Mostly Motley

Category: art

  • Prague Spring

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    Anny
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    In which a city break to Prague produces a cultural overload. Last week, a few girlie friends and I, took a short break to Prague, Czech Republic. It was a belated birthday bash – we thought a quick culture fix might be just the thing for four middle-ish aged women. I’m ashamed to say that…

  • Cawdor Castle, Oh, Yes Please…

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    Anny
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    I have to be honest – I’m insanely jealous of the people who own Cawdor Castle. I first went there with friends in 1995 and from the moment I walked inside, I felt comfortable – it’s one of those places, where you feel that you could just slip off your shoes, and curl up in a…

  • The Romance of Tomb Effigies

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    Anny
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    I’ve just realised something – I’m an effigy junkie. I’ve been visiting churches for as long as I can remember, fascinated by the architecture and the history, but it only dawned on me at the weekend, how much I’m drawn to the effigies. It was really brought home to me, when I visited Paulerspury (Northamptonshire,…

  • Hunting For Castles in Ardnamurchan

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    Anny
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    When we travelled north in August on our mammoth camping expedition, our first stop in Scotland was at Resipole, on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. First, one incy-wincy rant: what on earth are drivers doing on those single track roads? If we’d encountered one or maybe two idiots speeding into blind bends on single track roads, we’d have…

  • Lanercost Priory Pilgrimage.

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    Anny
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    Lanercost Priory: Burtholme, Nr Brampton, Cumbria – CA8 2HQ One of the unexpected pleasures of our recent holiday, was finding that we were camping not far from a place I’d heard about, but never visited – Lanercost Priory. Why I should want to go there, apart from the usual enjoyment of all things ruined, is because…

  • A Visit To Canon’s Ashby & A Picnic.

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    Anny
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    Canon’s Ashby House in very rural Northamptonshire, is one of those half forgotten manor houses that pepper England, and when you find them, you feel as if you’ve been let into a precious secret. I probably shouldn’t even write about Canon’s Ashby in case it gets big headed and loses it’s charm; but I will,…

  • A day trip to Oxford

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    Anny
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    Considering we only live an hour away from Oxford, it’s surprising to me how infrequently we go there, which is a shame, because it’s a fascinating and inspiring place – well it is, if you’re in to architecture over the ages, expensive shops, quirky pubs, massive bookshops, rivers, bells towers, oh and probably lots of…

  • New to me music finds

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    Anny
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    One of the things that I love about the blogging community, is the way in which the discoveries of one person can inspire another. In one such vein, this week I am enormously indebted to Moonlight and Hares. If you go and visit Karen’s website, in addition to her lovely posts, you’ll also notice some…

  • Hardwick Hall Gets Our Thumbs Up.

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    Anny
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    If you’re in the Peak District, don’t miss the opportunity to visit Hardwick Hall. We’ve just returned from a few days camping and cycling between Buxton and Bakewell and decided to take in the Hall on our way back to the M1 (it’s just off Junction 29). We had been once before. That was years…

  • Coffee and Cake at Powis Castle

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    Anny
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    Have you ever walked around a ruined castle and wondered what it would have been like if it hadn’t been ruined? Well, for me, Powis Castle, just outside Welshpool in the English/Welsh Marches feels like an ancient castle that survived intact. We stopped off there at the weekend on our way home from Snowdon. Powis Castle sits…

  • Claydon House, Buckinghamshire

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    Anny
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    Number Two daughter and I paid a visit to Claydon House, near Aylesbury, this afternoon. It’s one of those places that makes a good afternoon trip. I’m not sure you’d want to spend all day there though, unless you decided to walk around the fields – very lovely, especially at this time of the year…

  • Ascott House Afternoon

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    Anny
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    Well, true to my word, yesterday afternoon (after the snail racing…) number two daughter, her friend and I went off to have a stroll around Ascott House and the gardens. (Sorry the pictures are very dark – it was a bit hazy/misty – don’t let that put you off seeing Ascott for yourself) It’s the…