No-one has taken this beautiful barn and turned it into a mod-con house, protected for evermore by English Heritage, it belonged to those monks who took their gold from the land and piled it high in their barns. Images taken from the net.
A forested wonder - stone and wood I suppose being married to an archaeologist my eyes were opened to this historic world around me, there were plenty of books to read and contemplate past lives, weekend trips but this barn was to me one of the seven wonders of England, I did my thesis on Wiltshire abbeys, those self-sufficient islands of beauty and industry. When Paul and I moved up to Yorkshire, my first thought was Cistercian abbeys. But that is too digress, I was walking the canal path from Bath to Bradford on Avon, a distance of about 6 miles and you could catch the train back to Bath if you did not want to walk back. This walk went through some beautiful countryside, at Claverton Water pumping station, where water from the River Avon was pumped up to the canal above, people came and swam in the weir there. Then further on you would come to the Dundas Aqueduct, a beautiful construction of Bath stone. At this pinch point in the valley, you would have the A46 road, the railway line, the River Avon and then the Kennet and Avon canal taken over the river, a graceful engineering masterpiece from the last part of the 18th century.
|
It's a long time since I was last at Claverton - would love to return, mainly for the quilts.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you enjoyed your virtual walk - it must have brought back some memories. I didn't know your specialist interest was Wiltshire abbeys, as you seem more rooted in prehistory.
I think the prehistory came later Jennie. I threw all my notes out last year, Harold Brakespeare (19th century) was the person for Wiltshire Abbeys. I did my Viva with Glyn Daniels, I was youngish but he was very kind.
ReplyDeleteYou are a good deal more educated than I Thelma. You were fortunate to meet Glyn Daniels. Charles Thomas was my hero, and got a copy of my dissertation at the behest of my personal tutor at Uni.
DeleteAt my Grammar school near the Cathedral in Lincoln we had our lunch in a tithe barn. I don't remember ever being told about its history at all. Abbeys - we are quite well off for them in Yorkshire aren't we?
ReplyDeleteI really think my favourite (and nearest of course) is Jervaulx. As much for its simplicity as anything.
Yorkshire has lovely abbeys Pat, but it was probably due to the fact that it was a wilderness the Cistercian monks were looking for when they ended up in its lands.
DeleteBeautiful aqueduct. I do like your new header, too.
ReplyDeleteIt is a small aqueduct Joanne but the spot attracts many people. This canal walk is popular.
DeleteWhat a lovely, peaceful looking area. Something to treasure in a time like ours.
ReplyDeleteThe countryside round Bath is very beautiful Rain, this valley particularly. Bath stone was used for many of the buildings, it is a soft creamy colour.
DeleteThe tithe barn looks wonderful - the beams and rafters are an accidental work of art - like being inside a whale. It is not an area I know. Down South is largely a netherworld to me. Thanks for the window view.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are a little impressed with the scenery down South Neil. The town of Bradford-on-Avon is very picturesque, it also has an old complete Saxon church which was only discovered in the 19th century. Over the centuries it had been used for many other purposes.
ReplyDeleteThe Tithe Barn - one of my favourite places. I was all set to do more work for the American Museum, then you-know-what happened. Bollyollyocks.
ReplyDeleteWretched bad luck, a summer working in the garden of the museum with afternoon delicious teas, not something to be missed.
DeleteThanks for sharing the link. It's been a number of years since I visited the actual gardens at Mt Vernon--even though I only live about 50 miles away. Interesting to see the replication over there. I must say English gardens are my favorite--especially the dense, variety rich ones--a bit on the wild side. Guess it is understandable since I grew up in the UK. My British mother tried to replicate an English garden when we came back to the US, but wasn't easy in this area (e.g. often brutally cold winters and fiercely hot, humid summers). Not exactly a temperate environment.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the video Mary. English gardens mature over time, there are some really beautiful ones, which the original owner would never have seen the fruition of with their grown-up trees and shrubs.
ReplyDelete