Just a single picture today, taken on a recent walk. This is the church of unknown dedication in the lovely Dorset hamlet of Whitcombe. The famous Dorset poet William Barnes preached his first sermon here in 1847 and his last in 1885, and in between that he went on to become rector of Winterborne Came just a few miles away. William Barnes is known mostly for writing his poetry in the Dorset dialect – I must say, it makes it difficult to read even for a Dorset man!
And where are the souls?
As I was processing this picture, I was listening to an album by the Celtic Christian rock band Iona – I love their music. One of the songs that came on was called Beachy Head (there is a link to the song below) and is about all the people who over the years have committed suicide by jumping or driving off the high cliffs onto the rocks below. It basically asks the question ‘Where are the souls?’ of all those who have died. It just seemed a perfect title for this picture since I couldn’t help but question ‘Where are the souls’ of all those who have worshipped in this church over the 500 or so years since it was built? There would have been people of all ages, races, occupations, personalities etc from the Lord of the Manor to the farm labourer – but now the church is empty and redundant, partly because the village has shrunk to the tiny hamlet it now is! I can’t help but ask as I always do in these places, ‘Where are the souls?’ The song answers the question – only God knows!
Thanks for reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler!
The Dorset Rambler
The Dorset Rambler 
How sad to think of that little church sitting there lonely and empty and never being used again.
I could not listen to your video because the sound is out on my computer right now. When it’s fixed, I’ll come back and listen. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Celtic Christian rock band. I do have a tape of Celtic worship music, and I have four CD’s of Celtic Christmas music. I enjoy them immensely.