Medieval Exterior

 So following on from yesterday's post which focused on some of the interior detail today I have shared a selection of exterior shots from Raby Castle.

As you can see from these images the castle is a magnificent structure in a beautiful setting.

The low crenelated outer wall would originally been significantly higher as it formed the main outer defence along with the moat. However it has been largely removed along this elevation as the defensive structure is no longer needed and it provides an effective boundary to the main castle. By removing the wall it has allowed the inhabitants of the castle to gain exceptional views across the parkland and allows visitors to the grounds an opportunity to enjoy the fine medieval architecture.

Interior Details

 I recently visited Raby Castle with my mum, which was really nice. It is a wonderful medieval castle with a fascinating history. It was built in the 14th century (although the original battlements date back to the 11th Century), it was the scene of the plotting of the Rising in the North and a parliamentary stronghold during the Civil War. 

The castle was originally built by the Neville family however in 1569 it was forfeited to the Crown following the failure of the Rising in the North and since 1569 the castle has been owned by the Vane family the current owner being the 12th Lord Barnard.

While I am not great fan of the aristocracy it is nice to see such historic building preserved as they provide a fascinating insight to the past.

I have included a few shots from the interior of the castle.

Lighthouse

 So not just one, but two different lighthouses and two what I initially thought were lighthouses or beacons but on closer inspection may be lookout posts. 

The harbour walls at Whitby, when seen from above resemble a whales' jawbones in reference to the towns long history as a whaling port. As well as their aesthetic appeal the walls play a crucial role in protecting the port itself from the ravages of the North Sea.

On each wall there is a stone built lighthouse the one on the north side of the harbour is taller that the one on the south side, and at the end of each pier/walkway there is a raised tower with a small cabin on top which offer views out to sea.

You can see from these images that the sky over the sea was threatening bad weather however for the duration of my visit (apart for one brief shower) the rain was kept at bay by a strong onshore breeze.

Christmas at the Dock

 Here's hoping that everyone has had a good Christmas and is looking forward to a happy and successful 2023.

These shots are along the colonnades at Liverpool's Albert Dock (once home to Granada TV studio and the famous floating weather map). Tate Liverpool is also here now along with the Maritime Museum, shops, cafes and bars. Usually it is very busy along here but on a frozen morning, midweek in December there were few people around and it had quite a calm atmosphere.

Kings Dock, Port of Liverpool

 There is a nice contrast in these images of the historic architecture of the Albert Dock Warehouses (now the Merseyside Maritime Museum) and the modern architecture of the newer developments on the Strand showing how investment in Liverpool over recent years has helped improve the city centre and make it an attractive place to live, work or visit.

Even on a cold day this is a popular place for families to visit and explore Liverpool's rich history, to reflect on the positives and negatives and also to enjoy the sights and sounds of the waterfront.

In an Orderly Fashion

 

So this follows on from yesterdays post (if you haven't seen it please take a look).

I really love the orderliness of the workshop, with all the tools neatly stored in their proper places.

I think the setting really suits black and white images, which is how they were shot. It adds to the sense of age or history. But when I edited the first image in colour I was really struck by the richness and warmth of the wood and that is possibly my favourite image for today.

I love the detail in the cabinets, the marquetry patterns are simple but beautiful, and all that just to store chisels. Marquetry is something I have done in the past (and will do more when I retire) and I know that even for a simple pattern like this it will have taken time and skill and it shows that the craftsman has taken care not just over his tools but how they are displayed.

Many years ago I had a holiday on the Norfolk Broads and I went into a photo studio in Stalham where I bought a black and white print of tools silhouetted against a window. I really liked the picture and I had that in mind when I took these images. Although that was a good image I am going to say I like mine best...

Rustic Charm Renewed

This wonderful staircase is part of the hamlet in Marie Antoinette's domain at Versailles. A little hamlet created to give the Queen a taste of rural life without actually having to get close to poor people. It is quite beautiful but at the same time it is an obscene folly.

The last time that I had visited I photographed this staircase and it was quite fragile and close to collapse. So it was nice to see that it has been restored to its original condition.

At The Abbey

Canon 24mm - 105mm f/1:4 L

ISO  100   28mm   f/11   1/250 sec

ISO 100   24mm  f/11   1/250 sec

A few weeks ago I went over to see my mum and other family members and we visited Easby Abbey in Richmond. It was a really lovely day and as always I had my camera handy to capture a record of the day.

The Stump

So today I was back in Boston, just for the day visiting family and showing new family members some of my old stomping ground. It is a long way to go for a day but we enjoyed a whistle stop tour, even taking time to lock up my daughter in the cells  in the 14th Century Guildhall where the Pilgrim Fathers were held in September 1607. 

We also visited St Botolph's Church which has the tallest tower of any parish church in the UK and it is ironically named the Boston Stump.

It really is beautiful inside as you can see from the first shot. I really like the second image though because of the way the late afternoon sunlight catches the ancient stonework.

Both of these pictures were taken using my mobile phone.

Memories

I have been reminded today about the importance of memory and how the memories we have can be real treasures that enrich our lives. The things that happen and the things we do throughout our lives can shape us and help to define us and so it is important to hold on to important memories as far as we can.

Sometimes events or moments from our past might seem lost but they can actually be buried deep just waiting for a little prompt to bring them to the surface.

Today's pictures are just that. prompt for me. As a child I read a book called The Children of The New Forest by Captain F Maryatt. The book was first published in 1847 and the copy that I read as a child had been a book prize awarded to my mum in school some time in the 1950's. I loved the story of children growing up in the New Forest in the midst of the English Civil War, learning to become independent while their father was away fighting for the King. It ignited an interest in English History and it also touched something in me because I was lucky enough to live close to the forest and visited it regularly so I felt a connection with the children in the story.

I haven't thought about the book for a long time until this evening when I was selecting these images. While these shots were taken at Dunham Massey and not the New Forest they sparked a memory of the book and I can picture the children living in a cottage something like this deep in the forest with deer regularly visiting the garden. How idyllic!

In The Engine Sheds

I am not an engineer by any means but for me there is something magical about a workshop, the grease, the sounds and smells and the cheerful banter of the mechanics/engineers and hopefully today and over the coming days I will be able to convey some of these sensations in the pictures that I share.

After my day in Whitby I went next to Grosmont in the North York Moors, specifically the engine sheds and home of the North York Moors Railway. Here there were numerous engines in different states of repair and people hard at work on what seems to me to be as much a labour of love restoring giant locomotives from times past and preparing them for use on the railway between Whitby and Pickering.

I like the first picture of the engineer concentrating on his work, completely focused and seemingly oblivious to the noise all around him.

In the second picture an engine is being prepared for the day's running and before long it was building up a head of steam.

Back Street History

Today's shots were taken around the back streets of Versailles. Obviously when people visit the city the main thing they come to see is the fantastic royal palace but the grandeur of the palace spreads out into the surrounding streets as can be seen in the final  picture with its magnificent gold decoration and impressive lion head door knockers. I chose to share this image in colour because the gold would be lost in black and white.

The other pictures however work better in black and white because it gives them a better sense of history and given how old these buildings are I think it needs that. I had thought about a colour exposure for the first image to bring out the glorious wisteria however it was the patterns in the stone work that I wanted to highlight.