One Man And His Dog.

I went to church this morning.
It was to have a look around in preparation for my worst nightmare .......... photographing a wedding - a real wedding with a church, a minister and a reception and not just a handful of family.
Okay, I will know quite a few of the people, but ...............
I hope the gate keeper is smiling and not laughing at my efforts.

The minister is very nice and took me into the church and we discussed what was required and expected from me (luckily we were both singing from the same hymn sheet). He also left me to take some pictures for reference and to try and work out what lens to use where.
I was also able to take a couple of shots of the stained glass windows - something I always like doing.... they are such marvelous pieces of art.
The font has a very unusual wooden cover which is certainly older than the current church (reconstructed in 1908) but its history is unknown.
There has been a church here for over 900 years, the first mention of it being in 1095  and founded by Prince Ethelred - but was probably built on the foundations of an older building.

The Blip is a statue to Robert Louis Stevenson who used to stay in the manse when visiting his grandfather who was the minister here.
Still standing in the grounds of the manse is the yew tree where Stevenson's swing used to hang and is believed to be the inspiration for his poem .................... 
How do you like to go up in a swing, 
   Up in the air so blue? 
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing 
   Ever a child can do! 

Up in the air and over the wall, 
   Till I can see so wide, 
Rivers and trees and cattle and all 
   Over the countryside— 

Till I look down on the garden green, 
   Down on the roof so brown— 
Up in the air I go flying again, 
   Up in the air and down!