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Gaulby Goose
Gaulby (or Galby, depending on who you read) is a tiny east Leicestershire village 'on the summit of the Marlstone uplands in beautiful unspoilt country' as W.G.Hoskins has it in his Shell Guide. Less than a mile away from the probably more visited early gothic revival church in Kings Norton, Gaulby has the equally fascinating St. Peter. Overshadowed somewhat by its more illustrious neighbour rebuilt by John Wing, this church was restored by the architect's father for the same squire William Fortrey in 1741. Inside, the contemporary pews and pulpit were ripped out in a 1960 act of vandalism, but the exterior remains virtually untouched. A limestone and ironstone tower is topped-out with such extraordinary exuberance that even Pevsner was moved to called it 'a display of the craziest pinnacles' in his Buildings of England: Leicestershire and Rutland. The top photograph is Gaulby on a hot July early evening, the bottom was taken yesterday in uncompromising bright afternoon light and extreme cold. We had been in the Fox and Goose just over the fields, where every Sunday a dish of well-salted goose fat roasted spuds and black pudding is banged down on every table. We were therefore amused to find a 1701 gravestone under Gaulby's big churchyard tree that was dedicated to someone blessed with the name 'Goosey'. A good afternoon for a gander round a churchyard.
Gaulby (or Galby, depending on who you read) is a tiny east Leicestershire village 'on the summit of the Marlstone uplands in beautiful unspoilt country' as W.G.Hoskins has it in his Shell Guide. Less than a mile away from the probably more visited early gothic revival church in Kings Norton, Gaulby has the equally fascinating St. Peter. Overshadowed somewhat by its more illustrious neighbour rebuilt by John Wing, this church was restored by the architect's father for the same squire William Fortrey in 1741. Inside, the contemporary pews and pulpit were ripped out in a 1960 act of vandalism, but the exterior remains virtually untouched. A limestone and ironstone tower is topped-out with such extraordinary exuberance that even Pevsner was moved to called it 'a display of the craziest pinnacles' in his Buildings of England: Leicestershire and Rutland. The top photograph is Gaulby on a hot July early evening, the bottom was taken yesterday in uncompromising bright afternoon light and extreme cold. We had been in the Fox and Goose just over the fields, where every Sunday a dish of well-salted goose fat roasted spuds and black pudding is banged down on every table. We were therefore amused to find a 1701 gravestone under Gaulby's big churchyard tree that was dedicated to someone blessed with the name 'Goosey'. A good afternoon for a gander round a churchyard.
7 comments:
Beautifully lit by him upstairs and caught by your discerning eye. It's nice to have a gander at your neck of the woods.
Thankyou Jon. I'll find something else typical of around here. But don't get me going about goose necks, particularly out on the Fens.
Fantastic photographs. And those pinnacles are stunners.
Pevsner, by the way, wouldn't have gone for the goose-fat spuds or black puddings. His favoured dish was said to be pasta, because he could gulp it down quickly and get on to the next building.
Pevsner's Bedfordshire is dedicated to 'the inventor of the ice lolly'. Hot summer then Nicklaus.
Hi Peter.
I’m a big fan of roasts!
One thought though – have you considered replacing the goose fat with hemp seed oil, such as Good Oil: http://www.goodwebsite.co.uk
Not only does it have a slightly fresher taste (in my opinion), but it’s also a good healthy alternative to goose fat, dramatically reducing the calorie count in the dish, while not compromising on taste.
I should disclose that GOOD OIL is a client of mine, so feel free to get in touch for more information, I can also send out a sample for you to try if you like.
All the best
Chris
Ooh, that sound the stuff Chris! Anything with hemp in. We've got Welland Valley Rape Seed Oil round here, but I haven't tried it yet. But I am going to rub the remains of a jar of Norfolk goose fat on my chest this afternoon.
Gosh, what a wonderful church - and what a wonderful-sounding pub, too. Doesn't surprise me, by the way, to learn of Pevsner's utilitarian attitude to food...
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