of the effigies which are preserved in the British Museum. From them we know that the carvings were still intact in 1644 and that a tenth effigy existed under the arch on the outside of the south wall. About the outside tomb Colonel Symonds writes:

 

“The common people call this John Ever Afraid and say further that he gave his soule to the Devil if ever he was buried in the Church or Churchyard so he was buried under the covering wall under an arch.” [source]

 

After lunch, a bit of sunshine

 

 

But the wind and rain got up, resulting in a rainbow

 

Near the end, the path through Crows Foot was at the top of this hill. Nearby was Grey Ladies Lodge.  Foinavon, the 1967 Grand National winner, was trained and is buried here. He won at odds of 100/1 after the rest of the field fell, refused or were hampered .

 

Moon over the roof of the the Old Compton Station house

 

Compton was the largest station between Didcot and Newbury. The station and line were closed to passengers 10/9/62, to goods 10/8/64. The building was converted to a private house in 1984.

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