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Wednesday, January 18, 2023

St. James Church and the Almshouses


These stone structures fill the countryside with buildings that are all of a similar style, even if they are built with different styles. The look of aged stone is similar no matter the century, 13th or 19th.
The work of the lichens and mosses is always the same. There is a certain comfort in knowing that sameness. It is a bit like the way we age. We get wrinkles and grey hair. Yes, we all look different, built in different styles, but we all 'fit in the same neighborhood' with out similar aging.


No matter the age of the stone, the only thing that set it apart from another is what is left of the carvings. The stone is always the same.


I think this sameness is part of what fascinates me about graveyards. It really is like walking in a city full of building that are different but the same everywhere, filled with people that are all different but the same.


Just down the road a short walk are a set of interesting buildings.
These almshouses near the church (you can see the tower in the background) date from 1612 and are raised above street level. They were built by Sir Baptist Hicks, one of the town's benefactors, for 12 pensioners and are still used for the same purpose today. (source)

If you stand in the right spot, it is possible to see the church just just behind them.


 

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