Southease

This afternoon, I thought I would visit some of the places I missed out on Saturday’s walk, most particularly Southease, which lies on the western bank of the tidal River Ouse. I caught the bus to Lewes, crossed the railway and the A27 and headed south along the riverbank for almost 5 miles into a brisk and tropically warm breeze. I saw egrets, red kites and dragonflies, and only a couple of other walkers.

Southease church was built in Norman times on the site of a wooden Saxon one. It has a round tower. Inside are the remains of 13th c wall paintings, once a riot of colour but whitewashed over during the Reformation. The interior is very old, very simple and very moving.

I walked on to Rodmell and visited another old church there with a beautiful belfry. Both churches were decorated for harvest.

It was at Monk’s House in Rodmell that Virginia Woolf lived, and from here she walked in March 1941 down to the River Ouse to drown herself. The house is now owned by the National Trust and open to the public but today I pushed on northwards across the fields to Lewes. Sweaty, tired and thirsty, I considered a pint of Harvey’s but hopped on the bus to Uckfield instead, arriving back in time to cook the tea.