Little Sampford Church, Essex

Yesterday afternoon I passed Little Sampford church and decided to stop the car, take some photographs and look inside the church.  The weather was warm and sunny.  The light was excellent. I am so glad that I stopped at this lovely peaceful church.

The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Little Sampford

Saint Francis can be seen in the stained glass window.

The font at Little Sampford 

I really love the tower and small spire at St Mary's Church, Little Sampford. So beautiful!

Wendens Ambo, Essex

Today I visited the delightful Essex village of Wendens Ambo, which has a very lovely church and surrounding cottages.  The picturesque scene of the cottages and the church with a spire has been photographed and painted many times.

The west tower and entrance date back to Norman times.

Wendens Ambo: the stained glass window showing scenes from the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15).

The wall painting of St Margaret of Antioch.

The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Wendens Ambo:  the  organ

Wendens Ambo: the font and cover.

The brass of Sir William Lovenay. To the right of the brass figure is a double piscina.

Wendens Ambo:  the pulpit and brass inside the Church of St Mary the Virgin.

Willingale, Essex

I have been to Willingale many times and have enjoyed walking along the footpaths and visiting the two churches sharing a church yard.

The Church of St Christopher (Willingale Doe) on the left and The Church of St Andrew and All Saints (Willingale Spain) on the right.

I thought that I would put some of my favourite photographs of the area on this blog.

Willingale Doe

Willlingale Spain

The altar at Willingale Spain

Willingale Spain: nave of church

The pulpit at Willingale Spain

Willingale Spain: interior of Church of St Andrew and All Saints

The sanctuary at Willingale Doe

The Church of St Christopher, Willingale Doe

The former airfield communications centre, used during WW2

Ulting Church, Hoe Mill and Woodham Walter

The Church of All Saints, Ulting

Today I visited Ulting Church and the surrounding area.  The weather was sunny and dry. It was ideal for photography.  Happily the church organist let me enter the church building, which is usually locked.

Interior of The Church of All Saints, Ulting 

The organist is practising for a wedding service.

The Church of All Saints, Ulting: pulpit and nave

There has been a church on this site since the twelfth century.  The earliest records reveal that Robert Fitzwalter, Lord of the Manor at Ulting, gave the church to Beeleigh Abbey in 1299.  In 1477 a guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded here.  The chapel of Our Lady of Ulting became an important place of pilgrimage in medieval times. This guild was dissolved in 1548 and the guild building was demolished.  Most of the church of All Saints that we see today is the result of a Victorian  restoration in 1873.  There are, however, some remains of earlier centuries.

The lectern at Ulting Church

The west side of the Church of All Saints, Ulting

I understand that some graveyards scenes for The Woman in Black (2012) starring Daniel Radcliffe were filmed here.

The north east side of the Church of All Saints, Ulting

Ulting Church from the footpath by the River Chelmer

The classic view of Ulting Church by the Chelmer

Hoe Mill Lock

Hoe Mill Lock

The Cats Public House near Woodham Walter and Hoe Mill  Lock

The Bell at Woodham Walter

Apparently this public house dates back to the 16th century.  It was photographed in 1903 by Francis Frith, whose photographic work is currently the subject of a TV programme by John Sergeant on BBC 2.

North Korea is a prison

It comes as no surprise that North Korea is top, for the tenth year in succession, of the list of countries in the world that persecutes Christians.  It is therefore the most inhospitable and brutal country for Christians.  Living in North Korea is harsh for the general population with mass starvation, chronic food shortages, economic hardship, terrible poverty, human rights abuses, inhumane prison conditions and a vicious police force.  Those who have escaped from this wicked regime reveal dreadful deprivation and severe repression.  It is unlikely that life will change under the new leader Kim.

The Afghan Project is doomed to failure

With relations between the Afghan community and the coalition forces at a very low point, and the trust between the Afghan security personnel and NATO at a critically low ebb, it would be better for NATO forces to withdraw as soon as possible.  Matters are much worse than they were at the end of last year.  There is a tremendous hatred of foreign forces and interference, and now there has been a dreadful and tragic massacre of innocent civilians. The recent Koran burning by US forces has fuelled the hatred. The damage is probably beyond repair.

The Afghan project will fail because it is built on false foundations.  Military action will not make our society safer.  The reverse now seems to be true.  Resentment, bitterness and anger now exists.  Neutrals are considering supporting the Taliban and insurgents.   It seems that the hatred has increased despite years of work, deployment of troops, expensive equipment and spending vast sums of money.  Sadly we currently have very little to show for the 404 deaths of British service personnel.  We will never be able to replace the many civilians who have died in this tragic conflict.