4/24 Daily December
These were the yarns from Mulberry dyer– the stall I was at in one of yesterday’s shots. Welsh wool for socks.
The Sober Fairy
Gabrielle the Gin Fairy now demoted to being on top of a popcorn bucket looking quite Elizabethan.
Who could tell that beneath that angelic face lurked a lush of a fairy incapable of standing up straight. LOL She’ll cause less trouble on the floor by the hearth.
The living room fireplace all decorated complete with Eileen’s beautiful bag.
A decorated cross instead of today’s angel as we’re in the countdown to Christmas.
You know I mentioned wanting to try medlar jelly/jam, well I got on the net, found the name of a company who sold it, found their web site which had a list of stockists, and to my amazement, there was a shop about a mile away. I bought some others for Christmas too.
Do you remember when Mole in Wind in the Willows insists on going to the Wild Wood while Ratty is sleeping, and then it starts to snow? I think this pic is exactly wheat the woods would’ve looked like as he set off towards them. In the book Ratty finds him they both get lost in the snow and stumble upon Badger’s door scraper. He lets them in and they have a lovely cosy time in front of his fire, and go home in the morning. It’s one of my fav books.
Back to Ludlow Castle (read the link for the history as it’s fascinating- Catherine of Aragon had her honeymoon and early marriage here to Arthur (Henry VIII’s older brother) but said that nothing ever happened. The 2 princes who died bvery mysteriously in the Tower of london spent their childhoods here. Go on click the link and read the gos.
We’re now on the bridge where the drawbridge once was to get to the inner bailey. The moat has been filled in so is just a dip in the ground.
The bridge’s shadow.
What a door!
To the right as you go in the gatehouse. Windows and fireplaces still part of the wall although the floors have long gone.
A peek at the fair in the outer bailey. I loved the light as it came through.
Looking up inside a watch tower. Based on how the wind was, I think the guards must’ve got very cold on duty so no wonder brasiers were used to try and keep warm in places where there were no fireplaces.
Click to read.
Window looking to the inner bailey’s entertainments.
A tower within the inner bailey had some interesting features as well as some plaster still on the inside walls. No paint on it though. This is on the East side of the Inner Bailey having come in on the South (I think- I was still recovering my sense of direction after the marques).
Inside the tower.
Very Norman gateways and arches inside.
I wonder who this was?
A smaller doorway opposite the gateway.
I think this is a medieval grave stone rather than a sort of altar stone, but I think it was moved here to help protect it from the weather.
Bottom of arch detail.
Some of the chimneys still survive.
We’re now standing roughly in the centre of the inner bailey looking towards the gateway leading to the bridge/drawbridge entrance.
I’ll now spin clockwise to you get a feel of the place.
And back to the round building we explored.
Tomorrow the Inner Bailey entertainments. I am glad so many of you are enjoying this trip. It felt quite Christmassy going round. I hope it is giving you all a sense of Christmas preparations in England. Are you feeling excited yet or are you all still battling through your lists?
See you tomorrow.
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