Wednesday 17 September 2014

Chimney Tops and Clock Towers ~~~

Gentle Reader ~~~ A few days ago, I promised you more chimney pots ~~~ and here they are.  Of course, these are just a few more to whet your appetite.  I took a welcome, short, restorative walk today, around the valley, the longest I have walked since my back started to heal. Thank you all for your good wishes, healing thoughts, and prayers as this continues.  In the meantime, I am getting more and more frustrated as I can only watch things ~ that is to say weeds ~ grow out of control in the garden ~~~ one thing is for certain, there will be plenty of catching up to do!

So, I went off for my walk on a beautiful, gently warm and sunny autumn day, and taking my time and my camera, I enjoyed this long awaited freedom from the cottage. The air had that certain feel that only comes in autumn, so hard to explain, but one of those things you just know by instinct.  I took a lot of photographs, I gathered a big bag of conkers, or horse chestnuts, and was so incredibly happy to hear, as I walked along the drying river banks, the long silent bells of the cathedral, striking out fresh and loud and clear, signalling the hour.  You see, Gentle Reader, the clock has recently been removed and undergoing complete restoration and is now being returned, put back in its old, familiar setting.  I cannot tell you how much I have missed hearing the hour strike out, but it has been calling out the time for a few days now, an old friend returned.  One day I will capture the sound on a short video for you to hear, and also I will capture the sound of the campanologists at the Bell Tower too.

Here are two photographs I took, one a close up of the refurbished face and numerals, all pristine and new; the other is of the whole tower showing all the scaffolding needed ~~~




Moving on to the chimneys, another selection for you to look at ~~~ some are very similar, but each has its own individual character ~~~

Here is one that has a lot of pipes, there are many fire places inside, and this one is also finished with a rendering to protect the brickwork ~~~








I really like this one; it looks very old, and I love the curved edges instead of being squared off ~~~







Here is another unusual one ~~~ look at the slate ledge near the bottom ~~~ I wonder what its purpose is, and with the funny pointed guard on top too!














I just love these too!  The softly rounded stacks with arranged pipes on top is just so cute ~~~



Finally, two of the oldest chimneys in the Shire ~~~ two stacks from the kitchen quarters of the ruins of the Bishop's Palace ~~~ the site dates to the 6th century, although most of the ruins date from the 13th and 14th centuries ~~~






















I hope, Gentle Reader, that you have enjoyed your visit to the chimney tops and clock tower of my corner of the Shire today, and remember that ~~~



~~~A Gardener's Work Is Never Done~~~

30 comments:

  1. Oooooo Thank you Thank you!! Dearest Deborah!!! Love Love Love these!
    It really is a thrill for me to see these wonderful historic images, we in the U.S. are so young a nation and only get a rare glimpse of a handful of oldest buildings. And sadly everything is left to ruin! "Disposable" seems to be the way.....sigh...
    So your lovely pictures are a real treat !! :-D
    Blessings and warmth, Linnie

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    1. Good Morning Linnie! Thankfully, we have great organisations, such as Cadw, English Heritage, and The National Trust {motto~"A Future For Our Past"} that work hard to preserve our heritage. I remember, fondly, my very frequent visits to Colonial Williamsburg when I lived in Virginia, and many wonderful sites as I travelled from coast to coast {a modern day pioneer} but all owned and managed individually, I believe? ~~~waving~~~

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  2. I could never imagined so many chimneys roof tops... each one different from the next. You must have had fun looking for new varieties to take pictures of!

    Brenda


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    1. Hello Brenda ~ yes, there are so many, and I will be on the look out for more now as I have only touched the tip of the iceberg. ~~~waving~~~

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  3. I love it! What picturesque chimney tops and ancient rock! Wonderful to get these firsthand glimpses of wonderful Wales! I am sooo busy with this huge Art Exhibit coming. I have badly neglected interacting, but think of you so often. Hope health is improving. xo

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    1. An odd subject that seems to be taking on a life of its own now! Good luck with the exhibition ~~~waving~~~

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  4. What a collection, Deborah! I love all the stone work. I'm enjoying the history you are sharing in these posts. As for the pointy cap and ledge.....I think it's to keep the birds off and the ledge is a place for the sweep to lay his broom and tools! That roof looks awfully steep and I dare say nothing would stay put for very long.

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    1. Ha! maybe, Cathy! My walking companion and I thought the ledge might be for a glass of beer for the sweep when working! I wonder if I can find out? ~~~waving~~~

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  5. Oh ny, Debs! Such beautiful sights! So happy that you felt good enough for a nice walk. I love that cathedral! There is nothing as .....majestic? comforting? serene?....can't put my finger on what it is but I have always loved church bells chiming. Love your chimney pictures. Thank you for sharing your beautiful surroundings with us, sweetie! ♥

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    1. Thank you Karen ~ well, I'd better prepare you for some future entries I'm planning ~ on the Bishop's Palace and the Cathedral ~~~waving~~~

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  6. Thank you for another great stroll through the Shire, looking upward! The tower clock looks lovely and I bet sounds even more lovely. We are about 2 blocks from a church whose bells toll the quarter, half and hour. The hour is tolled and then a lovely tune is played. I haven't heard it all Summer, too hot to sit out and listen. I do look forward to hearing it, again when it is cool enough to throw open the windows and let the breeze and melody float through the cottage! Hugs from across the sea ~ Donna E.

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    1. Church bells are a music all unto themselves ~ for me, they evoke a quintessential Britishness as "The curfew tolls ~~~" There is something very special to just sit and listen, too, to the campanologists hard work as the bells peal out across the land ~~~waving~~~

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  7. Deborah, thank you for posting more of your charming town. The cathedral clock tower is amazing. I'm sure you are enjoying its lovely timely annoncements. One of the things that impressed me while visiting Europe is the bells on the cathedrals. It's a sound I have not forgotten and hope to experience in your lovely country. Take good care of yourself as you recover. ♥

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    1. The great cathedrals of Europe never fail to amaze me on so many levels. I do hope you can hear the great bells of Britain too ~~~waving~~~

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  8. Fabulous photos! I love all the stone...so beautiful. The variety is wonderful. And I wonder what that ledge is for, too!

    I am so glad that your cathedral bells are back again, I imagine they sound lovely. Funny how things like the bells become such a part of our lives. The clock face looks really pretty.

    I sure hope you continue to heal. I know how you feel about the weeds, they excel at growing!

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    1. Lovely to see you Darlene, my friend! The bells are a constant marking of my hours spent in the garden, as they have for my forebears for centuries ~~~ and when the "call to worship" bell was operated manually by my Grandfather, for every service throughout the day, seven days a week, when he was the caretaker of the Cathedral ~~~waving~~~

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  9. Oh, dear! I'm a bit late for our tour! Deb, what an extraordinary collection of beautiful chimneys in the village! You captured them beautifully. Each time the cathedral bells ring, you are reminded of your grandfather. It's so lovely that you can hear their sound from your garden. It would be wonderful to hear the sounds of the cathedral bells one day! I'm so happy to know that you are out walking again… and enjoying your favorite time of year! Each post is a treasure, Deb! ♡

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  10. Just a small selection ~ so many more still to share! No walking today, overdid things a bit yesterday :( ~~~waving~~~

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  11. What a beautiful tour around your shire, I love the architectural detail of the chimneys. I love all of the different shapes as well as the different birds hanging out on the roofs. We have nothing quite like that here so it is really neat to see all of your pictures! :)

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    1. Thank you April. Soon I hope to share photographs of the Bishop's Palace ~~~waving~~~

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  12. I have enjoyed your tour of chimney pots, I do love old brick work.
    The church is beautiful, we have harvest festival in our little church on Sunday.
    So glad you managed to get out in the fresh air.
    Fondly Michelle

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    1. Harvest Festival is such a lovely service. Do you have a supper afterwards? We used to, all the ladies of the parish would provide and serve to the congregation, but, sadly, health and safety finished that for us. ~~~waving~~~

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  13. Oh my gosh Debs, those are just stunning!... I'm not sure which one would be my favorite, as I love them all... love seeing your feathered friends perched on top of them too!... your countryside is just lovey... I do hope your back improves soon... sending happy healing thoughts and prayers your way, xoxo Julie Marie

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    1. I know, Julie Marie ~ almost impossible to pick a favourite, but I think the ones that are mine will be following along shortly, for they have the most memories attached. They may even have an entry all to themselves! ~~~waving~~~

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  14. Amazing pictures. I especially love the ones with the crows.

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    1. Thank you ~ yes, there are crows everywhere ~ and rooks, as well as the omni~present gulls!

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  15. Hi Denorah, I am here after following a comment from you on Susan Branchs' blog. What a lovely blog you have! We have had two family holidays in Wales, near Abergavenny, and are already booked to return next year. Following you now on bloglovin, so I look forward to reading lots more of your posts. Also sending you recovery wishes as from reading your recent posts and comments I realise you have been suffering. I sympathise. X

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    1. Hello Penny ~ lovely to see you here! Abergavenny is a beautiful part of mid~Wales, you are lucky to go there. Thank you for your follow, and your wishes for my recovery! ~~~waving~~~

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  16. Hello Deborah, I so enjoy your posts and photos from lovely, wonderful Wales. I have family in Brecon (husband and I visited last May), with view of the Beacons from living room window. Glorious! So happy to have stumbled upon your sweet blog. Jen in NY.

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    1. Hello Jen ~ thank you, and I'm so pleased you enjoy my photographs and words. The Brecon Beacons are a wonderfully beautiful place to have family to visit. What a view you must have had!

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