19 July 2017

A modern willow sculpture at
an old Tudor pub in Hoddesdon

‘The Willow Arch’ by Hazel Godfrey at the Star, a late mediaeval pub in Hoddesdon (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2017)

Patrick Comerford

Hoddesdon has an unusual combination of late mediaeval and stark 20th century architecture. A short walk along Lord Street leads from the High Leigh Conference Centre into the centre of Hoddesdon.

On the way into Hoddesdon, Lord Street is lined with engaging examples of Victorian and early 20th century housing. But Tower Heights in the centre of the town is one of the ugly examples of late 20th century tower blocks.

Yet, Hoddesdon has a number of interesting and historical listed buildings, including Rawdon House and Rathmore House, and late mediaeval public houses such as the White Swan, King William IV and the Star.

Close to High Leigh, the King William IV at No 197 Lord Street is a 17th century timber-framed building, with modern brick and roughcast walls, and an old tile roof.

The White Swan in Hoddesdon … ‘visually the most striking timber-framed inn’ in this part of Hertfordshire and Essex (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2017)

The White Swan was once described by the architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as ‘visually the most striking timber-framed inn’ in this part of Hertfordshire and Essex, and it has been an old favourite of mine since I first took part in a conference in High Leigh in 2006.

But I also wrote about the Star just two years ago [20 July 2015], following the discovery of a series of 16th century wall paintings of ‘national importance,’ which were uncovered in September 2014.

The Tudor-era paintings, located on plasterwork the north wall of the bar, depict half-figures and biblical verses. The architects believed there might be more images on other walls and began further investigations as well as examining further details found on one of the beams supporting the ceiling.

The paintings depict fascinating examples of Elizabethan clothing and millinery and exhibit a high level of technique. At the time, it was said discoveries of this quality are extremely rare and that the implications for art history give them national importance. The paintings had been hidden behind panelling for hundreds of years in the pub originally known as the Lyon and later as the Salisbury Arms.

A Tudor skyline in Hoddesdon yesterday (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2017)

Today this is the Star, and it is just three or four doors further along the High Street from the White House. When I walked into Hoddesdon from High Leigh yesterday [18 July 2017] to buy The Guardian, I also stopped at the Star, next door to the local newsagent, to admire ‘The Willow Arch,’ a new sculptural work by the local contemporary Basketmaker and Willow Artist, Hazel Godfrey.

Hazel Godfrey makes her sculptural work using natural materials, primarily willow. She is committed to an ethos of sustainability and manages her own willow plantation in North Hertfordshire, which provides for the mainstay of her weaving, although she also uses other natural materials such as cane, bark, leaves and found items.

Hazel was born and raised in Hertfordshire and studied for an honours BA in Applied Arts at the University of Hertfordshire. She has been a practising artist since 2008, when her work formed the centrepiece of a Gold Award winning stand at the Chelsea Flower Show.

On her Facebook page, Hazel says she is inspired by nature and loves working with natural materials. Her work is in private collections and gardens, nature reserves, community spaces and schools throughout Britain.

Hazel takes part in Herts Open Studios annually and is a member of Herts Visual Arts, Hertfordshire Basketry, and the National Basketmakers’ Association. She is involved annually with the arts side of the Rhythms of the World music festival in Hitchin. More recently, she led the county basketry group in making work to celebrate Luton’s involvement in the Olympics.

Today [19 July 2017] is the last day of USPG’s annual conference in High Leigh. Last night, the skies broke, and Hoddesdon was covered by a lengthy and heavy thunderstorm. I may not be walking into Hoddesdon this morning to buy the paper, but it was inspiring yesterday to see a new work of art that was connected with nature in this part of England.

The Star on High Street, Hoddesdon, with Hazel Godfrey’s ‘Willow Arch’ to the right (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2017)

Seeking justice in climate
change and in health care

Step-by-step towards justice … in the High Leigh Conference Centre (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2017)

Patrick Comerford

At the USPG conference in High Leigh this afternoon, we were challenged to think about promoting justice issues that involve protecting health and demanding climate justice.

Jo Musker-Sherwood, Director of Hope for the Future www.hftf.org.uk , spoke of the impact of global warming and climate change, with examples from her experience in Peru. There 95 per cent of people rely on water stored in glaciers on the heights of the Andes for their water supplies, and Peru is heavily dependent on water for hydro-electricity.

She spoke about the challenges to faith in a changing climate, and spoke of the work of Hope for the Future, which aims to give a platform to Churches working on climate change issues, and spoke of lobbying Parliament and MPs.

The campaign works with people of all faiths and none, but at its heart it remains a deeply Christian campaign.

She suggested MPs often do not take seriously people they suspect do not live out the values that they lobby on. The climate movement has developed an unfortunate reputation for lecturing at people and threatening them about the consequences of heeding the threats posed by climate change.

She offered signs of hope in the face of a problem that is becoming increasingly dangerous.

She asked us to consider that ways in which our identities are connected to fossil fuels and how this awareness impacts our response to climate change.

And she asked what we think are the biggest opportunities for tackling climate change in our churches and our dioceses.

Bishop Saw John Wilme of Toungoo, a diocese in the Church of the Province of Myanmar, spoke of his Church’s work in providing health care for people in the country we also know as Burma.

It was a timely reminder of how often we take clean water for granted in this part of Europe. Access to water is essential for clean clothes, basic hygiene, combatting malaria, and so is essential to basic health care. Yet many people in Myanmar find it difficult to access sources of clean water.

Since the new government was formed in 2014, the country has started to change, but there are still conflicts, minority ethnic tribes suffer discrimination, there are many checkpoints, the army still controls many key ministries, and former generals control many businesses.

‘We all want peace,’ he said, but those who control the big weapons continue to control the agenda.

In trying to reach the unreached, the Anglican Church in Myanmar has been involved in setting up hospitals and engaged in building healthy communities in partnership with USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel).

The day began at High Leigh with the Morning Eucharist celebrated by the Revd Canon Joabe Cavalcanti, a colleague trustee of USPG. During the day, we have also had workshops on protecting health, growing the Church, enabling livelihoods, promoting justice, responding to crises, and USPG’s ‘Journey With Us’ short-term mission programme.

The Council of USPG meets this evening, and the day ends with Night Prayer led by Father Herbert Fadriquela, Anglican chaplain to the Filipino Community in the Diocese of Leicester.

Welcome to the High Leigh Conference Centre near Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2017)