Post Pandemic Diary
Reality Television
August 26, 2023
Today we started out with a long walk to Grantchester, the town made famous by the Public Television show of the same name. Admittedly, I have only viewed a few episodes. However, not only all over England, also visitors to the UK from the U.S. and beyond, are fanatical about the show and come around the town to visit the sites where the series takes place. We were fortunate on this day that we did not have to contend with a profusion of tourists, so we could experience the quaint charm of this village.
A special place in the village is the rightly famous Orchard Tea Room and Garden, a sprawling, grassy and fruit tree studded space of informal comfort serving some of the best scones and cakes imaginable - orange cake; pear, cardamom and chocolate cake; fruit scones and, of course, tea. Not merely recognized for its tasteful array of delicacies, the Garden (as it was called) attracted many literary, philosophical and musical luminaries of the day. In 1909, while still a student at Cambridge, Rupert Brooke took up lodging and soon attracted the likes of Virginia Wolfe, John Maynard Keynes. E.M Forster, Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Augustus John amongst others to share in conversation and witty banter as members of The Grantchester Group or the “Neo-pagans” as Wolfe named them. Brooke later lodged at the neighboring house, The Old Vicarage, immortalized in his poem “The Old Vicarage”.
“Stands the church at
ten to three
And is there honey still
for tea?”
The Garden at The Orchard in Grantchester
“Inside the church
beneath the steeple
no choir sang
there n’er were people
’cept two ladies fair
pealing snickered pitches
like God’s sweet witches
hung long gray hair”
David Roth
St. Andrew and St. Mary’s Church
We visited the church as it juts on a turn in the road, hardly avoidable as one carriages through to the town center where The Red Lion Inn sits comforting the weary traveler. Of no particular note, the nave is unadorned. However, the stones, throughout the chapel, we 13th century with detailed markings and intricate sculpturing. That really was a delight to see. Just on the other side of the church is the Vicarage.(Just above the number 44) The flowers that hung appeared unnatural, so perfect of form and color, Adele insisted they were fake. But, no. The flowers and the scene were real.
The Old Vicarage
Following our visit to Grantchester, we decided to again walk the way back to Cambridge and spend time with the Queens at Queens’ College. Indeed, the college was built by two Queens of England - in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou and wife of Henry VI of England (the founder of King’s College) and secondly in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville of king Edward IV of England.
Queen’s College
There remains a myth regarding the “apostrophe” that supposedly was moved from the possessive position before the “s” to the plural possessive after the “s”. However, it seems that apostrophes were not of great antiquity and likely would never have come under consideration at their time.
Details at Queens’ College
Inner Courtyard at Queens’ College
I will close for now. Ta Ta.