My tactic of getting off the bus at the first stop in a small town or village and walking into the centre paid off at Brigstock because I found St Andrew's by following a path beside a stream.
It is not Brixworth, but it is still a fine church with Saxon remains and a similar circular stair tower. You can read all about the architecture in its Grade 1 Listing.
Inside (besides the monument to a Liberal cabinet minister) there is a carved wood screen that is said to have come from Pipewell Abbey.
Outside in the churchyard there is a magnificent tree. Does anyone recognise the species? I assumed it would be a yew, but the leaves are wrong for that.
Bottom one looks like a sycamore, tree of the Tolpuddle Martyrs & significant in the Bible, tho as a different species. But that one must be older than the Martyrs. Restoration?
ReplyDeleteThanks. Someone on Twitter has said it looks like a sycamore too. The leaves certainly look right, but I can't find pictures of them with trunks like that. Maybe it is very old?
ReplyDeleteThe Tolpuddle tree has been heavily pruned over the years, but its trunk is similar, if perhaps a bit younger: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5680698
ReplyDeleteThe top tree does look like a yew, but I agree the bottom tree trunk looks like an old sycamore trunk to me and google image search old sycamore has some images that look rather like this tree. Can't see the leaves, but they are the giveaway, that and the flowers which will be out around now.
ReplyDeleteHow Acer pseudoplatanus ended up with the same common name as the completely unrelated Ficus sycomorus is quite weird, but apparently it's because they are both wide-spreading shade trees with mulberry-ish leaves.
I'll have a look out for it next time I visit Brigstock.
I am enjoying your history pieces. Thanks.
I was convinced that both photos showed the same tree (I zoomed in to take the one of the foliage), but maybe I was wrong. Thank you all.
ReplyDelete