Day 18 &19 Pilley & Chichester

Getting our hire car out of London and heading for the South is a big challenge - thank goodness for our/ Steve's GPS. We make a couple of stops on our way to the vicarage at Pilley, the new now of our friends Andrew and Diana. Andrew is the Associate Priest in the Parish of Boldre and has 'house for duty' arrangements in his retirement. However the latest reality check is that he currently is preparing for five funerals next week!

We enjoy superb hospitality and a lovely long walk along country lanes with Andrew to visit the parish church. After dinner we finish the evening with a chat by the open fire.

 

In the morning we take a drive with Andrew through the country lanes to Lymington and are able to view the Isle of Wight across the water. This area is a yachting mecca.

With Diana's local knowledge we head east with various suggested stopovers in mind. Chichester is our first destination and we are blown away with the beauty of this ancient Cathedral with its tasteful contemporary furnishings and the friendliness of the guides.

Chichester is renowned for its 12th Century Bishop Richard who wrote the famous prayer

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits thou hast given me, for all the pains and insults thou has borne for me. O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow we more nearly, day by day. Amen

We also loved the Chagall window and the John Piper Tapestry.

Making our way to Maidstone in Kent we stop along the way at Bosham for lunch, a beautiful seaside village with picture postcard church by the sea. The remainder of our afternoon is spent in Friday afternoon traffic including a major traffic jam near Brighton. However we arrive at our delightful B&B - Weald Cottage - in good time to settle in then pick Steve and Eryn up at the train station nearby at Staplehurst.

The four of us thoroughly enjoy a meal at the Stilebridge Pub.

 

 

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