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Today for #JourneysFromThePast we are in Hampshire. There's trouble brewing ahead and the bruising encounter made for one of the more memorable trips. So, here we are on the 12th of April 2014 at Faccombe, a few miles SW of Newbury. The only locked church in an area of open ones.
"A journey from Maidenhead where I am staying on the weekends while contracting in London." St Barnabas, Faccombe: "I tried this one a couple of years ago but the CW was not well when I rang her and I could not get the key. Today I arrived back - still locked."
"As I was doing the exterior I noticed a woman in the nearby garden (to the north of the church). I enquired about a key. The CW I spoke with is now in a care home. She pointed me in the direction of someone who was about to move out of the village but still might have a key."
"On enquiring there I found out they didn't have the key but the estate gardener had one - so I tried her house but no-one was home (she is usually away on weekends). I returned to the lady in her garden (now joined by her husband)."
" She didn't have any nice things to say about the vicar of this church - he's at Hurstbourne Tarrant. They included <REDACTED>. She gave me the number of the gardener and said she would speak the next time she saw her to tell her I was interested in seeing inside."
Then to St James, Woodcote: "A small church on a rural road with some farm buildings for company. It was open.
Pulpit with C17 Flemish panels inserted."
Pulpit with C17 Flemish panels inserted."
Then (foolishly?) to St Peter, Hurstbourne Tarrant: "I arrived and found the church open - a VB nearby with recent visitors, so normally open."
"I spent an hour or so here as there is quite a bit to see including some interesting wall paintings of the 3L/3D, many minor monuments, a fine old pulpit and a Royal Arms."
"It was the latter I was about to photograph, the very last thing, when a man came in. What a shame I wasn't five minutes quicker and our paths would never have crossed.
"Hello!" I said cheerfully. "May I help you?" came the reply, not of helpfulness but of suspicion."
"Hello!" I said cheerfully. "May I help you?" came the reply, not of helpfulness but of suspicion."
" 'I'm just visiting as I have an interest in churches'. 'What are you doing?' (well, it was blindingly obvious - taking photos) 'Taking photos'. Then came a tirade - I didn't even get a chance to say anything... rare for me! I just stood, open mouthed - mildly in shock."
'Who gave you permission to photograph in here? I'm the vicar. How dare you come in here and take photographs. Nobody has a right to take photographs in a church. Everything here is copyright.'
"I managed to get one small sentence in:
'But I am not a commercial photographer...'
'How am I TO KNOW THAT." (yeah - like how am *I* to know you aren't supposed to take pictures - no signs! But I never got to say this as I was being bombarded with more crap)."
'But I am not a commercial photographer...'
'How am I TO KNOW THAT." (yeah - like how am *I* to know you aren't supposed to take pictures - no signs! But I never got to say this as I was being bombarded with more crap)."
"'Our archdeacon tells us that everything in all the churches in this deanery are copyright and no-one is allowed to take photographs. How dare you!' he spluttered with indignation. He then made his way to the vestry at the west end of the church, throwing more barbs my way."
"I was trying hard to gain enough concentration to finish the Royal arms - I'd already tried about 2 or 3 shots, none of which seemed to be the correct exposure, but I was just too perturbed! This was, to say the least, surreal."
"If I could finish and start to pack up I might be able to mount a defence. Out he came from the vestry, slamming the door and locking it. He marched up to me where I stood on the chancel steps. "Don't you DARE think I'm JOKING!" he said sternly."
"Waggling his finger right in front of my face. 'Don't you dare!' Then he gave me a look of disgust and said 'I think you are very supercilious'. Not a very good judge of people - I wasn't being supercilious, I was just open-mouthed with astonishment."
"He went off towards the door. I must have said something under my breath about rudeness because he shouted as he went out of the door 'I DON'T CARE HOW RUDE YOU THINK I AM! YOU CAN COMPLAIN TO THE BISHOP FOR ALL I CARE!!'" And then he was gone.
"Extraordinary!
I still had one or two things I wanted to do a better job on and spent a few more minutes on those. I was not ever intending to come back to this church and I wasn't going to be chased away by someone like this."
I still had one or two things I wanted to do a better job on and spent a few more minutes on those. I was not ever intending to come back to this church and I wasn't going to be chased away by someone like this."
Ballsy! 
