St Mary, North Marden

I visited St Mary’s on day three of a four-day Pilgrimage back in February of this year. I was following the newly described “Mary’s Crescent” pilgrimage curated by Dr Tim Goulder (2023).

I had seen the book by chance in the local authors section of One Tree Books in Petersfield, whilst shopping in the lead up to the previous Christmas. Having talked for many years about completing a pilgrimage route but holding off due to concerns about the walking health of my right knee, this pilgrimage seemed ideal for a first timer.

• Relatively short days walking through a familiar landscape.
• I was never more than a short drive (rescue) from home if my knee did fail me.
• I could be resupplied on route, so did not need to carry so much food and clothing.
• Exploring aspects of my home turf which I had never previously enjoyed.
• A quiet time of year, so expecting little company along the way, giving me time to enjoy the route in solitude, and quiet reflection.
• Ending the Pilgrimage at Chichester Cathedral.

The pilgrimage is described starting at St Mary, Porchester Castle, and ending at Chichester Cathedral – the walk forming an arc which heads north over Portsdown Hill along the Meon Valley to Droxford before heading east following the South Downs Way to Buriton, then on to South Harting, North Marden, Singleton, ending at Chichester Cathedral four days later.

As my affection for Chichester Cathedral noted elsewhere in this Blog, is given. I will not repeat myself here. However, it is safe to add that walking the final stretch of the pilgrimage on day four from St Mary, East Levant through farmland, the outer limits of the city, then North Street turning onto West Street and then seeing the statue of St Richard beckoning – was a rush. (That I bumped into a work colleague and his partner on North Street and failed to string a coherent sentence together testament to the profound and overwhelming feeling of quiet and well-being invoked by my solo peregrination).

I reached North Marden around lunchtime. I had walked south off of the South Downs Way, past an estate I had not heard of, then down through a hedge of mature Hazel (Corylus avellana) it’s base already showing signs of spring flowers. Then crossing the B2141 followed a farm track, and entered the church yard of this singular building.

Comprising of a single cell with both nave and apse combined, the church’s foundation dated to the 12th Century though modified throughout and up to and including the modern roof and bell-cote, with one bell dating from 1829.

The leaflet found within “Notes on EAST and NORTH MARDEN and their CHURCHES” picks out the variously aged, architectural features, adding meat to the bones of the church’s description within the pilgrimage guidebook.

It is a beautiful and serene space, and on first stepping through the door whereupon my mind was silenced, and I sat for a long time in quiet meditation before exploring the finer details of the churches as described in the literature to hand.

signs of Spring

St Mary North Marden February 13th 2025

Chichester Cathedral - St Richard on St Valentine's Day

Reading:

Goulder, T. (2023) Mary's Crescent Countryside Books Newbury

McLaren, P. (undated) Notes on EAST and NORTH MARDEN and their CHURCHES Midhurst and Petworth Printers

Avebury

The National Trust car park, was completely full when we arrived early afternoon, so we returned to the A4 and parked in the Ridgeway car park, opposite The Sanctuary, and walked through the sacred landscape to the henge, passing Small Barrows and Six Round Barrows before joining West Kennet Avenue at the B4003. After a pint or two of cider at The Red Lion we returned to the car, along the reverse of the route.

B4003 looking towards The Sanctuary

B4003 looking towards Avebury

an old friend

Chichester Cathedral - Illuminations

Shetland Wool Week .. pt 3 .. a croft visit and St Ninian's Isle ..

We have enjoyed a really engaging visit to West Lynne Croft, run by Cecil and Sue Tait – Cecil is a sixth generation Shetlander living in Ireland, whose family originally arrived on Mainland because of the highland clearances. Along with the sheep and the wool making – the working croft is also the location of Paparwark Furniture and we were shown around the workshop by the young apprentice to the craft.

Both of us were completely captivated by the pair of working sheepdogs - Ness and Bell, who rounded up the flock with only the briefest of commands from Cecil. A joy to watch.

After the Croft, we took lunch overlooking the tombola linking St Ninian’s Isle to mainland. As we ate, we were entertained by three Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) fly-catching from a large rock below us. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) passage migrants no doubt heading back from Iceland were also on the wing.

On the tombola itself distant waders flushed as walkers or their dogs intruded on their strandline forage.

Walking across the thin stretch of white sand the waders’ identities were clarified, Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Sanderling (Calidris alba), Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), a Redshank (Tringa totanus), Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), and a single Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) following the tide line pickings.

At St Ninian’s Kirk we congratulated a couple who announced that they had just got engaged – he proposing as they explored the sacred site. It was a touching moment.

Approaching the “well” we got distracted by the marginal and aquatic plants in the seeps and drains. Encountering a new plant to both of us: Montia arvensis ... colloquially known as Blinks.

Blinks

Water Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis scorpioides)

Marsh Willowherb (Epilobium paluster)

Bulbous Rush (Juncus bulbosus)

Lesser Spearwort (Ranunculus flammula)

Broad-leaved Pondweed
(Potamogeton natans)

Marsh Bedstraw (Galium palustre)

Crossing back to mainland on the tombola our eyes were drawn to the wreck of jellyfish (Aequora vitrina) and a couple of dead Gannet (Morus bassanus) of the latter we worried that they might be an indication of Avian Bird-flu?

Northern Gannet - deceased

Aequora vitrina

Returning to Lerwick we grabbed a couple of pints at The Noost Bar followed by a swift a pint of 60O North at The Lounge Bar. Although welcoming, the latter watering hole was somewhat tired and the few local customers all very much the worse for wear, despite the time of day.

Back at the cottage, we’ve broken the seal on the Shetland Reel and I’m sampling the Tushkar Oatmeal Stout brewed by The Lerwick Brewery so perhaps I should not be too judgemental?

Shetland Wool Week .. pt 2 .. Stanydale, Culswick Broch, and our first Croft visit ..

After a relaxing start to the day, we headed out west mainland so that I could introduce A to the Neolithic "temple" at Stanydale. On our previous visit to Shetland, I had a ventured out alone to this megalithic site – and was keen to share this special place with A for the first time. I have discussed this site below at:

Stanydale Temple

Parking at the pull we walked out across the marshy moorland past the Neolithic farmhouses, and the ghosts of field systems. Overhead the passing of birds splitting the sky: Curlew (Numenius arquata), Raven (Corvus corax), Greylag Goose (Anser anser); Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) flighting ahead of us.

The soft distant “plew plew” of a Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria), and the whizz of a Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) as it flushed at our approach. A covey of six Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus) calling long enough for us to spot them amongst the low-lying Heather (Calluna vulgaris).

Neolithic farmhouse with windbreak at doorway

Stanydale Temple from entrance

within the Temple 

standing stones adjacent to Temple

Neolithic field system?

Heath Waxcap (Hygrocybe laeta) 

After exploring Stanydale, we drove a short distance south and took a walk out to the remains of Culswick Broch, our route passing the Wesleyan Methodist Church built in 1893.

Wesleyan Methodist Church

In wet path side flushes a handful of Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) were noted; Waxcaps (Hygrocybe sp.) were plentiful in places (see Addendum).

Round-leaved Sundew

Vermillion Waxcap (<i>Hygrocybe Cf minitia</i>)

A scattering of Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) nodding their delicate blue flowerheads in the breeze.

Devil's-bit Scabious

The Broch is constructed of both red and white Granite – and the triangular block acting as the lintel for the south-east facing entrance passage – stands out impressively as you approach the site.

Culswick Broch

Before heading back to Lerwick, we took a small detour via Bridge of Walls, joining the A971 and visiting: The Silly Sheep Fibre Company

Spending the best part of an hour with the Proprietor, we learnt about the production of wool, which is grown on site, by the Shetland sheep; then harvested, before being sent to Yorkshire for spinning and dyeing. The finished product is then returned to the Croft. The wool for the Shetland Tweed which we purchased having taken an additional journey to Skye for weaving into tweed.

A flock of Ca. 40 Rock Dove (Columba livia) was a great drive-by find – the birds roosting in a quarry near Tingwall, on the way back to Lerwick.

Reading

Fojut, N. (1993) A Guide to Prehistoric and Viking Shetland The Shetland Times Ltd, Lerwick, Shetland

Stewart, J. (2008) An Outline of Shetland Archaeology Shetland Amenity Trust

Turner, V. (1998) Ancient Shetland Shetland Amenity Trust / B.T. Batsford Ltd, London

Addendum

Whilst the phone App (Obsidentify) identified the waxcaps confidently as Vermillion Waxcap the submission of the record has yet to be verified on iRecord.

Shetland Wool Week .. pt 1 .. exploring Lerwick

A at the stern of the Aberdeen / Lerwick Ferry
 26th Sept modelling her hand-knitted
Shetland Wool Week 2025 Fair Isle hat

Arriving in Lerwick this morning at 7AM we disembarked from the Ferry and headed straight to Fjara Café Bar for breakfast (or second breakfast in my case, as I had already wolfed down a bacon roll and a black coffee on the Ferry).

"blocking" Shetland knitwear on Jumper Blocks
Shetland Textile Museum

Shetland Tweed Loom from
Adies of Voe, Shetland Textile Museum

Unable to check in to The Watchmakers until 3PM we stayed local visiting the Shetland Textile Museum, and then The Shetland Museum and Archives so that A could officially register for “Shetland Wool Week”. The museum was buzzing, and everybody seemed to be wearing their colour variation of this year’s Wool Week hand-knitted Fair Isle hat. Knitters were knitting in the hub, and the clamour of different accents heard ably demonstrated the international scope of the event.

We've come to the right place then!

Old Scatness, Pictish bear carving
Shetland Museum and Archives

St Ninian's Isle gravemarkers
Shetland Museum and Archives

Runic stone, and Steatite basin
Shetland Museum and Archives

Sixareen (1891) 
Shetland Museum and Archives

Later having checked in to our luxurious cottage, we visited the Mareel, and whilst there purchased some tickets for this evening’s showing of Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Having thoroughly enjoyed the film, we have rounded the evening off with a Chinese take-away, and some light TV to wind us both down.

The Watchmakers, Law Lane,
Lerwick

Law Lane, Lerwick

It has been three days since we last had a decent night’s sleep. So, I am very much looking forward to settling my head down in the cosiness of our holiday let and ignoring the alarm in the morning!