Runes & Rains

[puddleshark]

Aller Churchyard.




Aller Church, on the Somerset Levels. Parts of the church date from the 12th century, but we know there was an earlier church on the site because it is recorded in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles that after King Alfred defeated the Vikings in 878:

Then the raiding army granted him [Alfred] hostages and great oaths that they would leave his kingdom and also promised him that their king [Guthrum] would receive baptism; and they fulfilled it. And three weeks later the king Guthrum came to him, one of thirty of the most honourable men who were in the raiding army, at Aller – and that is near Athelney – and the king received him at baptism; and his chrism loosing was at Wedmore.
— Giles 1914, Anglo Saxon Chronicles 878

Comments

[sartorias]

wow, that is one very old church!

[puddleshark]

Yes. It is almost disorientating to be standing there, thinking how far back the history goes...

[greenwoodside]

Atmospheric shots. Love the glimpse of the levels beyond the old church and churchyard. Makes me think there should be a Somerset Gothic genre in parallel to the ever popular Fen Country Gothic(k) : )

[puddleshark]

Thanks!

There should be a Somerset Gothic. The Levels are just as magical as the Fens. But maybe the milder West Country climate doesn't promote Gothick imaginings.

[greenwoodside]

Ancient of Somerzet: Well, we thought about secretly terrorizing Them Next Door and breaking down the drains to make a flood, but there was a bit of a drizzle on so we stayed at home with a nice cup of tea instead.

[puddleshark]

LOL

[nikonf3]

As a neo-Pagan sympathizer, I have mixed feelings about this. :-)

[puddleshark]

Heh!

I tend to be a bit biased in favour of King Alfred. Growing up in Wessex, you get indoctrinated in the cult of King Alfred the Great as a child.

I wonder how many of the pagan beliefs simply found their way into Celtic Christianity... I should read up more on that era.