A Few Ramblings…
Forty-six year old Christian happily negotiating the world with a wife and three daughters
Visit to Lacock Abbey and catching up with the family – 6 July 2013
We had an excellent visit to Lacock Abbey which was topped off with tea in the garden at Adrian and Julie’s house.
Leaving home on a warm, sunny morning, we arrived at the Little Chef in Chippenham, before heading on to Lacock.
Little Chef in Chippenham
Emily
Brunch is served
Lacock Abbey, owned by the National Trust, is built on the foundations of a former nunnery and houses a museum celebrating the work of former Lacock resident, William Henry Fox Talbot. The Abbey has also been used recently as a location for scenes in the Harry Potter films.
The car park is located slightly outside the village of Lacock, which is owned by the National Trust and remains virtually unchanged since the 18th Century.
Lacock Abbey
A wider view of the Abbey
Greenhouse in the garden
A splash of colour
Holly enjoyed looking at a sculpture in the grounds called The Light Umbrella, which sends reflected light through a series of holes in the umbrella to show all the colours of the spectrum.
Holly and The Light Umbrella
Light shining through
Rainbow
We went inside the Abbey and looked around the cloisters, before heading inside.
The outside of Lacock Abbey
Lacock Abbey from the side
Looking through the cloisters
Inside one of the rooms
Looking down the cloisters
Looking around one of the rooms
Stone sarcophaguses
Also inside the Abbey were various furnished rooms to look around, as well as a chance for the girls to dress up in period costume.
Cooking pots on the range
Emily
Holly
Emily
After leaving the Abbey, we were able to have a walk around the village of Lacock.
Lacock
After returning to the car park, we drove to the nearby town of Calne for our first visit to Adrian and Julie’s house, where we spent an excellent afternoon in the summer sunshine.
Adrian and Julie’s garden with the curious overlooking tree
The girls looking around the garden
Another view of the garden
Simon’s tower, built to entertain the girls
Al fresco tea
Desserts are served
Enjoying a sunny afternoon
Simon and Anastasia
Emily and Rebekah meeting Cadbury
Eventually we left and set off for the return home, travelling back with Mum who had enjoyed a brief break with Adrian and Julie.
June walk to Cookham Dean – 30 June 2013
On what turned out to be the warmest afternoon of the year so far, on the last day of the month, Rebekah and I headed up to Cookham Dean to complete our June walk.
A summer scene of cricket
Heading up the track in the sunshine
Ripening wheat
A sea of green
Busy times at the pick-your-own
Cow parsley in full bloom
The footpath becomes narrower as the summer progresses
Tortoiseshell butterfly
Unexpected cat on the path
Farewell to the feline
Rebekah
In the churchyard
A glint of sunshine through the oak leaves
Work on the new vestry is almost complete
Timberhouse
Looking over towards Maidenhead
Blue sky
Rebekah finds a friend
Heading back across the fields
A dusty path
A busy Saturday – 29 June 2013
With a busy Saturday ahead of us, we were up early to prepare for all the different activities ahead.
In the morning we had to pick up various burgers and sausages for a somewhat unexpected BBQ due to take place in the evening.
We also popped over to Mum’s for coffee before heading off to Rebekah and Holly’s school fair.
Unlike last year, the weather was much more favourable and we arrived in good time.
This year, they had additional activities laid on including maypole dancing and a falconry display which Holly volunteered to help with.
Summer Fair here!
Holly on the slide
The bouncy castle
Holly and Emily
Morris dancing
Emily and Holly on the mini train
The main display area
Maypole dancing
Spot the bird!
A barn owl
A long-eared owl
Holly with her glove on
A brief encounter with a hawk
There was a large turnout of parents and other hangers-on and the fair was much busier when we left compared to when we arrived.
In the afternoon Sarah went off to an open day at her old school while I cut the grass and dusted off the BBQ in readiness for the evening ahead. Holly also had a party to go to.
In the evening we were pleased to welcome Freddie, Jen and the girls round, along with Freddie’s mum, Lesley. Fortunately the weather remained dry and warm and we later got the fire pit out and enjoyed hot marshmallows.
Food cooking, drinks being served
A fine array of butcher’s burgers
Girls at play
Emily
Sarah, Jen and Lesley
After the BBQ we brought out the fire pit
Leah and Zara
Freddie
Holly
Marshmallows!
Eager spectators
Freddie removing a speck of ash
A face of concentration
Lesley
Sarah, seen through the evening smoke of the fire pit
Freddie stayed behind, after his family had left and it was good to catch up and chat.
A few more photos of ‘Number 55’ – 28th June 2013
Since I added my original post about the demolition of my grandparents’ house, a few more photos of the place have come to light.
Some of them were found in an old photo album recently and the majority are kindly supplied by my Auntie Eileen – the same person who tried to feed me peanut butter! I’m grateful for her allowing me to use them on here.
We begin with a few photos from the building of 55 Cookham Road, which were taken during 1955. Most of these were kindly scanned in by my nephew, Hugh.
Foundations marked out. My grandmother overseeing the work with her grandad (with shovel) and my grandad behind. The two children are my Auntie Eileen and her brother, John
Playing on the building site. No need for hard hats in those days!
My Auntie Eileen and Uncle John
My Grandad at the front
A John Mowlem lorry, backed into the drive during construction of Number 55
Building work well underway with the front door and front windows now in place. My mother is on the right. Behind the family is the large cedar tree.
Another view showing the front door with the family behind
Roof beams now in place. This was supplied by my Auntie Eileen.
The finished house!
A wonderful view of the house, taken from my great great grandfather’s house, which was opposite 55
We now move on to 1977 and a celebratory tea with the cousins on the loggia at the back of the house, with photos from Auntie Eileen.
From left to right: cousins Fiona, Nick, Jason and Tim. My sister, Heather, me (with bread) and cousin, Sarah.
From left to right: Tim, Nick, Fiona, Jason, me, Heather and Sarah. Nice array of 1970s style food!
Left to right: Tim, Adrian, my Grandma, Mr Dean (the Canadian’s other grandfather!), Heather, me, Mum, Fiona, Auntie Eileen, Sarah, Uncle John and Nick. Doll’s name unknown.
1983 saw another visit from the Canadian cousins and another excuse for group photos. This was also the memorable occasion when five of us slept outside in the tent and told ghost stories late into the evening!
Incredibly, it was thirty years ago this year and ended up being exactly halfway through the life of the old house!
Again, these photos are from Auntie Eileen.
From left to right: Nick, Tim, Justin, Jason, Sarah and Fiona
Back: Fiona, Adrian, Heather; Middle: Tim, Sarah, Katy; Front: Nick, Jason, me and Justin
Me outside the tent in the garden
The five happy campers: Nick, Justin, Tim, Jason and me
Finally a few shots of the house in 2010, just after my Grandma had passed away, again supplied by Auntie Eileen and taken to remember the house as we all think of it.
The lounge looking out onto the loggia
Fireplace in the lounge
The other side of the lounge with the round window, by the front door
The living room with gas fire and television
The old sideboard
Grandma’s chair and various of my Grandad’s paintings on the wall
The kitchen, left as if Grandma has just stepped outside
Grandma’s kitchen cabinet
The cupboard in the hallway
The back of the house with greenhouse and loggia
The front of the house with Grandma’s car still outside
It must be fairly rare that one family was involved in building their house, lived in it for 60 years and then oversaw its demolition.
Thankfully, although the house has now gone, the memories will live on.
A Few Ramblings... 