tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61685279741785395232024-02-19T17:02:19.587+00:00Staffordshire PhotoA random photograph & comment four times a month about some site or situation in Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent.
Part of the 'City Daily Photo' international family of photo-bloggers.Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.comBlogger1146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-91264590115351741142022-06-12T23:59:00.008+01:002022-06-21T00:18:09.815+01:00From Oulton to the sea<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZldveLx9QVzcV-zTaL3ruFlu7DbmeF8SmiYzcIz1KeylBFndrrQz74-OzQ87fGsB3nRiKwqMg37Jf5Ao7eipBA8YvhELyY91TPFdeg1QMycNi30TwlGzrB1kNeCE9VlfZIXbNHLWTima5WMfdZkr4CWtwhHgUY3eMNh02C0nxT7mv4KuZP3oDqj6Odw/s2819/Llandudno%20dolphins%20gravestone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Gravestone in Llandudno" border="0" data-original-height="1762" data-original-width="2819" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZldveLx9QVzcV-zTaL3ruFlu7DbmeF8SmiYzcIz1KeylBFndrrQz74-OzQ87fGsB3nRiKwqMg37Jf5Ao7eipBA8YvhELyY91TPFdeg1QMycNi30TwlGzrB1kNeCE9VlfZIXbNHLWTima5WMfdZkr4CWtwhHgUY3eMNh02C0nxT7mv4KuZP3oDqj6Odw/w640-h400/Llandudno%20dolphins%20gravestone.jpg" title="Gravestone in Llandudno" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />If you climb up and over the Great Orme at Llandudno in Wales, you come eventually to the lonely St Tudno's Cemetery Chapel, the last building along the coastline, which looks out over the Irish Sea. It's a great spot to be buried, an opinion the lady (and her husband) who chose the grave-place photographed here obviously must have shared.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The sea must have indeed meant something extra to her, as the carving </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">wrapped around the top of the stone is </span>of two dolphins riding the waves.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUB82ncRcZZC3louLwZAkBTRVRjjXUZWvoLMbtT7o0jCrO71yb2yT8JyV1ezHM-HEstFWpfj4hLl0a_rkRDSeeh-0lZJ0niGWHAEl7_HzNv2MIgvd6phQzss4XkbNG-HYjcPG0qC5Vq-f5uVVrMU6ugFkjgMDFBlyjZbhNAE4iLduCVqn7FlhYJ71MhQ/s3622/Llandudno%20grave%20dolphins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2264" data-original-width="3622" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUB82ncRcZZC3louLwZAkBTRVRjjXUZWvoLMbtT7o0jCrO71yb2yT8JyV1ezHM-HEstFWpfj4hLl0a_rkRDSeeh-0lZJ0niGWHAEl7_HzNv2MIgvd6phQzss4XkbNG-HYjcPG0qC5Vq-f5uVVrMU6ugFkjgMDFBlyjZbhNAE4iLduCVqn7FlhYJ71MhQ/w282-h176/Llandudno%20grave%20dolphins.jpg" width="282" /></a></span></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Although this is a photo of a place in Wales, it figures in this Staffordshire blog, because the inhabitant of this grave originally came from Oulton, a village in the middle of this county. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div><i>++++</i></div><div><i><div><br /></div><div>To comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</div><div><br /></div><div>To
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dozi0L3nRyw/XnOUm8-QGpI/AAAAAAAAESE/Iqrd9SnTXFM6YicmyPYtojWPF069JquwACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Nello%2BStreet%2BLongton%2BMarket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nello Street, Longton Market" border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dozi0L3nRyw/XnOUm8-QGpI/AAAAAAAAESE/Iqrd9SnTXFM6YicmyPYtojWPF069JquwACPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/Nello%2BStreet%2BLongton%2BMarket.jpg" title="Nello Street, Longton Market" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the most profiled living people in the Potteries is Neil Baldwin ('Nello') - yet most have never heard of him. <br /><br /> His was an unpredicted life. Best described as 'neuro-diverse' he has no particular skill, except the marvellous one of making people like him, and somehow that has been enough. Many, many people have liked him enough to want to have him around - from circus owners to students at Keele (the local university) to the manager at Stoke City Football Club. <br />And then, somehow, this local unassuming figure got 'found' by writers and TV dramatists... and this month there is to be <a href="https://www.newvictheatre.org.uk/casting-announced-for-world-stage-premiere-of-neil-nello-baldwins-marvellous-life-story/" target="_blank">a play perfomed all about him and his life</a>. It's on at the local professional theatre, the New Vic. The phenomenon is all quite astonishing, not the least to Neil himself.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;">In Longton Market (see pic above), they've even named one of the aisles after him. Amazing.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><i>++++</i></div><div><i><div><br /></div><div>To comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</div><div><br /></div><div>To
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Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0LONGTON MARKET, Longton Exchange, Stoke-on-Trent ST3, UK52.9888923 -2.136123924.678658463821158 -37.2923739 81.299126136178842 33.0201261tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-28692849846677283952022-02-16T22:44:00.014+00:002022-06-20T23:38:19.018+01:00Citizen of Staffordshire<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOu0sj9OJa_oR3Fm3HIP5E5LkAKWEb4a4A9gwNyjLd8L2F8LFBH3IK5ycDYSslOItzvH3gFntIIPgAJRceyyFCyX65Qv3vp6s0vCRqHbd9z-4RS0k525osIOJIwuD4h-HCPic0F89igt3XXLGtksM7u6YbHDnalf5QvQ_-yr6ORSwIdNTHKXtMj9mug/s1473/maternity%20knot%20at%20N%20Staffs%20Hospital.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sign at North Staffordshire Hospital" border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="1473" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOu0sj9OJa_oR3Fm3HIP5E5LkAKWEb4a4A9gwNyjLd8L2F8LFBH3IK5ycDYSslOItzvH3gFntIIPgAJRceyyFCyX65Qv3vp6s0vCRqHbd9z-4RS0k525osIOJIwuD4h-HCPic0F89igt3XXLGtksM7u6YbHDnalf5QvQ_-yr6ORSwIdNTHKXtMj9mug/w640-h282/maternity%20knot%20at%20N%20Staffs%20Hospital.jpg" title="Sign at North Staffordshire Hospital" width="640" /></a> </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I don't know why particularly it should amuse me but I could only smile that the symbol for maternity at the North Staffordshire Hospital is a <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/stoke/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8401000/8401651.stm" target="_blank">Stafford/Staffordshire Knot</a>. (The knot is the ancient symbol of the county itself). By contrast, the other departments have rather arbitrary symbols.<br />It's as though each incoming baby is automatically granted Citizen of Staffordshire status simply by being born here - which, maybe, I suppose, actually is the case...!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div><i>++++</i></div><div><i><div><br /></div><div>To comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</div><div><br /></div><div>To
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address is kept private and never reused</div></i></div>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0499 Newcastle Rd, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 6PJ, UK53.003285299999988 -2.21492852.992955916275157 -2.2320941376953125 53.013614683724818 -2.1977618623046875tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-74089783275867011062022-01-15T22:08:00.006+00:002022-06-20T23:38:37.070+01:00Not romantic ruin<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RHcqiSYmDc0/X_zBayW2NII/AAAAAAAAEug/naFluYP6QLgwNdY2t1Y7Fd2T4lyC7F7PgCPcBGAYYCw/s3606/middleport.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Middleport ruin" border="0" data-original-height="2254" data-original-width="3606" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RHcqiSYmDc0/X_zBayW2NII/AAAAAAAAEug/naFluYP6QLgwNdY2t1Y7Fd2T4lyC7F7PgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/middleport.jpg" title="Middleport ruin" width="640" /></a></p><span style="font-size: medium;">A photo for gloomy January. The abandoned Victorian factories of the Potteries are perfect examples of 'ruin porn', which we've covered already once or twice. In the Middleport district, abandonment is more evident than usual.<br />These old buildings have a great resonance of the area's deeply industrial past (for which there is a strange, but understandable, local nostalgic pride) - but what does one do with them?</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><i>++++</i></div><div><i><div><br /></div><div>To comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</div><div><br /></div><div>To
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Talc_G4t_fE/XS5aI_BjcwI/AAAAAAAAEKw/Rh2J1ztYpiMUKUv7NtponmONlmAvqEZNACEwYBhgL/s1600/Draycott%2Bchurch%2Bfootpath%2Bjan%2B18%2Btruck.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Decaying truck in undergrowth" border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Talc_G4t_fE/XS5aI_BjcwI/AAAAAAAAEKw/Rh2J1ztYpiMUKUv7NtponmONlmAvqEZNACEwYBhgL/w640-h400/Draycott%2Bchurch%2Bfootpath%2Bjan%2B18%2Btruck.jpg" title="Decaying truck in undergrowth" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /><span style="font-size: medium;">All returns to Nature, they say.<br />This truck has.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><i>++++</i></div><div><i><div><br /></div><div>To comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</div><div><br /></div><div>To
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Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-56712035576455249472021-10-10T14:20:00.001+01:002022-06-20T23:37:43.873+01:00Churchyard but no church<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Da-4_Gyi9U4/X7-5NDQbqaI/AAAAAAAAErY/h-wgi2Izn1ARHCHZGbUMnQY-sMci9mwswCPcBGAYYCw/s3506/churchyard%2Bwith%2Bno%2Bchurch%252C%2Bedensor%2Broad.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Old Churchyard, Longton" border="0" data-original-height="2191" data-original-width="3506" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Da-4_Gyi9U4/X7-5NDQbqaI/AAAAAAAAErY/h-wgi2Izn1ARHCHZGbUMnQY-sMci9mwswCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/churchyard%2Bwith%2Bno%2Bchurch%252C%2Bedensor%2Broad.jpg" title="Old Churchyard, Longton" width="640" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here's an odd thing: a churchyard without a church. This particular patch of 'God's Acre' in Longton is now, essentially, a kind of 'sacred park' for dog-walkers and strollers.<br />The story is that <a href="https://www.search.staffspasttrack.org.uk/Details.aspx?&ResourceID=21723&PageIndex=16&SearchType=2&ThemeID=147" target="_blank">old St Paul's</a> was pulled down in 1940, despite being quite a handsome building and less than 100 years old (one suspects that mining subsidence may have been the problem, as it is for a lot of Longton). <br />The churchyard stayed though.<br />Ironically, the modern Longton Cemetery is only a few yards away.</span></p><div><i>++++</i></div><div><i><div><br /></div><div>To comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</div><div><br /></div><div>To
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address is kept private and never reused</div></i></div><p></p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0Old Churchyard, Spring Garden Rd, Stoke-on-Trent ST3 2QS, UK52.9834271 -2.140362552.982135244051094 -2.1425082672119142 52.984718955948907 -2.1382167327880861tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-22711692387729177012021-07-21T22:54:00.002+01:002021-07-21T23:07:40.266+01:00Dried up<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VTeB3wsxWEM/XvN8Im_S0-I/AAAAAAAAEbo/W3UCqoOM9NsbzsCL1xQSSZLoc3LREkE-gCK4BGAsYHg/s1024/dried%2Blake%2Bat%2BSpath.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dried up lake at Spath" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VTeB3wsxWEM/XvN8Im_S0-I/AAAAAAAAEbo/W3UCqoOM9NsbzsCL1xQSSZLoc3LREkE-gCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h480/dried%2Blake%2Bat%2BSpath.jpg" title="Dried up lake at Spath" width="640" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">You might associate lakes that dry up with more tropical countries, but Britain has been having its share over the last few years; it's been around 30 degrees today locally.<br />Of course, we only get 'heat-waves', ie a stretch of four or five days at a time before we get back to the usual grey skies, but the hot days are getting hotter. </span><br /></div>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0Spath, Uttoxeter ST14, UK52.915521899999987 -1.869217952.91034606184779 -1.8778009688476562 52.920697738152185 -1.8606348311523437tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-6311980309497302652021-07-10T19:36:00.009+01:002022-06-20T23:39:24.281+01:00Doors open again<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XEb8S2UKqKk/X4BF7RTEbtI/AAAAAAAAEmY/239Kh78gZlcHQfxDSk4UQdR_JvjaCEKAQCPcBGAYYCw/s4000/moseley%2Bold%2Bhall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Moseley Old Hall" border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="4000" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XEb8S2UKqKk/X4BF7RTEbtI/AAAAAAAAEmY/239Kh78gZlcHQfxDSk4UQdR_JvjaCEKAQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/moseley%2Bold%2Bhall.jpg" title="Moseley Old Hall" width="640" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Tourist attractions have been opening up gradually, following the Covid restrictions during the Spring, and all seems almost normal again (apart from the masks). <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/moseley-old-hall" target="_blank"><br />Moseley Old Hall</a>, where the future King Charles II hid while he was on the run from Cromwell, is one of the best of Staffordshire's great mansions - and is one of those now fully open again to visitors.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div><i>++++</i></div><div><i><div><br /></div><div>To comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</div><div><br /></div><div>To
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address is kept private and never reused</div></i></div>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0Moseley Old Hall Ln, Featherstone, Wolverhampton WV10 7HY, UK52.6374425 -2.102339524.327208663821153 -37.2585895 80.947676336178844 33.0539105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-2979057375436233742021-05-20T18:54:00.013+01:002021-07-21T23:09:37.402+01:00Elvis in the sticks<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHzPXbvAUaH3ja6APxJaipL0TIS626RuNeuHxQ61FgvUE-4bJirNEQ_dJOZISXFGdq97Q3bYpOEDDad8kxuz0hzNaDFWu0b0J1L6Bime_PE_GTlop-gIOs56rYDA1SxHWr1LmnpBUzOGrh/s2397/Elvis+Nicholls+Rd+Oulton.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Elvis statue in Oulton" border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="2397" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHzPXbvAUaH3ja6APxJaipL0TIS626RuNeuHxQ61FgvUE-4bJirNEQ_dJOZISXFGdq97Q3bYpOEDDad8kxuz0hzNaDFWu0b0J1L6Bime_PE_GTlop-gIOs56rYDA1SxHWr1LmnpBUzOGrh/w640-h400/Elvis+Nicholls+Rd+Oulton.jpg" title="Elvis statue in Oulton" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">On a fairly deserted country lane lading up to Oulton village, I glanced up to see ... Elvis Presley. Which was quite a shock.<br />He seems quite animated about something, but then, he always did.</span><p></p><p><i>++++</i></p><p><i>To comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</i></p><p><i>To get an email alert into your inbox every time we make a new post (about once a week), just put your email address into the Follow By Email Box (in the column to the right on this page) and hit Submit. Your email address is kept private and never reused</i></p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0Kibblestone Rd, Oulton, Stone ST15 8UJ, UK52.9196156 -2.13616142.278175857081784 -19.714286000000008 63.561055342918216 15.441964000000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-87739688580840046692021-05-10T12:22:00.006+01:002022-06-21T00:44:24.841+01:00Great vase, crazy story<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eIiYO6LPaZ4/X4BF6TJWMpI/AAAAAAAAEmU/_JXdqBhjhSMsRuP0mPQpIlAwXYuZSRo8QCPcBGAYYCw/s2233/Portland%2BVase%2Bat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="The 'Portland Vase'" border="0" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="2233" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eIiYO6LPaZ4/X4BF6TJWMpI/AAAAAAAAEmU/_JXdqBhjhSMsRuP0mPQpIlAwXYuZSRo8QCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/Portland%2BVase%2Bat.jpg" title="The 'Portland Vase'" width="640" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Exactly two hundred and thirty-one years ago, a reproduction of the 'Portland Vase' (an object made in Rome in the first century) went on show in London. It was such a popular event that tickets had to be sold to restrict the flow of visitors. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />The original vase <i>(see pic above)</i> is made of glass. However, strangely, a glass copy of it would have been impossible in the eighteenth century, so the </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">reproduction, made by </span>Josiah Wedgwood at his factory in North Staffordshire, is a pottery version - 'jasperware'.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In Staffordshire we know Josiah's copy very well, because it was his crowning achievement, which took him four years to perfect. It is vibrantly yet delicately beautiful; there is no doubt of that. You can still see one of Josiah's versions at the V&A Museum.</span></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;">By the way, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Vase" target="_blank">story of the original vase</a> would make a great film - full of crazy people, obsessed people and shocking moments. It must be made!<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><i>++++</i></div><div><i><div><br /></div><div>To comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</div><div><br /></div><div>To get an email alert into your inbox every time we make a new post (about once a week), just put your email address into the Follow By Email Box (in the column to the right on this page) and hit Submit. Your email address is kept private and never reused</div></i></div>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-89981353463176923572021-04-29T20:47:00.006+01:002021-04-29T20:47:00.210+01:00Railway ghostliness<p> <img alt="Stafford railway station" border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2560" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yLLHYgzXdyM/YGoYFaj1RKI/AAAAAAAAEz0/Nj39iSkeODoJjIU4eneJkbZaDejOyHxggCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/stafford%2Brailway%2Bstation.JPG" title="Stafford railway station" width="640" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Stafford railway station has been empty (ish) and a little ghostly over the last twelve months. It'll be interesting to see if it returns to its former numbers.</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><i><span><span>++++<br /></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i><span><span>To
comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</span></span></i></span><span><i><span><span><br /></span></span></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i><span><span>To get an email alert into your inbox every time we make a new post (about
once a week), just put your email address into the Follow By Email Box
(in the column to the right on this page) and hit Submit. Your email address is kept private and never reused</span></span></i></span></span></p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0Stafford Railway Station, Stafford ST16 2AA, UK52.8038533 -2.122121152.80320469199885 -2.1231939836059572 52.80450190800115 -2.1210482163940432tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-58733811864650107782021-04-20T17:00:00.001+01:002021-04-20T17:00:00.162+01:00Light & shade<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TBs2wJ2geLo/VyUWQXMnTcI/AAAAAAAAD-c/Lf9Y0jwJnQ4stEV1nG-pJs9VmQJikwiywCKgB/s1600/hills.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hills in sunlight" border="0" height="398" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TBs2wJ2geLo/VyUWQXMnTcI/AAAAAAAAD-c/Lf9Y0jwJnQ4stEV1nG-pJs9VmQJikwiywCKgB/w640-h398/hills.jpg" title="Hills in sunlight" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Country-walking traditionally starts again after Easter (at least, it does for light-weights like me).</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;">I do love these Springtime moving-picture vistas, with the sun and cloud moving rapidly in the sky, sweeping light and shade in quick succession over the hills. <br />Fast-changing moments have rather been a theme of the last year.</span><br /><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><i><span><span>++++<br /></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i><span><span>To
comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</span></span></i></span><span><i><span><span><br /></span></span></i></span></span></p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i><span><span>To get an email alert into your inbox every time we make a new post (about
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Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-64320378541851520512021-04-10T17:24:00.009+01:002021-04-10T17:24:00.171+01:00Fish pour off the bridge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I7QP9DFu5EM/XvN8J8sLajI/AAAAAAAAEbw/hUN6kqGS_AQoCU9iY7gOetfVmVVHJPODgCK4BGAsYHg/s3393/fish%2Blyme%2Bbrook%2Bbridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Return, a fish sculpture by Ian Randall (1995)" border="0" data-original-height="2121" data-original-width="3393" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I7QP9DFu5EM/XvN8J8sLajI/AAAAAAAAEbw/hUN6kqGS_AQoCU9iY7gOetfVmVVHJPODgCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h400/fish%2Blyme%2Bbrook%2Bbridge.jpg" title="The Return, a fish sculpture by Ian Randall (1995)" width="640" /> </a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">This stone sculpture on a bridge in Newcastle-under-Lyme above the Lyme Brook, is called 'The Return'. It vaguely amuses me, though I do worry some of the fish on the far edges of the parapet are actually dead. Who knows? </span><br /><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><i><span><span>++++<br /></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i><span><span>To
comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</span></span></i></span><span><i><span><span><br /></span></span></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i><span><span>To get an email alert into your inbox every time we make a new post (about
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Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com0Bridge on Brook Ln, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Newcastle ST5 3AE, UK53.0065782 -2.22643753.005287040259461 -2.2285827672119143 53.007869359740539 -2.2242912327880862tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-42175603941606530842021-03-30T14:19:00.002+01:002021-04-04T20:45:59.723+01:00Getting close to a Tudor wonder<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SRJhaI9sVM4/X7-5MVyqoEI/AAAAAAAAErA/7RRsmvTRPkICUma42kYsK19ZcuT6lpmegCLcBGAsYHQ/s3371/broughton%2Bhall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Broughton Hall, Staffordshire" border="0" data-original-height="2107" data-original-width="3371" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SRJhaI9sVM4/X7-5MVyqoEI/AAAAAAAAErA/7RRsmvTRPkICUma42kYsK19ZcuT6lpmegCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h400/broughton%2Bhall.jpg" title="Broughton Hall, Staffordshire" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />This is about as close to Broughton Hall as you'll get, unless you're fortunate enough to be invited to one of the magnificent Grand Charity Balls that are held here every so often.<br /></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">Broughton Hall is a famous Elizabethan manor that has been in private hands since it was built, but - one of the magical aspects of the British footpath network! - a walkers' path gets this close to it. Thus: at least one can admire the wonderful exterior from relatively close. </span><br /><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><i><span><span>++++<br /></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i><span><span>To
comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</span></span></i></span><span><i><span><span><br /></span></span></i></span></span></p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i><span><span>To get an email alert into your inbox every time we make a new post (about
once a week), just put your email address into the Follow By Email Box
(in the column to the right on this page) and hit Submit. Your email address is kept private and never reused</span></span></i></span></span><p></p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com1Broughton Hall, Eccleshall, Stafford ST21 6NS, UK52.9021 -2.348324.591866163821152 -37.50455 81.212333836178843 32.80795tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-84909816412750431002021-03-20T21:35:00.011+00:002021-04-04T20:47:04.392+01:00Falling foul of Henry<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZkcOEMEM1yc/YAyWBLQtcnI/AAAAAAAAEvc/BbOYcm0zN94_6EOBtpH7rHqm50VEs7zcACPcBGAYYCw/s3088/Edward%2BStafford%252C%2BDuke%2Bof%2BBuckingham%2Bat%2BBrecon%2BCathedral.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stained-glass depicting Edward Stafford" border="0" data-original-height="1930" data-original-width="3088" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZkcOEMEM1yc/YAyWBLQtcnI/AAAAAAAAEvc/BbOYcm0zN94_6EOBtpH7rHqm50VEs7zcACPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/Edward%2BStafford%252C%2BDuke%2Bof%2BBuckingham%2Bat%2BBrecon%2BCathedral.jpg" title="Stained-glass depicting Edward Stafford" width="640" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">What drew me to this stained-glass in Brecon Cathedral was the Stafford Knot in it of course - you can see the knot on this man's shoulder.<br />He is Edward Stafford, the third Duke of Buckingham. <br />(The first duke had been born at Stafford Castle and was also the Earl of Stafford. He was the one who had first adopted the knot for the family's badge/livery.) </span><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span><span><i><span><span>++++<br /></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i><span><span>To
comment on this post, just use the Comments field down this page</span></span></i></span><span><i><span><span><br /></span></span></i></span></span></p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i><span><span>To get an email alert into your inbox every time we make a new post (about
once a week), just put your email address into the Follow By Email Box
(in the column to the right on this page) and hit Submit. Your email address is kept private and never reused</span></span></i></span></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Poor Edward was executed in 1521 after annoying Henry VIII for something or other. </span></p><p></p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-61376928567283540252021-03-10T21:33:00.002+00:002021-03-10T21:33:01.514+00:00Sighing to the workhouse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IjNy2DgaRzeUM64hz8laCUUDi6jN-wRvHoZBbpFsFvmbH0YnVTgMfLBeX1545HQSx-tTqagetJHdmPLHlw1x-TjX5uLXIjLcb0SK__2WyTBHEsZlqjOsEuriKf2oE2KisfNzYLSRAwqV/s3983/stone+bridge+walkway.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Passageway under canal, Stone" border="0" data-original-height="2492" data-original-width="3983" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IjNy2DgaRzeUM64hz8laCUUDi6jN-wRvHoZBbpFsFvmbH0YnVTgMfLBeX1545HQSx-tTqagetJHdmPLHlw1x-TjX5uLXIjLcb0SK__2WyTBHEsZlqjOsEuriKf2oE2KisfNzYLSRAwqV/w640-h400/stone+bridge+walkway.jpg" title="Passageway under canal, Stone" width="640" /></a></div><br />This must have been a most miserable passageway 150 years ago.<br />The Victorians of the town of Stone lived and enjoyed themselves on the east side of the river, so, on the west, they built the local Workhouse, in which the desperately poor were housed.
<br />To access the workhouse from the comfortable side of town, the poverty-stricken had to pass through this passageway under a small bridge. A bridge of sighs.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">After the end of the Poor Laws, the old workhouse became a hospital, and is now - by a curious twist of fate -, luxury apartments!</div>
Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com2Trent Close, Stone ST15 8QN, UK52.9016598 -2.148520652.901012645891512 -2.1495934836059569 52.902306954108482 -2.1474477163940429tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-22523834750565709212021-02-28T14:19:00.000+00:002021-02-28T14:19:00.645+00:00Geese vs parks<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QZRsb4dV_c8/X7-5MHGA7lI/AAAAAAAAEq8/r06GJrHeAZ8dQ9_FsglNPs0RJ48OdvwQwCPcBGAYYCw/s2741/burton%2Bgeese%2Bbehind%2Bchurch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Canadian geese" border="0" data-original-height="1663" data-original-width="2741" height="388" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QZRsb4dV_c8/X7-5MHGA7lI/AAAAAAAAEq8/r06GJrHeAZ8dQ9_FsglNPs0RJ48OdvwQwCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h388/burton%2Bgeese%2Bbehind%2Bchurch.jpg" title="Canadian geese" width="640" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Canadian geese are probably the least liked of all birds to be found in Britain. They can be aggressive and hard to disperse. But, worse than this it seems, park managers despair when they see the birds settle on their patches. This is because, over time, the birds simply nibble away at the luscious swards - and create bare grounds of uncovered mud. There are even guides online on how to cull them (humanel, of course).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The geese like to settle by water. Here they have destroyed the greens on the riverside walk in Burton.</span><br /></p><p></p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com1Riverside Gardens, Wetmore Ln, Burton-on-Trent DE14 1RA, UK52.817859299999988 -1.621958652.817210900602845 -1.6230314836059569 52.818507699397131 -1.6208857163940429tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-37339858913549700002021-02-16T21:35:00.000+00:002021-02-16T21:35:00.476+00:00Singles at Hoar Cross<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2zs5gp4Hhbk/YAyWCewcSFI/AAAAAAAAEvg/9jcSe7zzsIweKPCBBdLW1AwpX1z_VF0VQCPcBGAYYCw/s3013/hoar%2Bcross%2Bchurch%2Bsingle%2Bpews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Single pews at Holy Angels Church at Hoar Cross" border="0" data-original-height="1883" data-original-width="3013" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2zs5gp4Hhbk/YAyWCewcSFI/AAAAAAAAEvg/9jcSe7zzsIweKPCBBdLW1AwpX1z_VF0VQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/hoar%2Bcross%2Bchurch%2Bsingle%2Bpews.jpg" title="Single pews at Holy Angels Church at Hoar Cross" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Despite being a relatively young church (built 1876), <a href="https://staffshistoricchurches.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/hoar-cross-holy-angels/" target="_blank">Holy Angels</a> at Hoar Cross is a stunner, and gets hugely high ratings from both visitors and 'church-crawlers'. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">However, this photo is of the church's single pews (I've neer seen single pews before). They could almost have been custom made for worship in a time of Covid social distancing...!</span><br /></p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com1Hoar Cross, Burton-on-Trent DE13 8QS, UK52.802493000000013 -1.827771524.492259163821167 -36.9840215 81.112726836178865 33.3284785tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-43628936390660186842021-02-08T15:10:00.000+00:002021-02-08T15:10:21.104+00:00Wet lands<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DK5TCj17LNA/YCFR6FOSdKI/AAAAAAAAExE/PAKgGkQvTTUpY7PIcrgNmh6-noZy55rjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2456/kingsley%2Bdrainage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Drainage pipe at Kingsley" border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2456" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DK5TCj17LNA/YCFR6FOSdKI/AAAAAAAAExE/PAKgGkQvTTUpY7PIcrgNmh6-noZy55rjQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h400/kingsley%2Bdrainage.jpg" title="Drainage pipe at Kingsley" width="640" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">It has been wet wet wet underfoot. The snow-melt didn't help either.<br />I thought if I walked on the top of the ridge at Kingsley it would be drier, but the fields were sodden even up there.<br />On a track, just twenty yards down from the top, I saw this pipe, which is a farmer's way of trying to drain the excess water from the land. Some hope... it just kept on gushing, so much so that it was creating a completely new runnel beneath it.</span><br /></p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com1Banks Ln, Stoke-on-Trent ST10, UK53.026584100000008 -1.980986153.024002999586116 -1.9852776344238281 53.0291652004139 -1.9766945655761718tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-29834349382834056472021-01-31T21:48:00.000+00:002021-01-31T21:48:01.409+00:00Wall/bridge/lock/road/canal/path<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X3YYmiA_Svk/X_zBeLeAqBI/AAAAAAAAEuY/VyFN1fHu3Bk_xgp0wPRm3kl7OAddgImegCPcBGAYYCw/s3986/Awbridge%2B49%2Bwombourne%2Bcanal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Awbridge Canal Bridge" border="0" data-original-height="2491" data-original-width="3986" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X3YYmiA_Svk/X_zBeLeAqBI/AAAAAAAAEuY/VyFN1fHu3Bk_xgp0wPRm3kl7OAddgImegCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/Awbridge%2B49%2Bwombourne%2Bcanal.jpg" title="Awbridge Canal Bridge" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>This road-bridge on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal (1770) is Grade-2 listed, believe it or not - though it was built by Brindley, so does deserve its bit of fame. And it is strangely elegant.<br />The odd arrangement you see here the because of the challenge set to Brindley to build a lock and bridge in one structure - he always loved a challenge! <br />If you want to go look for it, it's no 49 on the canal and is to be found in Awbridge (Trysull).<br /> </p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com1Awbridge Lodge, Union Ln, Trysull, Wolverhampton WV5 7JD, UK52.5509216 -2.210039452.545702496473226 -2.2186224688476561 52.556140703526779 -2.2014563311523436tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-82792873666905977712021-01-23T19:36:00.005+00:002021-01-23T19:36:46.501+00:00Mild & snowy<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wfUpSrz4sag/X_zBewdbChI/AAAAAAAAEuk/9WVpA73cRhsHlNtQnlYqdZUMxSCkgTTGgCPcBGAYYCw/s2001/tree%2Bin%2Bsnow%2B10%2BFeb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tree in snow" border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="2001" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wfUpSrz4sag/X_zBewdbChI/AAAAAAAAEuk/9WVpA73cRhsHlNtQnlYqdZUMxSCkgTTGgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/tree%2Bin%2Bsnow%2B10%2BFeb.jpg" title="Tree in snow" width="640" /></a><br />Another bout of the white stuff today. <br />You'd think the air would feel cold, or chilly at least. But this is one of those snowy times when it's actually quite mild out. <br /></p><p></p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168527974178539523.post-52053184152613613702021-01-11T21:37:00.001+00:002021-01-11T22:19:27.706+00:00Lockdown ways<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Slc1H5dni7Y/X_zBbYBMzSI/AAAAAAAAEuU/aI1ObTLXYfA5OoM67FDTaZoweCIGq_gOgCPcBGAYYCw/s3563/mossgate%2Bwalk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mossgate" border="0" data-original-height="2227" data-original-width="3563" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Slc1H5dni7Y/X_zBbYBMzSI/AAAAAAAAEuU/aI1ObTLXYfA5OoM67FDTaZoweCIGq_gOgCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h400/mossgate%2Bwalk.jpg" title="Mossgate" width="640" /></a></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Lockdown again, so back to what we did in the last one - go for walks.</span><br /></p>Mark Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708109024225090025noreply@blogger.com2Mossgate, UK52.9317849 -2.077559131.428423755428021 -37.2338091 74.435146044571979 33.0786909