Monday, March 15, 2010

St. Mary's Putney

I only noticed today the writing on the sun dial on St. Mary's Church, Putney.

A very appropriate message for those living by the tidal Thames!

5 comments:

Baydog said...

No doubt that inscription was there first, but I originally heard that phrase mentioned on "The Honeymooners" television series from the '50s with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney, who was a sewer worker!

Carol Anne said...

I had originally thought the saying Biblical in origin (Ecclesiastes or some such), but a bit of research shows Chaucer first wrote it down. It might, however, have an earlier oral origin.

Carol Anne said...

Oh, and it's in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, which takes place in a pub in Southwark.

O Docker said...

Or was this a subtle reminder that Mary was no man?

JP said...

Cool bit of detective work Carol Anne!

Someday I must read the Canterbury Tales. Not today and probably not tomorrow, but some other day.....