Bathe In History Through this door.

This is for Esme Slabs prompt Through the door press > Join in < to do just that.

Abbotsbury.

This is The Husband and myself wrapped up from the driving wind one March day in Dorset in the UK..

A relitivly short but very steep climb took us to St Catherines Chapel. It is high on a hilltop overlooking Chesil Beach the swannery below and views of the Isle of Portland. The 14th century chapel was built by the monks of nearby Abbotsbury. Today the chapel still sits in isolation. I felt pretty close to God that day. This is a curious little chapel, full of secret ‘knooks’ and ‘wishing holes’ where local women used to pray to St Catherine and ask her to find them a husband. Luckily I did not need her help with that task.

The local parish holds occasional services throughout the year, which are open to the public. The acoustics inside are amazing so accopella voices are the best thing to hear as are the choral voices of Children at Christmas. So going through this door, … delivered atmosphere, surprises and history. #NationalHeritage

Picture on loan from the English Heritage page Here

Press here to Listen and watch

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Our local Theatre put out a call for writers of stories. They were to be set in locations where people live in the town or surrounding villages. Stories that could be fact, fiction, historic or contemporary. The one proviso was they must invite the listener to walk the tale, like a tour you get in the grounds of a stately home, or a museum. To encourage people to take a journey to a place that may be new to them, and immerse themselves in to the experience.

I researched the historic facts for authenticity. The costume from the period it was to be set. My idea was coming together, to help me think it through, I ran myself a bath. It is a foible of mine, to soak in warm bubbly froth; to think, and probably why I am somewhat vertically challenged ( maybe I shrink).

The pen twitched in my hand, the bath grew tepid, the skin crinkled on my feet. My pen scratched for hours as a tale began to form on the page.

There was a time limit, and it had to fit with health and safety in mind. “Turn to the left and beware of traffic.” Over the next weeks it was pinched and squeezed. It was lengthened and shortened and tweaked. Next, it had to be recorded as I walked, we needed to see if It would fit in the allotted ten minute slot. Eventually I entered my piece.

My flushed, excited face spent days grinning after I was told my tale had been chosen. Things were happening, auditions for readers, music scores written and sound tracks found to enhance the world as I saw it. An artist drew a map so people could print it off and follow it as a guide. And this was done for each of the seven stories that were chosen. Please click on the link below to download any story that catches your eye.

Click here https://www.theatreroyal.org/walking-stories/

If you click but are too far away or just unable to walk the stories they are still good to listen to and follow on the individual maps.

Have you found something new? A new skill you never had before covid-19, another strand to the plait that is life? I would love to know what it is in the comments.

P.S. If you listen to any of the stories do tell me what you think.

Now I am writing for sound.