Winter Solstice 2011
Heptonstall
James and myself started out early at 09:00. The plan was to head off to Sylvia Plath's (poet) resting place. Heptonstall is very bleak and there is only one way into it! Also planned was to visit a well, Reap's cross, Standing Stone Hill etc. Stone circle, standing stone and a well.
In the ancient hilltop weaving village of Heptonstall, overlooking Hebden Bridge, stand two churches, both in the same churchyard, one in ruins and the other one still very much in use.The chapel was erected between 1256 and 1260 and was dedicated to Thomas a Becket who was murdered in 1170, became a saint in 1173, and was a popular symbol of resistance to state authority.
The aura of the ruined church was spectacular, looking across to the 'new' church over a lot of grave stones was eerie. One account on the internet suggests that there are over 100,000 bodies buried there! Another says 10,000. Whatever it is they lie below the stones that are above the surface.
James and myself started out early at 09:00. The plan was to head off to Sylvia Plath's (poet) resting place. Heptonstall is very bleak and there is only one way into it! Also planned was to visit a well, Reap's cross, Standing Stone Hill etc. Stone circle, standing stone and a well.
In the ancient hilltop weaving village of Heptonstall, overlooking Hebden Bridge, stand two churches, both in the same churchyard, one in ruins and the other one still very much in use.The chapel was erected between 1256 and 1260 and was dedicated to Thomas a Becket who was murdered in 1170, became a saint in 1173, and was a popular symbol of resistance to state authority.
The aura of the ruined church was spectacular, looking across to the 'new' church over a lot of grave stones was eerie. One account on the internet suggests that there are over 100,000 bodies buried there! Another says 10,000. Whatever it is they lie below the stones that are above the surface.
We then found the grave of Sylvia Plath and paid our respects and left a pen each!
We now went up to the Moors but the weather took a turn for the worse and we were unable to see much, very misty and wet, but we did find the well. It was by the wayside and I went to make a wish and my hands were covered in the brown substance, supposedly iron but I think more ikely to be copper.
The darkness was now falling but we headed to Haworth and had a look round this beautiful village made famous by the Bronte sisters. Naturally, we visited a bookshop with plenty to do with poetry. A fine end to a great, even though not complete, day.
Dave
Dave
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