Searching for Lost Monasteries and Church Ruins ~ Success & Failure
This is more of a rant about a day rather than anything historical - so if I’ve been boring you of late then you need not flip channels immediately
Today saw success and failure mixed in equal doses - elation and deflation dished up in 50/50 portions
The day kicked off with the reckless decision to source the much talked about, but never equalled, Goldeneye Picnic for One from Morrisons Supermarket. Thankfully my legendary constitution should stave off the revolt from the lower intestines but I wouldn’t recommend anyone without a Yak-Like constitution to risk the place
That done it was off once again into the Lincolnshire Wolds.
When I go out I generally have one main mission and then several satellite ‘add ons’ such like churches I may pass or be in the vicinity of. Though I need more churches like I need Gordon Brown as Prime Minister for another term.
I’ve now got about 40 posts backed up in draft form and I never put anything up yesterday for fear of the ’same old same old issue’
My apologies to those who find the site boring now - I’m always open to suggestions btw and happy to hear opinions etc.
My main goal today was to find some church ruins near a manor house. Someone on the internet had tried before me and just got a photo of the Manor House as he couldn’t find the church - happily I did and also, in getting permission to access it, spoke to a lovely woman in her 70s - a great pleasure - for her too strangely as she said when I left.
Not so my next destination however. I got very excited whilst risking a revolt of the lower colon (eating my picnic), I was reading my 1949 first edition of Arthur Mees The King’s England Lincolnshire book, what gentleman travels anywhere without a copy ? , when I saw an entry about the next village I intended to visit.
Just outside the village was the site of a Gilbertine Priory. There’s never anything left of these things but I had some really good info here. There are still some of the carved stone heads extant and they’re built into the farm wall - awesome - I’m there.
Having found the place I sought out permission to have a look. It was then I met the living embodiment of a wizened old hag !
It’s little wonder all these old farmers look so miserable if they’re married to women like this !
Despite my being very polite etc she was not remotely interested claiming to be very busy.
It was hugely annoying and frustrating though I know I shouldn’t feel this way as it’s clearly a private farm.
I suppose it’s because so many landowners have been incredibly friendly and helpful to me - they’ve raised the bar of expectation.
Anyway I left them to get on with it and to spend all the money they get from me in subsidies 
I don’t believe in the so called “right to roam” but I am not beginning to think that if you take money in subsidies from the government or the European Union then rights of access may need to be reconsidered.
Perhaps if you have an area of historic interest or scientific interest then you must allow reasonable access.
Or if you take money from the tax payer for leaving wide borders unplanted around your fields and hedges then those that work to give you that money could have access to walk those borders !
Anyway, I’m pleased I found my church but gutted I could not find and photograph the carved heads from the long gone Gilbertine Priory.
Frustratedly Yours
Rod
Annie Flinn said,
August 25, 2009 @ 8:19 pm
Hi Rod,
Your posts are anything but boring. I love these armchair adventures, and really look forward to reading about your quests each day. Since most of California was built up after WWII, we don’t have many historical sites, nor is there any quaint countryside around me, so I relish the pictures you post. I yearn for the day when I might see them in person.
Kep on, keepin’ on, old son.
Annie
chris keyworth said,
August 25, 2009 @ 8:36 pm
rod welcome to my world
as soon as you start talking about history farmers start thinking about Archeaology this puts farmers backs up (not all tho) Archeaology can cost farmers alot of money, if they set there ploughs to low they drag things to the surface and damage the stratigraphy and things get lost its a big bone of contention, this is why i have alot of time for metal dectorists they find things in the topsoil that would normaly be disgarded by the Archeaologists and thus lost, however you try getting permission to metal detect and you will hit a brick wall as farmers are now scared what will be unearthed and the implications,
Im with you on this one Rod i think if we pay the subsidys then we should have reasonable access to the land.
i have a long running dispute with my local LORD, for access to the burrial site of my ancestors, he has been trying for years to stop me visiting the exact burial spot on certain days, these people are a law until there self.
Tresspass is not a law its a Civil Wrong, if you proceed through an open gate you are not breaking the law, the way they get you is if you do damage the property ie walking through crops, if you get approached and asked to leave the land and refuse then they can use reasonable force to evict you from the land however if you say you will leave there is nothing they can do apart from escort you off the land. this aplies unfortunatly to your own garden aswell.
if you are unlucky enough to only own your home and not the mineral rights to your property as most people in our area are then you could wake up one morning with a drilling rig in you front garden spewing oil out in barrells and there is nothing you can do about it.
anyway save the allied forces comming to liberate you on this one if you start burning the well..
just some fod for thought
regards
chris…….
Rod said,
August 26, 2009 @ 8:16 am
Hi Annie,
thanks for the encouraging words - much appreciated.
I’m pleased you find something of interest here and that you don’t feel robbed of your time when you leave
Best wishes from across the pond
Rod
Rod said,
August 26, 2009 @ 8:22 am
Hi Chris,
thanks for the legal info, I wasn’t aware of the exact situation up until now - cheers.
I know I shouldn’t be annoyed with them as I acually empathise with them in many respects - it’s a purely selfish rant and annoyance - almost childlike - it was the carved heads in the wall that did it Guv
I felt as though someone had snatched my sweets from me
All that said, I am inclining more and more toward my idea of access to land supported by tax payer handouts !
Goldeneye Holdings gets no handouts - if I can’t make money I go bankrupt - simple as !
Power to the People
Best
Rod