Arundel and Chichester

A rare event for us: a holiday in an area we have never visited before where a genuine sense of exploration and discovery can be had.  We drove down to the Sussex coastal area, calling at Nymans on the way.

Our cottage was a converted coach-house attached to the house of the owner.  This turned out to be a boon because on our first evening there was a lengthy power cut.  The owner was round like a shot with candles, lanterns and a camping stove.  Fortunately it did not come to that as we drove out to a lovely restaurant just out of the area which had power, fortunately.

The next day we began the sight-seeing with Petworth, a National Trust property crammed with Old Master paintings.  The parkland was almost as impressive, with many veteran trees.

But most staggering of all was the life-story of the 3rd Earl of Egremont who not only fathered forty-three children, but maintained fifteen mistresses at Petworth with their various children. He owned land in Sussex, but also around Cockermouth and, of course, Egremont in Cumbria. He was a very busy man as he had a full range of business interests: canals, agricultural innovations, lime-kilns....

Petworth itself is a charmingly quaint place full of nooks and corners.

On our way home we took in the Roman villa at Bignor.  My goodness, the mosaics! 

 

Although some are stained with algae, most are in a wonderful state of preservation.  I don't recall seeing gladiators shown in combat like that.  It really gave an idea of how extensive the use of mosaic would have been in that long hallway carpeted with a plain geometric pattern.

Back-tracking

Just for you, Maureen - a fabulous place to visit outside London.  This is Framlingham, a small market town with a castle and a really impressive church, burial place of the Dukes of Norfolk, although Framlingham is in Suffolk.

Then on to the coastal town of Aldeburgh, where small fishing boats still land their catch daily, so you can buy fresh fish from their stalls.

In that neck of the woods, many historic churches to visit with interesting features. We had a few wet days while there and this proved a good way to get out and about.

The first of the bears - this is a pattern called Bertie Bear by Angela Turner.  It's a great pattern.

Then, a series of baby blankets, using patterns from Ravelry.  All these went to either the women's refuge or the neo-natal unit at the hospital.

 

Long time, No see.

Red Pike from Brackenthwaite How.  One of a tiny few walks we managed on this very wet trip to Cumbria recently.  This little eminence gives you a lot of view for not very much ascent, and some lovely woodland walking through Lanthwaite Woods.

This is the Lodore Falls, from the terrace of the hotel.

And this, the view in the other direction.  All the waterspouts and becks were in full flow.

Sheep safely grazing.  We felt sorry for new-born lambs as the weather continued cold and wet.

My latest project: teddy-bears, riffing on a basic pattern.

And, just to give my hands a change of activity, some crochet.  I felt pleased to be able to master this simple pattern for a baby blanket.  A new skill for me.

 

Aran Jumpers

A selection of little Aran jumpers knitted recently. Two are basically the same pattern but with a different central panel.

Because these are for the 20inch chest size they take only 200grams of yarn and just over a week to knit, working only in the evenings while watching tv.  

Amazing what a difference a small detail, such as a different edging or set of buttons, makes to the effect of the finished piece.  My aim has been to use up buttons from the button box, so some are similar but not the same.  

All will go to charity, with a view to keeping a toddler warm if the family are saving on heating costs.  They are very satisfying projects to knit.  There's something about the rhythm of those simple cables which keeps my interest.

 

St Bees Head

 Although I was born and raised not ten miles from St Bees, I have never been to the cliff-top walk before.  I have eaten ice-creams on the beach there and looked up at the cliffs but never actually seen the view from the top.

It was a brilliantly sunny day with the sea a shimmering blue on the day that we made the trip this time.  To get there you drive to the red sandstone village of Sandwith - pronounced Sannith - and turn up a private road to a farm and, further than that, a light-house.  Parking at the farm was clear enough but not the onward path which turned out to be through a gated off section of road full of cows with suckler calves -  something one would wish to avoid.

Once through we headed for light-house and the coastal path. 

 

In the distance, the Isle of Man was dimly outlined.  Near  at hand the sea was boiling with auks - guillemots and razorbills.

The RSPB has made three secure viewpoint enclosures from which to get an angle on the vertical stacks where the birds nest.  In one of these two doughty Scots had set up camp with a telescope and long-lensed camera trained on the grassy mound topping the cliff.  If those were puffin burrows and if puffins were in residence they were in position to record the evidence.  We never saw them.

What we did see was guillemots crowded on the narrow ledges.

And gulls feeding large chicks on the grassy tops.

We saw fulmars in flight and even a gannet cruising past.  

We certainly smelt the guano from all the seabirds.

And then we drove down to the beach and enjoyed an ice-cream.

Old Parish Churches.

 Not everyone's cup of tea, perhaps, but faced with a wet and windy walk we decided to do some exploring using  Mike Salter's book  "Old Parish Churches of Cumbria".

Click on any of the pictures to enlarge them.

First we drove to Torpenhow, a village near Wigton.  The parish church, built 1120, was large with massive pillars and really impressive Norman arches - but very dark.  The deep window embrasures show how thick the walls are - this building made use of stone from Old Carlisle, a Roman settlement.

 At the top of the pillars, grotesque, Romanesque carvings showing the damned writhing in torment on one side and, on the other, the virtuous  rejoicing at being spared.   Dark interiors do not make good photos but this was an atmospheric space, surprising for a small country parish.

Next, a complete contrast in the abandoned old church at Ireby.  It is literally across a field and buried in unmown grass, but not a ruin and still maintained. 

 Only the chancel still exists.  Two columns which once supported the nave were recovered from the village where they were being used as gateposts.

Inside, this carved stone dated 1606, commemorating a gentleman who served Elizabeth, James and Charles.

On to Boltongate where the church, built 1400, stands on a rise with a fine view of the fells. 

The interior here appears more traditional than Torpenhow - until you look up.  Then you see the very impressive high barrel-vaulted roof, following, apparently, a style used in Provence.  

A traditional stained glass window.

And a modern one made by a local maker who also made the one in Caldbeck church. Notice the Good Shepherd dressed as a Cumbrian, and the very apt wording.

All of these churches were originally dual-purpose, needing to be defensive structures against raiding parties from the North. 

We can see much more church tourism in our future.