↓
 

Blasdale Home

The web home of Steve and Rosemary

  • Home
  • Picture albums
    • 2020s
      • 2020 Gallery
      • 2021 Gallery
    • 2010s
      • 2010 Gallery
      • 2011 Gallery
      • 2012 Gallery
      • 2013 Gallery
      • 2014 Gallery
      • 2015 Gallery
      • 2016 Gallery
      • 2017 Gallery
      • 2018 Gallery
      • 2019 Gallery
    • 2000s
      • 2000 Gallery
      • 2001 Gallery
      • 2002 Gallery
      • 2003 Gallery
      • 2004 Gallery
      • 2005 Gallery
      • 2006 Gallery
      • 2007 Gallery
      • 2008 Gallery
      • 2009 Gallery
    • 1990s
      • 1992 Gallery
      • 1993 Gallery
      • 1994 Gallery
      • 1995 Gallery
      • 1996 Gallery
      • 1997 Gallery
      • 1998 Gallery
      • 1999 Gallery
    • 1980s
    • 1970s
    • 1960s
  • Tag Cloud
  • Blog
  • Blasdale Genealogy
  • Cambridge
  • Subscribe
Home→Published 2024 → March

Monthly Archives: March 2024

Greatmoor Incinerator

Blasdale Home Posted on March 23, 2024 by SteveAugust 19, 2024

23rd March 2024

Our local incinerator, which we can see across the fields from our home, was doing open days. We had visited before  in I think 2016. It was operational, but not complete, car parks, fencing, internal walls and conference rooms had not been finished. This was our chance to see it working in its completed form.

We met in the carpark, went to the conference room and got dressed in bright protective equipment. We were introduced to recycling; the burning of the rubbish was the last resort. We should be reusing, selling, recycling and finally when all options are gone, sending it to the incinerator to generate power.

We visited the control room where the systems were monitored, and the rubbish was loaded into the furnace. Next was a look into the furnace and then onto the generator. Power was sent to the national grid.

Finally, we stood under the condenser where the steam was turned back into water to be fed into the boiler.

Greatmoor
Greatmoor
Greatmoor
Greatmoor
Greatmoor
Greatmoor
Greatmoor
Greatmoor

Posted in Buckinghamshire, Grendon Underwood | Tagged Greatmoor, Incinerator | Leave a reply

Charlecote Park

Blasdale Home Posted on March 12, 2024 by SteveApril 5, 2024

12th March 2024

Deciding to risk the ominous forecast weather, our destination for this Tuesday was the NT’s Charlecote Park, in Warwickshire. Departing amidst a downpour, the journey along the M40 proved challenging, with waterlogged roads and poor visibility. However, as we neared our destination, the weather forecast showed its accuracy, the rain ceased, and we arrived at the park under cloudy skies, but importantly no rain. Rosemary, ever sceptical, brought her jacket, while Steve opted to leave his in the car—both wagering on the fickle forecast. Boarding the National Trust passenger vehicle to the house, we heeded the driver’s warning of muddy paths. Recent winter rains had left their mark, with the River Avon flooding the grounds, giving the box hedges a wash.

Charlecote Park stands as a testament to centuries of history, its roots extending back to the Tudor era. Built in the 16th century, the original house was constructed by Sir Thomas Lucy, a prominent figure in Warwickshire society. The Lucy family’s influence and wealth were reflected in the grandeur of Charlecote, which evolved over the centuries through various renovations and expansions.

Throughout its history, Charlecote House has played host to various notable figures, including Queen Elizabeth I, who visited the estate during her reign. The house witnessed periods of prosperity and decline, surviving the ravages of time and the challenges of changing fortunes.

Inside the house, our time was well-spent. Engaging with the National Trust volunteers, we learned about the history behind the grand Pietre Dure table in the hall—a masterpiece of intricately veneered stone, a testament to the wealth of its original owner who, in today’s currency, would have paid a staggering £17 million for it. It was bought at auction by the Victorian George Hammond Lucy, who is said to have outbid the king for it.

We also learned a little of the history. One notable episode in Charlecote’s history involves a young William Shakespeare, who, according to local legend, found himself in trouble with Sir Thomas Lucy for poaching deer on the estate. This purported incident is thought to have inspired Shakespeare’s later satirical depiction of Sir Thomas Lucy in his plays as Justice Shallow.

Exploring further, we found the Dining Room undergoing repairs, a casualty of water damage from a leaking roof. Despite this, the highlight remained the serving buffet, albeit a challenge for Rosemary to navigate due to her & its relative heights.

The library, complete with countless books, piqued our interest, yet we couldn’t help but notice the absence of river-facing windows— a curious feature of the Victorian extension. Surely, the original house, with its Capability Brown-designed landscape, must have embraced the riverside view In the 18th century?

Charlecote underwent significant renovations under the ownership of Mary Elizabeth Lucy, Welsh wife of George Hammond Lucy, who worked tirelessly to restore and enhance the estate. The addition of Victorian extensions, including the library and billiard room, added to the house’s architectural splendour while preserving its historic charm. She obviously didn’t like looking at the river or, perhaps, its potential flooding capabilities.

In the Billiard Room, Japanese artefacts caught our attention, rumoured to be earthquake detectors—an intriguing blend of function and ornamentation.

We moved on to the Drawing Room, a space tailored for relaxation.

After the house tour, we indulged in a hearty lunch at the café, where a predominantly vegan menu awaited—a nod, perhaps, to changing dietary preferences, or simplicity for the limited number of visitors in winter.

Strolling through the gardens, we marvelled at the resident deer, stags and does leisurely occupying the estate. A visit to the kitchens, laundry, and brewery offered insights into daily life on the estate in centuries past. We were told the estate was open last Christmas. We made a mental note.

Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park

Posted in National Trust, Warwickshire | Tagged Charlecote House, Charlecote Park, National Trust | Leave a reply

Looking for Foxes 5

Blasdale Home Posted on March 9, 2024 by SteveMarch 9, 2024

9th March 2024

It has been a month since I last shared any updates from the wildlife cameras. I’ve been diligently moving them around the garden, but unfortunately, sightings of foxes have been almost non-existent. However, I’ve come across some remarkable footage of foxes on other YouTube channels. I highly recommend checking out the ‘Nature Live Camera’ hosted by Morten Hilmer on his land in Denmark. There are a couple of clips from the live video feed capturing foxes in action: here and here.

So, what can I report from our own observations?

  • A grey squirrel, though thankfully it doesn’t frequent the bird feeders too often.
  • Rabbits, included this month just to prove their presence in our area.
  • A pair of Moorhens, intriguingly investigating a rabbit hole. Could they possibly be considering nesting there? We typically have a pair of Moorhens that visit and breed around our pond, so I’ll be setting up a camera to monitor the area closely.
  • A male pheasant, a familiar sight as he wanders our field, enjoys the bird feeder, and pays visits to our neighbours.
  • Foxes, with a couple of rare sightings captured. The last sighting revealed a pair of foxes; one can be seen crossing from left to right, and behind a fallen tree, there appears to be the reflection of another animal, presumably another fox.

Here’s hoping for more exciting sightings in the days to come!

Posted in wildlife | Tagged Fox, Grey Squirrel, Moorhen, Pheasant, Rabbit | Leave a reply

The MAD Museum, Stratford-Upon-Avon

Blasdale Home Posted on March 5, 2024 by SteveMarch 10, 2024

5th March 2024

We travelled to Stratford-Upon-Avon, parked in the P&R, and took the bus into the centre. This was our first time to Stratford since 1982. The company I worked for back in those days, Altergo Software, used to hold its Christmas party in the Hilton Hotel there. The hotel is now a Crowne Plaza. We had two Christmas parties there. The first time, Rosemary and I went to see a Shakespeare play. Most of which I missed because I fell asleep. The second time was in 1982. That was the last Altergo Christmas party because in March 1983 they had run out of money, and we were not paid that month. Did they pay for the Christmas party? During both visits we never saw anything of Stratford, other than the brief visit and sleep in the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre.

So, 41+ years later we decided to visit again, and not drive past on our way to somewhere else. What had changed? Well, there was nothing much to compare, only the hotel and the theatre. No idea what had changed in the theatre, I can’t remember much about it. The hotel looked the same, outside and in. It even still had the gas fired, coal effect fire in the foyer. Yes one of the Altergo employees, thought it was a real fire and had used a poker to enhance the blaze. Yes, there was one small change, a glass screen to stop unprovoked poking and no pokers to be seen.

The MAD Museum

Today we started off at the MAD museum, the museum of Mechanical Art and Design. A small museum above the shops, entry is up some stairs.

As the name suggests, the MAD Museum showcases a collection of kinetic art, automata, and robotics from around the world. These exhibits are not just for looking at; they are designed to be interacted with, making the museum a fun and engaging experience for visitors of all ages.

The museum features more than 60 exhibits, including:

  • Rolling ball machines
  • Automata (moving machines)
  • Robots
  • Witty design pieces
  • Mind-blowing intricate moving contraptions

Many of the displays were interactive, so an excellent place to take the children. Unfortunately, there was a large group there when we entered. Thankfully their happy chatter disappeared and they left us in peace. We had even delayed visiting, ensuring we were not going there during the school holidays.

The video below, shows most of the exhibits that were working and on display.

Dirty Duck for lunch

We left the museum after nearly two hours and headed for lunch. Rosemary had elected to visit the Dirty Duck, a famous 18th Century pub, formerly known as the Black Swan and apparently popular with actors. Well, it did have an actor’s bar. We ate lunch there and I sampled a pint of Greene King Ale. The pub was not crowded, the food turned up quickly. It was Ok, but not particularly memorable.

After lunch we walked along the river, listening to the buskers in the background. Paid a quick visit to the hotel to see what had changed in 41+ years. Then it was into town and a look around the shops. Plenty of charity shops and odd curiosity shops. There was a Cat Cafe which took Rosemary’s fancy. It had a cat in the window. Thankfully, it was closed on Tuesdays.

Back at the bus stop we waited for the bus. Not a particularly frequent bus service, so quite a long wait, but R managed to dash into a nearby charity shop to emerge with four books from a series she loves.

Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon

Posted in Art, Sculpture, Warwickshire | Tagged Dirty Duck, MAD, Mechanical Art and Design, Stratford-Upon-Avon | Leave a reply
©2025 - Blasdale Home Privacy Policy
↑