Fri, Oct 2 Country Drive - Churches - Saffron Walden

Took the bus for the first time to Adele and Tim's.  A great way to see the city.  Took about 40 minutes from Barking to her home, using 2 buses through Ilford Station.

They have a lovely garden behind their house. 

alongside the house

Nemo

looks like plastic, but it's a real plant

Left about noon for our road trip through the countryside.  Brian and Adele had planned a route with several places to see.  First out of the city through Epping Forest, then the town of Epping.

To High Beech Church, fairly close to Epping, in the country, with nothing nearby other than a few houses hidden away in the trees. High Beach or High Beech is a hamlet in Essex, England, 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east of Epping and approximately 11 miles (18 km) north-east of London.^[1] It is the only settlement inside Epping Forest^. The church wasn't open.

Holy Innocents church is surrounded by forest. It was rebuilt in 1873 by Thomas Baring, replacing an earlier church which was located in Church Road around 1 mile away from the present church's location, and was designed by the architect Arthur Blomfield in the Early English style at the cost of £5,500. The 125 feet (38 m) tower and spire contains 13 hemispherical bells cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.

Brian amongst the gravestones

Drove down Wellington Hill, took B1393 road, B181, A414 to Ongar.  Driving along the country roads is a great way to see the countryside.  The roads are narrow, and constantly twist and turn through the woods, farmlands, villages, towns.  It's difficult to navigate, as roads meet with other roads constantly, and drivers need to negotiate round-abouts.  They're everywhere.  Makes for faster movement of traffic rather than stopping for traffic lights or 4-way stops.

Found St. Andrew ( near Greensted) Church, 1.5 miles from town in the countryside.  Is the oldest wooden church in the world.

services are held every Sunday in this small church

relishes, jams, honey, dish towels for sale

LUNCH

Had lunch here about 2:30; arrived 10 minutes before last order taken

delicious; Brian had skate

Town of Saffron Walden.  Apparently saffron is 'mined' here.  Are quite a few old buildings in this community.  Picturesque.

a dove cote

And here's another old church, this one open.

Were too late to get into Mountfitchet Castle and Norman village of 1066, near Stanstead.  We somehow ended up at Stanstead Airport, looking for the road to this castle.  By train it's 40 minutes from London.  By road it's one hour to Central London.  From the map it looks like most visitors are outside most of the time.  Would not make an effort to visit here.  Entry is UK10.

Wanted to get to Audley's End, a Jacobean mansion, and did find it on our way home.  Too late to visit. 

To Adele and Tom's for Indian take out food.