Despite being referenced
in one of my favourite G and S comic operas, I had never consciously heard of Zoffany
until a recent Thames Path walk.
See if you can catch the reference...
See if you can catch the reference...
We had started the sector at Richmond and walked downstream,
ultimately ending at Barnes Bridge. This is a lovely section that follows the
Thames past Kew Gardens. The need for food took us off piste around midday, and
while making our way to the famous Maids of Honour tea rooms, we passed St Anne’s
Church on Kew Green. Luckily for us there were a few people around after the
Sunday morning service, the vicar had not yet gone home for lunch and the
church was still open (the rant about locked churches will have to wait for
another day)
We got a brief peak inside and one of the parishioners explained
that the church was sponsored by Queen Anne, so the church had diplomatically
been dedicated to her name saint. (St Ann, apocryphal mother of the Virgin Mary)
The other claim to fame he mentioned was the graveyard being the final resting
place of the famous artist Zoffany. Zoffany who? More research was required.
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