Spark Version of Christchurch and the Abbey
We set off with Alex to meet Michael and Kate in Christchurch for a wander around the Abbey and the waterfront. We have not been there for quite some time and it did not disappoint, really worth a visit every few years.
They have a very interesting Blue Plaque on the old Mill on the waterfront, which explains how the mill was mentioned in the Doomsday survey of 1086. Worth 30s and was the property of the Canons of the Holy Trinity Church. It was used for laundry and corn grinding up until 1908.
As can be seen from the photos (Spark Version), the Abbey is impressive and mostly free of restoration work. As is the case with all visits to anywhere it is about the coffee and food available, this being no exception. After walking around the Abbey we made our way to the bottom end of Christchurch High street to find a coffee come snack shop.
We did see a rather small house as we left the Abbey grounds, dwarfed by two apartment blocks.
Headed back after some amazing food and coffee, stopping briefly to watch Gary and Dan play cricket in West Parley.
What is the difference between an Abbey and a Cathedral?
Theoretically, they have very different purposes. In practice, things are not so clear cut.
A Cathedral is a church that is the seat of a bishop in Western Christianity.
An Abbey is a complex of buildings and the principal church of a group of monks living under the rule of an abbot (or nuns under an abbess). Some abbots had the powers of a bishop.
The Sparrows are back, thinner and wiser but back in my garden. Three females and two males, I think, but are they from the original nest? Gertrude and Alex are bickering again and they are strangely nervous, is this another brood that has hatched out and has been brought here to grow up and learn the ways of this natural world of nature?
Last night we had a good discussion on illegal immigrants and the amount of money it takes for them to get to the UK. The last news item I read estimated that just to cross the English Channel was £3000. Considering they come all the way from saying Iran, they must have started with over £20000.
Michael feels that the world will be more diverse and Robert tended to agree. They are happy with a global society. I wonder if the immigrants would look after the UK’s historic landmarks, buildings and the countryside. I fear not as it has no significant value to them and as we get more and more immigrants into England, the pressure to house them could see more green belts destroyed.
Why is it important for bees to pollinate? Michael asked the question and I said it is to let the fruit set. Technically wrong, the plant will still have fruit but no viable seed. Hope this clears things up.
Why are bees good pollinators? Bees make excellent pollinators because most of their life is spent collecting pollen, a source of protein that they feed to their developing offspring. Many plants require this kind of pollen distribution, known as cross-pollination, in order to produce viable seeds.
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