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Birthday in Cambridge

Blasdale Home Posted on October 28, 2024 by SteveNovember 11, 2024

28th October 2024

For my birthday, we headed to Cambridge to stay in a campsite near Trumpington. This was a change to tradition, because normally we venture into Suffolk and stay in Southwold. Last year, in the weeks before my birthday, the weather had been terrible, and the campsite eventually cancelled our booking because of flooding, requiring us to stay in a hotel.

We booked the Cambridge campsite for six nights, leaving the site on the Monday when it was closing for the winter. It seemed strange to close at the start of a school half term, we later heard this was because of the early Easter, and the number of days they are licensed to open, which forced them to close for half term. Even so, the campsite was terribly busy.

We arrived on Tuesday and put up the awning. The mild dry weather allowed us to sit outside after dark.  Talking of dark, I wish it was dark, I wish there were less lights around the campsite, and why oh why do caravanners and motorhome owners insist on leaving a light on over their doorway?  Moan over.

Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday

Wednesday – Granchester

We decided to walk into Cambridge, first towards Trumpington, then onto Grantchester, and finally Cambridge and along the River Cam. It was a lovely day. Blue sky and a light wind. We headed into Trumpington and turned left after the Waitrose onto Grantchester Road. Some lovely houses along this street along with a wedding venue. Before crossing the River Cam, we paid a visit to the Wildlife Trust Trumpington Meadows, basically a lovely walk along the Cam to Byron’s Pool, which turned out to be a weir, and then back to Grantchester Road to cross the river Cam.

The walk continued into Grantchester, past the church. Something was happening here, filming for ITV’s Grantchester was in progress The church was surrounded by lights, a nearby house was newly decorated, and covered in Wisteria flowers, in full plastic bloom. We stopped for lunch at the Red Lion, where we could watch the vans and production crew walking up and down the street. After a good lunch, we had an espresso from a popup near to the Cambridge distillery. There was the odd actor and acolyte around here. People running around with boxes of food & laundry. At the coffee stall we bumped into Robson Green. The coffee stall was not meant to be there, his day off? I suspect he’d heard the film production was in town and decided to make a profit. Excellent coffee by the way. He used a distributor before using a tamper

We continued our walk along the Cam, fairly good going with the odd little patch of mud. Despite the warm weather and sun, there were no punts on this stretch of water. There were a few below the locks, punting past the colleges.

A quick tea break at Michaelhouse Café, before setting home on the bus, hence the picture of Dame Mary Archer Way near Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday

Thursday – Nish Kuma

Yet another beautiful day. Have I done something this year to deserve a beautiful day for my birthday?

No big rush to get into Cambridge, lunch was booked for 1.30 at the Millworks. We stopped off at Fatface, and looked around, not buying anything. The we headed to the Millworks where we were booked in for 1.30 Arriving early, we had cocktails at the bar before going to our table which was next to the water mill.  We had an enjoyable three course meal, complete with my 10% discount for being a Cambridge graduate, proved by my having a Cam Card. Afterwards we walked along to Caius Harvey Court where there is a coffee shop in the students rec area, open to the public. Sat outside on the brick steps and watch the squirrels run around.  So peaceful.

The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering around Cambridge, through Kings College, yea we were able to get through the Backs entrance, another useful feature of my degree and hence my Cam Card.

We were booked to see Nish Kumar at the Corn Exchange with Leila Navabi as support. Leila didn’t raise many laughs for us, she was a bit gynecological about her travel to motherhood without having sex with a man.  On the other hand, Nish was excellent and very funny. His hatred of Boris Johnson and the Tory Party knew no bounds.  His rate of talking was so fast! Then when a poor woman in the audience had to leave to go to the loo, he adlibbed at her expense for the duration of the time she was out of the auditorium, so she never missed any of the show.

When Nish had finished his show, the police requested that we did not leave because of an incident outside, so Nish came back on stage to answer questions. As he said, the lengths he went to to get an encore.

Having missed our bus due to the incident delaying our departure, we popped into The Pint Shop for some craft beer before catching the last bus back to the campsite.

Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday

Friday – Kettles Yard

We headed into Cambridge to visit Kettles Yard, and the nearby church of St Peters. St Peters church is very small with a quaint baptismal font, complete with mermen.

We also looked around Kettles Yard, where there was an exhibition of art by Portia Zvavahera. Her art draws on southern African culture and Christian iconography. All I can say, is that it does take up a lot of wall space and wouldn’t suit a small modern house.

We revisited the house where Jim and Helen Ede lived. Their residence there coincided with the first year of my life at Cambridge. R asked how they dust certain objects. An air puffing device was the solution.

R wanted to stop off at a bookshop she’d noticed. There was a British Library Crime Classics book ste in Cambridge in the window. The Bodies in the Bookshop had R in raptures. New & secondhand books. She exited with only five books, saying she could have bought more. A lucky escape for me.

Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday
Cambridge Birthday

Saturday – Saffron Walden

Saturday was earmarked for visiting Saffron Walden. We sat at the front of the upstairs of the bus  We arrived at and headed to the Fry Gallery. They had a special exhibition of local artists from their collection. It was called ‘Great Barfield and Beyond: A working Landscape”.

Olive Cook, in her book about North West Essex Artists, called Great Bardfield a “paradise”. But Edward Bawden and Eric Ravilious, who moved there in 1931, saw it differently. They saw the countryside as a place to work and develop their watercolors.

Later, Bawden brought other artists to Bardfield and nearby villages. These artists also liked the countryside and used their homes as studios. They would take the bus to London to teach part-time at art schools. By the 1970s, when Bawden moved away, many of the other artists had also left.

This exhibition shows the work of many different artists who lived and worked in the area, including Bawden, Ravilious, and others. They all found inspiration in the landscape, buildings, farms, and villages around them.

After our viewing, we walked around the market, and decided to have lunch at the Cross Keys Hotel.  What a disaster,  it was quite busy, but we agreed with a waitress to eat at a small table by the bar.  We ordered a drink directly from the bar, which took a while to turn up. The barman was rather overrun with orders. Then we were ignored by the waitresses for a very long time. R got her attention, by asking for a menu, and we were moved into the main part of restaurant.  We ordered, after a further wait for a waitress to take our order, and then we waited and waited and waited.  Eventually we gave up and left. If only someone had kept us informed as to what was happening. Perhaps warned us in advance about a long wait or even apologised during our frustrating wait. Google maps tells me that we were there for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Ended up getting a bite to eat from Gregs

Sunday – Little Rose

A more successful day on the food-side.  Caught the bus into Cambridge, had a coffee at the Café Nero, a large number of students sitting there working on their laptops. I can’t remember Sundays being like that, they were a day off. After coffee, the Fitzwilliam had opened, so we went inside to see the exhibition on the Paris 1924 Olympics. Fascinating seeing what outfits the women were allowed to wear and the limited array of sports they could participate in. Of course, it featured the Cambridge university participants and medal winners.

We headed ccross the road to the Little Rose restaurant for Sunday lunch. The Little Rose had been a Loch Fyne, but now its name had reverted to the original pub name from my days. This restaurant had exemplary service. Never left waiting to order, never waiting long for food, and at the same time not feeling rushed. A definite change from the previous failed day.

Cambridge Birthday

Monday

Packed up and left for home. Filled up with fuel on the way home. There is bound to be a fuel tax rise at the next budget. It is about time fuel duty is increased, it has been static for years, with even a 5p reduction.

Addenda

1 – Tax has not gone up.

2 – A few weeks before we left for Cambridge, I had to have a puncture repaired on the front drivers-side tyre of the VW. A few days after arriving home, I see there is a screw in the rear drivers-side tyre. Those two punctures and a third puncture in a Polestar tyre earlier make for three punctures this year. I haven’t had any other punctures in the last 10 years.  

Posted in Art, Cambridge | Tagged Birthday, Cafe Nero, Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum, Fry Gallery, Gonville and Caius, Grantchester, Kettles Yard, Little Rose, Pint Shop, Safron Walden | Leave a reply

Gonville and Caius Annual Gathering for Matriculants up to and including 1972

Blasdale Home Posted on September 21, 2024 by SteveFebruary 15, 2025

21st September 2024

A Gonville and Caius Annual Gathering was held for matriculants of 1972 and earlier. The college hosts a reunion dinner every ten years until the 50th anniversary, after which it becomes an annual event.

Having attended all previous gatherings, I’d become accustomed to complimentary accommodation in student rooms and a free dinner. Over time, attendance dwindled, leading to combined year groups at the dinners. This year marked the 50th anniversary, shifting to an annual schedule, but also introducing a substantial charge. This likely explains the low turnout; only twelve members of the 1972 cohort attended, and the overall attendance barely filled half the dining hall.

Accommodation was provided in the Stephen Hawking building. Unfortunately, access to the dinner and back required a walk along Garret Hostel Lane, as the gate to King’s College was locked.

Breakfast at Caius, a full English, was excellent.

Annual Gathering up to and including 1972
Annual Gathering up to and including 1972
Annual Gathering up to and including 1972
Annual Gathering up to and including 1972

Posted in Cambridge | Tagged Gonville and Caius | Leave a reply

Visit to Oxford to Listen to Isabella Tree

Blasdale Home Posted on July 11, 2024 by SteveOctober 3, 2024

11th July 2024

A trip into Oxford for the day. Silly Steve forgot his bus pass and had to pay £2.00 each way from the Bicester P&R to Oxford. It was a lovely hot sunny day, and we spent our time walking around Oxford. First it was the shops, and then down to the Botanic Garden where we had our first glimpse of the sculpture commemorating Philip Pullman’s daemons and Lyra’s and Will’s bench.

Next, we had an early supper at a Japanese restaurant called Edamamé. An exceedingly small restaurant. Today, Thursday was ‘Sushi day’, it was serving ony Sushi. Despite arriving early, the restaurant was almost full. It was efficient; orders taken, the food soon arrived and we were on our way.

We walked along the Cherwell and University parks, visiting ‘The J.R.R Tolkein’ memorial seat before heading to the Natural History Museum to hear Isabella Tree talk to a few select BBOWT members. We were initially entertained with canapes and drinks before the talk started. Isabella Tree had on display signed copies of her latest book, The Book of Wilding: A Practical Guide to Rewilding, Big and Small (Bloomsbury, 2023). The talk introduced the contents in the book, how she and her husband set about rewilding 3,500 acres of terrible farmland at Knepp in West Sussex.

An interesting talk which makes one think about the changes we can make to our gardens and lifestyles. Thankfully her techniques do not require us to become total vegetarians, animals are a prime driver in the rehabilitation of the land. It does though require us to be more selective in the meat we eat. The rewilding has been a success, with many different breeding raptors, and ‘turtle doves’, almost extinct in the UK. Cattle, beavers and pigs manage the land. The pigs and cattle adding some income through the butchery.

After the talk we headed on home.

Oxford Botanic Garden, Phillip Pullman, Tolkein
His Dark Materials
His Dark Materials
Oxford Botanic Garden
J.R.R Tolkien
J.R.R Tolkien
J.R.R Tolkien

Posted in Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire | Tagged BBOWT, J.R.R Tolkein, Oxford, Phillip Pullman | Leave a reply

Electric Vehicles Festival

Blasdale Home Posted on May 28, 2024 by SteveAugust 19, 2024

28th May 2024

On a particularly rainy day, I joined a group of Polestar 2 electric vehicle owners for the Electric Vehicles Festival at Stanford Hall. We met at the M6 service station to capture a photo of our vehicles charging before embarking on a convoy to the event.

However, upon our arrival, we were met with disappointment. The Stanford Hall event had been cancelled due to heavy flooding along the River Avon. Despite the organizer’s attempts to stop people from attending, many had already made the trip. With no mobile phone reception, it was difficult to communicate the cancellation.

Despite the unfortunate circumstances, we decided to make the best of the situation. We lined up for a group photo in front of the flooded Stanford Hall and then headed to the nearby Motor Museum for a tour and lunch. While I returned home, many of the other Polestar owners continued their day exploring the area.

The organizers have rescheduled the Electric Car Festival for September 8th, but unfortunately, I will be unable to attend due to prior commitments.

Electric Car Festival
Electric Car Festival
Electric Car Festival

Posted in Northamptonshire | Tagged Electric Vehicle Show, Polestar | Leave a reply

Outer Hebrides – Sizergh and Tebay

Blasdale Home Posted on May 6, 2024 by SteveJune 21, 2024

6th May 2024

Rosemary and I were off to the Outer Hebrides in the campervan, and were going away for over three weeks.

We set off from home at 9.15, driving up the M40 and across Birmingham. Decided not to go on the M6Toll because the M6 appeared free flowing. That was correct. The journey was stress free to start with, few cars on the road and no trucks as it was a Bank Holiday. After Birmingham, the traffic increased, and driving was still mainly fast, but a little more concentration required. We started off in sunshine, but the further North we went the cloudier it became.

We stopped off at the National Trust house of Sizergh.  We ate our pasties in the outside garden area at the NT reception.   Here we viewed the house. Very castle like and quite austere in parts. The initial feeling was the house was a bit dark, claustrophobic and not nice.  But at the top of the house, we found a lovely medieval-looking dining room with a balcony.

After the house, we walked around the surrounding gardens. These were excellent. Stump garden with the stumps being overgrown with plants.  A lovely rocky hollow with plants and trees. An excellent pond (Mirror Pond) with ducklings and Moorhens. No baby Moorhens yet. For those with more time, there are long walks around the enormous grounds.

We managed the house and garden before the rain set in. Back at the reception area and restaurant we drank a cup of tea, supplemented with a Magnum (me) and a cake (R). Back to Morrison for the last 30-minute drive to Tebay.

Parked at Tebay in the rain. Sat in the van and drunk a couple of beers waiting for the rain to finish. The sun came out a little and we walked up to the service station café. The shop and café were not busy at this time, (after 7.00). I had lasagne, while R had cottage pie. OK, but not something to write home about.  Back at the campsite we read the papers and I wrote up the draft of the blog.

Despite being close to the M6, the campsite is quite quiet from vehicle noise. More noise from the birds and rookery. Quite a few large mobile homes and a few campers set up for the night.  The loo block looked reasonable clean, but fairly basic. Unusually, if you showered, you had to press a button outside the shower to start the water flow. Naturally R, minus glasses, initially pressed the wrong button, so starting the shower in an empty cubicle.

Tomorrow hopefully we will set off quite early and make a few stops on route to Oban.

On one negative side, the exhaust pipe from the diesel heater was broken. It still protrudes from the underside of the van.  I was anticipating using the diesel heater, as we do not have electricity at all the campsites.  It was broken because R thought it was Morrison’s sink wastewater pipe and pulled it down hard. She pulled and broke it, wondering why it was in a different place, and why it was not extending out. Damn will have to get it fixed before Download, can’t have me and Selina getting cold overnight.

[Footnote: Much later, back at home, It turns out the broken pipe was the air intake to the heater. There is another pipe in the centre of the van, out of reach of prying hands, which is the exhaust. So, Selina and I will be comfortably warm, which proved true when we used it later again at Download.]

National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
National Trust  -  Sizergh
Tebay
Tebay

Track

Posted in Cumbria | Tagged Cumbria, Sizergh, Tebay | Leave a reply

Edmund Gonville Society

Blasdale Home Posted on May 2, 2024 by SteveMay 2, 2024

18th April 2024

Our first outing this year in Campervan Morrison was to Cambridge. I am excluding the visit to the local VW car meet which takes place once a month on a Sunday morning at the Akeman Inn.

The reason for visiting Cambridge was for a Saturday lunch appointment at Gonville and Caius for the Edmund Gonville Society Lunch. This does make for some strange packing, taking a suit and smart rags in the van is Not The Done Thing.

We arrived on the Thursday, entering the site as the gates opened for new arrivals. Parked the van, set up the awning, and headed into Cambridge for an appointment with the Caius Archivist, James. Rosemary had acquired a Caius Scratch Fours rowing cup on Ebay, which included the name of the Caian EA Wilson, the explorer who had died with Scott in Antarctica. We wanted to give it to the college.

We arrived at Caius and met James who first showed us the Caius flag which had been take to Antarctica on the Terra Nova expedition by Wilson for use as a sledge pennant. Embroidered by, or at least at her request, his mother. It is displayed in wall mounted oak box on the wall next to the Senior Members dining table. It has always been there in all my years at college, but this was the first time I had seen it.

We next visited the library where the archivist showed us various artefacts, paintings & photos concerning Edward Adrian Wilson, including his obituary in the Caian. R described him as heartbreakingly handsome in a photo taking of him in 1894. James had also found some records of my own time in Cambridge, my matriculation record, my attendance record and my Tripos record (luckily nothing incriminating; he knew my wife was with me).

Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society

Next day, Friday, we visited the Cambridge University Library for an exhibition of crime novels “Murder by the Book”. Many of the books on display were first editions, as they should be, because the library is one of the six UK legal deposit libraries. Rosemary was amazed at the number of crime books on display which she had read, and she coo-ed over the dustcovers, Agatha Christie’s typewriter and the typescript for Curtain. Who wrote the first detective novel? Edgar Allan Poe, you say? No, no, no, go, to the exhibition! It was The Notting Hill Mystery by Charles Felix, published 1862/1863.

Leaving the library, we headed to Harvey Court where now there is a public coffee shop in what was once the JCR. So us two oldies sat there drinking our coffees amongst the young students.

Afterwards, we headed back to Cambridge passing through Kings College (free entry to us, as I flashed my Camcard). We marvelled at the masses of cowslips growing in the wild portion of Kings College.

Stopped off for a beer and lunch at The Pint Shop, famed for serving lots of different Craft Beers. I plumbed for a dark stout, while Rosemary dithered so was presented with five different beers to try. She selected a beer that, she thought, most closed matched Adnams Ghost Ship. Good Scotch eggs.

We then headed on down to the Lensfield road and the Scot Polar Museum.  R was a little disappointed in that there were no paintings by Wilson on display. She was sure the last time we were there, during an alumni event, possible in the last millennium, that these had been on display.  From here went back to the campsite.

Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society

Saturday was the day of the Caius meal. So duly smartly dressed, we headed for the bus, and walked the last distance to college.  We were shown the way through the college by a student from Newcastle. She had been here the previous year.  After registration and a coffee, we went and listened to a talk on AI, AI being the topic we all must hear about.

Before lunch in hall, we had a reception drink. At the meal, R and I were seated on the top table, I was sitting opposite the Master, Pippa. Spent most of the time speaking to someone older than me, who still lives in Cambridge so had walked over from his home near Parkers Piece.

I did eventually speak with Pippa and heard about how they were going to decarbonize with air source heat pumps. Ground source deemed not possible because they don’t have the ground area, and the heat extracted from the boreholes needs to be replaced.  Also heard about the area the other side of Rose Crescent they had purchased. They planned to keep the retail, but convert the upper floors to student accommodation.

The lunch time meal was nice, but nowhere near the standards of the  November Commemoration Feast.

After our meal, we headed over to the Zoology Department where we found some volunteers and avid Naturalists were running various sessions encouraging the public to take an interest in Natural History. There were some weird ideas on display, including wellness surveys based around growing plants from specific seeds, which the project/survey provided. There was a display of amber, picked up on the beaches of Norfolk and Suffolk.

Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society

Sunday, we caught the bus, very crowded, into Cambridge and went for Sunday lunch at the Millworks. Not booked, but they could give us a table at 12, so long as we were out by 1.30.  While were were there it was getting busier all the time. Food was good and we did eat a Sunday lunch, I opted for the Pork Belly, R a spring veg risotto.

Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society
Cambridge - Edmund Gonville Society

Posted in Cambridge | Tagged Cambridge, Cambridge Library, Camping, Gonville and Caius | Leave a reply

Weekend in Norfolk

Blasdale Home Posted on April 13, 2024 by SteveAugust 19, 2024

13th April 2024

We headed to Norfolk for a weekend with my stepmother Anne, Lizzie, and her husband. The weather was excellent, as was the food. Lizzie was going to work at Martham Ferry Day Boat Hire, so she took us both there. She was cleaning and checking the boats as they returned. We had coffee at their new coffee shop and then went for a walk. We headed toward the next boat hire and then inland. Along the way, we passed a farm where seven cats were sitting on the road. In another field, we spotted twenty swans resting in the grass.

When we returned to the boat hire, Lizzie was waiting for us, and we headed back to Norwich in her new Tesla.

The next day, we took a walk around Eaton Park, where the miniature train was taking people on a ride around the park. That evening we left for home. We had charged our Polestar courtsey of the Lizzie’s Telsa charger

Norfolk - Martham
Norfolk - Martham
Norfolk - Martham
Norfolk - Martham
Norfolk - Martham
Norfolk

Posted in Norfolk | Tagged Eaton Park, Martham Ferry, Norfolk, Unthank Road | 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

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

Snowdrops at Swyncombe and Greys Court

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

5th February 2024

We decided on an earlier trip this week. Monday, weatherwise, seemed a better day than Tuesday. This trip was looking for Snowdrops, and I had been given a recommendation to visit St Botolph’s Church, Swyncombe. This came about during a chat with a fellow Kingswood gun club member on Sunday. She had visited St Botolph’s Church on Saturday, and mentioned the Snowdrops were gorgeous. On a Saturday and Sunday, the church volunteers were selling tea and cakes. We visited on Monday, so missed out on the victuals. Amazingly there were several people at the church viewing the Snowdrops. It is a lovely small, Norman church in a remote area of Oxfordshire on the Ridgeway and Chiltern Way footpaths. We looked around and photographed.

National Trust Greys Court

Next, we headed on to the National Trust house of Greys Court, renowned for its Wisteria and Bluebells. Here we had an early lunch, the seemingly standard winter menu of all National Trust house at this time of year. Both Rosemary and I ate the Vegan spiced bean pot, made not vegan by a slab of butter in my case.

We had a walk through the house, which had been in use up to a few years before. It is still maintained in a state such that you could think of living in the premises. You would need quite a lot of money to keep the place warm, lack of double glazing and large drafty rooms.

The gardens are not at their best at this time of year. There will be a visit for the Bluebells and Wisteria later in the year. There were though a couple of patches of Snowdrops, not as expansive as St Botolph’s Church, , Swyncombe. There is a maze, easy to navigate because you can plan your route, no tall hedges to restrict the view. Rosemary and I walked around it, unlike one chap who cheated!

Before we left, we paid another visit to the cafe for coffee and a cake, as well as the mandatory visit to the secondhand book shop.

Swyncombe, St Botolph's Church
Swyncombe, St Botolph's Church
Swyncombe, St Botolph's Church
Swyncombe, St Botolph's Church
Swyncombe, St Botolph's Church
Swyncombe, St Botolph's Church
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court
National Trust - Greys Court

Posted in National Trust, Oxfordshire | Tagged Greys Court, National Trust, Swyncombe | Leave a reply

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