Alison Ray (Member no: 2214)

The Rollright Stones

I relish any chance I get to roam the Oxfordshire Way in search of stone circles and church towers

"As she looked at the map and marked where she had been with little bleeding footsteps of red ink, she was enchanted afresh by the names and the bridle-paths, and, forgetting the blistered heel and the dissatisfaction of that day's walk, planned a new walk for the morrow." - Sylvia Townsend Warner, Lolly Willows (1926)

Although I grew up in major US cities, I spent a large part of my childhood in the west of Ireland, where ancient stones and medieval ruins are woven into dramatic coastlines. After a decent stretch in various concrete jungles, I found myself living in Canterbury and quickly fell under the magic of old pilgrim trails, saintly legends and local folklore.

This burgeoning love to church crawl and stone club was interrupted by Covid lockdown and the loss of loved ones in a short space of time, leaving me drowning in grief. I found great solace in escaping to the west again with dear friends to explore beehive huts and holy wells (and 99 ice creams!).

Once I found my feet again, I moved to Oxford and was shocked to find myself so close to the Cotswolds. Buying up every map, Pevsner and guidebook I can find, I relish any chance I get to roam the Oxfordshire Way in search of stone circles and church towers. These beautiful spots inspire my amateur film photography, and I recently rambled 15km with my 1950s Yashica A medium format camera and a picnic to reach the Rollright Stones, my muses for the day.

Like one of Philip Larkin's ruin-bibbers, I want my pictures to reflect the meaning and history of these sites, and experimenting with colour negative film like this Lomochrome Turquoise helps me to appreciate the mysteries of the King's Men and Whispering Knights. I don't know where my trail will lead to next, but I feel as if a part of me is now tied to this incredible landscape with them.