Peak strolling

Walking down to the river bridge from Alstonefield... in the Staffordshire Peak District

Pink runners

A view of Trentham Gardens round dusk. The pink band on the right-hand side of the photo is a group of runners, competing in The Race For Life

The annoying death of Brooke

Lichfield is full of little historical monuments like this one in Dam Street. It commemorates the death of a Parliamentarian general in the English Civil War, Lord Brooke, whose army had cut off the Royalist forces in the city. 
He died 365 years ago today.

The Parliamentary side was understandably aggrieved by this loss of a general and shortly afterwards a pamphlet appeared, called 'England’s Losse and Lamentation'. It said that Lichfield was “the sinke of iniquity, cage of unclean and wicked spirits; ungodly, prophane, and most perfidiously wicked; chief instrument of the Kingdomes misery. Let the remembrance of thee be hatefull; and thy name blotted out from among the Townes of the Provinces.”   Like I said...aggrieved.

Incidentally, the monument says Brooke was shot by a sniper whose job was to "annoy the besiegers".
The plaque was erected in the 1700s, when the word ‘annoy’ presumably had a little more venom to it than it does today…!

Graffiti for a child

This is a curiously vibrant piece of graffiti for a rather unfrequented foot-tunnel.  It runs under the A50 at Blythe Marsh, more as a sort of rain run-off than anything else, as it goes to nowhere really.

But whoever sat here for those lonely hours creating these pictures seems to have wanted to imbue them with childlike fun.

White lady mystery

The ‘White Lady’ print has a central pride of place in this reception room in the old part of the county council buildings. 

The lady is clearly of the eighteenth century but – despite her prominence in this room -, no one is quite sure who she actually is.

I rather like these history-mysteries.  There are far more of them than people think.

Bishton colours

Bishton Hall, home to the Stafford Northcote family (and a Catholic prep school) - in its autumn colours

End of harvest times

The pub sign for the New Inns at Kiddemore Green induces a real feeling of relaxation - and a need for a cooling drink.  Especially at harvest time. 
Perhaps that's the point....
Or, that is to say, was the point.  The New Inns has gone the way of so many country pubs.  It has now closed.

Watching the street

It bothers me very greatly that surveillance cameras are now ubiquitous.

This is a back-street in a densely-housed area, yet, despite that, it seems that this this location has no choice but to be observed by this seeing-eye, Big Brother style. 

But maybe the people of Shelton welcome it.  I don't know.

Queen Vic in the flowers

More than 100 years after her death Queen Victoria still stands highest in Newcastle under Lyme.
Statues of royalty are in fact few and far between in North Staffordshire, though the area does celebrate many of its industrialists (and sportsmen) with public statues, as well as, of course, its war dead. So this image of Queen Victoria seems a bit of an anomaly really locally.

The municipal gardens in the virtual centre of the town are beautifully groomed. This year the theme is of the Peacock Butterfly.

Hot and unbothered at the water

In the heat, one just automatically heads to water.  This is why a nineteenth century reservoir and combined sewage treatment works (true) is now a popular day out for north Staffordshire families in the summer.
Like any large lake - artificial or not - there is a boating centre, but most people just come here simply to hang out. And, apart from having a cup of tea at the visitor centre at Tittesworth Reservoir, or stretching one's legs with casual walk around the shore, there really is nothing much else for non-boaters to do.
So, the water itself is the attraction.
Actually, it’s a pretty restful place.  One can see the attraction.