Binsey

Interior of Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Binsey, Oxfordshire

As I have mentioned before on this blog, the minute village of Binsey, Oxfordshire, with its even more minuscule parish church of St. Margaret's, is one of my favorite places in the world. I am so glad I will get to visit there again. I will be going on a scouting trip in April and May to plan for a future C. S. Lewis Tour of Ireland and England.

I first learned of Binsey through reading Sheldon Vanauken's book, A Severe Mercy. I imagine that many people throughout the world have come to love Binsey because of that book, not the least of whom is Fr. Dwight Longenecker. He has written this lovely poem published in his book, A Sudden Certainty....

The Pilgrimage
St. Margaret's, Binsey, Oxford

You have to pass through
the distressing
part of this mostly golden
town to get there. You
continue--pressing
past Jericho and on

through the desert
of crowded shops,
mean streets and gardens
filled with factory dirt
until the city stops
where, like a guardian

the gate to the meadow
stands. Beyond the gate
it is like Eden--
the river seems to flow
like life, and the late
slanting sun goldens

everything in sight--
the swans' wings flapping
with no resistance
in the air, and the white
horses galloping
in the distance.

Past the far meadow
where the herd gathers
and feeds, past the village
the road starts to narrow
and becomes smoother,
as if the next stage

should be easier;
yet this is the longest
part of the journey
and it is darker
too, than the rest
or so it seems to me.

There is no release
of warmth at the end
of the tunnel-like
avenue of trees
which follow. Nothing sends
tremors of light to strike

the mind or heart.
There is only a small
church among ancient trees
and wild flowers,
and in a dis-used part
of the yard, there is
a legendary well
with healing powers.

If you want to read my other posts about Binsey, with more photos, just do a search at the top of this page. You can find the church web site with even more photos here: St. Margaret's, Binsey. I hope to put up one post per day during my upcoming trip to Ireland and England, April 22-May 8. So be on the lookout!

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Will Vaus

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