Bordering On The Rhapsodic

[poliphilo]

I spent most of my adult life in Greater Manchester but now that I'm living  in the South again that stretch of nearly 40 years has dwindled to an episode and I feel I'm back where I belong.

We were in West Sussex yesterday. We visited Boxgrove Priory and the Roman Villa at Bignor. The villa is still owned by the family that dug it up over 200 years ago. The woman who sells you your tickets also serves you tea and cake. There a lovely informality which you just don't get with English Heritage or The National Trust.

East Sussex is Kipling, West Sussex is Belloc. We spent half an hour going round in circles looking- in vain- for Ha'nacker Mill- the subject of one of Belloc's most piquant poems. Belloc was an occasional poet- best remembered for his comic verse- but when he is on form- and what poet is really on form more than a handful of times in his or her life?- he wrote some of the most perfect lyrics in the English language.

The sun shone all day from a virtually cloudless sky. I think the valley of the River Arun is one of the most beautiful places on earth. 

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

In my case, you can take the maid out of Kent, but you can't take Kent out of the maid. :o)

Have a Warlock setting of Ha'nacker Mill sung by Ben Luxon.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Nice. Thanks for the Warlock.

My loyalties are torn between the two counties.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

It's quite a wonderful thing to feel you've come home and know where you want to be.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes. It makes me happy to be here.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I'm glad there are compensations for the strains of managing the decline.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It's been an intense couple of years. Some of it
good.