St. Andrew’s Church Langton, May 20th 2024.

14x10 inch

What an interesting day. Walking George along a road bordered by dense cow parsley, the fragrance was almost overwhelming. Plaintain grew in small colonies, with coronated seed heads swaying and trembling, atop tall stems. Buttercups provided glimpses of gold and a tall, rogue comfrey looked out of place with it’s blue drooping flowers. The overall impression is a road almost being encompassed by bridal cream, delicate umbels. On newly mown verges we are seeing lots of daises and small blue speedwell. Soon the more masculine umbels of hogweed, ‘dead mans oatmeal’ will dominate. I walk on and hear screeching swifts calling, they are in small groups some are pale brown suggesting they are juveniles. I need some fuel so I drive to Fridaythorpe and top up. Then I move over to Burdale where I climb the steep road passing the old quarry. I stop and look over Fairy Dale, my attention is drawn to some flowering Hawthorne. The sloping sides of the valley are occupied by sheep with inquisitive lambs. A car stops. “Can I help you”, the driver calls to me. I wander over and we chat about the view. He told me that he had been watching peregrines at the quarry but he was not happy with his binoculars as he only managed to see blurred images. He was from Malton and kept pigeons so he was also wary of the peregrines.As we talked his little terrier sat on a cushion on the passenger seat. I noticed a walking aid in the back of the car, but maybe it was not for him. I decided to move on and stopped at Langton. I walked George again and set up my pochade box to paint the church. I had painted it before, four years ago using a large canvas, today I was painting on a canvas board, 14x10 inches. George settles on freshly cut grass. I notice that, where there had been two huge trunks of removed trees ( see below) dense bushy branches were growing. A large cherry tree which obscured the east window four years ago had been severely trimmed. Indeed the little I could see today, I decide to leave out. A young child comes over and looks at the painting. She approved and told me of their three dogs, spaniels used for working. Cars begin to arrive as children will soon be leaving school. So I decide it is time to go home.

***************

20x16 inch stretched canvas.
Different light and vegetation, the two huge trunks can be seen on the right.

Previous post from 28th May, 2020

The church remains closed, though through a wire mesh door a sleeping lady lies down, dressed in the manner of a person from the 1600s possibly . Rather impressive and intriguing requiring further research ( see below ). The church and walled churchyard sit higher than the surrounding area. The churchyard features many gravestones with inscriptions repeating in the names of Northcliffe and Vyse in particular. This view interested me inasmuch that, though I have passed by regularly over the years I was unaware of it. This little mystery was solved by a local person, a young mother with her baby and buggy taking a walk in the bright sunshine. She mentioned that a huge tree was taken down last year, thus making the church more visible. The mesh wire door was to allow circulation of air to help prevent a known problem with damp, especially as no one is allowed inside. 

I arrived late afternoon and had brought along my alkyd oil paints. 

I set up and outlined the composition before adding the darker colours first. The pink in the grass is campion, which is growing along with some cow parsley in areas set aside for wildlife. The pink in the tree are the flowers of a huge red horse chestnut tree.

The gorgeous flowers of the red horse chestnut

The elaborate tomb of Mary Watkinson, who died giving birth to twins in 1656, sadly all three died, and all three commemorated here in Langton Church. The recumbent effigy of poor Mary has looped draperies and against the back wall are two babies, their hands on skulls and guarded by seated angels. At the top of this grand, but sad monument, is an achievement of arms flanked by two obelisks..