October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween

Well...Here we are! Saturday 31st October...Welcome to Halloween!...and the Church on the Green. I have been meaning to go down to my local church and take some pictures, because the last time I visited it, I didnt have my camera on me, but spent a good hour having a look around this lovely place...set amoungst Gillinghams 'surburbia' !

This church is amazing...founded before 1086, you really get a sense of history and people that have lived before us...just by walking around it....(if you are interested in the History of my local church...please click here ;) ) 

I absolutely adore this place! Its perfect for when you want to get away from it all! walking Max (our doggie) amoungst the Autumn leaves and conkers....the grave stones and the views of the River Medway are just Divine!

The people that are buried here are from all era's...there are soldiers buried here from when the Dutch invaded back in 1667 to a Mr Palmer Esq who died of Yellow Fever in 1851...I am sorry if you are finding this all rather morbid, but I find this all soooo interesting :)

I love history and architecture....and what better place to live, than Medway, which is so steeped in history, what with Chatham down the road (famous for its world renowned Dockyard!) and Rochester a bit further down, known for the Home of Charles Dickens...you can imagine the beautiful places that we are living amoungst eh!

Ok ok, so we have our dodgy parts! what area doesn't! but I feel we should celebrate our history here in medway...Do it yourself in your area, take a walk and look around...sit on a park bench and take in the history of your area...you see the thing is we are all rushing around these days! driving here and there....not noticing the beautiful places that are staring us in the face!

Our church parish is called St Mary Magdalen and I have often wondered whether the Island that we lived on previously, which was called St Mary's Island, was named after this church, as St. Mary's has had a close connection with the Royal Navy and with the Chatham Royal Dockyard (much of which actually lay within Gillingham) through the centuries....and for very many years our church tower was a navigational mark for ships sailing up the Medway estuary.

Above is the view from around the back of the church...as you can see it overlooks the River Medway!.....there is also ample grounds in the church and although alot of its 20 acres has now been taken away and used for housing (especially the little  cottages that align the surrounding streets, that were built for the dockers) I understand that it was used for a fair held once a year and a market once a week in the 14th century.

Gosh I have gone off on a bit of a tangeant here, but its lovely to find out such things from ones area, don't you think :) .....so anyway whats all this got to do with Halloween! well! it just seemed a little apt if you know what I mean...graveyards and all that! Although this church is not 'spooky' at all! This is my little contribution to this holiday season.

....And if you are religious, please do not be affended by the fact that I have dressed some of these piccies up in Halloweenesq stylie, its just a bit of fun!...something which is still kinda catching on over here in 'Blighty'!...(celebrating Halloween i mean!) You guys from across the pond are sooo brilliant at all the decorations and fun for the kids etc!...you couldn't fly me over there could ya...so I could celebrate with ya'all...LOL! p'haps next year! hehehe!

So come on gals...what are you doing for halloween and how have you decorated the house...have you gone overboard?...Have your neigbours gone overboard? do you love to decorate and make things for this season and when do you take them decs down? what is the most you have ever collected, when you have gone trick or treating? and whats the worst trick you have ever played on someone?

Let me know gals...I would love to hear from you :)

Bye for now and HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Love Happy x