During our short stay in Coniston, we saw John Ruskin's grave a few times in the grounds at St. Andrew's church:
In fine weather, we were able to eat lunch or dinner, with a bottle of pop or lucozade, on a bench outside the church.
Of course, we put all our rubbish in a bin nearby and refrained from drinking any alcohol in such a setting.
The patterns on Ruskin's Celtic cross gravestone were amazing:
Have just found out that the gravestone features carvings that symbolise and celebrate major events from Ruskin's life, and that it is made from slate taken from the nearby Tilberthwaite Quarry.
Don't know that much about John Ruskin (1811-1900), to be honest, other than him being a celebrated Victorian art critic and social reformer (who kind of influenced a Christian socialist movement).
Have just read that Ruskin lived at his Brantwood residence on the far side of Coniston Water and attended St. Andrew's church.
More specifically, Ruskin was a critic of art, architecture, and society, and was a big example of a Victorian sage figure whose polemic writing sought to prompt widespread social and cultural change.
A stone's throw away from St. Andrew's, several pubs were busy at the back end of summer, but this did not detract from a sense of quietness (an almost stillness of time) to be found in the grounds at St. Andrew's:
After seeing St. Andrew's church, and Ruskin's grave, one last time, it was time to pack up the tent:
Waving goodbye to our improvised bar at the Sports and Social Club:
As we left Coniston for Windemere (and the train back down to Bolton, via Preston), we saw the Ruskin Museum:
Really enjoyed my trip up to the Lake District this year.
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