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Published: August 1st 2011
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Sightseeing in Lavenham
On 24 June, except Mark who came to the dining table at 9:30, we all got up by 9 o’clock and had breakfast at the big dining table. As expected, it was bright and sunny in the morning.
At 10:30, John and Mary drove us to Lavenham. After parking their cars, we popped to Lavenham Parish Church, St Peter and St Paul’s Church. My mother started sketching the church at the entrance. After that, we entered the church and strolled through the Nave, aisles, and choir. There were a lot of tombs and memorials of the people who were associated with the church and Lavenham. I showed my parents “Baby Brass”, ancient font, the war memorial, and the Spring Parclose, where the tomb of Thomas Spring who offered generous amount of money for the development of the Parish Church of Lavenham. There were fine and ornate carvings on the façade and wall post of the Spring Parclose, and it could tell us how important the monument of Thomas Spring is for Lavenham Church. My parents were impressed with the needlework on the cushion on the congregation seats, each of which was different from other, and were all
executed in the part of the millennium project. They bought the catalogue of the images of the needlework and post cards at the shop.
Next, John led us to the part of the circular walk from the church yard, and we walked past the Lavenham Hall and saw the garden with pond, colourful flowers and shrubs, and displays of interesting sculptures of animals.
We then walked to the centre of Lavenham. Like many of the Cotswold villages, Lavenham was once flourished with the wool industry and retains a number of original medieval half timbered houses, many of which have been well-preserved and maintained and have been converted to the hotels, shops, cafes, and museums. We closely looked at the details of the facades of the Guildhall, Little Hall on the Market Place, Swan Hotel and some of the other half timbered houses. John said: All of the timbers used on the facades of those medieval houses had been taken from the ships, and although they didn’t expect to last long, they had miraculously survived for a long period up to the recent time.
Sightseeing in Bury St Edmunds on 25 June 2011
On 25 June, we
were due to go to Bury St Edmunds. When John approached the centre of Bury St Edmunds, he was shocked to see the road was closed, and turned round his car and followed one-way system streets. A car phone rang, and he parked his car on the side of the street. Mary said, “What’s going on?” He said, “Well, honey, just follow me and I will try to find the way to reach the Car Park.” All of the roads around the abbey garden were closed, and it made it very awkward for the drivers to find the way. The Car Park was almost full. He managed to find a few slots on the back of the Car Park. Mary had heard that the military march was going on in the morning and was a little frustrated. She felt that the military march would ruin the plan that she was going to entertain the people from Japan. She asked the cleaner in the toilet in the Car Park if the military march would be carried out all day. She said, “No, it would finish at 12:15. Mary was relieved, and suggested having coffees and teas in the town at first.
After having hot drinks, we strolled through the market. My mother bought a couple of linen items for her sister and a wallet and key case for my brother and cousin. Unexpectedly, it started showering. My parents hadn’t brought umbrellas. I assured them that it wouldn’t last very long, saying that English people wouldn’t hold umbrellas if it was just showering. I put my scarf round my head until it stopped showering.
We went to the abbey garden just after 12:30. There were remains of the military march. We found the market was going on in the park. There were a wide variety of English porcelain and French figures, glass works, antique goods, handmade dolls, clothes, and past magazines sold in the stall. My mother enjoyed browsing through English Market and bought several items.
We then looked round the flowerbed and the old rose garden. My mother was delighted to see the authentic rose garden at last and took a number of photos from the different angles. In the meantime, Mary was concerned about the time, as it was 13:30 and wondering if my father was getting hungry. She decided to go back to Lark Rise on her
own to make sandwiches.
John remained with us and took us to St Edmundsbury Cathedral. There are scattered remains of the complex of Benedictine Abbey of St Edmund around the abbey garden and cathedral. There were residential houses where the part of the complex of the former abbey buildings was used around the cathedral. We found the imaginary picture of the Benedictine Abbey of St Edmunds. My father was astonished how huge the original abbey building was, compared to St James Church, which has become Cathedral. He asked me if the Benedictine Abbey of St Edmunds was again destroyed by Henry VIII. Reading at the line that the last Abbott was dismissed in 1539, I said, “Yes”. John said, “He was a thug, wasn’t he?” My parents were surprised how influential Henry VIII was and what he did in the tenure of the King. We looked round the Nave, Edmund Chapel, The Quire and High Altar, and the Lady Chepel, and admired the beautiful vaulted ceiling of the Millennium Tower. While looking round the Nave, we noted many seats were reserved for the particular people. Later, we heard from East Anglican Daily Times that the ordain service led by the Rt Rev Nigel Stock was held at St Edmundsbury Cathedral and 22 new priests and deacons were welcome to the church on 26 June.
The wedding photography was undertaken on the outside of St Edmundsbury Cathedral on 25 June.
We walked past the remains of the Benedictine Abbey and military march festival on the way to the Car Park. We heard the music band performing “Land of Hope and Glory”, which Mark and John found too patriotic.
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anonymous
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nice sightseeing in east england of 2011