Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Shiplake Parish Church c.1140

This is the church in which Tennyson married Emily Sellwood on June 13th 1850. Their romance began in 1836 when Emily was bridesmaid at her sister's marriage to Tennyson's brother, Charles. Alfred then wrote:-
                                         
                                                  And all at once a pleasant truth I learn'd,
                                                  For while the tender service made thee weep,
                                                  I loved thee for the tear thou couldst not hide
                                                  And prest thy hand, and knew the press return'd,
                                                  And thought, My life is sick of single sleep

The medieval glass is French and came from the ruined abbey of Saint  Bertin in Saint Omer. ( Les vitrines sont d'origine francaise. Elles viennent de l'abbey Sain Bertin a Saint Omer, ruinee pendant la Revolution.Les moines ont enleve les vitrines et les a cache quelque part. Plus tard quelques pieces etaient achete par un ami du pretre a Shiplake.)
They were installed in 1830.

Looking from the porch towards the Thames.

Here endeth the lesson!