Discoed

Late yesterday afternoon we went to the art exhibition at Discoed.  The exhibition was raising money for the ongoing programme of repairs to the little church of St Michael, a tiny stone building with medieval roots.  A tiny, bare, spiritual space, cold and softly-lit.  Recent work has repaired the roof - grey dragon-scales like a ripple of armour - and installed new wooden rooms at the back of the church; I think it is intended to use it for more unusual events.  We missed the author Ronald Blythe who is heavily involved with the church restoration/maintenance project as one of the patrons; his books were on sale and we chose some Christmas reading.  His sermon at the Thanksgiving service yesterday morning was described as 'captivating' in a gentle way, like reading his books.  He makes readers see the world in a new light; his books have that sense of always having been in the back of your head.  Knocking on strangers' doors to see if famous authors are in is not something we normally do; but we did; but he wasn't.  Discoed itself is mainly a collection of medieval and very good modern medieval buildings around a muddy courtyard with the church wall making a fourth wall.  Tall trees and quiet, gloomy muddy lanes, some stunning views across the hills.  A very Sunday place, a very autumnal place.  An air of enthusiastic melancholy.