Or close to it anyway. Wherever one is in England (almost!) it is possible to think that that particular county is the most beautiful in the land. But for me Buckinghamshire (as the county of my birth) must always hold that position! Wandering around the villages between Aylesbury and Milton Keynes, one finds a great beauty in the low hills that surround the Vale of Aylesbury. It's not just the historic buildings that feature in the guide books but the historic buildings tha people live in. It is true that most of these villages are not villages in the real sense, being largely inhabited by people who work somewhere else, but desp
ite Philip Larkin's fears much of England remains. This house in the village of Quainton is an example, where people have lived for hundreds of years. It is just down the road from the almshouses, founded in the late 17th century, to provide for the poor in their old age. In our days it is considered degrading that the poor should have to rely on others for material assistance. But things have not always been seen in this light. It used to thought that one of the purposes of wealth was that some of it at least should be used for the good of others. Quite why it is thought better to rely on an impersonal 'state' than on generous-minded individuals is, I admit, a mystery. Many of the old almshouses were places of real comfort (for the age) where people could, after a lifeti
me of service to their community, retire in comfort ad security. In a way it wasn't even 'charity (as if that were a bad word!) but the rewards for their labour.
ite Philip Larkin's fears much of England remains. This house in the village of Quainton is an example, where people have lived for hundreds of years. It is just down the road from the almshouses, founded in the late 17th century, to provide for the poor in their old age. In our days it is considered degrading that the poor should have to rely on others for material assistance. But things have not always been seen in this light. It used to thought that one of the purposes of wealth was that some of it at least should be used for the good of others. Quite why it is thought better to rely on an impersonal 'state' than on generous-minded individuals is, I admit, a mystery. Many of the old almshouses were places of real comfort (for the age) where people could, after a lifeti
me of service to their community, retire in comfort ad security. In a way it wasn't even 'charity (as if that were a bad word!) but the rewards for their labour.These almshouses, founded by a son of King James I's Chief Minister, don't look that bad a residence today. They were built close to the Church, as well, in recognition of the fact that those who lived there would wish to pray for their families and benefactors and take part in the worship of the community. There we see a real sense of what community is about, not the artificial constructs of modern social engineers but growing from the relationship between people. Until we bring to an end an excessive reliance on the anonymous state and bring to the fore once again relationships, things are unlikely to improve in our society. Anyway, that's enough of a rant for today. Let's end with a picture of Quainton church
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