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.