Snowdrops at Hedingham Castle

Hedingham Castle grounds have been known for some time for having a beautiful display of snowdrops in the springtime, and although I had been there before, we decided to take Izobelle in her half term holidays. Luckily, it was a lovely day, weather wise. The snowdrops are planted mostly on the banks, which were part of the moated area in the past. Firstly, an image of the remains of the castle itself.

Hedingham Castle is arguably the best-preserved Norman keep in England. The castle fortifications and outbuildings were built around 1100, and the keep around 1140. However, the keep is the only major medieval structure that has survived, albeit less two turrets. It is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled monument.

The manor of Hedingham was awarded to Aubrey de Vere I by William the Conqueror around 1086. The castle was constructed by the de Veres in the late 11th and early 12th centuries, and the keep in the 1130s and 1140s. To accommodate the existing castle, a large ditch was cut through a natural spur westward into the Colne Valley in order to form a ringwork and inner bailey; an outer bailey extended south further into the valley and what is now the modern village of Castle Hedingham. The stone keep is the only mediaeval structure to survive and is in an excellent state of preservation.

The keep is nearly square, a common shape for Norman keeps. The east and west sides are 53 ft (16 m) long and the north-south sides about 58 ft (18 m). The main part of the keep stands more than 70 ft (21 m) tall, and the turrets rise an additional 15 to 25 ft (4.6 to 7.6 m) above the parapets, commanding the countryside around it from its elevated position atop the ringwork. The walls are about 11 ft (3.4 m) thick at the base and average 10 ft (3.0 m) thick at the top. They are constructed from flint rubble bound with lime mortar, but, very unusually for an Essex castle, are faced with ashlar stone transported from a quarry in Barnack, Northamptonshire.

The keep has five floors including the Great or Banqueting Hall with a great fireplace and a central arch extending two stories. The top floor may have been added around the 15th century, replacing an impressive pyramid-shaped roof. This is a recent theory, however, and many older sources have noted the similar plans of Hedingham Castle and Rochester Castle, which was begun about 1126 and has four floors and four turrets.

Floating on one of the lakes, a wooden replica of the keep! It does have four turrets though.

Then onto a walk around the castle with some lovely areas of snowdrops. 

In one area were snowdrops mingled with yellow aconites.

And so, to this tree which appears to have grown from the stump but put its roots over the edge.

Let's hug a tree

Izobelle with a camera, recording her day. She finished with some good images.

Around 1700, a Queen Anne style red-brick mansion was built in the outer bailey by Sir William Ashhurst, an MP and a former Lord Mayor of London. This was built sometime between his purchase of the property in 1693 and his death in 1719.

Hedingham Castle may occupy the site of an earlier castle believed to have been built in the late 11th or early 12th century by Aubrey de Vere I, a Norman baron. Hedingham was one of the largest manors among those acquired by Aubrey I. The Domesday Book records that he held the manor of Hedingham by 1086, and he ordered that vineyards be planted. It became the head of the Vere barony.

Aubrey II and Aubrey III are candidates for initiating the construction of a major stone tower at Hedingham, possibly to reflect the enhanced status of the family. In 1133 Aubrey II, son and heir of the first Aubrey, was created master chamberlain of England by Henry I. In 1141, his son and heir Aubrey was granted an earldom by Empress Matilda. By that time, he had been Count of Guines for several years by right of his wife's inheritance of that continental territory.

Matilda, wife of King Stephen, died at Castle Hedingham on 3 May 1152. The castle was besieged twice, in 1216 and 1217, during the dispute between King John, rebel barons, and the French prince. (In both cases the sieges were short and successful for those besieging the castle).

The castle was held by the de Vere family until 1625. Among the more famous earls are Robert de Vere, 3rd Earl of Oxford; Robert de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford; John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford; and Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, whom Oxfordians believe to be the writer of the works of William Shakespeare.

In 1713 the castle was purchased by Sir William Ashhurst; after his death in 1720, the estate passed to his great-granddaughter, Margaret Elizabeth Lindsay, the wife of Lewis Majendie. The Majendie family owned Hedingham Castle for 250 years until Miss Musette Majendie left it to her cousin, The Honourable Thomas Lindsay, descended from the de Veres through both maternal and paternal lines. His son Jason Lindsay and wife Demetra now live at Hedingham Castle with their children.

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Detail - Southwold with Gill Moon

This morning was spent wandering the river side in Southwold with a brief of `DETAIL` as our objective. It's interesting what you actually see when looking closely at things you normally just give a casual glance! 

So here is my offering of things that I focused on and recorded.

It is surprising the little things, patterns or objects, which come into focus when you are concentrating like this. Well worth the effort.

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December and January Frost

One of the things I have noted for this winter is the frequent occurrence of frosts and the picturesque scenery created by them. Just wandering around the village provided some lovely images. Here are a few of them.

Around the playing field area with even the spider's webs looking beautiful covered in frost. Not sure what the spiders think.

Then a couple of images of the river Brett partly froze.

Frozen leaf on the frozen ground.

Then a couple of images across the fields to Shelley

Then onto Sudbury where these three images were taken on Sudbury meadows where the previous rutted field was now solid in ice.

All very picturesque and well worth the cold fingers and toes!

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Woolverstone Hall and St Michael`s Church

I had often thought to visit Woolverstone Hall which is now an Ipswich Girls school, so when I did, I was able to enjoy a pleasant wander around the outer grounds of the magnificent Hall and onto the church of St Michael and all Angels, which was at one time the estate church. In fact, a very pleasant walk this sunny morning. This trip was actually in April this year, but I have only just realized that I had not recorded it!

Built in 1776, Woolverstone Hall is a Grade I listed building set in 80 acres of parkland on the banks of the river Orwell. It is widely thought of as one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in England.

William Berners (10 July 1709 - 13 September 1783) was an English property developer and slave owner in the 18th century. He is particularly associated with the development of the Fitzrovia area north of Oxford Street in central London; Berners Street was named after him.

Berners purchased the estate in 1773 and engaged architect John Johnson to build his gentleman's country residence. The site of the hall is typical of the 18th Century interest in the surrounding landscape and appreciation of beautiful views and vistas. A grand driveway leads guests to the front of the hall, while the rear of the building overlooks the river Orwell, with views both down and upstream towards Ipswich, thanks to the curved structure.

Unlike many other 18th Century houses of note, Woolverstone Hall is as attractive from the back, as it is from the front, perhaps owing to the classic Palladian design; consisting of a central block which originally housed the main living quarters, flanked by two smaller wings which were added in 1823.

In the 1930s, the Woolverstone estate was sold to Lord Nuffield, as an investment for Oxford University. Then, during the Second World War it was requisitioned as a naval training establishment. Becoming HMS Woolverstone, a shore-based naval station. Dummy landing crafts were made there as part of the deceptions that went on around D-Day.

After the war, in 1950, the London County Council took it over as a boys' boarding School thus beginning Woolverstone’s heritage as a school. In 1992 it was sold to Ipswich High School who moved to Woolverstone from central Ipswich. With the move to Woolverstone Hall, upgrades to the facilities followed, with the opening of both a new sports hall and a new theatre complex in June 1993.

To this day, Woolverstone Hall continues to be a fantastic day and boarding school, stunning venue for theatre and sports and one of the finest country house wedding venues Suffolk has to offer.

The long drive from the main road to the Hall itself. Today it was lined with daffodils

A closer view of Woolverstone Hall

Woolverstone’s 14th century church of St Michael and All Angels, sits in the pleasant surroundings of Woolverstone Park.

The tower peeps above the Irish yews and the well-trimmed bushes with fine pinnacles pointing skyward. It was restored by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1862 but in 1888 was almost totally remodelled. The church progressed northwards; what was the nave became the south aisle and a new nave and chancel were constructed while the tower and 13th century porch remained in situ. The design followed the example of the earlier structure. A piscina and sedilia were made new and set, as is customary, in the south wall. The tower was given a parapet, battlements, and pinnacles to complete the restoration. The work was paid for by Captain Berners who resided at Woolverstone Hall which was built in 1783 by his forefathers.

Late 13th and early 14th C porch with little alteration apparently, during all the other modifications!

Sedilia

Sedilia are the ceremonial seats of the priest, deacon, and subdeacon placed to the south of the altar, as in the above photo. In Gothic church architecture, they typically take the form of three deep niches, recessed into the thickness of the wall, surmounted by arches, and separated by shafts. These types of sedilia are most well-known from English churches of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

There are several plaques in the church to the Berners family who were Lords of the Hall and held various positions in the Church for many years. For example, in the 1880s, Henry Denny Berners, LL. B., Archdeacon of Suffolk, resided at Woolverstone Hall. His son John became the next owner, followed in 1886 by John's brother, Hugh Berners (died 1891), a Royal Navy captain.

Some Victorian stained glass

More stained glass, but not sure of its age, as some in the church glass was replaced after a German V-1 exploded nearby in 1941, smashing some windows. It was replaced in 1947 I believe.

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The Abbey - Celebrating 1000 years in sculpture

One of the things attracting me to the gardens today was the sculpture in the ruined Crypt where the coffin of St Edmund would have been originally kept. So, a visit and photo were a must! I was expecting more than just one sculpture, but I guess I just mis-read it! - only to discover they are changing monthly for six months.

MAY - The first sculpture in the 6 months, is a 2.3m (7ft 6in) tall sculpture, The Monk, designed by Nigel Kaines and made by blacksmith Kevin Baldwin. The 2mm thick steel monk, weighing 250kg (550lb), was "certainly the most unusual project I have worked on" and "quite tricky", Mr. Baldwin said.

The Monk

Castle Acre and Massingham

Day two on our stay in Happy Valley, and we headed to Massingham and had a lovely lunch at the Dabbling Duck, before moving on the Castle Acre to see the massive ruins of the Norman Castle (which gives its name to the town)

The castle was built by William de Warenne soon after William the Conquer gave him the land. It was lived in by his family until the early 14th century, when it fell into ruin. Considering how old the ruins are, a fair amount has survived.

You can get a sense of the scale of this castle from these images, I hope.

Some history of the site

The Bailey Gate is one of two stone gatehouses added to the settlement's massive earthwork defences in about 1200. The main road into the village still runs between its towers.
Adjoining the castle grounds are the ruins of one of the largest and best-preserved monastic sites in England dating back to 1090. It was the home of the first Cluniac order of monks to England and the Cluniac love of decoration is everywhere reflected in the extensive ruins. It was the castle we came to see so we did not visit this site.

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