We Re-arrange a Church While Backs are Turned «

We Re-arrange a Church While Backs are Turned

Tuesday 17th February 2015

Some while ago the Gay Mother was rung up by the judge’s former wife; she was much preoccupied with hinges. Later in the day we went up the church to see what’s happening. The most frightful language was issuing from behind a screen where men were working on the West Entrance. We could see nothing. Soon the foreman emerged and was engaged in discussion by the Gay Mother re: the South door, which has to be pinned back against the wall so that the congregation can have in sight the small children playing in the new play-area to be established in the South Porch. ‘You can’t cut those hinges,’ I said. They are completely medieval and span the door’s width. It seems they can’t or won’t. They’ll put on other ones. But the Gay Mother’s thing in this church is the monuments. She had me scouring the visitors’ book to see if there are any more disparaging comments. Some visitors are furious, others overwhelmed by peace and love. In truth she’s not really so tuned in with Lady Marion about the hinges. We were mainly getting outraged in the chapel. She had me move some metal stands to the vestry which obscured the view but there was nothing we could do about a great bookcase dumped in front of General Elliot’s memorial which is by Bacon. The other Bacon piece also has a bookcase parked in front of it. The important tablet by Westmacott fortunately is unhindered.