It never disappoints. Maryfield was one of the first places I lived when I moved to the West Country thirty-five years ago, and recently a yomp around surrounding footpaths was revitalising after being indoors cleaning and decorating.
The picturesque Cornish hamlet has yielded many happy memories, especially the Victorian church, designed by William White, known for his part in the revival of Gothic architecture. It was originally built for the Carew Pole family from the neighbouring Antony Estate.
My daughter and I often wandered down the lane from our cottage to admire the dainty rural church with pretty gardens, or to attend the Sunday service. It was the view from her bedroom window and the cause of great excitement whenever the bells chimed.
A few years later, Mr Word Loft and I were married there and when our son came along, it was the place of his christening, so there was much reminiscing when we stopped to rejoice in the atmosphere.
The grounds are a profusion of colour at present, but whatever the season they are always heartening and serene.
Wildflowers flourish along the edges of a footpath by the old coach house. Besides that, the schoolhouse was erected in 1847 for the Lord and Lady’s children. It became a vicarage later and has been renovated further, but the building still oozes the charm of its original role.
We took a detour along another shadowy track rich with ferns to Coombe Park, and couldn’t believe it when we came across a thatched cottage at the end by a road we travel along occasionally. The property is set back, so unless approached by foot is easily missed.
Further along, the panorama of the Tamar is breathtaking beyond pristine daisy-swathed fields which appear luminescent in the afternoon sun, and in the distance, Saltash’s two bridges span the river.
On the way back, the side of my old cottage comes into sight across a meadow. I’ve never seen it from that angle and discovered while writing this, that it and the house next door originally started as a single abode. I must have gazed out of the attic bedroom to the spot where we were plenty of times, and I was surprised I hadn’t been there before.
One thing is certain, I’ll be going on another little ramble around there again, and who knows what I’ll see then.
Best wishes,
Sue. X