PP3 part 1

Drove up to Film Farm yesterday and this morning we loaded up the car with all the film, sound, lighting and camera equipment, just managing to squeeze our bags our bags on the back seat - not mushroom inside. The meteorologists are threatening the 'worst weather week' this year so we also have the HUGE umbrella.
Succeeded in getting Charles out of the house by 9am and off we set for Coventry which we reached without too many wrong turnings (the navigator and not the driver being at fault you understand). Staff very friendly and allowed us to park right next to the Cathedral which made unloading the bags a trifle easier - said bags were left by the entry desk where staff were most vigilant, one old dear (88 if a day) reprimanded me sharply for opening a bag and asked if I was with 'the nice young man with the camera' which pleased youthful Charles no end. Mind you, age is all relative.
Luckily there weren't too many people about which helped our thesis that Piper's works are unpopulated. However the rain was more of a problem (glad of the BIG BROLLY) and there were long spells when we were standing around waiting for an organ recital to finish, school children to retreat or the rain to cease. I've always loved the ruins of the old cathedral but this time looked more closely at Basil Spence's architecture and of course the Baptistery window which we were there to film. It is a frightful shame that some pieces of glass have been broken and covered over with duck tape! The work that must have gone into those windows, Patrick Reyntiens appears to have painted on almost every pane of glass, and of course all the cutting and placing and leading was his work - I'm in absolute awe. Just before we left a visiting American soul choir were given permission to sing - what a treat, the bass notes were glorious, they were so happy to have the opportunity to perform spontaneously in such a glorious building, and all the visitors were in raptures.
We finished at Coventry about 3pm and had a leisurely drive to Bewdley where we stayed the night in a B&B by the river - delightful town with a fabulous old(e) world(e) sweet shop, and an off licence with a selection of ciders the like of which I have never seen before.

Ketchup

Arrived home 29 June hoping to catch up on mail etc and in doing so discovered a note from the BSMGP, organisers of the 2 day conference at the end of the month - Aspects of 20th Century Glass, that they require the digital images for each talk by 10 July - since I am due to leave 6 July for another week's long filming - this means that I have 6 days in which to write the lecture I'm giving on Brangwyn's stained glass, plus learn a completely new programme, never having given a digital lecture previously! Plus catch up, rid the house of encroaching spiders, attempt some sort of gardening, and prepare for the next PP - thoughts of re-reading June Osborne's book on Piper's stained glass faded into insignificance. Somehow, by dint of working until about 9pm each evening all deeds were accomplished, together with a batch of raspberry jam (our own fruit), and invitations to a 180 NOT OUT! bash in August to celebrate the 90th birthdays of my mother and father in law.
Unfortunately it does mean that I am not feeling as refreshed as I should do for this next week, and Charles is similarly hard pressed and somewhat exhausted having had Jobear Webb staying all week working on the Charlotte Bach film (see http://www.charlottebach.org

PP2 (part 2)

Left: Gordale Scar
Right: Charles recording water
Friday morning, and after an excellent breakfast (fried variety recommended by Charles, who has tested one or two in his time) we set off once again for Gordale Scar, this time somewhat wimpishly driving as near as we could to the site since we had the full gear to carry - large film camera, sound recording equipment, stills cameras x 2, tripod, huge umbrella, bags of extraneous extras. I use the word WE advisedly, since it is usually I (i.e. Libby) who is the beast of burden. For example, on the walk to the gorge from the car, I was encumbered overmuchly whilst Charles dallied with a light meter - and a lady we passed remarked, 'that's serious equipment, are you the porter?'. So now I have yet another job description - official bag carrier.
Meanwhile Charles was darting around photographing dead umbrellas - such activities no doubt have a cult following. And much recording of water - streams, waterfalls, rivulets, you name it, he 'done' it.












Left: Dead Umbrella at Malham Cove
Right: Parrot style dead umbrella at Gordale Scar
Luckily no climbers today, weather marginally improved, few people to mar the view, not a bad session - and Janet's Foss as beautiful and magical as yesterday promised. Lining up Piper's views somewhat difficult - I think artistic license may have been involved.
I found the only way I could possibly recapture the awe felt by those early pioneers was to view the Scar and waterfall upside down, make the cliffs crowd down upon me, force them to appear anthropomorphic.
We finally finished filming and photographing mid afternoon and decided to plot our own scenic route home via Skipton and Ilkley to the A1 which took no longer than the polluted and tedious AA version.
Tomorrow I return home - but only after insisting on the kipper brunch!

Janet's Foss - upside down! Even more magical, n'est ce pas?

PP2 (part 1)

Above: Malham Cove

Today we set off from Film Farm in bright sunshine, our hopes high at the prospect of visiting the renowned Gordale Scar.
Things went swimmingly until we realised that the AA routing through Leeds/Bradford/Huddersfield area was not the easiest or the most scenic. Charles however successfully ignored the problem by chattering away gaily about this and that. Just before Junction 24 Libby (who as well as being the chief researcher is also the chauffeur) happened to enquire which exit she was looking for '25, must be the next one' - but of course it wasn't - the next junction was 23 and for some unknown reason we carried on to junction 22 before retracing our steps. The rain started to fall, increasing in volume as we neared our destination, and somewhere near Kirkby Malham we appeared to enter a black hole, where each signpost indicated that the distance to Malham increased in inverse proportion to the actual proximity. We finally arrived at the River House Hotel, placed the piles of equipment bags in the rooms, and set out with minimal equipment for a recce.
But first, a quick bite - c/o The Old Barn Cafe, a tiny place where muddy boots are always welcome and serving excellent home made soup, cakes and sandwiches - recommended.
Thence our walk to Malham Cove and over the top where the limestone pavement forms strange abstract shapes, divided by narrow gullies, and polished silky smooth - a trifle scary for Libby who hasn't the best sense of balance and does not wish to have a second hip replacement any time soon. Across the fields and on to Gordale Scar, a natural feature which awed the romantic poets and artists. Oddly enough we weren't as stunned as we expected to be by the ancient limestone gorge and waterfall. Or at least not until one of the two rock climbers who were busily abseiling at the precise point where the best viewpoint of the waterfall could be gained, happened to start showering rock on our intrepid filmmaker. Terrified of breaking his Super 8 camera (with which we film period looking shots of each location) he stumbled on the wet rocks and fell, tearing his trousers but luckily saving said camera in the process.
Why the climbers were allowed in that spot in the first instance, and why they are allowed to break the fabric of this 15-16 million year old natural feature defeats me. Answers on a postcard (or email would suffice).
We carried on, bruised and battered and exceedingly wet, were delighted by Janet's Foss, a fairy dell worthy of a Shakespearean setting, and finally returned to Malham where a cuppa, c/o The Old Barn of course, slightly revived the senses.
Charles, obviously never a Boy Scout, was sartorially unprepared and apparently had to dry his trousers with a hair dryer in order to appear for the evening meal! He'd have rued not drying them, because dinner at River House Hotel was superbly cooked, and incredibly good value. The rooms were clean but could be improved by some revamping - but the food - in another league altogether. Again, highly recommended.

Left: Limestone pavement aka Moore sculptures atop Malham Cove.

Right: Libby finding the right direction in life

KIPPERS with everything

It has been agreed on high that John Betjeman and John Piper could never have achieved their remarkable Shell Guides without the aid of kippers for breakfast and we have therefore resolved to partake of such at least once each and every time we embark upon a Piper Perambulation. Indeed such is the resolve of the team, that Chef Charles, the renowned proprietor of Hare in the Gate, has, on our behalf, imported and laid down in his freezer, dozens of the beasts, and not your everyday kipper, but MANX kippers no less, a pair of which are illustrated (before being happily devoured).

Piper Perambulation 1

Alias PP1. Well, we're on the road - and the first point of call is, suitably enough, the Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham, where we interview the artist Rigby Graham about his memories of Piper and his critique of Piper's printmaking. Fascinating as always - Rigby is as ever erudite, articulated and insightful. And we had a corner of the gallery which is always devoted to Piper's work, so wall to wall prints and even a ceramic.

Lunch at the Gallery is a given if you happen to be in the vicinity - lots of good fresh food, buffet style on the table, staff and visitors all sitting down and chatting together - a ragout of philanthropy, democracy and hospitality - try it some day.

Followed by a visit to Oundle School to film the chapel windows designed by Piper, executed by Patrick Reyntiens - our host the inimitable Rev Ian Browne, who gathered together studies the school owned, then led us on an illuminating guided tour of the stained glass in the chapel (not just Piper but Hugh Easton and Mark Angus) and then chatted to camera about the symbolism of Piper's windows, a magical afternoon.

The Chapel, Rev Ian Browne and the Piper windows, Ian and Charles outside the chapel

business as usual

The last couple of weeks have been spent flat out contacting people to see, places to go, images needed, weighing budgets, poring over maps, working out itineraries and reading books in scanning mode, for specific items mode and then just in depth - and I feel we've actually got somewhere, reached a suitable place in the vista. For one thing the first four Piper Perambulations (as we have decided to term the outings and interviews) have been planned in fine detail and the remainder are awaiting tuning, sifting and sieving.