It's a funny old life

So its mid-May and we’ve started work on a new Watch This Space project called SHINE which involves 5 churches in Northamptonshire*. As ever I find myself amazed at the diversity of my job. The first church we visit, Holy Trinity in Rothwell, is the longest church (173 feet) in the county and I’m privileged to meet Dr. Peter Hill who (as well as being a fountain of Knowledge regarding historic churches in Northamptonshire) was also a founding member of Pentangle! I know…

The next person I meet is the Bailiff to the Lord of The Manor in Rothwell, whose job it is to collect the rent for the market and the annual Rowell Fair. This involves sitting on horseback at 6am, drinking rum and milk nine times as he reads the charter outside every public house in the town. I know…

Then we head over to Earls Barton where we sit and have a chat with the vicar’s husband and three lovely people from the village as we admire the unique Anglo-Saxon All Saints Church, complete with Henry Bird’s beautiful 15th century rood screen. I know…

Our final site visit of the day is over at Oundle and here we meet the incredibly energetic Reverend Richard Ormston who shows us around St. Peter’s Church, where schoolboys as late as the 1960’s would climb the 210 foot spire. The reverend also kindly pointed out the Tudor toilet which would flow straight onto the ground below. I know…

Just a regular day for the Watch This Space team.

Esther. x

* (Holy Trinity Church, Rothwell; All Saints Church, Earls Barton; St. Peter’s Church, Northampton; St. Peter’s Church, Oundle; and All Saints Church in Brixworth.)