More on Kedleston

In my last post but one I promised more on our visit to Kedleston during the very sunny week we had earlier this month.

We didn't go into the house this time as we've been in a couple of times before.  We decided to go on one of the estate walks first before lunch and then visit the gardens, bookshop and church.

Lots of sheep baaing in the fields as we walked.  Some were curious, others not.

 

We used Merlin to find out what birds we could hear as we walked along.

Woodpeckers were rat-a-tat tatting almost all the way of the walk.

Kedleston has been owned by the Curzon family since the mid 12th century.  The Mansion was designed by Robert Adam and was commissioned by Nathaniel Curzon in the 18th century c. 1750.  The church is much earlier, probably 13th century and is all that is left of the mediaeval village of Kedleston as it was moved to make way for the building of the Hall.

Inside are many memorials to the Curzon family.  It was difficult to take photos inside as there were a few visitors moving around and also a small group in front of the later tombs.  I was able to take a few photos of the earlier memorials.  the one above from 1456 is of Sir John Curzon and his wife Joan, daughter of Sir John Bagot of Blithfield in Staffordshire.

Both figures have a dog at their feet.

Below, within the chancel, is the memorial to an earlier Sir John Curzon who died in 1406, his wife was Eleanor Twyford.

Apparently he wears  a Lancastrian SS or 'esses' livery collar.  This was an emblem of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster.

I was trying to work out what animal he had at his feet.

Is it a lion? Or is it a mythical creature? I can find little on google but my book on Derbyshire by Arthur Mee says it is a lion.

Three of the six heraldic shields which decorate the ogee arch above the earlier Sir John's effigy

Two of the stained glass windows which were behind the heraldic shields above.  They both have the inscription Curzon of Kedleston.

Back out in the garden the sun was still shining, but it was time to think about heading for home..

Below is a link to a blog post I wrote in September 2018 about the inside of the Hall.

Post of 2018

All for now.

Twenty

 On Monday 14th March 2005, I hit the publish button on my first ever post on this blog.  Twenty years have passed and I'm still writing posts although not as frequently as I did back then.  Also today there are far more photos than words as digital photography has made it so much easier to add them to a post.

My first post was called 'Dab Chicks Galore' and was about our seeing them during a walk along the Cromford Canal.  Recently we walked along the canal looking for Dab Chicks or Little Grebes but we didn't find any.  Is this a sign of the times?  

The canal was covered in places by a blueish green algae, although we saw a few Mallards and Canada Geese and the occasional Moorhen and Coot.

It was quite cold as we walked along with a slight mizzle in the air.  Above is the area near the Wharf shed where the Dab Chicks used to congregate.

Above High Peak Junction

Leawood Pump House

Aqueduct Cottage

I am so grateful for all those people who visit here and read my ramblings, especially to all those who leave comments.  Some of you have been visiting for a long time, some more recently.  Thank you. Lots of bloggers have now stopped writing for one reason or another.  I'm still in touch with two or three bloggers via face book and other media even though they no longer have blogs anymore.  I've been lucky to meet up with a few of them over the years. Others have just disappeared or moved on.  Some are no longer with us.

I had toyed with the idea of not writing here anymore once I'd reached the anniversary but amazingly I still enjoy blogging so I will continue for a little while longer.   

All for now.  Take care.

The last few days

 Five happy moments over the last few days captured by my camera.

First butterfly visit this year to our garden, well the first I've spotted. I think it is a Comma.  It was sharing the heather with all the bees.

A couple of hours later the second butterfly appeared.  I think it's a Small Tortoiseshell.

Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday and also Pancake Day,  We had pancakes for lunch and squeezed orange juice all over them. 

The Asian Short-Clawed Otters at the Peak Wildlife Park have a new compound with two lakes.  It will mature with time and be a lovely new home for them.

They are beautiful creatures.  

Wednesday we visited Kedleston Hall near Derby.  We had a lovely walk in the grounds, there were lots of wonderful views of both countryside and the hall and church. 

More on this visit in a later post.

Suddenly Snowdrops are disappearing and Daffodils are popping up everywhere with their bright yellow cheerfulness.

All for now.  Take care.

Into March

Into March we go, I thought I'd be glad to say goodbye to February this year but the last three or four days of it were beautiful with a gentle hint of Spring.  The weekend was beautiful too.

I forgot to say White Rabbits on the 1st March.  It was something that we always said when I was a child.  A superstition I suppose like touching wood, crossing fingers and not opening umbrellas indoors.  Lots of others like throwing salt over your left shoulder if you spilt any and not passing anyone else on a staircase.  Not walking under ladders always seemed sensible to me as danger could lurk there for those both up and under the ladder.

White rabbits at Peak Wildlife Park.  They are usually out in the open but these had been kept inside because of the kits.

Spring flowers are opening up in the garden and the heather is buzzing with bees.  I can actually hear them over the hissing of tinnitus in my ears.

There have been some wonderful evening skies.  Red sky at night, a shepherd's delight, red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning.   Another saying or superstition from childhood.  There are many of those.  Have you any to share?

A Breath of Fresh Air

 I mentioned in my last post that we were hoping to get out for a longer walk and yesterday we did just that.  

After the wind and rain of Friday and before the wind and rain of today we drove up to the village of Hartington which is on the Tissington Trail.

The Tissington trail starts at Ashbourne and ends at Parsley Hay where it joins the High Peak Trail.  We have, over the years, walked all of the trail.  This time we just walked from Hartington to Parsley Hay.

The sun was showing its face, the breeze was brisk and the views were stunning.

A patchwork quilt of fields edged with dry stone walling

The trail itself is easy going underfoot and follows part of the old railway line which ran between Ashbourne and Buxton.

The railway cutting just before Parsley Hay.

We passed a farm and there were lambs in the fields already.

I love to hear them bleating, mums and lambs calling to each other.

A brown sheep and lamb in a field of six camping pods.

The wind picked up and the light changed

Luckily we got back to the car and had just left the car park as the rain started.

It was back to wind and rain again today.