Sauntering Vaguely Downward

Approaching the Hall from the rear, because the front doors were closed due to the high winds.

Inside the Hall
( Inside the Hall. )

Outside the Hall
( Outside the Hall. )

cmcmck asked about the flood situation in rural Shropeshire. Bromfield Priory Gatehouse, the Landmark Trust property, is located near the intersection between the Teme and Onny rivers. The private road leading into the Oakly Park Estate has a bridge over the Teme. There are a couple of abandoned mill houses on either side of the river. This is what they look like after three storms in quick succession feed the waters.


Those trees in the middle normally stand on the right bank of the river.


Humuhumu is standing next to a signpost to what is normally a lovely footpath a few metres from the edge of the river.


When we first arrived, this looked very much like a des res even with the elevated river levels. The photo makes it abundantly clear why the place is now unoccupied.


And this.


The same goes for the place on the other side of the river.


Despite being on what looks like slightly higher ground, it's in much worse condition, and this would appear to be why.

For perspective, here's what it looks like after "only" two storms.

We postponed the bloke’s annual birthday trip to a Landmark Trust property last year for pandemic-related reasons. Happily we were able to rebook for the full week again this year.

The Bromfield Priory Gatehouse isn’t all that far from home for us, being in Shropshire. It’s believed to have started life as a single-storeyed entrance to a Benedictine priory in the 1100s. In the 1500s it was enlarged with the timber-framed upper storey which is mostly taken up by the living room and kitchen that is genuinely the best part of the house, dominated by the massive Jacobean fireplace and chimneypiece.




Sanity -2 for gazing too long at the fireplace.


Morning silk clay crafting (Sanity +2)


All veg pairs by Keiki and Humuhumu. Snail looking forward to its banquet by me.

It’s a 2.5 mile walk to Ludlow from the Gatehouse along an almost deserted and fully paved bridleway through the Oakly Park estate. We walked it to get to Ludlow Castle.


It was a little bit breezy.





Beautiful round nave in the middle of the ruins, also from the 1100s. It’s all that remains of the Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene and it is splendid even in its current state.


Last look from the top of the tower before the steep slippery descent down the spiral stone stairs.


Some people may have got a little too into pretending to be monarchs ordering their subjects around.

On the first full day of our trip to Whitby, we made our first pilgrimage to the ruins of the Abbey. Because ELDERGOTHS. (Well, me and sister-out-law, anyway.)

( Zillions of photos )

I got to spoil my Favourite* Niece at one of the goth shops, the Crafty Cave, in Whitby this weekend. I saw her admiring this plushie Plague Doctor and so I bought it for her when she wasn't looking. She hardly put him down until we left Whitby. His lantern glows in the dark.

* Only