The parish church of the nearby village of San Gemignano, although restored, has been closed since the tornado which devastated our part of the world in March 2015.

To one side of the church is another building also no longer in use. It’s the old Vicarage for many years left to the elements but which is still used as a store for wine bottles and agricultural equipment. This mansion has a fine staircase and its rooms with original beams are ample although becoming ever more dilapidated.

The plaque above the entrance door memorialises the tenure of a much loved previous vicar the Rev Adami who was also a local historian.

The vicarage extends along to a separate house, still part of the original structure, which is for sale. In an excellent position, this house gives views on both sides of our valley and has a large garden with a charming well. Unfortunately, it was renovated in a typical 1970-s style which means that all the original beams have been removed and replaced with flat steel-reinforced ceilings and that, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms, there is the most ghastly tiling. No traditional terracotta paving survives on the floors either but rather those horrible garishly polished tiles.

When I descended into the cellar, however, I did find this fine old arch.

The shut-up church itself has four beautifully carved baroque side altars, each with elegant 17th-century canvases of saints, a lovely pulpit restored about ten years ago and a fine organ also recently restored.

It is so sad that this picturesque ensemble of buildings has suffered its lock-down years before we unfortunate humans are experiencing ours. Let us, therefore, hope that these buildings, as well as us humans, will be able to look forwards to a sunnier, more varied, future.