There and Back

Today was the start of our holiday week in Cornwall with Hayley, Andrew and Izobelle. They invited us to share a week with them based in the Cornish town of Lostwithiel, and we were looking forward to our week away with them. We started our journey on the Friday, and decided to go clockwise around the M25, onto the M3 and then follow the A303 - stopping at Wincanton for the night. Andrew and Hayley were later starting and they went on to Honiton. We made contact on saturday morning and decided to meet on the Cornish coast at lunchtime, at Charlestown, as we could not get into our accommodation in Lostwithiel until 4pm. Located about a mile outside the town of St Austell, Charlestown, is an amazingly pristine, unspoiled example of a late Georgian working port. It was constructed between 1791 and 1801 by Charles Rashleigh, entrepreneur and member of the local landowning family, in response to the growth of the growth of the local mining industry. Originally built to export copper ...

In 1163 the manor house and estate of Markshall were granted to the Markshall family after being confiscated from Hugh de Essex. They descended in the Markshall family until the estate was sold to John Cole, who renovated parts of the house. It was then sold to Edward Deraugh in 1581. In 1605 Robert Honywood purchased Marks Hall from Deraugh's grandson, William, pulled down part of the old timber framed house and built a new brick building in 1609.  The estate then descended in the Honywood family to John Lamotte Honywood who, dying childless in 1694, left it to his cousin Robert. Robert, the MP for Essex, modernised the house and died in 1735. Several generations later it passed to Philip Honywood and then via his cousin, Filmer Honywood, the MP for Kent to Frances Emma, who died unmarried at Marks Hall in 1895.  Thomas Phillips Price (1844-1932), a Welsh landowner, mine owner, and Liberal politician, purchased Marks Hall, then a mansion and deer park, at auction in 18...

Another visit to Anglesey Abbey to see the autumn colours. This entry is an addition to my previous visit to Anglesey Abbey which took place September 2015. Because of this I have not duplicated many images, so both need to be seen to get the full picture! This year the garden was far more colourful than when we visited in September 2015, as you can see by our walk toward the winter garden.  Yes, I did stroke the tree again! Opted for a skyward view this time Also a slightly different view of the Cyclamen. I must say that the display appeared more widespread than it was on our last visit.  We went inside the Mill this time, and this was the view overlooking the Lode, or waterway (in Middle English). Very green, like many of our waterways this year.  As I said, very green! Difficult to believe it is water. On the pathway by the waterway was this Hornets nest. Well marked and very busy.  T...

When I saw this advertised on Facebook, I was immediately taken by the idea - and so was Rosey. As it required 4 persons we asked our friends, Andrew and Deb. So, on the 6th October we arrived at Minsmere in chilly damp conditions for our safari! The resulting pictures are not brilliant as weather and distance were against us. Our guide/driver had a 600 mm lens which was probably a better option. Never mind- here are mine for the day. Some of the hinds on the move when we approached. No stag here. Two of the stags that we encountered. The stag bellows for attention A young stag- not competing yet! Pictures not brilliant, but an enjoyable day and one I am glad we experienced.  Index of posts

Moving on next morning, we made our way to Titchwell Nature Reserve, stopping at this unique church on the way in the village of Burnham Deepdale. Three things make this church stand out, and they are its Saxon round tower, its Norman Font, and its collection of medieval glass. There are two stunning windows in the porch, one on either side of the passage. The two windows are known as the Sun Window and the Moon Window for the small figures that appear in the top light of each. These windows may have been made to flank a Crucifixion scene. The moon figure is quite obviously a lunar body, while the sun is represented by a cherubic youth with curly golden hair. Mixed among the glass fragments is an inscription reading 'Death is thy sting'. Inside the church are more beautiful medieval windows. In the north aisle is a stunning window decorated with richly coloured glass fragments.  Unfortunately, my images do not do the windows` colours justice. I needed ...