"Out through the fields and the woods..."

First, some actual knitting: a pair of tiny shoes from the mary-jane pattern by Lucie Sinkler .         These are two and a half inches long - perhaps too small for the intended recipient, but sooo cute.  A second pair, a little larger, is already on the needles.

On Friday, we decided to set out early from Earl's Colne, a noble- sounding village some four miles to the North of us.  The main village is nineteenth century, built around a once-thriving iron foundry.  All along the valley small iron-working enterprises have been set up by those who have learnt their trade in the now defunct works.

This fine memorial, in wrought iron, marks the site of the old priory.  It was based on a design from Constantinople.  Our walk took us out past the church, its tower showing elaborate flush work borders above the flint.

In many of the villages on the Essex/Suffolk border, the churches are larger and finer than the village now would warrant.  These tend to be "Wool Churches" - financed by wealth from the wool trade in the late medieval period.  Thus Lavenham and Long Melford, Stoke by Nayland and our village church at Coggeshall.