Ringing the Bells : A SPSH Link Up

Today is the first link up for the Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt led by Mary Lou. Pop over to her blog here to see who else is joining in. I have decided to just explore one prompt today but if you look back through my recent posts you will come across quite a few finds. So today it is No. 12 Bell(s). I actually have found quite a few on my wanders.

Bells can have different purposes. Some are to make a pleasant musical sound, others are to tell people you are there and some are indeed to summon you. Others are purely decorative.The first ones we came across were at The Royal Cornwall Show. They were a tower of miniature church bells.

They were housed in a small tower and were to encourage people to have a go at bell ringing.The principles are much the same as a full sized bell but in a more manageable size. It means that even children can have a go.

We were encouraged to have a go by a very patient Tower Captain.It was soon evident that I was hopeless, not helped by Farmer Husband chipping in with instructions. I therefore suggested that he should have a go. It was soon obvious that he was no better than me!

Our trips around various old houses revealed quite a few bells. These next ones hang in the kitchen at Godolphin House to alert the servants when the master or mistress of the house require them.

Lanhydrock House had a very sophisticated servant call system.

Indicators in the servants quarters revealed who was ringing. Some staff had responsibility for just a few bells.

Others had more.

There were clear instructions for callers at the kitchens on how to summon different staff.

Lanhydrock also had a telephone system with telephones in several of the main parts of the house.

Not technically a bell but a very efficient way of calling everyone for meals or perhaps alerting to a fire is this gong.

 There was a serious fire at Lanhydrock in 1881 so I suspect this bell may be part of an alarm system or another telephone. Any suggestions?

Our visit to Derbyshire revealed more finds. The B & B where we stayed had a bell outside.

As well as a bell inside.

Another house that we visited called Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire had a sizeable door bell.

Perhaps the most spectacular is the art installation in the central courtyard of Chatsworth House which really speaks for itself.

Last but not least I mustn't forget our own bell at our front door which alerts us to any callers and customers and is a great favourite with children.

                                                       Which is your favourite?

Take Three Thursday: The Final Load Up

Today the final loads of hay have been hauled in from the fields. Following an anxious wait the grass was finally mown last Wednesday and Thursday then hay making has been happening since then. We make a lot of small bales which are more labour intensive but we need them for the sheep and to sell for horses.

I walked out to see the final pick up and took some photos to join Mary Lou with her Take Three Thursday but also for No 10 of the SPSH A Field of Plenty. 

There has been a bit of a role reversal with Farmer Daughter driving the tractor and Brother in Law doing the footwork.

Then I have given you a bit of a bonus photo of Poppy sitting on a bale. Couldn't resist adding it in!

The Maze

Chatsworth gardens were once home to the largest glasshouse in England. Built in 1840 Paxton's conservatory was the forerunner to Crystal Palace and measured 84 by 37 metres and reached a height of 19 metres. The main thoroughfare through it was wide enough for two carriages to pass. The tender and exotic trees were kept at the correct temperature by 8 coal fired boilers. Unfortunately by the end of the First World War it had fallen into disrepair and was demolished in 1920. Today there are far more modest glasshouses around the gardens including a three zone display greenhouse of which this picture shows the interior.

Amongst other tender plants and flowers this passionflower grows in the temperate zone.

The walls of the old conservatory still exists and are now part of a garden that houses the maze.

 

The maze was planted in the 1960's and consisted of 1209 yew trees. It is still a popular attraction today and many people were wandering through it searching for the centre. We made a few wrong turnings but got there in the end.

Student daughter took these pictures over the tops of the hedges from the centre.

Whilst we were there a small plane flew over giving a possible solution to No. 4 of the hunt Wings.

There are flower beds and other features around the maze including this human sundial.

And the hundred steps with a monkey puzzle tree in its path.

  

Nearby to the north east of the old conservatory site is the coal hole and tunnel. Coal was brought in to feed the hungry boilers by horse drawn carts. Their route was to enter the gardens near the stables and follow a path under the cascade to the coal hole. It was then transported in smaller quantities by means of an underground railway to the boilers. 

 

 

When the conservatory was taken down the tunnel was blocked with debris. It was excavated and cleared in 2002. The rails were removed and lighting and handrails installed so that in 2003 it was opened to the public. Something new since our last visit. There is still more to show you but it will be another day for that.

Keeping Cool on a Hot Day Out

On Sunday we made a visit to Chatsworth House and gardens. It is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. This is a splendid estate near Bakewell in Derbyshire and if you have never visited it is definitely worth adding to your bucket list.

  

 We were actually in Derbyshire to attend a 95th birthday party on the Saturday for a close friend's mum. The weekend was not without it's senior moments for me. We had been asked to arrive early at the party to take some family photos. My spare batteries needed charging so a plug was found to charge them. Needless to say I left without the charger and batteries! Imagine on top of this my consternation to arrive at Chatsworth car park to discover I had left my camera at the B & B 40 minutes away and with plans to return straight home at the end of the afternoon. All was not lost. I made arrangements for my friend to collect my camera and she will return it to me next Sunday. A period of negotiation with student daughter persuaded her to lend me her camera in return for me buying some extra data for her phone...

We visited the house first and by the time we reached the gardens temperatures were soaring.

There were many people enjoying the sunshine and one particular feature was very popular, the cascade. This was built in 1700 and is a prominent feature in the garden and can also be viewed from many of the windows.

It is fed by a pool high up on the hill which falls down through the cascade. Water can also cascade over the roof and through the various figures. Each set of steps are a different height to make a different sound of water falling.

The high temperatures had made the water a great attraction and many families were sat around the edge with children equipped with swimming suits.

They were all having a wonderful time and there seemed to be no concerns from anyone about it being used as a glorified fun attraction.

We had a little paddle as we descended . 

We then found a quieter spot for a bit of a cool down. The willow tree fountain is a brass willows tree which sprinkles water. The original tree dated from 1695 but it has been replaced several times over the years. It was an ideal spot for a refreshment!

The gardens are vast and I have more to show you but that is all for today.

A Wings Connection

We are away for the weekend in Derbyshire and are starting in a B & B (Farmstay of course !). We have the most fantastic view from our room of the surrounding rolling countryside.

The middle strip of cut grass is a private runway. You can just see the wind sock in this picture with a tree behind.

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Apparently the farmer and his wife both used to fly. 

We didn't see any planes but the farmer took farmer husband for a dog walk first thing. They are just dots along the runway.

The best I could get of a plane and of course it's wings was this home made sign by the side of a track crossing the airstrip.

 

Is it good enough for No. 7 of the hunt, Wings?