Monday, August 18, 2008

Finchingfield, Essex

This morning I went to one of the local libraries to tutor a student I've been working with for a few months. For a reason that will become obvious later in this post, I began musing about our trip to Finchingfield in Essex with Barbara and her husband.


Barbara had told us that Finchingfield was a picturesque town (no, it's a village, Barbara says! I have edited town to village. I can't believe how many times I wrote the word town!) and different from the usual country villages in the area. She was right, of course. We were delighted with Finchingfield and came away from our visit with an appreciation for the small English village at its best.


This sign stands in the middle of the village reflecting in metal and paint the scene in which it is standing as you can see from the photo below. If you look closely you can even see the sign in the green grass triangle in the middle of the photo.





As we strolled through the village, I took numerous photos of the cottages. I love domestic architecture and am particularly fond of English cottages.




Some of the houses share common walls.





Many of the cottages in Finchingfield have thatched roofs. Each thatcher/artisan has a signature method of decorating part of the roof and if you know the thatchers, you can recognize each one's work by the design.





Cottages often have names. I enjoyed reading the names and wondering about the origin of names, who chose them, how long they had been known locally by that particular name. Often the cottages were named after locations or flowers or occupations.

As I walked along the main road in Finchingfield I noticed a sweet little cottage.


The name plate by the door read Rosemary Cottage. This is the reason I was thinking of Finchingfield this morning. My student's sister's name is Rosemary and I took this photo just for her.
After I had the photo of Rosemary's namesake cottage, I looked for a cottage that would appeal to her brother. He raises chickens but I never found a cottage named after any kind of chicken. But I did find this cottage name: Green End Cottage~Duck End.



And I took a photo of the ducks on the green for him.

We ate a wonderful lunch at the Fox Inn Pub.


As we walked back to the car at the end of our visit to Finchingfield, I saw this little silver beauty. I snapped a picture of it for my brother.


24 comments:

Unknown said...

hello Willow, whoa..what wonderful pictures here, definitely love the first 2 pictures. And the rest of the cottages are just beautiful..Happy week ahead :D

Deb said...

Oh, I am definitely going to England - I LOVE those cottages, especially the thatched roofs. You didn't find 'Willow's Cottage?' I know it would have been cozy, with lots of rabbits running around. :) Your student is lucky - it should make her feel good to know that you care. Enjoy your day.

Jane said...

Ah you've got the bug too, I want to live in a cottage. (a lovely dream) Jane x

roxie said...

How wonderful! A five-minute vacation in the Edwardian countryside! I look for Bertie Wooster to step out of the pub any moment now. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

What a very pretty place. I've never been to Essex. The village looks so charming.

Barbara said...

Gosh I feel at home. Do remember though, Finchingfield is a village and not a town. The residents will be upset!!

ellen b. said...

Ahh, I'd love to be walking around that village today :0)

Marg said...

Isn't it great to muse about the past experiences in Europe.
It's those little cottages that are that bring character and interest.
As the Olympics are on, I am watching Germany closely and love to muse about my time there.
I just emailed them again...

Heather said...

WOW! To travel Europe...

Mama Mia said...

Ohhhh I love it! Thanks for letting us live vicariously through your travels in quaint, little English villages!

Especially love the European license plate on the 'Vette! :o)

Knitting Linguist said...

What a wonderful tour of an English village! I particularly love that first little bitty cottage. I've been telling Rick for years that once the girls grow up, we're moving somewhere wee like that; he's not convinced...

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

What a charming village! Thatched roofs are getting so rare in Ireland, and we hardly saw any when we visited in May.

I dream about visitng England someday.

Cindy Garber Iverson said...

The photo of the duck strolling along so casually makes me smile. I love all the cottages and the village. So picturesque.

Cindy

Islandsparrow said...

What a pretty village - quintessentially England!

Elizabeth said...

Though I grew up in Essex, I never went to Finchingfield.
Very charming indeed.
I'm not convinced by thatch very pretty but harbors 'varmints' - of various descriptions.....!!

Flower said...

I'll be sure to point out the little car to your brother!! :)) That is not a color he has had but it certainly is pretty!
A cottage in a village would do just fine right now!! :))

Anonymous said...

Such cute cottages -- so different from our homes in suburban CA. I was trying to picture villages of cottages here in so. Cal. -- maybe one nestled in the hills -- closest I can come up with is Solvang back some thirty years ago :)

Keeping you in thoughts and prayers -- for rest, peace, and time. In Him, Laurie

Tracy said...

Oh, Willow...thank you for taking me back to England with this post...I was really needing that! I miss our time in England already, and dream when we can go back *SIGH*...Happy Day ((HUGS))

Flower said...

Good Morning! There are two zuchinni plants in the side garden. They were put there to fill in a large space...and they have! :) The cats hide in the flowers and watch for moles!

Bethany said...

I love cottages!!! Thanks for sharing these with us... too beautiful there!!!

Sharon Lynne said...

Beautiful cottages. That's just the way I would picture a real cottage...they look like they're right out of a story book!

Unknown said...

I lived in Finchingfield from late 1975 to early 1980, beautiful place and friendly people. I especially enjoyed a restaurant nest door to the Fox, called Ye Olde Nosebag. It was owned by Barry and Eileen Webb. The pub in the restaurant had a fire place that a grown man could stretch out in. Beautriful as the photos and then some.

Dr. Smaller Richer said...

i just have a few question but first just to make sure i am in the right place can you tell me if the ye old nosebag still serve strawberry/apple pies? to send me a replay change the "g" to an "e" to send me an email thanks

Dr. Smaller Richer said...

ps i have no idea who is Dr
richer is because that is not i.