Rose window, Waltham Abbey

Better in large

All morning and afternoon it rained. I took the train to London to meet a friend in Walthamstow. On the tube from Paddington I checked out in my book the local attractions, and when I met Ann, it turned out that we had both been thinking about Waltham Abbey! We drove there in the teeming rain (it's not actually in London but somewhere to the North East. Strangely, I'd been expecting a ruin, but this was even better, with a history dating back to king Harold himself.

The rose window stained glass is by Burne-Jones, and depicts scenes from the Creation as described in the book of Genesis. The lancets are also by Burne-Jones, and are equally awe-inspiring. The ceiling above the main aisle, which is flat rather than barrel-vaulted, has the twelve signs of the zodiac upon it, which have been given a Christian interpretation. The overall air today was of calm and serenity, and exquisite beauty. You can read more about it here.

Afterwards we went for sustenance in a dark hobbit-like teashop which we regretted entering, but could not then leave as we were the only customers. A strange telephone conversation was going on, off stage, and we felt as if we were on a set from Little Britain or the League of Gentlemen! We left when a woman in a headscarf started barring the windows from the outside.


After a great deal more driving around, we arrived at Snaresbrook, and took a look at the massive Eagle pond. Plenty of ducks, but only one swan. I was saddened to see a parent duck with chick on a little nest of twigs, with crisp packets in it. There seemed to be no safe nesting spots in the large lake. in honour of the rain and general gloom, we went to a pub with a carvery and ate enough dinner for three days!

Now back in Walthamstow with the Tv on and the computers fired up! It's good to see Ann; we worked together in London in 1987 when we were both teachers of EFL, and reconnected via Facebook, before meeting again in the non-virtual world.