Church spires

 

Church spires

Salisbury Cathedral, from the Bishop's Grounds, 1823, painted by John Constable  (1776-1837)

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

We were discussing church spires recently. They were once prominent landmarks but now are frequently overshadowed by taller constructions.

They point the way to heaven and often house bells, whose clamour calls the faithful to worship.

The spire of Salisbury Cathedral has been the tallest in the United Kingdom since 1561, after the collapse of St Paul’s spire after a fire. In 2018, it gained attention in the press through being visited by two Russians, apparently on a sightseeing tour and wishing to see it for themselves. It transpired that they were military intelligence agents, intent on using Novichok to murder Sergei Skripal, a Russian double agent spying for Britain.

  Salisbury is one of only three cathedrals in the country that does not have a ring of bells.

There is more information here about the building, including the modern font of 2008 designed by William Pye.

Authors inspired by Salisbury Cathedral include Thomas Hardy, William Golding, and Ken Follett, among others. The great gothic building has also inspired artists including John Constable, J.M.W. Turner, Henry Moore, and Antony Gormley.

Midges

 

Midges

                                                           

                                    Spider's web with midges
                                                                                 

In the early morning on a warm, summer day,  clouds of tiny insects cavort above the pond, near the trees. In the evening they can be seen again. These little creatures are midges.

In the UK there are more than 650 species of midges, about 500 of which do not bite – the rest do. It is only the females that bite because they need fresh blood to allow their eggs to mature. They feed on birds as well as mammals, with each species having its particular host. There are two or three generations of midges a year in the UK, but in other parts of the world, a new generation can emerge every three weeks!

                                                More midges

      Midges gather to dance because they are hoping to mate. Both sexes give off scent to attract a mate and can also be attracted to human perfumes, aftershaves and deodorants. They swarm near things like branches and sometimes gather in such numbers that they create tall towers. On one occasion there was such a large congregation of midges in Wiltshire that they shrouded the spire of Salisbury Cathedral, looking like smoke. The fire brigade was called because concerned citizens thought the Cathedral was on fire.

Closer view

Midges are some of the most sensitive indicators of water purity. Their presence signifies healthy water with good oxygen levels; when their absence is noted, it may mean the water is polluted.

Midges are known as ‘Scotland’s secret weapon’ and while their bites may be irritating, they do not transmit disease. They are most active at dawn and dusk, but can bite at any time of day. Apart from people, they also feed on cattle, sheep and deer but are preyed upon by bats, spiders and birds.