A Quiet Time of Reflection

As you know the mourning for Queen Elizabeth II continues. We watch on our television screens and feel the loss especially as one moment we saw photos in the newspapers or on the television news that Her Majesty, although looking frail, had appointed our new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, during an audience at the Queen's residence, Balmoral Castle in Scotland and then we heard that the Queen had been taken ill.  Later her death was announced.  We cherish the memories we have of our Queen whilst accepting that we have a new monarch, King Charles III.  

Now as a 77 year old I well remember the day in 1952 when it was announced on the radio that King George VI had died and a year later I recall participating in the school celebrations with a special Coronation theme during Queen Elizabeth's Coronation year. 

It was a different world back then in comparison to the events that are being televised around the world today.  Today every move that members of the Royal Family make is being recorded on camera.  I remember them and pray that they'll receive God's strength at this difficult time and in future days. 

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It was an honour to be invited to Sheffield Anglican Cathedral on Maundy Thursday in 2015 to watch individuals from communities around the city receive the Easter Maundy Money and the following year in June 2016 (the occasion of the Queen's 90th official birthday - her actual birthday being the 21st April) Mr P and I joined others there for a banquet in her honour. The gift of a book given by the clergy describing how the Queen's Christian faith sustained her as a young girl and during her reign will be treasured. 

Rest in Peace Your Majesty

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Thank you for your visit.  Wherever you are and whatever you're doing have a good day.  

(Comments are off).  

Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire

Last Friday Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire was a good place to meet our son, take a walk around the grounds and have lunch there.

Managed by English Heritage the history of the castle ruins is told in creative ways. Now that our son has moved to Kenilworth no doubt Mr P and I will be back on another occasion to see some of what was missed during this visit. There's an interesting exhibition about the history of the castle through the ages in the stable block and a café area at the other end. Many information boards have also been placed in the grounds and gardens.  I was interested to see the restored Elizabethan Gardens that Queen Elizabeth I would have walked around.  Much research has been done and the plants are ones that are authentic to the Tudor period when Robert Dudley, the 1st Earl of Leicester lived there. He was the Queen's favourite courtier.  Elizabeth I stayed in the castle as it was her habit to visit aristocratic families at their expense. Lavish entertainments were put on for her benefit. 

Before we toured the grounds we walked through the fields to get to the castle entrance.  At one time the castle was surrounded by water and we saw yellow flag irises growing there demonstrating the fact that it's still quite marshy especially along by the river.  The castle stands on high ground so at the end of the path we climbed up high stone steps to get to the entrance.  The site has been given as a gift to the people of Kenilworth so residents like our son and family can visit whenever they like.

Views of the stable block where we had lunch.

a carved panel on the marble fountain basin

The Elizabethan Gardens are terraced and separated by yew hedges. There are features such as a large aviary containing unusual small birds and a white Carrara marble fountain with panels depicting classical scenes of Neptune, sea creatures and sea nymphs. The garden parterres are set out in a formal pattern. There are obelisks and two bowers at the end of the terraced walkway planted with climbing honeysuckle.

This season there are pink thrift flowers, sweet-smelling old-fashioned roses and pink peonies.

a briar rose bush and wild strawberries in the Elizabethan garden

the aviary

The Gatehouse still stands as a complete building.

In the Gatehouse gardens there are several knot gardens with a terracotta pot in each of them.

The rooms in the Gatehouse are furnished with Tudor period furniture with wonderful carvings on them.  A theatrical costume on a stand is similar to one that can be seen in a portrait painting of Robert Dudley.

more photos of the Gatehouse gardens

the stable block exhibition area

The above carving shows a carved ragged staff which is a heraldic device associated with the Earldom of Warwick.

  

 Exhibits of carvings that would have adorned the buildings. The top photo is of a lion.

A visitor can climb up and walk around some of the higher storeys of the ruins. There must be wonderful views from these walkways.

the river 

The English Heritage shop is housed in this wooden barn-like building.  In the foreground of the photo you can see part of the tilting yard that was used for tournaments/jousting competitions. Apparently there was a dam, a lower pool, a great mere (lake) and water channels that surrounded the castle which made it into a fortress.  

The long tilting yard with the ruins of the castle and gateway in the distance. Mortimer's Tower had two D shaped towers that formed a gateway and was the main medieval entrance into the castle. It was built by King John as part of the ring of stone defences for the outer bailey between 1210 and 1215.

 

A row of cottages and lawns opposite the castle.  

I hope you enjoyed the tour around.  Thank you for visiting and for your comments.  Have a restful Sunday and a peaceful week.

Beauchief Abbey Walk

The sun continues to shine which makes all the difference to feelings of well being especially during times of going beyond the four walls of our home.  Mainly I've been walking in my usual local places, but yesterday we were in the Abbeydale area of our green city so we turned up a country lane that leads to public footpaths around Beauchief Abbey and the surrounding golf course. It's always a pleasant, peaceful place to park up and take a short walk in the Abbey grounds.

Beauchief Abbey cottages and gardens

There's an information board giving details of the Abbey's history, but what I wanted to do this time was to find a way into the churchyard.  At first all I could see was a drystone wall and beyond that brambles, ferns and other vegetation.  Then following around the wall I saw the gate, lifted the latch, the gate swung open and I went in.

Beyond the drystone wall is the golf course where groups of golfers were trundling their golf buggies around as they played their shots on the greens and a lady was in one of the cottage gardens so I didn't feel alone.  At the same time it was very a peaceful place to be. In the past I've posted other visits including inside the Abbey (click on the label Beauchief Abbey at the bottom of the page to see other visits). On this occasion it was good just to walk around the grounds on a sunny day.

Back up the lane there are some old stone houses with well tended hedges and no doubt beautiful gardens.

I didn't walk in the woods that day although there's plenty of choice as Ecclesall Woods and the Woodland Discovery Centre are close by.  It was enough to take time out and enjoy what our green city has to offer.

We're going to visit our son who lives in the English Midlands.  I'm sure there'll be photos taken of our trip which I'll share another time.

Thank you for your visits and the kind comments you leave on my blog.  Have a good day and a great weekend.