Splitting Hares

Once upon a time there was a married couple called S and A who went to Kernow on their holiday.  Whilst in Tintagel, they decided to get a gift for their dotty friend's upcoming birthday. Alas and alack dear reader this is where their strife began for they could not mutually agree on what they wanted to purchase and neither [both being of a stubborn nature] wished to give ground. Instead of locking horns they decided to buy something each which is how I ended up with two beautiful hares.....I had to laugh when they jovially recounted their Cornish tale!

Arilx

Sealed with a kiss

Hello there. Faberoony show in Birmingham, but am flagging so a quick one from me today!

Friend E and I went to a fascinating free talk entitled " The ritual protection of Sussex" a couple of weeks ago. It's just not cricket to repeat the content here, but one question the speaker posed is why do we sign off with xxx meaning kisses and when did all this begin. I suppose for me it's a learnt behaviour and apparently we all have slightly different rules for how we use them. For me they represent love and I will only use them for those who are dear to me. However, these days with the increasing use of technology based communication, it seems they are sprinkled about far more liberally. I get sent kisses from people I don't know quite often [not a problem] and they seem now to be used to indicate friendliness of intention in the communication aswell as representing emotion.

What we do know is that the naturalist Gilbert White is the first documented person to use xxx in its modern understood form in 1763. How it started is not so clear. X was used to "sign" official documents for those who couldn't write, but it's also the first Greek letter in Christ's name. Medieval letters were actually sealed with an X....so really sealed with a kiss and perhaps this became a way of sending a Christian blessing to the recipient. Maybe this has evolved over time into the secularised version we use today. We shall probably never know for sure.

Arilx

Two faced

If you see one of these poppy heads [this one is in Winchester] it's worth checking the other side....you might just get two for the price of one!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend. No scope for any shenanigans for us as we're away working. Ho hum!

Arilx

The alternative tourist's guide to Winchester.

I could show you photos of the traditional views of Winchester....the Alfred statue, the cathedral, the Guildhall...but you know me...not on here. This is what you get if you type "hidden, gems, obscure, unusual" into Google.

This collection of empty ancient stone coffins came to light during an archaeological dig in the 1980s. It is the site of Nunnaminster which was set up by Ealhswith, wife of Alfred the Great, in 903. After the Norman Conquest, it became the abbey of St Mary and St Edburga and continued until the dissolution in 1539. There are traces remaining of the different periods the building went through and boards which give more details. It sits slightly at odds with the modern brick buildings which tower above it.

If you like a freebie this English Heritage ruin is rather good. Situated five minutes from the cathedral it's described as a castle, but is actually the remains of Wolvesey Bishop's Palace. It's first incarnation was in the 10th century, but it underwent several renovations over time. Eventually it was abandoned to the elements in 1684 in favour of a swankier model.

In its prime it was one of the most important medieval buildings in the country and the bishops owned land over a huge geographical area. Its most famous resident was Henry de Blois, brother of King Stephen. Keen to be on the winning side, he wasn't adverse to a spot of turncoating and upon his brother's capture in 114,1 he swapped to support Empress Matilda with the intention of consecrating her as Queen. Disliking her attitude soon saw him scuttling back to his brother with his tail between his legs. Before long he was involved in the Winchester siege during which Matilda was trapped within the city and then defeated. It seems doubtful that any of this did his reputation any good and that the fortified remains of his former home speak volumes about how he feared for his personal safety. To be honest I've visited other sites which I've paid for and had less to see so this is definitely worth a visit.

Should you fancy a five minute breather away from the crowds might I be so bold as to suggest you pop into the Dean Garnier garden which is tucked away behind a door in one of the walls in the cathedral close. It stands on the site of the former Priory of St Swithun and was planned as a place of tranquillity. It's up a flight of stone steps so you get a rather lovely view of the cathedral roof line.

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of some of the less well known corners of the city. Fingers crossed that I can do the magnificent cathedral justice next time I post.

Arilx

Beware Chalk Pit

Farley Mount is the highest point in Hampshire. Now I would have sworn that it was within walking distance of my student digs as I have definitely been there. However, the old memory is a little faulty after 30+ years and that particular hill was St Catherine's which I've also climbed. I'm intrigued how I got there now...maybe flying carpet. Somebody must have had a set of wheels as it's a few miles out. What I did recall accurately was the folly on the top and some vague recollection of it being linked to a horse in some way.

There is an equine connection for there's a horse called "Beware Chalk Pit" buried beneath the building. It was owned by the 3rd Earl of Bolingbroke. Whilst out foxhunting in 1733 it leapt into a chalk pit with its owner on its back and thankfully lived to tell the tale. A year later it rode to victory in the Hunter's Plate in Worthy Downs. Such was his delight the Earl had this memorial built as a permanent reminder.

We popped in on our way home and just managed to flit in and out between the showers..

Arilx

Not feeling the blues.

Hand on heart I haven't seen buskers which have entertained me so much since this chap in London a couple of years ago http://gnatbottomedtowers.blogspot.com/search?q=busker. This lot are called the Dead Beats and are just fantastic. Good blues and funny!

They were played to a big crowd outside the Buttercross in Winchester on Saturday. We did film a bit of them, but I have no idea how to import that type of footage so I've put up a Youtube clip to amuse you!

Arilx

A Devil to Photograph

Hello I thought you might enjoy these two rather splendid blue devils I discovered lurking on one of the panels in the Lady chapel in Winchester Cathedral. Judging by certain details I am assuming it's Mr and Mrs Devil! I can't tell you just how excited I was to find this hidden away...it was all I could do to walk at a measured pace to go and tell Mr GBT and ask him if he could take a photo for me [it was too challenging for my little camera]. The temptation to gallop the length of the nave was all consuming, but I did remind myself that I was in church and such behaviour might be frowned upon [especially from a 53 year old woman who should know better!].

The original painting dates from 1500 and was done in oils on the stone walls behind the wooden panels upon which these copies from 1937 are painted. The earliest pictures of the devil were done in blue. There seems to be various theories as to why this is, but one suggestion is that the originally the devil was shown as a blue angel [Lucifer] before his fall from grace and his becoming Satan. The colour implied cold and being the furthest away from the warmth of God. As Christianity became more popular and polarisation between good and evil more extreme artists began to incorporate different features until he evolved into the red cloven footed and horned figure we know today.

Arilx