Colour at the Park

Hello

Thanks for joining me today.

The Park by the Shops is looking splendid this week.  It was a particularly beautiful morning with bright blue skies. Shafts of light beamed through the trees.  Behind me, there was the occasional thud as another chestnut fell and landed gently on the forest floor.  Even the car park was full of Autumn hues, you could just have stayed in the car but where is the fun in that.

I don't think I've seen such a good rainbow in the fountain before, it just got stronger and stronger.

Just the remnants of a shower speckled the roses.

The funfair had arrived and was getting ready to open at the weekend.

 This tree was super cone-y.  Two different types on the same tree.

Mr grey heron looks big and fluffy but still has a beady eye on the water, trying not to miss a trick. The swans were sneaking up to the fisherman as he adjusted his chair oblivious, maybe he had something tasty in his bag.

What a wonderful time of year!

Inside the Art Centre, there was a new exhibition which you can take a peek at tomorrow.

Cheerio

Castle

Hello

Thanks for visiting.

Having seen the 12th Century villagers heading down the street in Guildford during the Heritage Open Days, it was inevitable that the Castle would be the next port of call.  It's always a treat visiting the Castle due to the excellent gardens surrounding it.

Unusually though, this time there was a 12th Century encampment causing a stir.  Battle training was even in action.  Historia Normannis is a reenactment group bringing history to life.

The castle tower was open, so I thought I had better go in and climb the 44 steps to show you the view from the top as I haven't done that before.  It's not too high and you are held in a cage at the top  so it's all fine from the feeling squiffy viewpoint although the stairs are fairly steep, spiralling stone steps as you'd expect.

As an added bonus for Game of Thrones fans and/or  Embroiders Guild fans, there's a Whitewalker there at the moment, commissioned by HBO for Series 5.

Cheerio

Finish for the Weekend 2

Hello

Lovely to see you.

Jill at Emerald Cottage has got us all working on our craft projects ready for today's link-up called Finish for the Weekend.  Do follow the link to see how everyone's getting along.  People do come up with some great ideas.

Having the link-up in mind all week, I've been pressing on with the blanket I showed you last week.  I've only got 18 more squares to go and 7 of those are partially completed.  The wonky pile is growing!

Have a great weekend.

Cheerio

Guildford Guildhall

Hello

Lovely to see you!

Our next stop in Guildford on the Heritage Open Days trail, is the Guildhall which is easily spotted on the High Street as it has a balcony and a wonderful clock overhanging the road.

The Mayor and Corporation of Guildford used to meet in the Guildhall to regulate commerce and it is also where the Courts of Law sat in judgement.  There was a Medieval Guildhall on the site but this one was built in Elizabethan times. Queen Elizabeth I actually visited in 1589.

Heading through the outer room and up the red carpeted stairs, I made a beeline for the balcony.  Only six people allowed on it at any one time, it offers great views up and down the High Street.  I didn't except to see a troupe of 12th Century villagers marching down the road.  Followed by Tweedledum and Tweedledee!

Historia Normannis

There they go marching through Tunsgate Square on their way to the Castle.

Inside the plush interior plus the portraits and the official silverware look impressive.

Downstairs the Chamber with beamed ceiling and heraldic stained glass windows, was set out ready for story telling. Behind the judges bench was the retiring  room, complete with an historic Mayor ready to relive the day in 1915 when a zeppelin circled over Guildford dropping 12 bombs .

Back in the main chamber, the walls displayed royal portraits, a German two handed sword used in processions and measures used to check quantities of grain for tolls.  Over the stairs that would have led to the cells, was this rather grand clock made in the 1790s by Robert Stennett of Bath.  After the 1797 Act taxing watches, this type of clock was known as Act of Parliament clocks as they were used in public places so people wouldn't need a watch.

Fancy there being a tax on watches!

Cheerio

The Undercroft

Hello

Thanks for dropping in.

It's Heritage Open Day time again where hundreds of buildings open their doors to the public for free.  Last year I visited Eagle House School which I found fascinating so I had a look at the website to see what was on offer locally.  A trip to Guildford was on the cards as I would be able to go to three places quite close to each other - the medieval Undercroft, the Guildhall and the Castle.

Today we're going down the steps to the Undercroft right in the middle of the High Street.  It was built in the 13th Century as a merchant's shop selling wine or expensive cloths or silk.  Undercrofts were very expensive to build with all the vaulting so the merchant must have had very wealthy customers to be able to afford to build it.

It has a few carvings and initials marked in the posts.  A model of the Undercroft shows that there was originally another shop on top but this has been replaced.

Cheerio

Architects' Proposals

Hello

Thanks for calling in.

There are six teams of Architects on the Shortlist to take Clandon Park, the National Trust property near Guildford, into the future following the devastating fire in 2015. They were whittled down from sixty entrants to the competition and their designs are currently on display at the Park until 1st October with the winning team being announced at the end of October. Completion of the entire project isn't expected until 5-7 years from now.  It will be really interesting to watch the project progress.

The brief can be found here but the teams had to develop ideas on the restoration of certain important ground floor rooms, flexible spaces for use for exhibitions, new visitor facilities and possible new landscaping.

The six teams and their proposals can be found here.

I couldn't resist a few random unbiased photos though!

Which one do you prefer?

Cheerio