Feel the Fear, but Parkour Anyway

Members of The Ragged Society of Antiquarian Ramblers continue to hone our Parkour skills. We is moving with style innit, frere. Ragged Rambler, and Parkour traceur (practitioner), Aunty Gary, has this to say:


"One feels the fear, but does it anyway. The feeling a Parkourist achieves from a successful move is known in the vernacular as 'the buzz' - one feel that buzz. Wicked!"


WARNING! Please do not attempt to replicate these moves without professional instruction

PS We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Munro Tweeder-Harris' nephew, Tristram, who was kind enough to act as a consultant with regard to the 'street' vernacular speech, which Members are currently mastering. 

Scoffing Across East Norfolk

The Antiquarian Food Surveillance Institute have just released a bulletin about the Ragged Ramblers latest excursion...


Scoffing Across East Norfolk


Huzzah!

Whistling in Winter

Interior of Upton Church, Norfolk. Note the
steep pitch of the 'fossilised' gable above the
west tower arch - we did!

Today, a small party of intrepid Ragged Ramblers defied the smudgy skies and chill wind, and set off on an antiquarian perambulation. It was during a quiet contemplative moment within Upton Church, Norfolk. that we recorded the following sound...

Poignant and infinitely sad...


"That's rather lovely" I said, turning to Aunty Gary, Thadeus and Maximillion. 
"I've always wanted to whistle. I didn't know you could..." said Aunty Gary, turning to Thadeus.
"I can't..." replied Thadeus, looking to Maximillion.
"Nor can I!" exclaimed Maximillion, nervously. 

Everyone looked at me. Curiously, I too am unable to whistle either!


Perhaps we will never know...


~ Munro Tweeder-Harris, Esq. ~

The Antient Art of Tea Chi (Chai Style)

As you may have gathered by now, we Ragged Ramblers are dedicated to the mastery of a number of arts: parkour, eating cake, historic interpretation - and now, Tea Chi. 


The origins of this hitherto most secretive of practices are shrouded in the mysteries of time (and other such clichés). As a result, there are a number of different 'foundation stories' which seek to explain this antiquarian art. The one we find most persuasive runs thus...


One of the oldest statutes of The Ragged Society of Antiquarian Ramblers states that a Rambler's cake is sacrosanct. Under no circumstances should a Member surrender his or her cake, for fear of being black-balled. It is said that one summer, time out of mind, a party of Ragged Ramblers had stopped to picnic somewhere in the north of Suffolk. Now, these are wild parts, and it is therefore no surprise what happened next. 


The legendary co-founder of our Society, Dawson Bulwer-Rant, was partaking of cake when an impertinent young pup called Phileas Acorn, seeing Bulwer-Rant bring his tea to his lips, decided to reach across and snatch a slice of delicious Fickle Cake from the plate of the aforementioned antiquarian. Chroniclers say that what followed defies description. With that deficiency duly noted, imagine an uncoiling of energy; a fluid whirl of movement and a scream, followed by a flurry of tumbling arms and limbs, as the poor Acorn was bowled clean over by Dawson Bulwer-Rant - who stood triumphantly, still with tea in hand. This was the beginning of what later became known at the art of Tea Chi (literally, 'tea energy'). Over time, generations of Ragged Ramblers have passed on the lethal form of picnic defence, and can, on rare occasions, be found practicing the 'forms'. 


This is what we share with you here...


Huzzah!

Ragged Ramblers Parkour!

For many months now, training in conditions of the utmost secrecy, members of The Ragged Society of Antiquarian Ramblers have been honing their skills as accomplished proponents of Parkour: "a method of movement focused on moving around obstacles with speed and efficiency". 


Here, we are able to share with you the fruits of this intensive programme of preparation. When questioned about this, Society member Munro Tweeder-Harris Esq. responded thus:


"It was well wicked, innit! One feels well good when one is doing this excretia. Huzzah!"


WARNING! Please do not attempt to replicate these moves without professional instruction


PS We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Munro Tweeder-Harris' nephew, Tristram, who was kind enough to act as a consultant with regard to the 'street' vernacular speech, which Members are currently mastering. 

Our View from Norwich Castle Battlements

Serendipity

Please click on image in order to enlarge

Serendipity! One of the Society members favourite words. 


We recently visited the the spectacular church of St Agnes, Cawston in Norfolk. Munro had been here previously on a number of occasions, but this was Thadeus' first visit. 


We entered the church in the last afternoon gloom with the diagonal sleet on our backs. Inside, the church was lit and full of activity as members of the local community busied themselves decorating the church in readiness for the Christmas service. Due to the unsolicited kindness of the volunteers, we were delighted to be offered the opportunity to climb the stone spiral staircase and gain a spectacular view of the church from the balcony located in the west tower. We were also able to see the lovely hammer-beam angel roof from a new angle...

Huzzah!

Ragged Ramblers Coach Trip Excerpt...

The Dimming of the Day

At the dimming of the winter daylight, three members of the Ragged Society of Antiquarian Ramblers stand on the bridge looking down at the moon flickering on the surface of the River Bure. Just across the way stands the lovely church of St Mary at Burgh Next Aylsham, with its exquisite Early English step-down chancel. It has been a fine days Ragged Rambling.


Gather ye moon shimmers
Whilst ye may...


~ Munro Tweeder-Harris, Esq. ~

The Laughing Knight

R.S.A.R members inspect the monument to Sir Rodger Todger,
'The Laughing Knight'

Sir Rodger himself. Please click
on image in order to enlarge

The Effigy of Sir Roger Todger

In the course of our eventful R.S.A.R. excursion last Friday we happened upon a most remarkable set of church monuments. Set in the curious church of St Balderdash in the irrelevant little Norfolk village of Gene Pool, we were puzzled by the expression on the 'face' of Sir Roger Todger's monument effigy (d1621)

What on earth might have caused the poor chap such apparent distress?

Happy Christmas from RSAR

Discoveries Galore - and Guffaws!

We feel it in our bones; a chill wind from the north has us hugging our flasks and buttoning up our tweed. Yet, despite the claw of winter, later this week, members of the Ragged Society of Antiquarian Ramblers will be out and about exploring wonderful old places. Warmed by good company and hot tea (poured directly from the flask - not via an abominable screw-top), I sense that there will be discoveries galore - and guffaws aplenty!

Huzzah!


~ Munro Tweeder-Harris Esq. ~

The Cathedral of St John, Norwich

A lot of people seem to be unaware that there are two cathedrals in Norwich. Last Friday afternoon, I was walking along Earlham Road when, on a whim, I decided to go and explore inside this fantastic Victorian/Edwardian gothic building (completed in 1910). 

It was about five-o-clock when I walked inside. The light therein was fabulously atmospheric, and I soon realised that I was the only person in this, the main part of the cathedral. 

It was a strange feeling to be alone inside such a huge building. I was struck by the peace and quiet - especially as, immediately outside, the rush hour traffic was at its height.


I was also struck by the difference this late afternoon winter ambience made to the look, and feel, of the cathedral 

Summer light

Summer lit green man

I am so glad I took the time to take some time away from the rushing around going on outside.