Sanctuary from Summer

How have the intermittent summer heatwaves made you feel? Although more solar-powered souls (and the panels on my roof) may find them energising, I’ve found them exhausting. But I found the perfect cool space for when the heat has got too much: our ancient parish church.

I took this photo from the top of Hawkesbury Knoll at Easter 2023, when the weather felt like high summer!

St Mary the Virgin, Hawkesbury, between the spring and autumn equinoxes for visitors between of 10am and 5pm. Having this year joined the volunteer rota for locking and unlocking the church each day, I’m down there a couple of times most weeks. On really hot days, even first thing in the morning and late afternoon, the difference in climate outside and inside has been remarkable. Leaving the balmy atmosphere of the church reminded me of arriving on holiday in the Mediterranean, feeling the heat hit me like a brick wall as I exited the aeroplane.

The huge interior space and high ceiling of St Mary’s allow plenty of fresh air to circulate, and the thick Cotswold stone walls keep the space cool, despite the tall windows letting in plenty of light. Up in the bell ringing chamber, we ringers realised that pressing ourselves against the stone walls was the perfect way to cool down during energetic practice sessions.

Entering the church in high summer provides a different kind of sanctuary to the two traditional meanings: the area by the altar and the act of seeking refuge from persecution within a sacred space. You don’t need to have faith to benefit.

Although the current climate crisis and its causes are unprecedented, there must have been many summers during St Mary’s 1200-year history that local people have sought its shade. It’s not only as a place of worship that St Mary’s continues to be a valuable resource and a source of comfort to our community.

And not just to humans. At the recent Pets’ Service, to which people brought their pets to be blessed, the many dogs and the one sheep in attendance must have enjoyed the cool atmosphere, as they were all so calm. Or perhaps the Reverend Hilary Cooke, leading the service, was exuding her inner St Francis of Assisi? Either way, the animals were remarkably well-behaved, emitting barely a bark throughout. The sheep contributed a few loud baas, but, like the sound of young visitors playing in the children’s corner, it was a happy sound which made everyone smile.

Mary brought her sheep

Only the visiting tortoise appeared not to be enjoying itself, despite cuddles from her owner Hilary Rogers. But at 108 years old (the tortoise, not Hilary!), she could be forgiven for being grumpy. Thinking back now, I’m wondering whether the cool air made her think hibernation time had come early. Like a small child, she might have been protesting against an imminent bedtime before she was done with summer play.

Hilary took her tortoise to be blessed

Tradition, rather than weather forecasters, dictates that the day after the Hawkesbury Show, the last Saturday in August, autumn begins.

Sure enough, as I set up this blog post, there is a fresh, cooler nip in the air and the first hints of autumn colour in the trees. But if by any chance this month brings further heatwaves, and soaring temperatures get too much for you, you know where to go…

PS As the BBC might say, other ancient parish churches are available – so wherever you are reading this, whether at home or away, it’s worth checking out your local one.

This post first appeared in the September issue of the Hawkesbury Parish News – and was written during a heatwave! 

In Other News

I’m having a very busy month, with lots of events in my diary, and in between I’m finishing writing the sequel to Death at the Old Curiosity Shop, which launches on 11th October and is now available to pre-order.

I’m averaging a public event a week in September!

Very pleased to spot Yate Library’s display about my author talk on a recent visit

Last Saturday I gave a talk to the Writers of Essex, on of the Society of Authors‘ official local groups, on How to Set Up and Run a Local Literature Festival. This gave me a great excuse to review the illustrious history of my Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival, which in 2025 will be ten years old. Time to start planning a special tenth birthday celebration!

Tomorrow (Saturday 14th) I’ll be giving a keynote address at the Troubador Self-publishing Conference – which I’m delighted to see is now sold out – representing Jericho Writers, for whom I’m course tutor for their Simply Self Publish course. Applications are welcome for the October-December course here: https://jerichowriters.com/our-services/courses-mentoring/simply-self-publish-course/Next Saturday (21st September) I’m giving a public talk at Yate Library about my books and my writing life, as part of its busy schedule of author talks – such a brilliant local library! Tickets are just £5 and include coffee and cake. Here’s the booking link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/coffee-and-cake-with-debbie-young-cosy-crime-author-yate-library-tickets-899191725657Then on Monday 30th September, I’ll be at Taunton Literary Festival, on a cosy crime panel with fellow authors Lionel Ward (also proprietor of the excellent Brendon Books shop in Taunton) and Frances Evesham. Click here for more details of the programme including our event. 

After all that, you’d think I’d be planning to have a rest on the 1st October – but then the countdown begins to the launch of Death at the Old Curiosity Shop, with a long to-do list in the run-up to the big day.This first in a new series will be available in all formats, online and to order from traditional bookshops. If you’d like to be one of the first to read it, you can now preorder it on Amazon here.

It’s a good thing I thrive on busy schedules and deadlines!