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.

Colditz

 Colditz, a beautiful town in Saxony was a stop off point on the drive to Dresden on our 2018 road trip. Following a visit to the famous castle which stands above the town it was nice to relax and explore a little before setting off.

In the main square there was a fabulous bakery and café where we bought some delicious cakes and then we ate them sat by the fountain. It was just as well that we did because on the next stage of our trip which should have taken about an hour, allowing us plenty of time to find our hotel, explore Dresden and find a nice restaurant, actually took us almost 7 hours. There was a terrific storm but this unfortunately caused a landslide which blocked the motorway leaving us stuck for 6 hours. This was certainly an unexpected adventure and by the time we reached our hotel in Dresden everything was closed and we went to bed hungry but grateful for the delicious cake we had eaten earlier in the day.

Chirk; Inside and Out

 Two more shots of Chirk Castle, one from the formal gardens and the second from inside the castle courtyard.

The snow continued to fall while I was taking these shots but I was not deterred. I think this castle looks good in all weathers and the heavy sky and snowfall just add to the atmosphere.

A Fairytale Castle

I have memories of visiting this magnificent chateau at Pierrefonds from my first visit to France as an 8 year old when I stayed with my penfriend and his family.

It really is a wonderful place and a great setting for a wedding party.

It is also one of the locations used in filming the TV series Merlin

Medieval Masterpiece

There is a certain fairytale quality about the Chateau de Haut Koenigsbourg in Alsace. Perched high on a rocky hilltop it was apparently the inspiration for the design on the Citadel at Minas Tirith in Peter Jackson's Lord of The Rings Trilogy.

It is a marvelous castle, with turrets and walkways in the walls, spiral staircases, a deep will and beautiful tiled roofs as well as some amazing decorative murals and painted ceilings.

Medieval Rooftops

These three views show the rooftops of the old city of Prague. This is a beautiful city with lots of old buildings and the rooftops give a sense of the character of the place.

In the second shot you can see the modern business district on the horizon.

Magical, Mythical, Medieval

Here we are back in Lud's Church and I really hope you enjoy these shots s much as I do. Of course for me the pictures also have some associated memories which add something on a personal note. For example the first picture shows a money tree at the entrance to one section of the cleft. My daughter and I hammered a couple of pennies into the dead wood and as we did so I recalled another time when I had done the same thing on another woodland walk. It may just be me but I think the end of the trunk looks like a head facing downwards with the chin on the ground, what do you think?

You can see from these pictures how narrow the passageway was in places, he fourth and fifth pictures show a really narrow gap and it was only just possible to pass through this part although this wasn't the only way through.  I did take some pictures of my daughter squeezing through but they won't find their way onto my blog...

Looking for The Green Knight

The pictures for today's post are of Lud's Church in Staffordshire.

Having walked along the Roaches and across a very boggy area of moorland my daughter and I followed a woodland path through an area known as the Black Forest above the village of Gradbach. We were looking for Lud's Church but almost walked past as the path we were on passes the entrance but it would have been easy to miss as it was a cleft in the rock.

Although from today's selection it may appear quite small it is actually an immense cleft up to 15 metres high in places, and over 100 metres long but just a couple of metres wide (even less in places) which was caused by a landslip.

There are many legends associated with this wonderful place, it is said that Robin Hood had used it and the Lollards (followers of John Wycliffe) who were considered heretics used this as a place of worship in the 15th Century and that is where the name originates from.

The title of this blog post however relates to stories that it was this church that was the model for the "Green Chapel" in the medieval poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight".

I had seen Lud's Church featured in a TV show and determined that I would have to visit. It took some effort getting there but I have to say that it was well worth it as I am sure you will agree.