Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Things that catch your eye

A few weeks ago we visited Calke Abbey, a National Trust property which is in the village of Ticknall in Derbyshire.


  I think this was probably our third visit since it first opened to the public and I'm sure I've taken you here before in posts on this blog so this time I'm going to highlight some of the things that caught my eye during our visit.

 I'm always drawn to simple flower displays which can be found throughout the house - the one above was in the ladies' loos - pretty wild flowers in a jam jar looked lovely against the dusty red brick of the window.

 One side of the stables had been made into an education/learning room for children and grown ups too.  We had a lovely chat with the lady who runs the enterprise and were able to handle some of the exhibits she had on display there.  I loved the dress above.

 Across the passageway in the other stables the iron work decorations caught my eye.

 As did the lead pipes on the outside of the main building.

 Above is a hatchment from the church in the grounds.

 Inside the hall, which as you know has in many places been left just as it was found by the NT when they took it over in the 1980s.  Above a simple bowl of delphiniums.

 I loved the little owl - there were two of them on a mantelpiece

 Also the character above - not sure if he is a policeman or a fireman but I loved the plump, dumpling cheeks on his face.

 I also loved this pig covered in clover or shamrock leaves in a windowsill at the top of the staircase.

 Many of the upper rooms are just a vast jumble of things laid out to catch the eye.  Here I was captivated by the little pink house with people outside.

The kitchens were full of things to catch the eye.  Many items left just as they were found.  It was hard to decide which photos to use.


We actually went into the hall after we had visited the gardens and church.  There was a special display in the gardens. 

The walled kitchen garden had been transformed into a Garden of Imagination

 There were lots of knitted, crocheted and pom-pom characters, mainly birds and insects amongst the branches of trees and in the greenhouses.

 Another little owl!

 Caterpillars galore

 Biggins Bug Bothy

 Not sure if this was a bee, wasp or hornet!  I prefer bees to wasps or hornets.

 There were also loads of scarecrows attending what looked like a union meeting

Plus plenty of deck chairs to sit in and enjoy the heat of the day.

Which way to go?

The gardener's tunnel was fun

and the church was cool and inviting under the trees.

but then my eye was attracted to these beautiful creatures grazing in the meadow next to the gardenWe spent ages watching them.



22 comments:

  1. Lots of lovely things to catch the eye indeed! I don't think the dress would look out of place as a wedding dress today with the right hairstyle and accessories! I like the look of the tudor dolls house next to the pink one - I want to turn it around and have a proper look! Not so sure about all the woolly things in the garden - the practical side of me would worry about them getting wet! I think I love the deer most of all. x

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    1. The deer where wonderful! I didn't mind the woolly creatures but some of the long knitted things wrapped around the trees were a bit strange and they won't last the season I expect:)

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  2. You can always spot a blogger - taking photos of the obscure from weird angles!! I've loved catching up with your posts Rosie - I loved the photo's of you (as you rarely post your own photo) and I am now desperate for a bowl of Summer Pudding - my absolute fave. xxx

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    1. No indeed, we always want to capture the almost uncapturable (is that a word?) don't we? Thought I'd put those photos up as they weren't too bad as I never seem to take a very good photo. Hope you get some summer pudding:)

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  3. Gosh, loving this. Do you know, I've been here a long time ago and only remember the outside, how strange. It's now on the places to visit list....again! x

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    1. It is amazing inside - I didn't show a lot of the rooms as I have done so before but there is so much to see - cases and cases of fossils and other stuff - absolutely amazing:)

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  4. We have visited once since the NT opened it up. I loved the gardens but it was spring and I can only remember the auricula theatre! Xxx

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    1. The auricular theatre was still there in the formal garden just off the walled garden and very colourful:)

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  5. I love this place and the fact that it hasn't been over curated - leaving things just as they were found, for me, tells more of s story.

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    1. It is a super place and as you say full of things left by generations of the family, never cleared or thrown away:)

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  6. Far too many lovely things to comment on, but it looks like a wonderful place to visit with lots of atmosphere and interest. xx

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    1. It is fascinating, Amy - and these are only a quarter of the photos I took:)

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  7. What an amazing place, would love to visit and the garden of the imagination what fun, I want all the owls.

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    1. There was a bit of an owl theme going on in the walled garden - it is a super place:)

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  8. I love the garden of imagination - what a fun thing to add!

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    1. I bet people spent hours working on the items and then enjoyed going to 'spot' their work in the garden:)

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  9. I've had postcards sent by relatives who've visited Calke Abbey. Your observations through photos gives a good idea of what looks like an interesting place that I would like to visit myself.

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    1. I'm sure you would enjoy it Linda - there is far more to see than my photos show and the inside is amazing:)

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  10. What a fun post Rosie. I see lots of eye-catching things. I especially love the smiley caterpillar and the pink dolls' house.

    Have a great weekend.

    Marie x

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