Shingle Street with Gill Moon

As its name suggests, Shingle Street consists of a large swathe of shingle - no sand here! Where the tide has ebbed and flowed over the years, there are mounds of shingle and inlets and pools that fill and empty with the tide. It is a photographer's paradise.

It is here that local Professional Photographer, Gill Moon, held a morning coaching session, and to which we attended. I came away with several images (hopefully better than they would have been!) and I will share some in this blog. The morning started cloudless, but soon clouds started to bubble up, which was much to my delight as I love big skies and bubbling clouds. So first, some images at the area near the cottages with piles of shingle and some inlets. I was using, as an experiment, a 10-20mm Sigma lens, and this gave me huge skies.

Curves and mounds 

More Curves and clouds ....

... which are starting to build

Low down view of the Coastguard cottages

Clouds gathering over the Coastguard Cottages and The German Ocean Mansion

Some searching on the internet gave a few clues as to the history of this building - but not a lot! Here is what I have:

German Ocean Mansion is the long and low building on the left, and was built in 1874 as a lodging house. This name was changed during WWI, when anything German was unfashionable. In 1881 it was listed as being four dwellings. Three were unoccupied. 

Living in the fourth were Benjamin and Hannah Curtis and their children Annie aged 10, Amy 8, Kate 6, Alfred 3 and Samuel 10 months. Benjamin Curtis worked for the Fonnereau family, of Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich. He was Master of their ocean-going yacht, while Hannah was listed in the 1871 Census as having been gatekeeper at Christchurch Mansion, where the family lived in the Lodge. 'German Ocean Mansion' was in the latter part of the 19th century the summer residence of the Fonnereau, and it is possible that Benjamin Curtis's presence was connected with converting the building to a single dwelling. Benjamin Curtis is listed in the 1891 Census as 'Caretaker of a house' at Shingle Street, Presumably this was German Ocean Mansion and he had retired from the sea.

After the conversion, if that is what happened, the understanding is that the north end of the house was for the Fonnereau live-in servants. Next came the living/dining area, with the family bedrooms on the south side of the central entrance.
By the late 1890s 'German Ocean Mansion' was owned by the Wellesley Colley family one of whom, Lucy, compiled a book of reminiscences by a variety of people who had lived in or visited it during the time that it was owned by her family.
Richard Clarke, Station Officer at HM Coastguard Station, Shingle Street, has kindly obtained the following information from local residents.
• The building has been known as 'The Long Summer Residence'.
• Coast Guard Officers were stationed there during both world wars.
• The building has been used as a base for exercising racehorses.
• It was known as 'The Battery' at some time, possibly in connection with the large gun which was situated at the rear of the building during WWI
In Ordnance Survey maps dated 1881 and 1889 it is marked 'Coastguard Station', although by that time it belonged to the Fonnereau, so this may have been brought forward.

Another view of the German Ocean Mansion

Now for a `Heartwarming` story:

A long line of white shells on a beach started by two childhood friends while reflecting on their cancer treatment is still going strong after 13 years.

Lida Kindersley and Els Bottema, both 64, began the shell line at Shingle Street in 2005.

It now stretches for more than 275m (300yds) and is made up of 20,000 individual whelk shells. Mrs Kindersley said it was a "symbol of friendship". 

The women, who grew up together in Delft in the Netherlands, were diagnosed with breast cancer within two months of each other.

During a phone call discussing their treatment, Mrs Kindersley - a letter cutter in Cambridge - suggested to Ms Bottema - a ceramicist in Zutphen - that they meet in England, and so they travelled together to the Suffolk coast.

They said the creation of the line, which started after a long walk and chat on the beach, became part of their own, personal, therapy.

Mother-of-three Mrs Kindersley said they made a vow to return to the beach every six months to mend the line - and found others had added to it.

She said: "When we received our cancer diagnoses and the prognosis was not good, I said to Els, 'If we survive this, we will go together to Shingle Street as it is a healing place'.

"It is a symbol of friendship and togetherness, a collaboration we wanted to record before it eventually disperses."

Both women are now cancer-free.

Shingle Street resident Tim Miller said the line had become an important local feature that enhanced the wild landscape.

"Despite fierce weather conditions with strong winds, the line remains clear and powerful and visible throughout the year," he said. "The line for me is a signal of courage and survival."

Looking for odd items on the beach, I came across these three items, which I thought fitted the bill!

For hauling boats up that long shingle beach perhaps?, though not much used recently.

Possible, just rubbish!

Nearby was this table with a multitude of shaped stones and other objects on it.

Finally, some wonderful colour on the shingle

A great place to wander and enjoy the solitude. Lots of things to photograph but a real peaceful haven to enjoy.

  Index of posts

Bridges and butterflies in Pipers Vale, Ipswich

Ipswich is blessed with a number of park areas, including the great Christchurch Park. The Park we visited today is called Piper`s Vale, and is one we had not explored before. To quote Wikipedia - "Pipers Vale is a 19.7 hectare Local Nature Reserve on the southern outskirts of Ipswich in Suffolk It is owned and managed by Ipswich Borough Council. This site on the bank of the River Orwell is part of Orwell Country Park. Its diverse habitats include heath, reedbeds, scrub and alder carr. Over 100 bird species have been recorded, including Redwings, Whimbrels and Bullfinches"

We went with the hope of photographing butterflies, and we were not disappointed.

However, the major object that catches the eye is the magnificent Orwell Bridge, spanning the Orwell River. The Orwell Bridge was opened to road traffic in 1982 and carries the A14 (then A45) over the River Orwell just south of Ipswich in Suffolk, England.

The main span is 190 metres which, at the time of its construction, was the longest prestressed concrete span in use. The total length is 1,287 metres from Wherstead to the site of the former Ipswich Airport. The width is 24 metres with an air draft of 43 metres. Pilings were sunk 40 metres into the river bottom. The main contractor was Stevin Construction B.V. – a Dutch company.

Construction of the bridge commenced in October 1979 and was completed in December 1982. The main span was constructed by using a balanced cantilever technique, casting sections on alternating sides of the pier in a weekly cycle.

It's worth going into the Park just to see the bridge close up. We have travelled over probable hundreds of times, but it was worth getting this view of it. I can see now where people get their Orwell Bridge sunset pictures from!

A view from the river level.

A clump of Vipers Bugloss

The Marbled White is a distinctive and attractive black and white butterfly, unlikely to be mistaken for any other species. In July it flies in areas of unimproved grassland and can occur in large numbers on southern downland. It shows a marked preference for purple flowers such as Wild Marjoram, Field Scabious, thistles, and knapweeds. Adults may be found roosting halfway down tall grass stems. We have seen a lot of butterflies this year that are normally seen in July. Piper`s Vale has a lot of the right sort of habitat for this species, and we saw numerous ones.

This is the Common Blue, wings together and then apart. This particular butterfly was also seen all over certain areas of the park. No sooner had you seen one, than another one caught your eye! A lot of patience was required waiting for one to settle though!

  Index of posts

Swans and their family (2)

This is the second post of my swan story in picture. Incubation has been progressing for some 5 weeks now and very soon everything will change, I am sure. These birds have infinite patience when you consider the length of time they spend incubating their eggs. Watching them on an almost daily basis, I have come to appreciate how much time they invest in raising a family. Amazing.

On the 5th May, a quick check, no youngsters yet.

Then, on the 8th May, this is the scene that greeted me as I approached the nest - 2 cygnets!

Later, the same morning as I passed again, there were 3 cygnets.

On the 10th, the cygnets had taken to the water. As one of the adults approached the nest, there was another one hatched!

The adult swan arrives back with five cygnets in tow. So, a total of six altogether, so far. However, I only ever saw five on the water, so one vanished in the meantime, and the remaining eggs are still there.

`These swimming lessons really do tire one out`

On the 15th May we were treated to the family arriving on the river in front of our bungalow. They all gratefully accepted some food thrown in the river. It was really funny seeing the cygnets trying to dive!

Father (I think) did get onto the bank as he is used to doing at that point. When they had had their fill, mother took the cygnets home for the night and father, after a short display, joined them. It has been a real privilege to watch the progress of these beautiful birds in their journey to parenthood.

Other mornings the family make their way to our neighbours lawn. Then, while mum and dad go to tap on the patio windows, the youngsters make themselves comfortable on the lawn!

  Index of posts

Swans and their family (1)

In the early part of this year, a pair of Mute Swans settled on the river near our home. The mute swan is a very large white waterbird and has a long S-shaped neck and an orange bill with a black base and a black knob. It flies with its neck extended and regular, slow wingbeats. You certainly can`t miss it`s distinctive wing beat when they are approaching!

The population in the UK has increased recently, perhaps due to better protection of this species. The problem of lead poisoning on lowland rivers has also largely been solved by a ban on the sale of lead fishing weights. Some birds stay in their territories all year, while others move short distances and form winter flocks. In cold weather, some birds arrive from Europe into eastern England.

Over the months of February and March, we were treated to the spectacle of the swan pair and some Canada geese, arriving on our neighbours patio for feed. The swans eventually were so used to turning up for a feed, that they would, if no feed was visible, go up to the door and tap hard for attention! Swans eat aquatic vegetation, which their long necks equip them to take from the riverbed. They take the molluscs which cling to the vegetation and also eat small fish, frogs and worms but will graze big grassy fields, and can survive quite successfully in a field of short-cropped grass.

So, the pair started nest building at the beginning of March. Nest taking shape, and `just trying it out for size`. This image on 15th March.

By 21st March the first egg appeared.

..... and more building was taking place, as the water level rose a bit. Just to make it more secure I guess.

Swans appear to take it in turns to incubate the eggs and this pair were just swapping roles here. One paddled off upstream while the other ....

...  settling down for an hour or two.

On 26th March I saw 4 eggs in the nest!

On 7th April there were ten! That is quite a large batch I think.

While one of the pair was sitting on the nest, the other one (obviously after some hard work) was slowly drifting downstream toward the nest. I particularly liked the reflections of the tree in the river as the swan drifted through.

So now we have to wait for the cygnets to hatch. Just 35 to 42 days to go!

  Index of posts

Signs Of The Times - Coronavirus.

The period that we are all moving through at the moment, is unprecedented, in my lifetime anyway. The Covid-19 pandemic is terrifying in its scope and effect it has on the lives of people that it touches. Although there have been pandemics throughout history, so we read, this one is real - to me, as it affects everybody around me, and will continue to do so for months to come.

One of the ways people convey their feeling and thoughts during these times is in forms of art - messages, drawings etc. Below I have captured some local signs made by all age ranges from children to adults, but starting with one of my favourites seen in a farm yard.

The rainbow colours, but in a flag and a smiley face - lovely!

This from the youngster (13yrs old I believe) from Church Lane, Layham

Her Rainbow of Hope.

I believe the young lady was selling special keyrings on this bench, shame I missed them.

Not far away from the above images, this rainbow balloon spotted on a wall.

The sign on the playing field gate. The sign that says it all.

The Rainbow of Hope as part of this great window display by one of the Charity shops in Hadleigh. This rainbow sign has become an universal symbol during this sad time and can be seen in children's drawings fixed to windows in countless homes across the country.

This rainbow was a clever one in the window of a picture framing shop in Hadleigh.

Messages of encouragement.

A great display in a window in Benton Street, Hadleigh.

A message displayed at a farm nearby which has a message we all endorse with all our hearts. Watching or reading the news today, you feel the world is full of greedy, thoughtless and selfish people. In times like this you realise that this is not the case. If only they had more exposure in the nations news!

  Index of posts