Category: History

Splendid, a Belated Sunday Post

Posted on Posted in Archaeology, England, Exeter, History, PhotographyTagged , , , , , , , 17 Comments

St Stephens was one of several churches built in Exeter after AD 900; it has a distinctive bow and is unusual because it has a crypt. It survived the civil war in the 1640’s untouched, but later in1660 it suffered a fire, and was rebuilt courtesy of the generosity of a Mr George Potter who gave £500, a fortune in those days for its rebuilding. Exeter was a prosperous city, with the church at the heart of the wool and cloth business. A Mrs Back was known to have sold Sassafras tea under the bow to passers-by, how charming that sounds. In the 19th century repairs were carried out, including replacing the pews and the builders discovered remains in the Saxon crypt.

The safety of the west Gallery was debated in the early 20th century, but it was saved from demolition and was later used by the YMCA, when it was packed with worshippers.

Its tower was damaged in1942 but several of the nearby churches were totally destroyed, so once again the church’s congregation grew. In my memory it has been very much a place for the community that has coffee mornings, concerts and art exhibitions. It was in need of restoration and a major fund raising effort was staged – the St Stephens project. More serious war damage than expected was found, and eventually £1.5 million was raised over 9 years. During the rebuild 52 gravestones and an ancient charnel pit were found. The ancient gallery has been recreated and the whole building has become a place of understated beauty. It has survived its 1000 years and is now a valuable legacy for the city.

When I went into town on Saturday it was with Jake’s Sunday Post in mind. Once again I only had my phone camera. I walked down the High Street and something drew me into St Stephens, I hadn’t seen it for a year or two. I’m so glad I stopped, the transformation is staggering, from a pleasant but slightly worn and dim place to one which, I’m sure you will agree, is truly splendid.

 

My bits of history are from an audio visual presentation in the church. If ever you are in Exeter, add it to your list of places to visit, you never know you may time when there is teas and cake, or a lunchtime recital on offer. Pop over to http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/sunday-post-splendid/ for some more splendid offerings and have a lovely week everyone.

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside

Posted on Posted in Art and Design, canon eos 450d, Devon, Exeter, History, Photography, Travel, Weekly Photo ChallengeTagged , , , , , , , , 44 Comments

I’ve been waiting for a reason to post to show you the inside of Exeter Guildhall. In May there was an exhibition about the 1942 blitz and I popped in for the first time in thirty years. It is believed to have been built around the late 12th century, with a new front in the 16th and the interior was restored in the 19th century. In my photo you can see the windows reflected in the chandelier and some of the exhibition stands.

There will be hundreds of different interpretations of inside over at the Daily Post.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/weekly-photo-challenge-inside/

 

Travel Theme: Secret Places

Posted on Posted in canon eos 450d, History, Photography, TravelTagged , , , , , , 47 Comments

Secret, well can a place truly be a secret? Maybe if it is deep in a wilderness but otherwise? So my take on Ailsa’s theme is that I’m keeping where my photo was taken a secret. If anyone knows the answer that would be amazing!

I’ll try to remember to reveal the answer when I post for next weeks travel theme.

Meanwhile there will be some secret places here http://wheresmybackpack.com/2012/06/15/secret-places/

Porchester, Ruins Of An English Castle

Posted on Posted in canon eos 450d, History, Photography, TravelTagged , , , , , , , , , , 20 Comments

Porchester castle is on the complex coast around the edge of Hampshire. Built around the 11th century on a site that earlier housed a Roman fort. I visited with my daughter and we couldn’t help wondering about the lives of the many people who had lived there. It had a definite feel, a loud whispering of voices  in the total silence. Click on an image for a larger view.

Exeter Cathedral

Posted on Posted in canon eos 450d, Exeter, History, Photography, TravelTagged , , , , , , , , 66 Comments

The word cathedra means seat of a Bishop and the building of Exeter’s began in 1112 on ground that had been used by a religious community since the 7th century. These are the organ pipes, the biggest is 11 metres tall.

The Exeter Astronomical Clock dates from the 15th century and always fascinated me as a child. 

With its complicated workings. 

With angels watching over them, a monument to the 2nd Earl and Countess of Devon, from the 14th century.

A section of tapestry on a bench

and another tomb, this one 19th century, the Macdonalds from the isle of Skye.

An 18th century clergyman

Some little details that I like

This stone screen or pulpitum was built between 1317 and 1325

and the view through is of the Quire.

Above the Quire is the organ in a 17th century case

My favourite part of the cathedral has always been the lady Chapel but today I couldn’t take photos because of a service so this one is courtesy of   © Copyright Neil Kennedy and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

A view of the pulpit with the organ in the background

and the detail of the pulpit

Looking high

Some ceiling bosses

The West Front Window

and I saved the best until last, the vault was created as a vision of heaven in the Tierceron style. St Peters has the longest continuous medieval vault in the world, around 96 metres.

So what do you think of Exeter’s glorious cathedral?

I’m adding this photo for http://beeblu.wordpress.com/category/home/ sorry its not very good but you can read a little more about the clock!

The Sunday Post : Culture

Posted on Posted in Devon, Exeter, History, PhotographyTagged , , , , , , , , , 36 Comments

Jake’s Sunday post this week is culture – not as easy as you would think, but here is my offering! Pop on over and join in or see how other people have interpreted it.

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/sunday-post-culture/

My Chambers Dictionary defines culture as :

The result of cultivation; the state of being cultivated; refinement in manners, thought, taste, etc; loosely, the arts; a type of civilisation; the attitudes and values which inform a society; a crop of micro-organisms, eg bacteria, grown in a solid or liquid medium in a laboratory.

I’ll skip the science and instead show you just a little culture from my city.

A touch of Rock to celebrate World Peace Day

Some Cafe culture, at least three choices in Princesshay Square

Some Cultural heritage provided by history re-inactment

Busking Hip-hop

Last but not least one of the High Street sculptures, 6 metres high, stainless steel and I love it but as always with these installations it has been controversial. Engraved on it are some of the Exeter Riddles, from one of the oldest books of Old English poetry, dating back to the tenth century. To add to the mystery the riddles are engraved backwards to be read in the reflections.

Here are two of the riddles.

Some acres of this Middle Earth are handsomely attired with the hardest, sharpest, most bitter of man’s fine belongings:

It is cut, threshed, couched, kilned, mashed, strained, sparged, yeasted, covered, wracked, and carried far to the doors of men.

A quickening delight lies in this treasure, lingers and lasts for men who, from experience, indulge their inclinations and don’t rail against them; and then after death it begins to gab, to gossip, wrecklessly.

Shrewd men must think carefully must think carefully what this creature is.

Any ideas?

I am a strange creature with various voices.

I can bark like a dog, bleat like a goat, honk like a goose, shreek like a hawk, and at time I imitate the ashen eagle, the battle bird’s cry;

the vulture’s croak trips off my tongue and them mew of the seagull as I sit here saucily.

The capital G suggests my name and AE, R, and O assist it so do H and I. I am called what these six characters clearly spell out.

I’ll come back in a couple of days and add the answers!

So Many Beautiful Villages in Devon, Gypsy Goes a Wandering in Spreyton!

Posted on Posted in Craft, Devon, History, Photography, TravelTagged , , , , , , , , 47 Comments

My friend and I agreed to have  craft table at a fund raising dog show last weekend. It was in aid of German Shepherd rescue, a very good cause. The sun shone and the dogs were cute but as we didn’t have very many customers Gypsy went for a village wander to pass sometime.

The main road into the village had some pretty cottages and a tiny school

 

 

The pub looked quite appealing – hum, maybe it’s as well that i didn’t have any money with me!

And then I discovered Spreyton Pottery and Ross, its very friendly owner. His signature style is a blue glaze, from quite pale to a deeper rich shade and sometimes decorated with dragons or the triple hare emblem *. I fell for a lovely bowl that would be the perfect size for salad and very affordable – if I’d had that cash on me! His work seemed familiar and I thought perhaps I had seen him at a craft show, but then I spotted a coffee mug on a shelf, and realised I had one, a present from a friend and one of my favourites.

Ross also offers pottery classes, with tasters for an hour and a half, which allow enough time to have a go at throwing on the wheel, and painting pottery. He also does one day workshops which include lunch at the pub above, the Tom Cobley – I like the sound of that! Alternatively you can book six weeks of evening or day courses so that as well as learning to throw, you can try slip cast, glazing and decorating your creations.

Ross is a talented man, not just a potter, he also built his lovely studio. He was very welcoming, even though I came empty handed! An all round affable guy, one of the things he does are Hen party sessions, including lunch at the pub, I’m sure he would be a good tutor and genial host.

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I strolled on up the village, feeling inspired to try my hand at pottery again . There was hardly anyone around, the odd dog, child and chicken enjoying the peaceful sunshine. I headed for the church, and through the lych gate

and I sprang a pheasant, breaking the silence as I walked down the  lovely original path.

The door was heavy oak and probably as old as the church.

Inside, it was simple but well loved, with the remains of an old stone font and bits of rood screen. The floor was also natural old stone.

The ceiling, just as simple

Leaving the church behind,

I headed back to where I started my wander, and spotted this, which took me back to childhood when I learnt to sew on a treadle sewing machine!

This has turned into a mammoth post but I couldn’t leave anything out because Spreyton is such a pretty village.

* This is the trefoil of hares, they are a symbol of many Dartmoor villages  and have pagan folklore about  Eostre, the goddess of spring and fertility – where we get Easter from! There are also connections with the Silk road that go back eight hundred years.

More information about Spreyton Pottery can be found at http://www.spreytonpottery.co.uk

Kenton, a Lovely Devon Village with Aussie Connections

Posted on Posted in Devon, History, Photography, Travel, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , 49 Comments

An Australian blogging friend Lynne, over at http://2011onthebench.wordpress.com/ spotted that I am from Devon, in the south west of England and asked if I  knew Kenton. Well, it’s one of those places that you drive through to reach the coast and is just six miles from home. Can you believe that apart from one visit to a pub I have never stopped to look around the village? So I promised Lynne I would go and take some photos, because it’s where her ancestors came from.

On the look out for the oldest parts of the village we saw lots of sweet cottages some probably two hundred years old. The church was very special. We had a look for any Sanders graves in the churchyard but couldn’t find any. One of the church ladies working on the flowers thought there could be a Mrs Sanders ‘Up near Castle Gate’ but we found a  post lady and she didn’t know of her.  There has been a place of worship on this spot for 1500 years and the current building is 650 years old. There are some views from inside including the rood screen, a lucky survivor of Cromwell’s armies. Also look out for St Michael with satan under his feet and angels on each side.

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There are some photos taken around the village and on the Earl of Devon’s  Powderham estate. The houses in the background of the deer photo are right across the Exe  estuary, at Exmouth. My friend and I had a really good time wandering around this morning, it would have been even better with some more sun, but never mind. Thank you Lynne and the Sanders family for giving me reason for the trip!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Wonder

Posted on Posted in History, Photography, Turkey, Weekly Photo ChallengeTagged , , , , , 22 Comments

Ephesus in Turkey is a site of many wonders, here are just three photos for the challenge.

A mosaic pavement.

The library of Celsus.

Detail from the library.

Pingback:http://hurtlingtowards60.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/the-weekly-photo-challenge-wonder-better-late-than-never/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Hidden

Posted on Posted in Archaeology, canon eos 450d, History, Turkey, Weekly Photo ChallengeTagged , , , , , , , , , , 16 Comments

Hidden for millenia, parent and child from the palaeolithic age found in a cave in deepest Turkey and now in the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara. They probably have more ‘visitors’ in a day now than they had in their entire lifetime. But is it okay?