in grantchester, in grantchester...

doesn’t this sound like something i would like?:

the orchard tea garden - a corner of england where time stands still as the outside world rushes by. relax and enjoy the genteel setting where more famous people have taken tea than anywhere else in the world. soak up the atmosphere of a bygone age; follow in the footsteps of generations by sharing in the great english tradition of afternoon tea.

miffy and i walked the couple of miles to the little hamlet of grantchester to see the orchard, made legendary by a group of remarkable friends who frequented the place in the last years of the 19th century. poet rupert brooke found the apple grove enchanting and gathered his scholar chums into the “grantchester group,” which included virginia woolf, e.m. forster, bertrand russell, and others. under the apples they discussed, philosophized, shared and created, and since then many have worked to maintain the kindly air of academia and ideas.

walking into the orchard feels almost sacred – i was immediately struck with a sense of reverence for intelligence and art. the scene is unkempt and raw and uncomplicated. there was a philosophy lecture going on under the apples when we arrived, and we drank herbal tea and ate scones in the shade of leaves and centuries of thought gone by. we went and sat by the river and read rupert brooke poetry and basked in the sunshine and wild sweeping landscape, and then walked back to cambridge through the meadows along the cam. it was all so peaceful and blithe.

IMG_9545IMG_9552IMG_9554IMG_9556IMG_9557IMG_9561IMG_9564IMG_9568IMG_9550

in grantchester, in grantchester! -
some, it may be, can get in touch
with nature there, or earth, or such…
i only know that you may lie
day-long and watch the cambridge sky,
and, flower-lulled in sleepy grass,
hear the cool lapse of hours pass,
until the centuries blend and blur
in grantchester, in grantchester…
-
rupert brooke, “the old vicarage, grantchester”

Comments

  1. i love this (these). i love you. beautiful pictures. agreed. a magical place, especially with my oldest, beloved friend. a perfect visit. beautiful descriptions. i hope to get to see you again soon!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wish I were there right now. What a beautiful spot on earth. I'm sending this link to Brent and Eddy right now. They'll love it too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Seeing the two of you together makes me happy with happy memories.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment