Tea and Lent Lilies

There’s nothing quite like afternoon tea in a tiny village hall in Oxfordshire, surrounded by pretty daffodils, who, if they get their blooming right, signal the start of Lent.

Hosting over two weekends, I think to show off their lovely village (and why not?), the residents of Pyrton, welcome visitors to their charming corner of Oxfordshire in the Chilterns. Just north of Watlington, the toponym is from the Old English meaning ‘pear-tree farm’. This ancient strip parish, shaped like a pencil, includes Christmas Common on the ridge above the village.

As we approached, driving slowly and carefully down a wooded lane, turning the corner, the lynchgate to St Mary’s came into view. This covered gateway, or resurrection gate is typical of the entrance to a traditional English churchyard. Two impressive 18th century chest tombs in the churchyard are Grade II listed.

Narcissus pseudonarcissus, commonly known as the wild daffodil or Lent lily.

The last time I visited was to enjoy the snowdrops, that wrap themselves around the 12th century church in a cloak of spring promise. There has been a church on this site since the 8th century, but it’s been tweaked and ‘improved’ over time.

There was lots of speculation about the sparse covering of wild daffodils this year: too much rain…they were mowed too early or mowed too late last year…whatever the reason, it looked very pretty. And so English. No wonder Midsomer Murders is often filmed here. In case you are not in the loop, it’s a murder mystery in a fictional English town where at least 30 residents meet an unhappy end each week!

What happens with the leftovers?

We popped into the church and admired the restored oak pulpit, now a much paler shade of its former 1636 self. I wondered how many hellfire-and-damnation sermons had been preached from it, especially as it had hosted a visit from the Bishop earlier in the day. However, over a generous slice of chocolate cake in the village hall, we were given the nod-and-wink that ‘his sermon was far too long’. I think there was baking that needed to be done.

I’ll have that one please mum!

With pots of primroses and more chocolate cake to go, we left to return back over the county line into Buckinghamshire.

Lambs included for attention

In about 10 hours time, this year's Vernal Equinox will occur as the sun is positioned exactly above the Equator, before moving into the Northern Hemisphere. This signals the start of astronomical Spring. Hurrah!