There stands a little church on a hill
Her tower once stood high and proud
Which looks over the land far and wide
As far as the eye can see
For centuries man has come and gone
His prayers and his thoughts remain within the walls
But time and decay soon took its path
And man no longer walks the lane
That leads to the little church
She stood in ruins forgotten in time
Until a young priest came along with his friend
They walked up to where the old stone altar stood
The altar rail still remaining
And as they knelt by the old communion rail
A thought began to rise within the young priest
As if the old church saw the sadness
Within the eyes of the young man
She showed him her beauty and tranquillity
The peace and harmony of her surroundings
He can hear the prayers of those long gone
That remain within her walls
His eyes opened wide and looked around
He placed his hand upon his friend’s shoulder
And said
“We are going to rebuild her, will you help?”
So his journey and quest began
Stone by stone the walls begin to grow
And soon through time and hard work
Again she stood whole and proud
A young priest known by the name of Father Jones
He and his friends
Brought life back to the little church
Then one day a little boy came
And sat on the crest of a mound
Once part of an old hill fort
That lay adjacent to the church
From here he looked at the church
The memories of those days
Remain with that boy
Her beauty and peace
Are a part of him
I know this because I am that boy
But now she is in ruins again
This time not just from
Time and decay
But from mindless youths
And their vandalism
Youths with no pride of their past
No eyes to see the beauty that surrounds them
Or feel the peace it can give
A place to think and remember
Within their destruction
They destroy their past and future
It seems it was the end of this old church
That has stood for so many centuries
No money to spend or help to rebuild her
All hope lost, but not for long
For two ladies came
Delia and Rosemary
With them new hope raised
And a new family came to light
A family of friends, the friends of
St Mary’s
