Mitchell Fold

 Legend has it that in times of famine a magic cow could supply constant milk to those in need. That was until one day an evil witch milked her using a sieve and upon realising this the said bovine disappeared. By way of punishment the witch was petrified for evermore and a circle of stones built around her so that she may never escape...and that's apparently now why we find Mitchell's Fold high up in the Shropshire hills. 

It's remote and quiet up there and my idea of absolute heaven. The absolute icing on the cake for me was being able to finally do what my new bag says and take it to a stone circle and lurk😀

Am currently thoroughly enjoying the Olympics and trying to watch as much as I can decently get away with! Speak soon.

Arilx

Sun, Moon and Stars

I've been having fun with my fabric paints creating these small pictures of a medieval style sun and moon. They look a bit rougher round the edges than they do for real, but they are based on similar stained glass examples I've seen on my travels. These two will be backed and lightly stuffed and then they can live on my altar when we reach the Autumn Equinox. I'm quite pleased with how they've turned out as I was also trying out some ideas for a design for my new dancing mask. After 11 years of faithful service my original one is now cracked and is rapidly giving up the ghost. I'm not relishing having to do another one, but this time I know that I can do it [last time someone else painted for it]. so I shall aim for something similar only without the faces. 

Have a fabulous weekend.

Arilx

 

Stokesay Castle

From time to time I've enjoyed photos of a place which has a timber framed building perched up on top of a high stone one [see first photo for what I'm trying to describe]. I've been admiring these images for years, but never knew what it was called or where it was located. Thankfully that all changed for me earlier this year when I finally discovered it was Stokesay Castle and it was in Shropshire. I noted it in my diary to remind me to see how far it was from our holiday cottage. A mere seven miles.....first day's shenanigans sorted then!

The Domesday book records there being a manor here up near the Welsh borders, but it's an incredibly wealthy woolmerchant, Laurence of Ludlow, who first steps into the records as the first named buyer of it in 1281. He invested a great deal of money improving and building exactly what he wanted. His standing in society is shown by Edward I's granting him permission in 1291 to crenellate his house and thus giving the impression that it had always been a bona fide castle. Actually the cruel truth would have been that had it needed to have been defended it would have fallen very easily. Fortunately time and its enemies have been kind to it...little actual structural damage has been caused so we are lucky to be able to view many of the original details which have been lost elsewhere. Sadly Laurence didn't live long to enjoy his home as he drowned in 1294. It remained in his family until the line died out in 1498 when it passed to the Vernon family through the female line. As fortunes ebbed and flowed Stokesay was sold on until eventually it ended up in a very sorry condition being let out to a series of tenant farmers. Fortuntately it ended up in the ownership of John Derby Allcroft, a succesful London glove manufacturer, who realised its importance and had it completely restored. Ultimately the family were unable to meet the spiralling costs and came to an agreement with English Heritage that they would maintain it and then take it over completely upon the death of the final occupant, Jewell Magnus-Allcroft when she died in 1992. Righty-ho that's the history lesson over let's get on with the details shall we😀 

This is the incredible 13th century great hall. It has a cruck roof to die for and an extraordinary flight of stairs which are contemporary and made from whole tree trunks. I don't think that I've ever climbed wooden ones [plenty of stone ones yes] of such an age. There are lots of rooms off the upper floor in which there were masses of barn swallows [please correct me if the id is wrong swooping in through the unglazed windows. PS. Probably a housemartin.

The slightly later tower [still trying to convince everyone it's a castle] and within the solar block an exceptional 17th century overmantle. There are still a few traces of colour left on it, but I've included a drawing of what it would have looked like back in the day. Quite lairy when seen next to the current fashion for the fifty shades of grey interior decor many are favouring right now [each to their own].

The saffron coloured timber building is a later addition put in by the first Lord Craven, William, son of Dame Elizabeth Craven. It's covered in a magical mix of carvings, but I am being restrained and only showing you a single example. 

Although the weather was grey and damp, the borders still looked so pretty. I have completely fallen for this pale blue geranium and I am hoping we can add it to our back garden next year once I've tracked it down.

 Sometimes I find carting round those devices which give you an ongoing commentary a bit irksome, but here it was wonderful and really added to my understanding of what I was seeing and experiencing.

Arilx

It's summer again.

This year's summer has been playing rather hard to get I feel. Every time it puts in an appearance and I reach for my seasonally appropriate clothes off it pops and we're back to hide and seek again. Without wishing to tempt fate it would appear that it has raised its head above the parapet again....well at least for the next few days so best enjoy it whilst it lasts. I saw this sundial with its rather unsure looking sun when we stopped off for a quick coffee in Lechlade on out return journey home on Monday. It was cold and raining at the time☔🌧😁 

Have a splendid weekend.

Arilx

Back to the town of painted doors and alleycats

 💕Ah Tewkesbury💕

Do you know what...I flipping love this town with all its curios and layers of history. It is entirely down to Mythago and our annual trip to dance at the Medieval Festival that I've been here, but every time it has something new to offer. The weekend was amazing and with a change to our schedules we found we all had more time to explore and see different things. Personally I enjoy the quiet slot on the Friday afternoon when the others are busy putting up their tents [we always stay in a hotel] and then again on the Monday morning before we head back for home. Please do feel free to come and join us. The artwork I've shown are more pieces from the Project Alleycat which I featured here and more have been added as funding targets have been reached.https://gnatbottomedtowers.blogspot.com/search?q=alleycat

It truly is a place where it pays to keep your eyes peeled and please do go up some of those alleys....they are filled with treasures you will miss otherwise.

Arilx

Peace and Love

 Peace and love...two things the world needs more than ever. I saw the painted house when I was away recently and came across these two beautiful windows in a very local church which I have been to before, but somehow they had escaped my notice.

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. We are away dancing once again.

Arilx

No Bull

 My parents sent me one of their holiday snaps this week....unlike other people who receive such things mine was of the sign for 'Squeezeguts Alley' [it's very narrow] in Truro because they thought that their daughter might like it. Too right I flipping loved it. In their defence I should say that they took this one to share with me- their usual snaps are of beautiful things they've seen. Friends also keep a look-out for me as they know how much I appreciate it.

This is my latest offering...sometimes I go deliberately hunting, but it's more often a chance encounter. All I was doing was turning the car round before I started work. My brain couldn't quite fathom what my eyes were telling me to start with. It makes a welcome variation to the more normal 'beware of the bull' version I see!

🐐Arilx🐐

Making a trunk call.

 I remembered from my one and only visit to Bishop's Castle how much I enjoyed the place. It's alternative without trying too hard and has lots of independent shops to poke about in. The castle bit dates back to a motte and bailey one from 1085 [or 1087 depending on the source you read] which was upgraded by one of the Bishops of Hereford at some point further down the line to a more substantial affair to keep the Welsh at bay. Its history though stretches back beyond its Medieval roots as it's sited on the Kerry Ridgeway, a Bronze Age route. The settlement grew up around a junction of old drovers's roads which must have brought a great variety of travellers to stay and at times it's been partly in Wales. One of its claims to fame is that it has the oldest brewery [The Three Tuns established in 1642] and maybe one it's no longer so proud to claim is that Robert Clive [Clive of India] represented the town when it was a rotten borough. Part of Clive's coat of arms is an Indian elephant and this theme is now celebrated in the fairly new March of the Elephants trail. It should be noted that the scheme is a celebration of all things pachyderm not the man. Aside from the connection to Clive we weren't aware of this at the time and were simply enjoying the elephant related artwork as we wandered about. More by luck than design we did actually see a fair few of them🐘

This elephant is on the outside of the Six Bells pub and is by Nancy Farrington. We did patronise this establishment, but weirdly for gelato which they sell alongside beer on the premises!

Entwined elephants is by Chris Groombridge.

Marching elephants by Bamber Hawes

Another one by Bamber Hawes.

This final one is by Grace Jandrell and is on the Elephant Gate. It's in memory of the stable which once stood here and housed a live elephant during WWII!

With a son, who in his younger years, had a much loved and treasured collection of elephants which saw him through many upsets I remain incredibly fond of them.

Arilx

Far up above our heads....

 ...lurked this fellow in the CCT church of St Mary's in Shrewsbury. The volunteer very kindly shone her torch upon this fellow high up and barely visible to the naked eye. Mr GBT is a dab hand with a long lens and we were able to show the lady the detail of him as she'd never seen a close-up shot before. I mentioned in passing that this is the first greenman I've seen in what seems like rather a long time. She too shares my passion and used to lead spiritual tours round the non Christian sacred sites in the country. It's always good to find a kindred spirit❤

Have a great weekend folks. 

Arilx