Saturday, 12 May 2007

Precious Bane and Shropshire

Now I am not the most eloquent soul though I wish that I were because then I could fully express my love of Shropshire. This largest inland county has a quality to it all of its own, with plains, hills and valleys so beautiful it can make your heart crack. To the north is the Shropshire Plain with meres and vistas quite different to the south. My passion though is for South Shropshire. I was brought up here, my father was a true countryman who worked all his life in the woods and was only truly at home outside amongst nature. As a child I went with him and roamed about absorbing the spirit of the woods and valleys.

A woman who really knew how to write was Mary Webb, and she also had a great love of this area.




Her most famous work is 'Gone to Earth' which was made into a film in the early 50's with Jennifer Jones playing the lead role. It was filmed on location and my sister in law had many relatives who were extras. A few years ago they showed the film in Pontesbury Village Hall and she was amazed to see her now elderly (and in a few cases deceased) relatives from before she was born!


My favourite Mary Webb has to be 'Precious Bane'. Briefly it tells the story of Prue Sarn who has a hare lip and by country supersition is cursed and 'hare shotten'. If I can persuade one person to read this book then I will be delighted. It has the most beautiful ending of any book I have ever read and the narrative is in the old Shropshire dialect.

'Tabor on, owd nag!' says Kester, and we were going at a canter towards the blue and purple mountains. 'But no! I said. 'It mun be frommet, Kester. You mun marry a girl like a lily. See, I be hare-shotten!'


The hills were she set her masterpieces are my hills, Callow, Stiperstones, Linley, Rhadley, Corndon. Here they are.





Looking from the left is Bent Hill, Rhadley, Linley and Corndon.





Corndon from the Devils Chair, Stiperstones.






Bent Hill. The little blob (you can click and enlarge) on the left is a small circular wood, planted by my father to commemorate his employers wedding anniversery one year, it's called 'Clares Ring'. Dad passed away 11 years ago, his ashes were buried in the woods in the valley below, amongst his beloved oaks.






Me - walking down from the Devils Chair, deep in memories, shedding a tear for dad, not knowing Ian was taking my photo.

I live further south now, which is very very pretty and a gentler landscape, but my heart is here and always will be.


If anyone is interested here is a link to Mary Webb country.

19 comments:

  1. These are gorgeous, gorgeous pictures!! I've seen so many parts of England that resemble this and I love every view I've seen. How wonderful to have found your blog!

    I have another blog called Sunday Afternoon Drives. The link is in my sidebar. If you go there and click on the label marked England, you'll see some of the places we've visited. I haven't written about all of them yet, but these are a few of the many highlights. I love to visit your country.

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  2. beautiful pics and beautifully written! I will try to find the book but i fist must ask, is the whole book written in that style or "accent"? I found it difficult to read! hahaha. oh, that red hawthorne is stunning! i have to go get one of those. glad you enjoyed the chocolate bunny joke.

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  3. What splendid photos! Such a beautiful country you live in! There are so many places in England hubby and I haven't been to yet, and seeing the beautiful photos on your blog, and those of some other UK ladies, has already given me my next itinerary!

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  4. Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving such a lovely comment.
    WOW amazing photos
    Suzie Sews

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  5. Thankyou for posting this - I shall print it off and take it to my reading group. How lovely to have a copse planted for your wedding anniversary - was the lady whose anniversary it was called Clare? You are obviously following in your father's footsteps in loving your county and its countryside so much.

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  6. Kelly you would understand the book, only some of the speech is stong dialect. Please have a go!
    Ohsovintage - yes she was Lady Clare and he was Sir Jasper, I think it was for their 40th Anniversay but I am not sure.

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  7. I love Precious Bane! I met it first at college, but I can't remember whether it was the BBC version with Janet McTeague and Clive Owen or the craftily placed book in the bookshop I met first.... it should be required reading for all 'normal' (for which read not absolutely beautiful) women, as it's a great text on acceptance and the power of the mind within the body. I love the romance between Kester & Pru, the fact that it has to be carried on the way it is & the ending... I'd better stop there or I'll be crying. Visiting Shropshire this year for a week... can't wait to visit Mary Webb's country!

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  8. My all time most favorite book, even above Pride and Prejudice. I had thought of writing a post myself about the book, but you have done it beautifully, with wonderful photographs. I was thinking of the BBC version this weekend when Janet McTeer was in the drama Daphane. Goodness knows why the BBC have never repeated their version. Although I have now managed to aquire a DVD of it off Ebay!!
    Thank for your lovely comment on my blog - it is good to be back.

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  9. Shropshire really is a beautiful county, have to confess that I don't really know it that well really having only visited Telford and Shrewsbury. We drive through on the way to Wales and stop off at Rowton Castle for afternoon tea.

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  10. Aaahhhh, but you are more than eloquent -- makes me wish I were there. And the book -- thanks for answering Kelly's question -- I had the same one. To read others comments about it in addition to yours -- I have definitely made a note to try to look it up!

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  11. The scenery is breathtaking. How glorious it must be to live there!
    Debbie

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  12. Precious bane is one of my all time favourite books - Kester is the worlds first New Man - my daughter Martha loves it so much she has to 'rescue' every copy she sees in charity shops - she has about 12!
    You write so well about the county you love and I was very touched to read about your father's wood - beautiful!

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  13. What a lovely post! Such a beautful part of England. Makes me realise why I am not worried about going abroad on holidays!

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  14. I love Shropshire too though I haven't seen as much of it as I'd like to. The oak wood is a wonderful place for your father's ashes to be, my mum lies in a bluebell wood where we spent many happy hours when I was a child. Precious Bane isn't a book I've read although I know both the title and the author's name. I shall give it a go in the near future.

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  15. I'm half way through the book and absolutely loving it. Every day I look forward to reading more of it! It's definitely my kind of book.

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  16. What a stunning place to live. Thanks for sharing, Im inspired to travel even more now (as if I needed spurring on).

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  17. Wow, what gorgeous pictures.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  18. I have been drawn to your blog, by a comment you left for Rowan,Circle of the Year.
    I was born and raised in Worcestershire, in the north west corner, near Bewdley, and Bridgnorth wasn't too far away. I really enjoyed this post, and it brought back many happy memories of the beautiful countryside in that area.
    Thank you..!

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  19. Loved your Shropshire pics. We have friends in Roden and stay there twice a year and we always have little jaunts out and walks. I loved seeing the circle of trees and hearing the story - how wonderful for your family to be truly a part of that landscape.

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