A small selection of some of the lovely historic buildings in Ashwell, Hertfordshire. A short photo thread…
Kate North
@curatorkate.bsky.social
Heritage & conservation professional & enthusiast, usually found exploring old places 😃 Curator of Properties for English Heritage, & freelance heritage consultant. Studying p/t for PhD in lime finishes.
The gorgeous 14th century south porch of the Church of St. Mary in Ashwell, Hertfordshire 💕
Beautiful - and massive - St. Mary’s Church, Ashwell, Hertfordshire. So big it doesn’t all fit in the photo 🤭 Mostly dating to the 14th century, although the impressive double-storey porch is 15th century 🤩
Gorgeous Normanton Chapel, on the shores of Rutland Water 😍 Built on the foundations of a medieval church, this building was constructed in the C19, but in classical style. When the reservoir was created in the 1970’s, the lower level was filled with rubble and concrete to save the rest of it.
The English Heritage Curators of Properties on our team trip today…can you guess where we are? 🤩🥰
Tim @limefinishes.bsky.social has been busy making plum jam from the bumper harvest in his garden - and I’ve just received 4 jars from different batches! Let the taste tests commence… 🤩
Simple and beautiful - and the peachy limewash is just gorgeous! 😍 The Church of St. Margaret, Knotting, Bedfordshire.
A sunlit south doorway at beautiful St. Mary’s Church in Yelden, Bedfordshire 😍 Not bad for over 600 years old!
The beautiful shrine to St. Tibba, in Peterborough Cathedral 🤩 Tibba is the patron saint of falconers and is thought to have lived in the area that is now Rutland, during the 7th century.
Autumn sun illuminating the font in the wonderful Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Knotting, Bedfordshire. The rush matting along this section of the walls means that you can sit down without rubbing against them and getting limewash residue on your back! 🤩
The stunning 15th century roof structure of the Church of All Saints, Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire 🤩
The stunning 12th century chancel arch, surrounded by a gorgeous backdrop of warm-toned limewash and lime plaster, in the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Knotting, Bedfordshire 💕
View of the impressive earthworks of the C11/early C12 century motte & bailey castle, through to the beautiful C13/14th Church of St. Mary, Yelden (aka Yielden), Bedfordshire 🤩 The castle earthworks are extensive & include a large bailey & fishponds. C19 excavations found evidence of a stone keep.
A revisit to my all-time favourite church, today - St. Margaret of Antioch, Knotting, Bedfordshire. It’s just a perfect little place and I love it ❤️
Cromarty on Wednesday; we harled this in 1999 & the owners have kept on top of maintenance, espc the Crowsteps. We looked at the archaeology of harl, thickness, detailing and galetting,& how it folded over the details. Nothing fancy or imaginative, just looking at precedent. Seamless architecture.
Through the quatrefoil window! At the 18th century Ongley family mausoleum in the churchyard of St. Leonard’s, Old Warden, Bedfordshire 😍
One of my favourite doorways…complete with mermaid! The Church of St. Botolph, Stow Longa, Cambridgeshire 🤩
Excellent mid-12th century chancel arch at St. Helen’s Church, Folksworth, Cambridgeshire 🤩
Amazing how everything has greened up again now…and there are berries and sloes etc everywhere! 😍 Paxton Pits, Cambridgeshire
Buckden Towers & blue skies! 😍 Once a palace of the Bishops of Lincoln, this impressive place was visited by various monarchs over the years, including; Henry III, Edward I & Richard III. Katherine of Aragon stayed here after Henry annulled their marriage, & he later visited with Catherine Howard.
The wonderful Kinema in the Woods! At Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire 🥰 I haven’t managed to see a film here yet, but always pop in and have a look at the amazing foyer if I’m in the area…feels like stepping into a proper old fashioned cinema 🥰
Don’t you just love the soft, curviness that can be created with lime plaster? 💕 Not to mention all of the functional benefits it brings too, of course! Stamford, Lincolnshire.
Gorgeous Gainsborough Old Hall, Lincolnshire. A little gem - originally a medieval manor house and then home to a merchant family in until the 18th century, after which is was used for various purposes, including a theatre! 🤩
A tiny selection of the many, many, fantastic buildings in Stamford, Lincolnshire 😍
An excellent painted sign, still clear and legible, in an alley in Stamford, Lincolnshire 🤩 Love finding unexpected little gems like this! Part of some fieldwork with @limefinishes.bsky.social 😀
An excellent door, and doorway, in Stamford, Lincolnshire…that colour combination is fab! 🤩
A very lovely and unusual inset font at Crowland Abbey, Lincolnshire 🤩
