Sir John Betjeman - A Passion for Churches - Part 1

[ksranji]

It was broadcast in a 4 by 3 ratio yet it appears here to have been stretched.

[Blightyish]

Anyone who knows how to resume this video after the stop ??

[FansSAUK]

I think at 11:33 you can see Hugh Blackburne. He was Bishop of Thetford from 1977 until 1981. He confirmed me! He was also Rector of Ranworth (and you see him else where in the program) out on a boat trying to get people to come to the Easter Day service.

[AntPDC]

@FansSAUK Thank you! Yes, he appears in Part 3, which I also uploaded. What a lovely man he is too! I was happy to learn (courtesy of your good self) that he later became Bishop of Thetford.

[SarahRayneAuthor]

What a lovely piece of film. I enjoyed Betjeman's enthusiasm so much - and I do love his line, 'Towards the light come out the nightmare figures of marsh and forest' - which was beautifully illustrated in the video. Also, I was strongly reminded of M.R.James's marvellous, gently eerie ghost stores.

[AntPDC]

@SarahRayneAuthor Thank you. I very much agree about "the nightmare figures...struggling up the bench-ends", and especially Betjeman's rather heartbreaking observation that "they know they can never reach the winged, celestial hosts".

[abips2011]

Poetry in every sense, but then perhaps I’m bias; I was born and raised in Suffolk. I know many of the churches well which brought childhood memories flooding back; thank you for uploading this little treasure. As you rightly acknowledged, there are some technical difficulties not least the sound drop-out but nonetheless, a pleasure to watch. Thank you again.

[AntPDC]

@abips2011 Thank you. I flagged the dropout in the vid, and added some more backround information. I also upload the rest of this film: Parts 2 and 3.

Best wishes.