07 April 2026

All Saints, Wetheringsett.

This church never used to be open much when I lived nearby and drove and cycled by regularly but now it sometimes is, so at last I was able to go in for photos although I'd stopped on the off-chance so only had my phone camera. 

 Just inside the gate into the churchyard is this lovely big patch of mixed wild flowers, bluebells and white bells, primroses, cowslips.

All Saints is a large church, sadly now only used for services once a month and a weekly coffee morning.

Despite my poor photo the tower isn't leaning! It dates from the C14 and the rest of the church was rebuilt in the 15th Century with the usual Victorian updates.


The sign says "Mind Your Head- Low Door" and it really is a small door inset into the old one


It's a wide church with side aisles and large clerestory windows. It's very puzzling how the chancel looks so green from a distance - it must be from the trees outside and the tint of the windows because, as you can see from the closer photo of the altar it isn't painted green at all




The large East window depicts the Sermon on the Mount from the end of the C19





Three sedilia in the sanctuary, all different heights





The font dates from the C16 and the cover is a more recent memorial for a villager.




The roof beams are quite impressive 



There are two new stained glass windows by Helen Whittaker installed in 2023.





In 2016 the village put up a memorial to Richard Hakluytwho was Rector 400 years earlier. He was considered to be the very first travel writer. He found accounts of some of the first people to explore North America and encouraged more exploration and settlements.


Signs were put all around the village back roads making a six mile cycle route right around the village, which I biked many times, especially during lockdown.


In some churches  the stairway to the long gone rood loft is way out of reach but here it's easier to see.



Suffolk Church number 132 visited since 2018!

Back Tomorrow



06 April 2026

The First Art Show of the Year

I always go and look at the Annual Easter Art Exhibition at Needham Market Community Centre.


 

I'm afraid I didn't buy a catalogue so can't name the artists or the prices, which I'll probably get told-off about! Apologies.

Just a few photos of some of the paintings I liked.

Runner Ducks



Three tree paintings by two different artists



Bird lino cuts by Norfolk artist Deborah Key, she exhibits at all the local Art Exhibitions. I have two of her pictures on my 'art wall' 



I'm not usually a fan of plant paintings but this one below of Chinese Lanterns is very colourful


General views




These below are quite unusual and fun, all things that can be seen in Suffolk



As usual Helen Maxfield was showing her lino cut prints, she tends to use a different main colour each year. 5 out of the 6 below are hers, the fox is by someone else


Aldeburgh Beach - a very popular subject for Suffolk painters


And Southwold beach too


There were also lots of unframed pictures and greetings cards but nothing appealed this year.

Back Tomorrow

04 April 2026

The Boat Race

The very first University Boat Race took place in 1829. It was started by two friends who had both been at the prestigious Harrow school but then one went to Oxford and one to Cambridge. They met up one day rowing at Cambridge and decided on the race.

On the 10th of February 1829, a letter was sent from Cambridge stating ​​that “the University of Cambridge hereby challenge the University of Oxford to row a match at or near London, each in an eight-oared boat during the ensuing Easter vacation.”

And ever since, except for the war years, and in 2020 due to Covid, they have raced sometime around Easter, depending on the tides. . It's 4.25 miles of very hard rowing.
In 1877 the race ended in a dead heat and the closest finish was in 2003 when Oxford won by 1 foot. The number of wins stands at Cambridge 88 and Oxford 81. There have been several sinkings and protesters disrupted the race in 2012.

The first women's race was in 1927 and annually since 1964 and was originally on a different day to the men's race but has been on the same day since 2015.

The race  was first broadcast on BBC radio in 1927 and was televised for the first time in 1938. After almost 100 years the BBC lost it's right to show it. So today  it's on Channel 4. I just hope they don't stop for adverts in the middle of the race!




With Suffolk being next door to Cambridgeshire that's who I've been supporting for the last umpteen years, it was always something we watched as I was growing up and will watch this year too.

Coverage on C4 begins with the build up at 1.30 and race start timings are............. 

  • 2:21pm – Women's Boat Race.
  • 2:36pm – Women's Reserve Boat Race.
  • 2:51pm – Men's Reserve Boat Race.
  • 3:21pm – Men's Boat Race.


Have a good weekend, mine will be  very quiet one on my own. I don't have Easter eggs but made scones and bought clotted cream for my Easter treat- with the 'compost jelly' made last month - all very yummy!

         
                                                       Who needs to spend £s on Easter eggs!