How can one country have so many picturesque villages bursting with history and charm – as well as so many tea shops filled with yummy cakes and such civilized gentlefolk? It’s just not fair, I say.
Today our friends June and Alan took us adventuring to the county of Essex, where we passed through the village of Dunmow, before spending some time in Great Bardfield, Finchingfield and Saffron Walden. No, I did not make these names up.
It’s late, and I will leave you to yourself to look up the Dunmow Flitch and decide if you would qualify. The other three villages involved teas, lunch and then more teas, but in between, we managed to fit in a few sites.
We were loosely on the trail of two twentieth-century painters of note, Eric Ravilious and Edward Bowden, who spent part of their early careers working together in Great Bardfield. Our last stop, Saffron Walden, had a lovely small gallery featuring the work of Ravilious, as well as others of his era. His talent took him from tea cups to transit posters to book illustrations and engravings and wallpaper. The site of the gallery was beyond picturesque, as was the entire day.
Here’s a sample of the charms of this corner of England. It’s just one tiny part of England, and it’s just not fair!
It’s not fair…that you go to all these utterly charming places!!!!
Ms. Patagonia and Siberia Express has spoken.