Home again

Getting back to our regular routines at home, after a fantastic holiday in Yorkshire and Scotland. More lovely memories in the bank:-)

Midhurst Parish Church, St Mary Magdalen and St Denys, has a lovely atmosphere and beautiful windows. Noticeably, there are a lot of angels in the church. This window is dated 1926 and dedicated to the son of a Royal Navy Lieutenant - the son himself rose to the rank of Commander in the RN, which accounts for the beautiful depiction of a ship at the top of the panel.

The church still rings a curfew bell at 8pm every evening. William the Conqueror instigated curfews in the countryside, but there is no proof this has been rung ever since. The local story tells of a benighted traveller on North Heath, unable to find his road. He followed the sound of this bell which brought him to Midhurst, and in his gratitude gave a piece of land now called the Curfew Garden, as an endowment for the continued ringing of the bell.

This invocation I found in the Church.

May angels rest beside your door
May you hear their voices sing.
May you feel their loving care for you.
May you hear their peace bells ring.
May angels always care for you
And not let you trip or fall.
May they bear you up on angels’ wings.
May they keep you standing tall.
May they whisper wisdom in your ear.
May they touch you when you need.
May they remove from you each trace of fear.
May they keep you from feeling greed.
May they fill you with their presence.
May they always stand beside you
And make you ever bold.
May they teach you what you need to know
About life here and hereafter.
May they fill you always with their love
And give you the gift of laughter.

Author unknown.