Doors
Cloister Garth
This doorway leads into Hitchin Priory’s Cloister Garth (14th Century) from its west wall and above this is the hall (Late 16th to early 17th Century) that is in the previous post.
St. Mary’s Graffiti
Much to the chagrin of the good citizens of the parish of St Mary’s Church in Hitchin, graffiti has appeared (or I should say more has appeared) on the north door. This is not a modern or ‘new’ phenomenon at all. One should look at the pillars of the door frame on both sides, to see lots and lots of carved graffiti dating back to the 1960s, 1950s, 1930s; even back a hundred years. In churches all around the parishes of Britain, one will find similar graffiti (and going back to 1700 say) Things such as names, love tokens or just dates. The Romans did this too, as did the Egyptians, Greeks, Vikings et al. As the expression goes, ‘There is nothing new under the sun’!
Love hearts Graffiti
Apart from the now ubiquitous and wonderful but decaying ‘Dog Full Of Money’ stickers around town; There now appears some unusual but cute graffiti. Looking very much like ‘Love Hearts’ sweets, they liven up dull, out of the way and unnoticed places such as this doorway usually blocked by Starbucks Coffee Shop’s foul smelling and unsightly rubbish bins to the side of the shop in between Market Place and Churchyard.
BT Telephone Exchange
This door in the BT Telephone Exchange of the corner of Queen Street and Hollow Lane really is a case of over egging the pudding. Red Tape gone mad me thinks. Why on earth would one door require 12 items on it? I think one large sticker with all the do’s and don’ts would suffice and be much simpler and less cluttered.