Back to Buxted

Whenever I'm down in Sussex, I like to visit the old church of St Margaret's, Buxted. Not just because Margaret was a Scottish Queen!

This church was built in 1250 on the site of an earlier building. It retains many of its old features, such as the original font. It also has a yew tree in the churchyard which predates the birth of Christ. William Wordsworth's brother Christopher was once the minister and is buried here. 

Sadly, the Earl of Liverpool, who lived in Buxted House next to the church in the early 19th century, didn't like having the village of Buxted on his doorstep. So he moved it a mile down the road.

Elizabeth, the late Queen Mother, was a bridesmaid here at her brother's wedding in 1914. He was killed in the war soon afterwards.

We met a lady who was bringing in marrows, pumpkins and a bag of huge conkers to decorate the church for Harvest Festival this Sunday. A man was strimming the long grass around the graves but most of the cemetery was full of seeding wildflowers. I saw more butterflies there today than I have this whole summer.

In the car my Dad always listens to Classic fm and that's how I came across this lovely piece.