Member-only story
In Praise of Little Men
March Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Freestyle”
Old guides prompt a new destination.
A few days ago a friend telephoned: I’m throwing out some old church guides. Do you want them?
Of course I did. I’m a sucker for collecting guides — churches, castles, country houses, prehistoric sites — you name it, I’m interested. They carry such fascinating information in a condensed form.
Close to my desk I have a box stuffed with guides, all standing upright. I keep meaning to put them in alphabetical order for ease, but that means I’d just go to the one I wanted, whereas a fingertip riffle across the covers reignites the curiosity in unexpected ways.
When the promised package arrived, out popped these two for Wells Cathedral in Somerset, in south-west England. Just look at the ornamentation of that church frontage. Who wouldn’t be intrigued? Better still, we have to drive to Wiltshire mid-May, and Somerset is a mere 70 miles further south.
But you’re looking at the carved man, aren’t you, with his red hood and socks? My eyes were drawn to him, too, sitting dolefully on the back cover. I don’t know his name, maybe I never will, but I shall seek him out. He was Bishop Beckington’s jester, and the bishop died in 1452.
