Two Pleasing Things Heard on Radio 4

[steepholm]

Yesterday, in a Glastonbury edition of The Infinite Monkey Cage, Billy Bragg did a call and response with the crowd.

Bragg: Venerable!
Crowd: BEDE!!
Bragg: Venerable!
Crowd: BEDE!!

This was in honour of Bede's supposedly being the first person to notice an association between tidal movements and moon phases, which is - ahem - an exaggeration, but it was still good to hear. Brian Cox was too polite to correct him.

Also, pleasing to Susan Cooper completists: her essay on post-war deprivation, "Snoek Piquante", published in The Age of Austerity (1963), was cited several times in the reading from The British at Table this afternoon - which also had much to say about Raymond Postgate, founder of the Good Food Guide (and, of course, father of Oliver).

I need a third Thing to complete my triad, but will quit while I'm ahead.

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Ah! The Venemous Bead

Splendid chap! :o)

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

I approve of the Venerable Bede chant even if the chanters had their facts wrong.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I like to go and see his tomb when I'm in Durham.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I'd forgotten he was there! I think I was fixated on St Cuthbert when I visited.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I'm a big fan of the Bede End - or the Galilee Chapel as it's officially known. Supposed influences from the Mesquita at Cordoba.