Upton Cressett

Come with me for a trip into the lush green countryside that is my beloved Shropshire, to visit a little gem that has been hidng from the world for hundreds of years. Upton Cressett Hall snugglescomfortably into the landscape, not a huge house, but beautiful, cherished and another reason for me to love this wonderful county.The house is owned by MP Bill Cash, although his son now looks after and lives in the house and has continued its restoration.

From June 2012 Can you see the Gatehouse in this photograph?  What a wonderful place for the in-laws to stay at Christmas. No-one would get under your feet in there would they? The Gatehouse is now used as an upmarket holiday let, although if your name is Margaret Thatcher or Liz Hurley you get invited to stay as a guest of the familly. During the English Civil War Prince Rupert of the Rhine also took shelter here from those despicable Roundheads.

From June 2012 Not bad for guest wing is it?

From June 2012 It even has its own courtyard garden

From June 2012 And the attention to detail even in this small garden is wonderful.

From June 2012 As I said, the main house isn't huge, there are no roped  off areas, no teasels on chairs to prevent you sitting down and you take tea in the dining room around the family's table. There is a warm welcome from the guide and a wonderful afternoon of peace and quiet if you decide to visit.

From June 2012 I loved the way this lion's head was placed casdually on the garden wall

From June 2012 and the chimneys showing off the skills of the master builders.

From June 2012 At the end of your visit you can visit the tiny church

From June 2012

From June 2012 before leaving through the gate into the winding lanes of the prettiest county in England.

From June 2012 Make sure you click the link above for some interior shots of this house and do visit if you can. Let me know if you're going - I'll join you if I can.

A Trip to Ledbury

A few weeks ago we had a trip to the lovely old market town of Ledbury. Full of lovley old buildings (and lovely old shops) it's right up my street as far as a day out is concerned.

Firstly, a walk up this famous cobbbled lane to the town's church.On the way resisting locally made delicacies

 

and dragging Mr. F. past this very traditional old English pub.


I
Into the church




where I notice this set of rules for bell ringers in the tower.



 Then it's off to do serious shopping and am delighted at how the old






 

 sits in with the new


 

 Ledbury also has a very good independent bookshop.Amazon is great, but there's nothing like holding and browsing a book before you buy it.



 I couldn't resist taking a photo of these dear little tins sat in the window of the delicatessesn. It's not the best picture in the world, but I'm sure you'll let me off. I'm sure they would look wonderful in my kitchen. Tins - they are my one weakness you know.

 

 All being well we will venture out somewhere this weekend. What will you be doing? Will you be locking all the doors to keep out the rain and wind that has been rattling my sash windows? Or will you be venturing out and braving the weather, come what may? I'd love to  know.

By the way, can I say a big thank you to everyone who took time to send their best wishes on our recent wedding anniversary. I had a lovely morning out at some wonderful gardens. Sadly, the batteries in my camera only lasted the first five minutes of my visit. I shall just have to re-visit in the near future, so that I can share them with you.

Perfick

From FEB2012

Oh yes. Perfick! Perfick sunshine, blue skies and yes, even warmth. Time for hibernation to end and for Mr F. and I to down the wallpaper paste and scissors  and to get out and enjoy the beginning of spring.

From FEB2012

Stourport came into being because of the construction of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal built by James Brindley to meet the River Severn and provide good transport links in the 18th century. Shortly after it was built, Stourport became the busiest port after London. During the 20th century it became somewhere to spend a traditional day out for families from the Black Country as it was so near. It still has a funfair and amusement arcades, as well as tacky gift shops. But just a short stroll away from all that noise and awfulness you can still see the beauty of this Georgian town. Its river and canal basins are full of brightly coloured, imaginitively named narrowboats still traditionally painted with roses and castles.

From FEB2012 Elegant Georgian properties are everywhere in the town and it is easy to imagine the merchants and tradesmen who might have lived and worked here during its heyday as a port.

From FEB2012 Today, we took a walk along the canal rather than the river. This was a stretch of towpath that we had never walked before and I was intrigues to see a graveyard across the canal. It was easy to see that the graves were at least a hundred years old and I was intrigued because I couldn't see a church. Then suddenly a bridge labellled Mitton Chapel Bridge came into view and I just had to investigate.

From FEB2012

So it was across the bridge and through a wrought iron gate and a steep climb up these well worn steps

From FEB2012

and into the churchyard itself.

From FEB2012 Imagine our surprise when we saw not a church but a ruin.

From FEB2012

It looked beautiful with the sunlight warming the stone

From FEB2012

and we intend to find out how the church fell into ruin. Happily, there is a new church built within the ruins of the old  one, although I haven't pictured it here. It was certainly an unexpected find on my canal walk.Churches and graveyards fascinate me and I can spend ages wandering through reading the ancient names on the stones, imagining what those people's lives might have been like.

From FEB2012

After our  little detour we decided it must be time to turn back and retrace our route along the towpath
I loved this little Georgian house and quite fancy the idea of canalside living.

From FEB2012 Of course, I'm never one to miss a tea room,

From FEB2012  so it was carefully over the lock

From FEB2012

for a lovely cup of tea. It was so warm, we were able to sit outside next to the lock, but let me tell you I was torn. Inside, the tea shop was full of Cath Kidstonesque fabrics and vintage pieces and I did fancy having a nose around but the sunshine won out today.

From FEB2012

Blue Sky

From March 2011

Yes, at last, blue skies here in the West Midlands.

After feeling like I've spent the last couple of weeks in darkness we awoke yesterday to the rare and welcome sight of blue sky and sunshine. There were plenty of chores for us to do in the morning and probably even more we could have done in the afternoon. But we decided that we needed to escape, even if it was only a couple of miles down the road to one of our local beauty spots.

From March 2011

Look, there it is, blue sky, bright, intense, uplifting. Oh! It certainly did me good to be out and about walking in the beautiful woodland and heathlland of Kinver Edge.

From March 2011

Bright blue sky again! I don't believe it.

The intense cold didn't deter us. We were wrapped up, protected against the biting wind and the sun was shining. There was just the slightest hint of warmth from the sun, but it was there, enough for us. And we were surrounded by intense colour, even in the absence of buds and flowers yet to burst into life.

From March 2011

From March 2011

I loved the shadows cast by the trees in the late afternoon sunshine.

From March 2011

And it was good to see young life in the fields, though no sign of lambs with any of the sheep yet.

From March 2011

Oh yes. It was a good day to be out enjoying blue sky, sunshine and being hopeful for the Spring to come.

From March 2011

Lovely Leominster

New Years Eve and the first opportunity we have had in weeks to get out and about. There's no snow to hamper us any longer and pretty though it was I'm heartily glad to see the back of it. The rush and responsibilities of Christmas are over and normal life can begin again.

Teenage Boy decided that friends and the local park were much more exciting, so we were free to have a day out without any grumps or groans or 'can we go home now' uttered every five minutes. Mr F. suggested a trip to Leominster. How I love this place. Full of antiques and shops selling vintage it's just the sort of place I love running riot in. Shop fronts are genteel Georgian affairs





and shop windows are filled with goodies that entice me inside followed by a very patient OH. Generally, it's not an expensive place either and wonderful things can be found for pocket money.


One of my faves is The Blue Door, full of vintage and new items that would sit so nicely in my home


and the rambling Zani's with room after room full of such lusciousness I don't know where to look first.


These were my acquisitions from Zani's yesterday. An old metal sign to be fixed to the garden wall


and some gorgeously coloured threads that will be displayed at a later date.



Oh the excitement! Of course everyone has to visit Utter Clutter. But do go on a diet before your visit - space is VERY tight!




By contrast Minster House rambles upstairs and downstairs, into the cellar and out into the garden and has things for sale from a couple of quid into the hundreds.....something for everyone. There's even a roaring open fire in the winter. If only they served tea.




Nevermind, we were able to visit Barber and Manuel for tea and the BEST chocolate brownies ever

sat in front of a fireplace still decorated with Christmas stockings made from vintage fabrics. Oh! I'm so glad to be out and about and back to normal.



Happy New Year everyone.