Sunday 25 July 2010

Grave Concern

 

We have to pass through the churchyard to reach our favourite public house but we walk back a different way as it soon becomes the hangout of the local downbeats when darkness falls.

 

Worship at the Parish Church of St Matthew in Walsall dates back to Norman times and the bricked-up doorway to the rear was built around 1150.




This front tower was built in 1775. The gargoyles were my favourite feature as a child attending infant school church services, I loved the imp the most.




I'm fascinated by ancient burial grounds and cemetaries and can spend many hours wandering around, soaking in the tranquility and wondering at the lives of the people buried there. When I first travelled to Paris I was more interested in visiting Jim Morrison's grave at Père Lachaise than the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe.



The Wedge family tombstone dates back to 1845.


Last night's outfit was a "Concord" late 1960's maxi dress bought on eBay for 99p.


The vintage lace-up ankle boots were 50p from a car boot sale a few weeks ago and the tapestry clutch was £1.95 from the Hospice Charity shop.


38 comments:

  1. I love cemeteries and old churches as well! They're so mysterious, and it's interesting to look at the graves with their time-worn letters and wonder about the people who used to live and work and love in that area.

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  2. Those boots! That's a Louis heel. My favourite heel-shape in all the world.
    SO gorgeous.

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  3. Fabulous pictures !
    You're so pretty ! And your dress ... Perfection !!!!

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  4. ta tenue fait tres femme du telefilms Zorro et le decor aussi d ailleurs ;O)

    bonne semaine !

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  5. I am the same way! I just love graveyards and everywhere I go in Europe or the UK I have to visit some. You have the most amazing churches and cemeteries in the UK. Isn't Père-Lachaise the most magical place? It took me forever to find Mr. Morrison's resting site but that was something I was just dying to see ever since my early teens.
    THose black boots are so awesome.

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  6. how did you get the vintage wash out look on the photos please? looks fab!, your looking great as always :))))

    G

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  7. Thanks for commenting!

    @ Psychedelicsister: Père-Lachaise is magical and you're right, Mr Morrison's grave was very hard to find. I loved how cats came and basked on the stones at sunset soaking up the warmth of the Parisian sunshine.
    @ G: Thanks for noticing! I use Picasa.

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  8. My local cemetery is a haven for drunk underage kids. It really annoys me - it's so disrespectful!

    When I was at school, I used to walk past a church. I always wonder about the lives they all lead, and what life was like for them when they lived in my area.

    Apart from that, I don't visit cemeteries as none of my family have gravestones. My grandparents are currently sitting in my dad's living room, waiting until autumn so we can scatter their ashes together under a newly-planted cherry tree.

    Lou x - craftyandquirky.blogspot.com

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  9. Ah, those boots! You really found a gem, my dear! I appreciate all the detail on the bag.
    Your flowing dress is so lovely, too. Ancient cemeteries have a certain stillness which I adore. Happy Sunday;-)

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  10. What a beautiful church, i was very excited to see 2 gorgeous churches within 2 minutes of my new home, i just love to look at them. Those boots are amazing too x

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  11. Tapestry is so timeless. I love your entire ensemble.
    I think graveyards have so much hidden beauty and often a time so many stories to tell xx

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  12. beautiful photographs, i also really do find old graveyards very intriguing. your dress is perfection, as are the boots! love, jazzabelle. x

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  13. Those boots are AMAZING! And the dress, so pretty on you. I love cemeteries too, have been meaning to go to highgate cemetry for ages. x

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  14. I love that vintage bag - its gorgeous!

    Sal xXx

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  15. O,you look so divine!Loving that frock,boots & shoes!
    I love cemetaries & churches too!Surprise!!!That's a gorgeous local church!Of course,you guys have lovlier/older churches and graveyards than us.Much m,ore interesting!
    xxxXXXxxxLOVE Helga!

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  16. Hi Vix, your photos are gorgeous and i love your boots and dress xxx

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  17. I too love cemetery's and this outfit is lovely. I especially adore the clutch.
    Thanks for your kind comments. I always find that people seem to get put off if I share "real life" stuff. I will be glad when my blog gets to a place where my fellow bloggers see me as someone who is so much more than an outfit and feel comfy being real with me ;) Like you! You have a very wonderful friend-based blog and it shows.I have created many friends on this journey and love them all.I suppose I am wondering where they are this week-end! It's way too hot for me to be anywhere other than indoors today! You are such an amazing lady, thanks....... See ya tomorrow !!!

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  18. Dear Vix,
    I have to admit that graveyards do kind of give me the heebie jeebies, as do derelict buildings & the square mile of London on New Years Day (when it is completely deserted like in 28 days later).
    When I was I kid these things never used to bother me, I think I’ve probably watched too many horror movies :(
    When accompanied I do like visiting Highgate cemetery here in London cause it’s just an amazing place & there are some pretty awesome headstones/tombstones there too.
    You're looking rather spendidly gothic in that setting my dear.
    The dress is gorgeous, what a tremendous bargain too :)
    ...xXx

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  19. your outfits matches the backgroud-the graveyard! that sounds weird!? lol and i love the clutch! and thanks for telling me about the tripod..i think i'm going to try to find out, for now, i will settled for table with stacked books haha
    xxjess

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  20. Fab images, outfits and post content xx

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  21. I'm afraid cemetries give me the heebie jeebies, though I do have a lot of time for historical archtecture.

    That is a fine frock and yet another bargain. How do you do it?

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  22. I love to wonder around cemetries but it really spooks me out sometimes! It sounds weird but I feel like there's a lot of invisible eyes staring at me whenever I visit them! You look lovely in that dress!! I clutch is such a steal and it's definitely a keeper!! xoxoxoxoxo

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  23. aweeesome photos! there's something mysterious about british graveyards.... besides, you look gorgeous!

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  24. I love the pictures Vix. So much history in your little town. There is a house in our neighborhood that has gargoyles on top of the four corners of the roof. I've always admired them feeling like it brings the old world to a little California beach town!

    xoxo, Bonnie

    PS - I am hearting those shoes of yours!

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  25. That dress is great and I have to agree with you about churchyards - I love tombstones with skulls, ivy and angels on them. My heart flipped though when I saw your boots, as they are identical to a pair I had in the 80s; I loved them and wore them until they literally fell to pieces. A Louis heel is totally killer!

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  26. I just love English graveyards - they have such an air of tranquility and are great for meditative wanderings. Too bad that they are inhabited by the wrong kind of alive people after dark.
    Beautiful Jane Austen-esque dress, Vix; and the boots go perfectly with it! xxx

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  27. I love graveyards and cemeteries although I do have a childish horror of walking on dead people so have to sidle around the gravestones in a comedy fashion.

    I think one of the best things I've ever done is visit the WW1 cemeteries. So incredibly moving - I sobbed the entire way round but I'd go back in a heartbeat.

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  28. You look amazing. I love old churches and cemeteries.

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  29. I share your fascination with old churches and cemeteries and gargoyles, Vix, so this post was such a pleasure to read. You have such gorgeous photographs!

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  30. I love graveyards and do not think it to be weird or spooky that I do as I feel it is nice to be interested in what is past and pay my respects to those who lived in those times. It can be a very moving experience at times too x

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  31. Vix... you are awesome.

    I know that seems like a strange way to describe you but.... i just LOVE everything about you and the way you live your life. It's awesome.

    You look very mysterious...

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  32. Those boots are fantastic! Graveyards are fasinating. x

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  33. I used to be very scared of graveyards, but as I grew up I realised that ghostly hands weren't going to grab me! I think it was my mum that said why would a spirit want to hang around the place they were buried anyway? I do agree with Alex, though - I couldn't walk over a grave, just seems disrespectful to me.

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  34. Ooooh, have you ever been to New Orleans? The cemetries there are amazing and the whole Anne Rice vampire thing adds to the atmosphere. xx

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  35. That looks like such a beautiful church, I used to be completely fascinated with reading old gravestones when I was younger and imagining the people who used to live in my village.
    I adore your boots and the dress was a very good find indeed =) x

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  36. Gorgeous pics! I'll admit i do quite like a graveyard, pretty and peaceful
    I love reading all the old tombs and grave headers

    Looking gorgeous today as always Vix


    xxx

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  37. I love but hate graveyards. On one hand it is nice think about peoples historys and seeing that people are still remembering those who have passed. On the other hand they can be kind of creepy and is horribly sad to see a childs grave :( Loving the maxi dress.

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Thanks for reading and for leaving a message. Please don't be anonymous, I'd love it if you left a name (or a nom de plume).

Lots of love, Vix