Well firstly coincidence. My 'Salt Path' by Raynor Winn book ordered on Friday, arrived in the post on Saturday and then on Sunday who should be on the programme 'On My Farm' but the pair of them living down in Cornwall I think renting an old farm full of cider apples. You can hear the programme here.
The reason I think it is Cornwall, is that my second bantam was strutting round the lawn cross that she could not get in to the coop and I had to go out and attend to her noisy behaviour, so I missed the first part of the programme. Bad tempered bantams - who will take them on please?
But that is just first news on getting up this morning. Weaver cottages set me off on more history, and you can stop reading now if you feel you will be bored. But the history of glass is fascinating for what is a window without glass? Well early on in their history there was no glass, but coverings were improvised from shavings for instance from the horns of cows. Oiled cloth, preferably linen. and even thin sheet of semi-translucent stones such as mica or alabaster.
We know the Romans made glass and there has been found in this country fragments of Anglo-Saxon glass but glass making proper did not arrive till about the 13th century from France. The A/S glass had been found in monastic abbeys such as Monkwearmouth and Jarrow, Bede mentions it.
Quoting here from one of my favourite books, details below eventually, "the glass-maker needs soda and lime, but his principle requirement is pure silicia sand". Should the presence of iron oxide be found in the sand it would make the glass a dirtyish colour of grey or green/brown.
Well we do have pure sands in England and so for the monastic houses and rich over lords glass was made in this country from the 13th century. Glass was precious, and at Alnwick Hall, the expensive glass in 1567, was removed when the master was away for fear of damage from the weather.
What had made me stop and think though was the uniformity of the windows in the weaver houses. Mullioned stone verticals held the frame of the glass, and yet they look aesthetically unpleasing to the eye, and you begin to realise that windows are the eyes of a house, they frame a pleasing aspect. John Woods, in true architectural style had grasped this nettle in his buildings of Georgian Bath.
"Crown glass was one of the two most common processes for making window glass until the 19th century. ... The process of making crown glass window panes was perfected by French glassmakers in the 1320s, notably around Rouen, and was a trade secret. As a result, crown glass was not made in London until 1678" . taken from Wikipedia
Many early windows are framed in lead, we can all relate to that funny centre of a pane of glass which is like a bad lens. This is due to the making the glass, it is the central boss as the earliest glass was blown spinning in a circular fashion. Lead could not hold a great expanse of glass that is why we see leaded windows in their diamond frames in cottages.
'The glaziers' work before substantial was
I must confess, thrice as much lead as glass
Early frames could have been made of iron or copper, but wood eventually appeared and the price of glass windows was adjusted accordingly, and, of course the size. I have given a reference to crown glass above but it is interesting to note that Plate glass, which we see on any modern architectural programme as the 'in' thing to have only came into manufacture in the 1950s?, though the French had been there that much earlier. Again a different way of approaching glass making.
ref; Alex Clifton-Taylor. The Pattern of English Building. A book that would definitely travel with me to my 'Desert Island'
Observer article on the new book
Oh if only I could re the bantams Thelma. I had them for years on the farm - I had two hens and a cock and they frequently went broody and disappeared but never managed to rear a single chick. My dear farmer also thought they were a complete waste of space particularly as I bought a special cosy hut for them too but I did love them dearly and was sad when they died. Why not buy them a cock to keep them company = that would solve your problem! Interesting about The Salt Path because when they wrote that the husband already had an incurable illness and was not expected to live long but pleased to say he is still going strong by the sound of things.
ReplyDeleteThey will eventually go for free with runs and coop, but people like to see them running round the garden free, the funny thing is it is a threesome with the feral cat. They are noisy though, demanding food that isn't corn outside the kitchen. As for Ray's husband he looks well enough and seem to have settled down. It was a kind act from the person who offered his ramshackle farm for rent.
DeleteI am waiting and waiting and waiting for Winn's second book.
ReplyDeleteAs a weaver, I can tell you that light is vitally important. Blind people can knit, fingers counting stitches and complex patterns. I don't know of a blind weaver.
It is surprising how people who have never written before can in their first book write so fluently, I think in this case because of the closeness of the couple. So I hope your book comes quickly.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about weaving and light, and how easy it is to knit without looking as many women do Joanne.
Loved "The Salt Path" and wondered what had happened in her life after the book. They were such brave souls. Fascinating about the glass and your summary was not boring at all!
ReplyDeleteWell her second book is out Tabor, it was a very brave move they both made to walk the path and they seem to have continued walking as well. Thanks about reading the bit about glass. Every so often I get enthusiastic about a subject but realise not many other people may need to know.
ReplyDelete