A Trick of the Light?

The last time I visited St Mary's Church was during my school years in the 80s. It was open - permanently, but remained unused. The interior smelled stale and musty. It was very dusty and a small bellows organ sat abandoned and neglected in the corner. We didn't stay for long, there's not much to hold the attention of two schoolboys in a disused church.

I happened to be driving through the village of Little Bromley, today at lunchtime and decided that another 30 years of decay would undoubtedly make for a good blip.

The building remains largely unused for religious ceremonies, but it is open to visitors at the weekends. This surprised me. I was met not with a decayed building, but one that had benefited from major renovations. I found fresh flowers in the graveyard, an explanatory plaque in the vestibule and a notice stating the opening hours.

Inside, it was surprisingly dark and no longer smells musty. Instead as I entered the doorway, that unmistakable church aroma filled my nostrils. The St James's bible remains atop the lectern, poised, ready for its next reading. The east facing rows of pews remain empty, awaiting their next congregation. The bell ropes hang, tied to their positions on the gallery for the next peal and the solid walls frame the stained glass windows providing all the colour needed on a grey day like today.

I took my photos, signed the visitor book, left a donation and came away. Its great to see this fine local building being well looked after and in such good condition. Even though it wasn't what I was expecting to find, I think it makes a passable blip.

It wasn't until I loaded the image onto the laptop that I noticed the strange light effects, swirling around the organ pipes. Perhaps I was not alone in admiring the building???

Or perhaps is was just a trick of the light???