Thursday, March 14, 2013

Mist over Felley Priory

On Wednesday last week we went over to Nottingham to visit friends and from there went for lunch at Felley Priory which is near Underwood in Nottinghamshire.  After the brilliant sunshine of the day before it was such a grey, damp and misty day.

Undeterred by the weather, after a pleasant lunch in the Farmhouse cafe we had a wander around the gardens.

Even in the mist and damp you could see the wonderful structure of them


Apparently, so their information leaflet tells me, the garden covers the former site of the Priory Church of the priory which was founded in 1156 on the site of a small hermitage. At that time twelve cannons, who followed the rule of St Augustine, lived here.
After the dissolution of the monasteries most of the priory buildings were destroyed but some parts still remain in the main building and in what is now the garden wall


The main part of the private house which you can see  as you walk around the gardens was built during the 16th and 17th centuries.  It was plundered during the Civil War when it became an army garrison and Royalist stronghold.  The stone ends of the house were added in the mid to late 19th century.

There must be a wonderful view across the fields at the bottom of the garden on a clear day.  Somehow though the mist seemed to add an ethereal beauty to the place and made everything around the garden look quite atmospheric.

We have all decided that another visit in the early summer would be a good thing.
I just know that the garden will look wonderful then too.

Today is a blog anniversary for me.  I can't quite believe that I started this blog eight years ago on 14th March 2005.  In those days I didn't know how to add photos so I just wrote short posts and for ages never had any comments, there were no statistics to know if anyone was visiting, no Picasa to help with photos and no 'followers' thingy, it was all very new to me and for some time I thought I was talking to myself.   So on this anniversary I'd like to say a big Thank You to all of you who stop by perhaps to look at the photos, to those who stop to read my witterings, to those who take the time to leave comments on said witterings, to those of you who have been with me for ages and to those who have just started visiting, reading and commenting.  I'm lucky to have you as blogging friends and I have been even luckier to meet with some of you via e-mail and snail mail and also, most delightfully, in person. Who would have thought that those first tentative steps into the world of blogging would have lead to where I am now?  I don't think I ever did!


32 comments:

  1. Happy Anniversary Rosie! Eight years is quite an accomplishment. You have taken me to visits all around the country. Places that I will probably never get to visit in person, so thank you for that! I enjoy visiting for knowledge on historical facts, beautiful walks, gardens and historical houses. It is lovely to meander with you! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Simone. Glad you have enjoyed visiting places with me:)

      Delete
  2. What a fascinating place; so full of history. I can imagine that visiting it at this time of year, it wasn't too busy and so you could fully appreciate the atmosphere on a misty day. And happy blog anniversary! I'm so glad you're still writing your blog after eight years, because I only discovered it recently and love reading it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Wendy. It was fascinating and I'm sure we will visit again in better weather:)

      Delete
  3. I love sharing your walks as hubby is not that way inclined, unless of course your walks start having pubs at various starts places along the way :) Heres to many more of your posts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Amanda. I'll have to think about a pub walk!:)

      Delete
  4. Happy anniversary! Eight years, I'm quite impressed, always look forward to reading your Blog, today's post was so atmospheric.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Janet. I'm so glad you enjoyed your visit today:)

      Delete
  5. Love those pictures Rosie they are very creepy and the house in the top photo is surely haunted. I admire your sticking power - eight years - WOW - I think of packing it in every week and I've only been blogging for two years. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Elaine, I guess it does look a bit spooky. Anything could be lurking in the mists but the only other soul we saw in there was one of the gardeners:)

      Delete
  6. This cannot be far away from me - so I have made a note and we will visit at Easter. Ive never even heard of it - and this is one of the reasons I love blogging! Yours was one of the first blogs that got me addicted and it has been my very great priveldge to have met you and Paul - on more than one occasion! And also to call you my very lovely friend. You always provide me with such fabulous inspiration. May it long continue! xxxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Diane - I remember your first visit here when you commented on a post about Cromford. I'm priviledged and happy to have you met you too! I guess Felley Priory is no more than half a dozen motorway junctions down from you - it is just a short distance from Junct 27:)

      Delete
  7. Happy Anniversary Rosie, that is great. I love the walk you took around the gardens albeit a misty walk. You took the words right out of my mind - Ethereal was how I saw it too. I imagine it would look lovely in the sunshine.
    Patricia x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Patricia. I'm sure we will visit again in better weather although it was very pretty in the mist:)

      Delete
  8. That looks like a lovely place to visit and I think you must go back later in the year to see it looking its best.

    What a great achievement 8 years is - congratulations! When I started following you, it was around the time you had your 5 year anniversary - I remember because you'd done 5 years and 500 posts - it's hard to believe three years have gone by since then!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Louise. I remember that too - I haven't made 800 post for 8 years though. Yes, the last three years have just sped by:)

      Delete
  9. Happy Anniversary! I like your mist photos - makes for a very atmospheric setting.
    June

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, June - glad you enjoyed the photos:)

      Delete
  10. Happy Anniversary Rosie.
    I love to come here and share in your walks and visits. We both have a love of historic buildings, gardens and wildlife, so I know that I'll always find something beautiful on your blog.
    Here's to many more years.
    Jessica

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jessica - glad you enjoy your visits here I always enjoy visit you too:)

      Delete
  11. Happy Anniversary, Rosie! To know that you've been going for so long is inspiring! Looking forward to many more years of your interesting writing about your life, information and great photographs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Linda - I don't think I expected to be blogging for so long:)

      Delete
  12. You are an inspiration to me - happy anniversary, Rosie.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Ruth, glad you still find enjoyment here:)

      Delete
  13. Congratulations Rosie, and thanks for letting me learn with your blog; i could never catch all these details during a single trip to England. Thanks,T.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Tony - I always enjoy your informative comments on my posts:)

      Delete
  14. Gosh 8 years ago Rosie, congratulations!
    I have just mentioned you in my post because The beautiful Tulip mug you sent me (in 2010)was in one of my photos and I always think of you when I have a coffee in it!

    I always think if you can enjoy a garden in winter or early spring when there is little in the way of colour it must be a very good garden and worth a return visit.
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lyn - I'm so pleased you still use your mug:)

      Delete
  15. Congratulations on the anniversary & thank you for the lovely photos of the priory. The mist is very atmospheric but, I agree that the view would have been lovely - if you could have seen it. Maybe on your next visit?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, lyn - I must go back and take a photo of that view on a clear day:)

      Delete
  16. It looks so eerie with all the mist, reminds me of the film women in black!
    Daisy Dayz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was quite eerie. I haven't seen the film of 'Woman in Black', I read the book and that was quite scary as was the TV adaptation:)

      Delete