Gardening in 1965 and Stonehenge in 1976

I walked to the bottom of my garden today - the first time since mid-December. With snow and ice and some flooding from the rain it did not entice me out there at all. I made a mental note of all the pruning and weeding and tidying that will need doing in February and March and then decided to cut back the tops of the frost damaged roses. In the cold wet weather the buds just rot and don't look nice at all.

I came indoors and my thoughts drifted back to my very first garden in 1965. When we purchased our first house there was just a lawn and 2 apple trees so we set about producing some colour with flowers. In those days Alan had a passion for Dahlias so he did his bit and I raised seeds and planted around them. I was none too keen on the Dahlias as I do not like Earwigs but they did create a good show with many measuring 12 inches across. They can be seen here slightly faded as the photos have been scanned from transparencies.





Whilst thinking of old photographs I thought I would include these 2 of Stonehenge in 1976. The interesting thing here is that at that time one could just park the car and walk around the site, sitting and touching, picknicking or whatever. Not like today where everything is fenced off and one can only look from a distance as well as paying an entrance fee and driving into an enormous car park. One of the downsides of mass tourism.



My children can be seen here with Jane 'holding up the pillar!'

Avebury, Wiltshire Pt.5

On our way to Avebury we pass this White Horse on Cherhill Down, which as shown in a recent post could be seen in the distance from the village we were staying in. There are 7 of these horses scattered around the Wiltshire Downs. They were restored around 1780 AD but are thought to originate from around the 1100's





The history of this downland area dates back to Neolithic c.4000BC.It was a period of woodland clearance and the first farms (herds and cultivation of fields) began to replace woodland. The Neolithic Age was a time when ground or polished stone weapons and implements prevailed. Later in The Bronze Age c. 2000BC metal tools were introduced.




When the Romans arrived in AD47 the conquered landscape of the Roman period was one of scattered communities centered on hill forts and settlement enclosures farming adjacent land. The Roman military built a network of roads centered on their own bases and the London to Bath Roman road passes through here.

Silbury Hill which we see here is the largest human built mound in Europe. (There are many dotted around these Downs) In sheer volume of material this one rivals the Great Pyramids of Egypt. It is estimated that it would have taken 500 men 15 years to complete. It was begun sometime between 2500 and 2900BC.It is thought to be a burial mound, possibly a monument to some long-dead Neolithic Chieftan.

Lets continue on to Avebury which was designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations. It is the most impressive Neolithic landscape in the country.

We arrive at the village passing this old barn

The whole village is surrounded by these Neolithic stones at the heart of a Prehistoric landscape. Unlike Stonehenge (which is not too far away) one can walk around the whole of this stone circle which surrounds the village.

Also in the centre of the village is Avebury Manor, now owned by The National Trust but occupied and furnished by private lease holders. A much altered house of monastic origin, the present buildings date from the early 16th century with notable Queen Anne alterations and Edwardian renovation. The charming Edwardian garden was completely redesigned in the early 20th century and provided inspiration for Vita Sackville-West, a frequesnt visitor in the 1920's.

The Red Lion Pub on the edge of the village on a Sunday afternoon

Fountains Mill & Fountains Hall,Yorkshire Pt.14

The only 12th century Cisterian Cornmill in Britain and one of only a few surviving in Europe.

I liked this roof

The history of the Hall is shrouded in mystery and many legends have sprung up about it, including it being a hiding place for Catholics during the Civil War, and being haunted by the Blue Lady.

Fountains Hall was built by Sir Stephen Proctor between 1598 and 1604, partly with stone from the Abbey ruins. It was built during the peaceful and prosperous final years of the reign of Elizabeth I. The building style has been attributed to the influence of the Elizabethan architect Robert Smythson, who designed Burton Agnes Hall and Hardwick Hall.

Proctor re-used sandstone blocks and a stone staircase from the abbey, but had fresh limestone cut for the windows and main façade. Still visible today, are Sir Stephen's initials and bade (an otter with a fish in its mouth) carved in stone over the impressive entrance.

In 1604 Proctor played host to the young prince destined to become the ill fated Charles I, during his first royal progress from London to Edinburgh.

After Proctor's death in 1619, the Hall eventually came into the hands of distant relatives, the Messenger family. They were Recusants [Catholics] but outwardly conformed to the Protestant religious settlement: this enabled them to lead quieter lives and may have preserved their finances, but they were still denied much social and all political positions.

The Entrance Hall

I'm having a blogging friend coming to lunch and tea tomorrow. She lives most of the year in a very hot country and spends the Summer in New York. Any guesses? Stay tuned and all will be revealed.

Fountains Abbey,Yorkshire Pt.12

Fountains Abbey is a World Heritage Site and well worth a visit.

In 1132 thirteen monks came to this valley from St. Mary's Abbey in York and set about building Fountains Abbey which included the monastery and abbey church.(It always amazes me the knowledge and skills that people had in those days without any of the technology we have today).

At the time this site was soon to become the richest Cicterian abbey in the UK and it survived the dissolution of the monastries by King Henry VIII. Today we see the passages, stair cases and towers of the largest monastic ruins in the country.The arches are amazing. Come walk round with me and you will be amazed at the layout. So let's walk in the footsteps of the Monks.
The estate includes an Elizabethan mansion, a medieval deer park and one of Englands most spectacular water gardens,Studley Royal. There is also the only surviving 12th century Cicterian corn mill in Britain, and a beautiful church. We actually made 2 visits in order to see it all so it will take several posts to cover.

On the domestic front, they even had their airing cupbords for drying clothes. Apparently a fire was lit behind a very thick stone wall and as the wall heated up, it dried the clothes.

Blenheim Palace - Sir Winston Churchill's Family Home

We visited Blenheim Palace last year when we were staying in Oxford. Previous visits were before the age of digital photography.

There is no way that I can convey to you the size and splendour of this magnificent palace which is the ancestral home and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. If you did not see my recent blog on Winston’s own family home, you might like to view that first.

It is never possible in these stately homes to take photographs so all my photos are of the grounds and gardens. However these first 10 pictures I have scanned from my guide book to try and give you a little taste. They are a little grainy as my book is larger than the scanner surface and it was slipping a little.

The book begins with these words: by Lady Randolph Churchill

“As we passed through the entrance archway and the lovely scenery burst upon me, Randolph said with pardonable pride, “This is the finest view in England”. Looking at the lake, the bridge, the miles of magnificent park studded with old oaks, I found no adequate words to express my admiration and when we reached the huge and stately palace, I confess I felt awed. But my American pride forbade the admission.”

Writing her reminiscences many years later, this is how Lady Randolph Churchill described her first impressions of Blenheim Palace in 1874. Today, Sir John Vanbrugh’s magnificent Baroque architecture and the beautiful landscape and lake of ‘Capability’ Brown inspire a similar feeling of awe in many of the thousands of modern-day visitors to Blenheim.

Designated by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site, the place carries a unique aura of history and achievement. Blenheim was the gift of Queen Anne and a grateful nation to the 1st Duke of Marlborough for his great victory at the battle of Blenheim in 1704.

Everywhere the palace’s design reflects the triumphal mood, from the military details of the trophies on the colonnades to the scale of the heroic Grand Bridge. The dramatic effect harmonises perfectly with ‘Capability’ Brown’s great lake and hanging beech woods beyond. It all looks so effortlessly natural but in fact the scene was artfully and laboriously created between 1764 and 1774. This is the view which Turner painted and which made George III exclaim, “We have nothing to equal this”

So come with me and enjoy!

I would suggest you double click on the scanned photos for detail

The Great Hall

The bed where Sir Winston was born

The Green Drawing Room

The Red Drawing Room

The Saloon with the silver centrepiece f the Duke of Marlborough on Horseback

First State Room

Third State Room

This is all just the tiniest peep into some corners of a few rooms

This in no way captures the fine tapestries and
paintings and ceilings




Now to my pictures

Entrance

Monument in the Chapel to the first Duke and Duchess and their two sons, both of whom died young