Keble Re-visited!

This morning I woke with a lighter heart than I have for quite a while, no idea why!
Hey, I'm soo lucky.
What is the matter with me???
I can do what I want, when I want; I answer to know one, no man.
My life's my own to do what I want with it.
Isn't that an enviable position?
I think it is, so why be depressed, melancholy & sad?
So, with the sunshine & blue skies beckoning, even though there was a definite hint of Autumn on the air, I headed off to do, what I enjoy - pottering about my lovely city, taking photo's.

This Saturday & Sunday has been Open Doors 2010 weekend, and Keble College was one of many venues participating.

It opened it's Chapel & Gardens, usually off limits the general public to all & sundry, so thought I'd take another look around.
This college, part of the University campus, is a bit different from Dreamingspires usual soft sandstone ones, being built in red brick & in a neo-gothic design by a William Butterfield...

Keble was founded in 1870, a newby by Oxford standards; as a monument to John Keble, who had been a leading member of movement which sought to recover the Catholic heritage of the Church of England; so, religious studies were foremost @ the college back then.
I like the tale, that a local labourer @ the time, described Keble as 'That new place near the Parks, what's going to stop us all from saying "Damn'''.

The Gardens are made up of four main Quads.

Lidden being, the largest with it's manicured, well stripped lawns - looking towards the Chapel...

And, bordered with huge late flowering Lilies... Next, was Pusey Quad, home to the clock tower...And, the Copper Beech tree, I'm under, that's said to be as old as the college it-self...Then, came the Warden's private boxed hedge garden...Afternoon Cream Teas was served on the lawns in Hayward Quad - I partook & very nice it was too - the window reflection of others enjoying this treat is taken via the new extension...Like all colleges, Keble has expanded, this is the reverse take - the old reflected in the new, though still not sure what the ship's funnel is really about...Anyway, this quad had the prettiest borders & trees...Returning via Newman Quad brought me to the College Chapels rear door...From my long ago studious days, & previous visits, knew it housed the original "Light of the World" painting - the larger & more well-known copy, painted later by the artist, William Holman Hunt being in St Paul's Cathedral, London.
I may not be religious, but taking photo's in this quiet private Chapel, didn't some how seem right, so this photo is courtesy of Google Images...The Chapel also has a series of amazing mosaics depicting figures from the Old Testament - this is the 'Giving of Isaac by his father Abraham' - another Googled image...

So, there you have it, my afternoon outing.

Saturday Photo Hunt - Spiral!

tnicks prompt, says stairs to me!

The very narrow steep spiral ones being a nightmare to yours truly - have no problems going up them, but coming down, my total lack of balance takes hold & my brain screams out 'falling head first'!

However, these wide spiral stairs in Christ Church College were a piece of cake, despite the warning re wet steps...

View looking down from top...

They led to Christ Church's library....The first library was founded in 1552, but the present building dates back to 1772, and the books were apparently placed on the upper floor to avoid damp & localised flooding as the college lies in the heart of the flood plain.

Sky Watch Friday - A Touch of Venice versus Brighton!

I've just discovered that Dreamingspires has a nomination in Google & Street View's - Best Streets Awards competition!
It's in the 'Britain's Most Picturesque Street' category!!!
New College Lane's show piece is Hertford Bridge, that links the new & old Quadrangles of Hertford College....
It's known locally as the 'Bridge of Sighs', due to it's supposed similarity to the famous bridge of that name in Venice.
In truth though, Hertford Bridge apparently bares a closer resemblance to the Rialto Bridge there.
But when build in 1914, it was never intended to be a be a Venetian bridge, let alone a replica of of either of them.

Now regarding voting in the Best Street Awards, my loyalties are severely divided, as in the same category is Brighton/Hove's Brunswick Square, which is where my dream flat would be...

Sky Watch Friday - Lincoln's Spire and more!

Yesterday after my 'Why I Feature Cakes' post, and TY for the kind responses re it , the cakes will definitely continue on True Colours Thursday - I hurried off to town for late lunchtime get together with Jenn, a former District Nurse friend from the days of me caring for my Mother @ home.
My destination the Mitre Inn but more of that later, is adjacent to Lincoln College, part of the University, whose most striking feature is perhaps this, it's library building, previously the 18th century church All Saints...The spire is home to a full peal of eight bells, which are still rung regularly by the Dreamingspires Society of Change-Ringers, and on special occasions, like the election of a new Rector to Lincoln's chapel.
I mention this, because I personally love the sound of the bells, ringing out across the city.
Others I know find them just an irritating noise, but not me.
If, & it is a BIG if, I'd ever had married, & an even bigger if, it had been in a church, I would have definitely wanted a special full peal rung for me on my wedding day.

Anyway, back to my lunch date!
When I read this quote recently...
"I have noticed that people who are late are often so much jollier than the people who have to wait for them"
E. V. Lucas - English writer
[1868 - 1938]

Former nurse Jenn instantly sprang to mind as she is habitually late.

I frequently wonder how she ever manages to run her now, private care service, as I've never known her ever to be on time!

Yesterday was no exception.

We'd agreed to meet @ the Mitre Inn on the High @ 1pm.

After waiting 30 minutes, I phoned her mobile.

"I'm on my way!" was the ever so bright response.

Eventually @ well past 2, she bounced in full of smiles & apologies.

As for me, by then I was was coffee'd out & caffeine irritable, and not for the first time!

But, we still had a good visit together, as it is genuinely nice she keeps in touch with me, even though seeing her does always bring back sad memories - of all the able nurses, who came in to help me, Jenn was the most caring, the most thoughtful re my Mother and of me and the only one who followed up after she died!

Now for a bit more local history!

Sections of the present day Mitre Inn, where we met, dates from around 1630, but there's was an inn on the site long before that.

The property belongs to Lincoln College, of the Spire, and the hostelries name probably derives from the college's coat of arms, which depicts the Bishop of Lincoln's mitre - poor image re low sunlight...

Once upon a time it was an important Coaching Inn in the city with extensive stables @ the rear; as from as early as the 17th century there were daily coaches running between London & the Mitre!

It wasn't til 1926, that it became simply a hotel & the horses stables were converted to the Turl Bar, in Turl Street.

During the Second World war when my older cousin Lucy-Lu, now in Prairieland was nursing in Dreamingspires, the Mitre Hotel, was THE place to entertain ones gentlemen friends & visitors and partake of afternoon tea, which I understand she did frequently there!

My own Mother visited there then too.

And once she moved to live with me, we frequented it together for schooners of lunch time Sherry!

The hotel business side ceased in the late Sixties when Lincoln College turned the upper rooms into student accommodation & leased the ground floor out for use as a bar & restaurant, initially a Berni Inn - it's been a steak house ever since, but many places has had to diversify re all day licenced opening, so is now once again serving afternoon teas & coffees.

I will add that Jenn & I did supplement our final one with a Kahlua liqueur!

Two fer Tuesday - Arts & Buildings!

Every year, nearby town Abingdon's Medieval Abbey is home to a fortnight long Art, Craft & Design Festival.

I went along this weekend, but found it this time, lacking photographic inspiration.

Also, the delights I wanted to photo, were refused by their artists!

Some had even posted 'NO Photograph' signs!

This makes me both frustrated & irritated.

However, I did asked politely for permission re several that particularly attracted me, promised to take details & give them an acknowledgement with web site link if they had one.

But, they were a stroppy lot, saying I was infringing/threatening their copy right etc.

I lost the will to publicise them!

This is the second time, I've had issues @ this event, which must attract the most unfriendly of craft folks in the country.

Am I the only one who encounters such **** differculties???

Is this an English attitude problem???

Anyway, I quickly snatched these general images, before leaving the Abbey...

The above photo is the hall used by the local Unicorn Theatre group - it's raftered ceiling is seen below...

As I like history, will share the Abbey's...

The Great Benedictine Abbey of St Mary, was founded in Anglo-Saxon times about 670AD.

It was subsequently, re-founded & rebuilt around 955 by St Ethelwold, and rebuilt again, in the 12th century by Norman Abbots!

Being extremely rich, it was finally dissolved by Henry v111 in 1538 for it's booty.

Most of the principle buildings were then demolished, but two groups remain - a range of buildings by the Abbey Millstream & the Main Gateway in the corner of the Market Place, flanked by St Nicholas's church & former St Johns Hospital.

This is the said gateway looking both ways...In 1944, 'The Friends of Abingdon' were formed.

They purchased the Long Gallery & Checker, and a row of derelict cottages.

The society then, restored these buildings, which are now listed as Ancient Monuments.

It's the 'Friends' that each Autumn hold the Craft Festival to raise funds for the Abbeys maintenance.

And, the Abbeys buildings, courtyards, galleries certainly do form a really atmospheric back-drop for the artists.

After abandoning the 'Arts', I briefly strolled around Abingdon.

The town is down stream to Dreamingspires, and yesterday's Mellow Yellow Shot is of the Thames there.

This is the Abbeys Mill tributary, that feeds into the main river...

Two Fer is Jonna's concept, I like to keep the faith, but have lost track as to whether I've actually pairs of photo's!

Being a 'Tour Guide'!

"Better late than never" is the phrase of this late, very late post!

Because of heading off to Brighton last Friday for the weekend, I didn't have the chance to relate that the day before, I'd had the pleasure of meeting in person another blog friend!

Okay, I love my dogs, but never let it be said, that I am feline unfriendly.

This year, has brought me in contact with fur ball Ginger Jasper [& his 'Mum' Carol]...

And, last Thursday, his folks drove down to Dreamingspires for the day.

We meet up here @ Carfax Clock Tower...

This is Carol & I, against Christ Church 's Memorial Gardens [Barrie's photo]...

I was taking them to my favourite watering/wine hole 'The Head of the River', over looking the Isis for a 'getting to know you' drink...It worked exceedingly well, we got on famously and from there I started the 'Grand Tour'.

Cutting it short - I rejected St Mary's, the University Church's impressive tower for views...

As I favour by far, the Sheldonian Theatre...We climbed architect Sir Christopher Wren's designed pagoda, the tower was built mid 17th century aka 1668!

With the wood structure, you can see why 'NO Smoking' is allowed...

The views from the top, are the best to be seen from any vantage point...

They are all about why the city's known as Dreamingspires!

After this, I was treated to an early Italian supper by Jasper's folks, as they said 'Tour Guides earn their tip!'!
Thank -you!

It is lovely to meet Carol & Barrie and see my city via others eyes.

Who is next...???

Two fer Tuesday - The City Wall!

New College, that is hardly new, having been founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham, the then Bishop of Winchester & Chancellor of England, infact the college's true name is 'the St Mary College of Winchester in Oxford' but since the older college Oriel also laid claim to the name of St Mary, it was quickly shorted to [the] New College [of St Mary], but I digress!

When the founder purchased the land on which to build the college, he also acquired part of Dreamingspires City Wall, which dates from the early 12th century; and in doing so, he had to agree to maintain it.

This obligation still stands today and every three years an inspection of the Wall is made by the Lord Major & members of the City Council to ensure that the agreement has been fulfilled.

I had a rare chance to see this Wall that encloses two sides of New College's garden, imaginatively called The Garden, on its 'Open Day' the other weekend - the herbaceous border beneath it, boasts to be largest in the England...

Two Fer is Jonna 's concept.