Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/12/12

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Subject: [Leica] #421 & #422
From: geebee at geebeephoto.com (GeeBee)
Date: Mon Dec 12 23:58:18 2005

When I approach a village church for the first time on a walk I know that
there is probably a photograph to be had if there is enough land around it
to let me back up to include the tower. This one proved to be no exception:
http://www.geebeephoto.com/2005/05421.htm


What I can never be sure of is whether the church is unlocked or not and I
am not overstating when I say that I feel genuine excitement as I try the
door. This one proved to be open so I went in, it was very gloomy and I hit
some light switches just inside the door but they made very little
difference. It was a lovely interior but the dull day made lack of light a
real problem and even with fast glass I was struggling.

A lady parishioner entered the church and began preparing floral decorations
for a service. She very kindly asked if turning on the lights would help
but, based on the negligible effect of the lights I had turned on, I
declined her offer. The lady went about her business of flower arrangement
and I carried on shooting on the basis of 'you never know what you can get
unless you hit the shutter' but I knew I was watching a beautiful church
interior slip away from me for lack of light.

The church was built in 1170 and according to the earliest government census
in 1801 the village population was 211.  By 1851 the population had risen to
322 and an ecclesiastical census was carried out throughout England on 30
March 1851 to record the attendance at all places of worship. The listed
attendance at the three services at St. Marys' Turweston were: 90 - Morning
General Congregation: 50 - Morning Sunday Scholars: 122 - Afternoon. The
village population today is around 500.

As I chatted to the lady she said it was really no bother to turn the lights
on and without waiting for a response she disappeared into the area housing
the organ. If you live in the Brackley area of Northamptonshire and you
experienced a power drop at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning it was the
lights coming on in St. Marys' church in Turweston. This is why I felt
excitement as I tried the door on this 835 years old time capsule.
http://www.geebeephoto.com/2005/05422.htm


Graham
http://geebeephoto.com





Replies: Reply from richard-lists at imagecraft.com (Richard) ([Leica] #421 & #422)