I had just visited the rather splendid church of All Saints, Scottow. This is set on a fine old estate village that cuts into the edge of the vast airbase of RAF Coltishall. Rather than head back out to the main road, I followed the farm track, and eventually came out in the base housing.

It always depresses me that base houses are built out of light brick; RAF Wattisham in Suffolk is the same. You end up with a scruffy housing estate that might as well be in the dreary suburbs of Peterborough or Cambridge rather than anything properly East Anglian. I guess the MOD has a national contract with brick producers in Bedfordshire. Oh well.

Near the shops was a large sign saying ARMED GUARDS ARE ON PATROL IN THIS AREA, and behind it was the church. For a wild moment I fantasised that the churchwardens had read the entry for Lingwood on my site, and were preparing for any eventuality. It immediately leapt to second place in my 'favourite signs I have seen in the grounds of churches' chart, tucking in neatly behind NO SHOPPING TROLLEYS BEYOND THIS POINT at Cavendish Community Church in Felixstowe.

St Edward the Confessor is a fairly standard 1970s two cell building, with offices taking up half of what would be the nave. Again, pretty much like the one at Wattisham. It actually has the status of a chaplaincy, and is used by Catholics on a Saturday evening and Anglicans on a Sunday; so there are no churchwardens watching out for me. Pity. Peeking through the window, I could see a lot of glitter and light wood. Probably quite nice, but hardly worth looking for a key.

I headed on out of the base, passing a sign facing the other way saying ALL VISITORS MUST PRESENT THEMSELVES AT THE GUARD HOUSE TO OBTAIN A PASS. Oops.

Simon Knott, April 2005