Saffron Walden, Essex

I may very well have spent the whole of the past year looking up. While this leads to the inevitable neck cramps and attractive squinting poses, the worst result is how frequently one collides with solid objects such posts and light poles. England is rich in architecture, and it has become the subject of my studies, so you can imagine just how often I run into things, not to mention people. 

Indignities aside, I think buildings are fascinating for they allow us to study how people lived and worked through the ages. They are a testament to the ingenuity of humans, documenting our engineering progress and appreciation for different forms of art.  

Suffice it to say, one of my favorite places for the study of vernacular architecture is Saffron Walden, just south of Cambridge. It’s an ancient market village with the remains of a castle and a host of medieval timber-framed buildings. It is also a fantastic place to shop for antiques or second-hand books, and have lunch. For more information on the history visit this site: http://www.visitsaffronwalden.gov.uk

(Note: Vernacular, as opposed to polite, architecture is what most of us live in. These are buildings made mostly for a functional purpose (home, barn, shop, etc) with locally available materials rather than as a form of art or luxury executed by a skilled architect with possibly an extensive range of imported materials.)

Inside St. Mary's Church, Saffron Walden

The end of a 15th century hall house, now converted into a shop.

St. Mary's Church (13th-15th century)

The Old Sun Inn

Better late than never...?

The V R at the top of this mailbox indicates that it was installed during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901).  More commonly seen are E R post boxes (Queen Elizabeth II), so this one located in a small Northamptonshire village is a bit more special as a historical marker. 

I could be ashamed that it has been nearly a year and a half since my last blog post...But I can’t be bothered. Let me explain. 

First, it’s not as if I have a demanding readership (beyond close friends and family). And secondly, after my last post in August 2011, I became extraordinarily busy. I was (quite shockingly) accepted into a two year graduate program studying architectural history at one of Britain’s oldest universities. A daunting but exceptionally thrilling challenge for a mid-life mother of two who had spent nearly the entire last decade home raising children. I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to remember how to take good notes, write academic papers or keep up with the demanding reading lists. (Not to mention continuing the usual responsibilities at home of juggling kids schedules, endless laundry, meals, and a husband whose career often takes him out of the country leaving the rest of us to carry on). 

So, it was goodbye blog and hello grad school.

When I first started the site, my goal was to have a photographic and written record of our time spent living in the United Kingdom. I also thought it might be nice for others to be able to experience life here vicariously through us, especially those who may never have such a unique opportunity to live overseas. During the last 18 months, I was asked several times when I might post again. This always caught me by surprise. I didn’t realize anyone was actually reading this blog. I’ve been pleased to learn that at least two people outside of my immediate family are reading it... :) It is for those few people who asked that I have been storing up stories, pictures and places to share. Now that I am in the dissertation writing phase, it seemed like the best way to get in the writing mood... (read: Procrastinate). 

Stay tuned...