Text and pics contributed by Lou.
On a misty morning, 15 IOGers and 2 dogs met at Hasketon to walk to the remote church at Boulge. The mist lifted as we walked, and the fields were less muddy than may have been expected.
St Michael’s Church, Boulge, was once part of the Boulge Hall Estate. The hall was demolished in the 1950s but the church and parkland are still there for us to enjoy via public footpaths. The parkland contains several old oak trees, which were displaying various lovely autumnal colours.
On reaching the church, Lou regaled the throng with tall tales, some of which may even be true.
The most famous resident of Boulge Hall was Edward FitzGerald, he that translated the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám from Persian to English in the 19th Century. He was an interesting man, dabbling in various pursuits as took his fancy on account of the FitzGerald family being one of the richest in the country.
The grand family mausoleum is in the churchyard, and next to it is Edward’s grave with a rose bush instead of a headstone. The rose bush was apparently grown from a cutting taken from a rose at Omar Khayyam’s grave.
Fun fact: Edward was partially vegetarian – he only ate meat when out at friends’ houses.
The residents at Boulge Hall before the FitzGeralds were Colonel and Mrs Short. They had a fiery relationship: at one point, the Colonel would only talk to his dog and his wife to her cat (it was not recorded whether the dog and cat conversed).
Mrs Short eventually attempted to burn the house down and had a cottage built in the grounds so she could avoid her husband.
After her death in 1831, she returned to haunt the estate and can be seen on moonlit nights being driven in a ghostly carriage pulled by two headless horses.
Thus entertained, we made our way back to Hasketon via more fields and paths, another successful Wednesday walk.
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References:
http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/boulge.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_FitzGerald_(poet)
https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21500726.weird-suffolk-queen-hell-boulge/