Sunny Days of Early Summer

Bourne Mill, originally
a 16th century country house

In the beautiful weather of last weekend, I think I can be excused for the decision to spend Saturday enjoying the open air.  I went first to Bourne Mill, a National Trust property in the Essex town of Colchester.

Its first appearance was as a country house of an Elizabethan country gentleman, built using materials from a nearby monastery that had been a victim of Henry VIII's dissolution.  It was later developed as water-powered fulling mill, where the local woollen cloth was processed.  In the eighteenth century it was extended and the mechanism re-developed for use as a corn mill.

I then went on to a seaside with a difference.  Far from the sand and paddling of the usual seaside resort (not to say that it has neither, of course), Brightlingsea is a place that I don't recall having been to before, but one that I recall from my childhood when a rather unusual toy was an out-of-date railway timetable.

The rail link to the town closed in 1964, and the site of the station long since redeveloped.  However, I parked outside the Railway public house, which is still operational, and took a walk around the nearby streets, eventually ending up at the 'Hard', where there were many pleasure craft to be seen.

Brightlingsea: Harbour office

After a snack at a tea-shop opposite the harbour office, I wandered along the pier where a ferry leaves for nearby Point Clear or Mersea Island, to either of which the nearest route is via the many branches of the Colne estuary rather than a longer trip by road.

Brightlingsea: Departure of
the ferry to Point Clear

My day was completed by a visit to the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel and Wakes Colne station on the (still alive) branch line from Marks Tey to Sudbury.  A private function was taking place on the premises, but this didn't prevent me briefly viewing the exhibits before making my way home. It was a great way to begin what promises to be a busy summer month, culminating in my holiday, of which more later.

This week has been very much taken up by diligently collecting all the details of the recent General Election.  I'm not exactly sure what use I will make of this data in the coming months, but in the great scheme of things it seemed a worthwhile use of the time if I'm to make a positive contribution to the reform of our electoral system as mentioned here last week.

Apart from the computer screen, I've also been busy with preparations for two events at our church.  Tomorrow sees our annual Fun Day, when we provide activities, crafts, snacks, drinks and a barbecue for the whole community, whether church people or not.  Today was preparation day, when the interior of the church was transformed into a series of 'pods', where the various craft exercises can take place, and I was one of a small team who spent an active morning achieving this.  Tomorrow promises to be busy from breakfast time when the climbing wall arrives to be erected by skilled engineers.

We've also been busy rehearsing musical items for both Fathers' Day on Sunday and a special service in a few weeks' time to mark the last day of our present vicars who are leaving to take up new roles elsewhere in the country. That will be a day of very mixed emotions, as we wish them well in this, but also come to terms with not having them with us after seven very happy years under their leadership.