Friday, August 15, 2008
Too posh to pie
This from the fine Internet cafe in Exter City Library. Just had rather a bad moment, in that despite the number of people with unfashionable clothes, the number of large people and the number of people smoking, it was hard to find somewhere to buy a pie. A proper pie that is, the sort of thing you get in fish and chip shops. Not a pie with lots of meat and Guinness in it. However, while there were lots of wraps, ciabattas (?), organic and vegetarian options, there was not a pie in sight. Then BH pulls the rabbit out of the hat and we find a small bakery with seats outside that can manage pies. And a tuna baguette for herself. Now, two pies later, all calmed down.
This excitement was preceeded by a visit to Exeter cathedral. Lots of carving and lots of painting in a large bright space. Lots of chapels and elaborate tombs, some seriously old. But somehow not very pious. More a monument to the piety and pride of the 13th century (or whenever it was) which fuelled what, by the standards of the day, were massive buildings and which must have sucked a massive amount of wealth out of the surrounding countryside. Lots of elaborate bosses, recently painted, some of which did not work. That is to say, rather than highlighting the boss as the intersection of a pair of stone ribs, they looked rather like a golden fungus creeping over said intersection. Perhaps a golden, upsidedown aubresia. But the vaulting of the nave was good, really looking like it was holding up the roof and being attractive. With a neat bit of design taking the ribs into the columns of the clerestory windows which left the vaulting standing slightly apart from said columns.
In the Chapter House a valiant attempt to introduce modern statuary and sculpture into the dozen or so large niches, the orginals (if they ever existed) presumably stripped out at the time of the reformation. Large, dark grey constructions, possibly a metallic resin, some standing well proud of their niches. Not altogether convinced that it worked, but good to see the church people try to do more than do the heritage thing. (Always a bit tricky restoring a big old building to some mythic past. The things have always been in a flux. The minders of Stonehenge have this problem in spades). But then why good? As an atheist why should I care that the minders of Exeter Cathedral try to keep the building alive? Oddly, I do. Perhaps I am mindful of all those dead stately homes which now have no other function than that of visitor attraction and are poorer in consequence.
In between times, wondering why there are few foxes, grey squirrels or magpies in this part of the country. Real country too, with farms. Plenty of open land, some of it in the form of an RSPB nature preserve called Exminster Marshes - which do contain plenty of rabbits. Never seen so many in one field for a long time. Plenty of small and pretty birds. Swallows, finches and such like. After dusk, plenty of bats in the lanes. But what about the other stuff? What is it about Devon which foxes, grey squirrels and magpies don't like? Watch this space.
This excitement was preceeded by a visit to Exeter cathedral. Lots of carving and lots of painting in a large bright space. Lots of chapels and elaborate tombs, some seriously old. But somehow not very pious. More a monument to the piety and pride of the 13th century (or whenever it was) which fuelled what, by the standards of the day, were massive buildings and which must have sucked a massive amount of wealth out of the surrounding countryside. Lots of elaborate bosses, recently painted, some of which did not work. That is to say, rather than highlighting the boss as the intersection of a pair of stone ribs, they looked rather like a golden fungus creeping over said intersection. Perhaps a golden, upsidedown aubresia. But the vaulting of the nave was good, really looking like it was holding up the roof and being attractive. With a neat bit of design taking the ribs into the columns of the clerestory windows which left the vaulting standing slightly apart from said columns.
In the Chapter House a valiant attempt to introduce modern statuary and sculpture into the dozen or so large niches, the orginals (if they ever existed) presumably stripped out at the time of the reformation. Large, dark grey constructions, possibly a metallic resin, some standing well proud of their niches. Not altogether convinced that it worked, but good to see the church people try to do more than do the heritage thing. (Always a bit tricky restoring a big old building to some mythic past. The things have always been in a flux. The minders of Stonehenge have this problem in spades). But then why good? As an atheist why should I care that the minders of Exeter Cathedral try to keep the building alive? Oddly, I do. Perhaps I am mindful of all those dead stately homes which now have no other function than that of visitor attraction and are poorer in consequence.
In between times, wondering why there are few foxes, grey squirrels or magpies in this part of the country. Real country too, with farms. Plenty of open land, some of it in the form of an RSPB nature preserve called Exminster Marshes - which do contain plenty of rabbits. Never seen so many in one field for a long time. Plenty of small and pretty birds. Swallows, finches and such like. After dusk, plenty of bats in the lanes. But what about the other stuff? What is it about Devon which foxes, grey squirrels and magpies don't like? Watch this space.
# posted by Jim @ 5:33 AM 
