Post 6 : Mainly Bowness-on-Windermere

I'm still waking 3-4 times a night, but managing to get myself back to sleep. I was finally awake and reading by 6.15 this morning, but did not join the energetic group of my fellow retreaters who met to walk at 6.30. It was a misty-moisty morning with little visibility, even when I joined the group for breakfast just after 8.00 am.

We finally left our breakfast table at 10.10. Three headed off to Ullswater to hike and four of us headed off in Kathleen's car. Melody and I hitched a lift into Bowness-on-Windermere, Melody with a bit of a mission, and me as a hanger-on.






Melody wanted to buy a specific gift from a Beatrix Potter themed shop - of which there was no shortage. We found what she wanted in the second one we visited.
It was next to Herdy- the shop devoted to herdwick sheep souvenirs.




We were less successful with her other goal - finding a skirt. Skirts, it seems, are not in fashion. Not even the Edinburgh Wool Shop had an adult size skirt.

It was, however, a good mission to be on, and took us down interesting streets and lanes

Even the overcast grey skies and occasional showers couldn't hide the signs of Spring.






















Giving up on the skirt, we visited St Martin's - the Windermere Parish Church (located in Bowness-on-Windermere, not in Windermere!). It was been the parish church for Windermere since 1203. An earlier structure was, except for the font, destroyed in a fire in 1480. The basic rectangular structure, and a squat tower was rebuilt in 1483 and has been adapted and added to ever since.










Everywhere there are signs that it has been, and continues to be, a church that serves a continuing, living community.






I loved the prominent celtic crosses in the churchyard, one in memory of soldiers of the Boer War, the other a personal memorial to Jane Isabella Fleming 1808-1902.

Inside, the first thing to impact is the roof with it's painted words - a 16th century declaration of Protestantism.

North Window

There is some fine stained glass in the East window - carefully restored after damage by Cromwell's men, and some later examples depicting local people worshiping. There is a sense of continuous engagement of the community- and care for the church.




There are numerous examples of well maintained kneelers.




There is a  chapel in memory of the 71 men from the parish who died in World War I. At the entrance to the chapel are two extraordinary silk curtains.These were made by craftsmen disabled in WWI and employed by Painted Fabrics Ltd of Sheffield. They were given to the parish in 1932 in appreciation of parish support. They are fragile, and shouldn't be touched. It seems, none the less, admirable that they hang there, doggedly part of the people-focused history of the community of the church.



The altar frontal in place today (following Epiphany and before the Transfiguration) was a lovely, simple green gold-worked one.

I  really liked the central fish medallion.

There are also some lovely floor tiles, and beautiful mosaic panels in the Victorian marble reredos behind the altar.






































There are lovely carved screens - some on  pews, along with a rood that was transferred from St John's Windermere.

The huge etched Curwen Screen with its music theme was installed in 2000 to create an additional enclosed space in the tower room, clearly meeting a contemporary need for parents and children to be part of a service without disturbing others.


St Martin's took me by surprise. It is packed with community life and evidence of current use.







By now it was lunchtime, and Melody and I went in search of the Hole in't Wall - the oldest pub in Bowness,  built in 1612 and named, apparently for the hatch through which ale was served to coaches.

We made our way to the lower level - once a blacksmithy. It is snug and atmospheric- loads of pewter pots, whisky jars and toby jugs, very large bellows, a few trophies and stained glass






The sweet potato soup was very good.








Outside, it was still dull and overcast, but the roof of the pub has begun to show the signs of Spring.


We managed to find a taxi to take us back to the Ryebeck.

While I was putting this post together, most of the other retreat participants  arrived. The gathering for dinner was full of laughter and exuberance.  The meal was excellent. Missing were our three Ullswater hikers from breakfast. Their plans had gone a little awry, resulting in them walking, it seems, about 8 miles to find a taxi to bring them back to Bowness, where they had dinner - at the Hole In'T Wall.  They arrived back in good humour, but in need of baths and bed.

Stitching tomorrow.