I think this is better example of near and far then my first post. Taken on a winter day beside the Exeter Canal. 
If you click to enlarge you can see some walkers in the distance on the right.
Category: Exeter
Widecombe Fair
Every September on the second Tuesday of the month perhaps the most famous of all the country fairs takes place at Widecombe, on Dartmoor. It began more than 150 years ago as a market but has grown to become a showcase for all the best of what the area has to offer. As well as ponies, cattle and sheep, there are events like terrier racing, bale tossing and tug of war. It is well known for the song Widecombe Fair,
Tom Pearce, Tom Pearce, lend me your grey mare,
All along, down along, out along lee
For I want to go to Widecombe fair
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Davey, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
And when shall I see again my grey mare?
All along, down along, out along lee.
By Friday soon, or Saturday noon,
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Davey, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
Then Friday came and Saturday noon
All along down along out along lee
But Tom Pearse’s old mare have not trotted home
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Davey, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
So Tom Pearse he got up to the top of the hill
All along down along out along lee
And he seed his old mare down a’ making her will
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Davey, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
So Tom Pearce’s old mare her took sick and died
All along down along out along lee
And Tom he sat down on a stone and he cried
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Davey, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
But this isn’t the end of this shocking affair
All along down along out along lee
Nor though they be dead of the horrid career
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Davey, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
When the wind whistles cold on the moor of a night
All along down along out along lee
Tom Pearse’s old mare doth appear ghastly white
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Davey, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
And all the long night he heard skirling and groans
All along down along out along lee
From Tom Pearse’s old mare and a rattling of bones
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Davey, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
You may know the tune? The church at Widecombe, St Pancras, is known as the cathedral of the moor and I found this lovely ‘Old Grey Mare’ model.
The fair will be this Tuesday coming, still time for you to make it!
Splendid, a Belated Sunday Post
St Stephens was one of several churches built in Exeter after AD 900; it has a distinctive bow and is unusual because it has a crypt. It survived the civil war in the 1640’s untouched, but later in1660 it suffered a fire, and was rebuilt courtesy of the generosity of a Mr George Potter who gave £500, a fortune in those days for its rebuilding. Exeter was a prosperous city, with the church at the heart of the wool and cloth business. A Mrs Back was known to have sold Sassafras tea under the bow to passers-by, how charming that sounds. In the 19th century repairs were carried out, including replacing the pews and the builders discovered remains in the Saxon crypt.
The safety of the west Gallery was debated in the early 20th century, but it was saved from demolition and was later used by the YMCA, when it was packed with worshippers.
Its tower was damaged in1942 but several of the nearby churches were totally destroyed, so once again the church’s congregation grew. In my memory it has been very much a place for the community that has coffee mornings, concerts and art exhibitions. It was in need of restoration and a major fund raising effort was staged – the St Stephens project. More serious war damage than expected was found, and eventually £1.5 million was raised over 9 years. During the rebuild 52 gravestones and an ancient charnel pit were found. The ancient gallery has been recreated and the whole building has become a place of understated beauty. It has survived its 1000 years and is now a valuable legacy for the city.
When I went into town on Saturday it was with Jake’s Sunday Post in mind. Once again I only had my phone camera. I walked down the High Street and something drew me into St Stephens, I hadn’t seen it for a year or two. I’m so glad I stopped, the transformation is staggering, from a pleasant but slightly worn and dim place to one which, I’m sure you will agree, is truly splendid.
My bits of history are from an audio visual presentation in the church. If ever you are in Exeter, add it to your list of places to visit, you never know you may time when there is teas and cake, or a lunchtime recital on offer. Pop over to http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/sunday-post-splendid/ for some more splendid offerings and have a lovely week everyone.
Travel Theme: Tradition
Ailsa has chosen tradition as her theme for this weeks challenge. My home town is travel for virtually all of you right? So today has been the perfect summer day and I was sure that Exeter would provide a solution. Sure enough the annual craft fair was taking place on the cathedral green with Exeter Morris Men dancing up a storm. I believe that Morris dancing has spread around the world but for those who don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s a form of folk dance that has been around for centuries. The dancers wear bells on their legs, wave white handkerchiefs and have big sticks. Exeter Morris have several musicians, accordions and drums.
To visit Ailsa and to see lots of other interpretations of the theme, http://wheresmybackpack.com/2012/07/20/travel-theme-tradition/
Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside
I’ve been waiting for a reason to post to show you the inside of Exeter Guildhall. In May there was an exhibition about the 1942 blitz and I popped in for the first time in thirty years. It is believed to have been built around the late 12th century, with a new front in the 16th and the interior was restored in the 19th century. In my photo you can see the windows reflected in the chandelier and some of the exhibition stands.
There will be hundreds of different interpretations of inside over at the Daily Post.
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/weekly-photo-challenge-inside/
100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups# 50
Week 50, but Julia has focussed on the weather instead of a golden anniversary, with her prompt, … the rain turned the road into a river…
and here is my entry. There will be more over at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week-50/ and maybe you would like to join in.
Bridge Memories
It could only be ugly, you only have to see how they built that block of flats over Whipton way. Eight stories high, where do they hang their washing?
‘Come on mum. Let’s join the crowd and walk across for the first time.’ I didn’t want to, horrid concrete.
‘Look Shirley, see how lovely it was, back when I was a girl. Your dad and me did our courting there, fifty years ago.’ 
‘Huh, every year in St Thomas, the rain turned the road into a river’ she said barely looking at my photo, ‘Now there’s the flood channel and this new bridge. I won’t be long then.’
Photo is from http://demolition-exeter.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/edwardian-exe-bridge.html where Wolfpaw has discussed the copyright.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Dreaming
This weeks photo challenge over at http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/weekly-photo-challenge-dreaming/ is dreaming. They suggest a shot with an other worldly sense of escapism created with a long exposure. Mine was only a one second exposure but taken later than the hour before sunset that they suggested, and I have de-saturated it a bit because the street furniture is actually brightly coloured at night. I hope it has an ethereal effect with its ghostly shadows. 
Travel Theme: Night, Exeter this time!
Ailsa was expecting a photo of my city for her travel theme challenge so I’m back with a second post and I hope this doesn’t disappoint!
Mols coffee house was built in the sixteenth century and on the left, The Royal Clarence, is reputedly the first hotel in England and of course its haunted! It’s a lovely rambling place that I have been to for conferences and has a Michael Caines restaurant. The Cathedral is across the green behind me.
Ailsa is here and there are some stunning photos this week.
Red Ball Comes to Town
The Red Ball Project is street art at its best. It stimulates the imagination of the ordinary person, whether or not they would usually stop to look at art or visit a gallery. So just what is the appeal of a giant rubber beach ball? Its colour? the most passionate, symbolizing love, danger, power, fire and a beneficial sunset. I love to catch the red eye, the overnight coach to an airport. Red is the colour of heat, the fingernails of a confident woman and a woman who wore red shoes wore no knickers! What does red mean to you?
The shape of a ball? A wholeness, as of the earth and the planets surrounding us. Any one of numerous games from the humble marble to the posher polo. Something to reach for, we dance at a ball, maybe on the ball of a foot. A sphere with no beginning or end, tactile and smooth to roll between palms. What image springs to your mind?
RedBall has been travelling the world, Sydney, Barcelona and Taipei and before heading to London it made a brief stop in Exeter. It was seen outside the Guildhall, on the quay and on Saturday I saw it at St Catherines Almshouse, a fifteenth century ruin in the heart of the city. The building, which was bombed in 1942, already has its own urban art, Marking Time, comprising pieces of medieval pottery and glass along with a coke tin that have been enclosed in glass panels is a permanent feature on the site.
When I saw the Big Red Ball I was entranced – but you’ve already guessed that! The artist, Kurt Perschke from Chicago created it to ‘invite you to look afresh at your own surroundings’, I hope you get to see it and look afresh at yours.
You can see the glass panels to the right of the building and behind is the thousand year old tower of St Stephens.
Sunday Post: Water H2o
Sunday is Jakes day! Water is the theme for this weeks photos and mine are five miles and eight thousand miles from home.
Near, the Exe from the Goat Walk at Topsham
Far, beside the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur
And back to the Exe, it never fails me even with a phone camera.
My photos are a bit predictable, I love where I live and Kuala Lumpur is probably my all time favourite city to visit. For some more original work visit Jake and check out his amazing animations as well as the other entrants.
http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/06/09/sunday-post-water-h2o/
Lucid Gypsy 