Friday 11 June 2010

Just a memory . . .

That's how our few days away last week feel now. Time is going past so swiftly as I am up early and then working flat out for most of the day. Below is a property we viewed and loved, but we couldn't make it work for us - not at all. No garden - only a yard - no workshop for OH, and street parking only. But the cottage itself was unspoilt and had good room proportions. Ah well, I daresay our dream house is out there somewhere waiting for us . . .




The new header for the blog now is a photo I took whilst we were in Devon last week. It's a little lane that leads to the village of Bridestowe. I was driving first time we drove down there, house-hunting, and we were late so I couldn't stop and take photos. However, we drove back across the moor after seeing the last property and as we passed this lane again, we stopped and I got my camera out. It was like being in a green cathedral - the beech trees were so vast. Whoever planted them must have been a person of such vision and I hope he (I assume it was a man) was able to live long enough to see their potential as fully-grown trees.

Nearby, in the village of Sourton, we stopped to take photos of a really quirky pub which had been "modified" to a highwayman theme . . . Not to everyone's taste, but it was done with families in mind I think, and the children-sized doors and Mother Hubbard's shoe would appeal to any smalls!






Across the road was a curious cross. There are plenty of wayside crosses on the moor and by roadsides - several books are written about them. This particular one was found in two halves, propping up a barn roof in the 1980s, and with the help of volunteers, was restored and erected on the green at Sourton. It is a Saxon cross, dating from the 10th century, and both faces have a design of crosses, circles and saltires (St. Andrew's Cross or cross decussata) Link:


The moor was beautiful, as it always is in my eyes. I feel so drawn there, so part of it in ways I cannot explain for fear of raised eyebrows at the very least. I suppose it is my Devon blood (my dad was born in Bovey Tracey and my Devon roots are in Hennock, Moretonhampstead, Stoke Gabriel, Berry Pomeroy, Littlehempston and Totnes, for the two main family lines. Various photos - taken whilst we were driving along, so any flaws are due to speed!










Last photo - the Powder Mills near Postbridge - the Hairy Hands (see earlier post) were seen nearby . . .

10 comments:

  1. I love Devon too BB, but since moving to North Yorkshire twenty three years ago I have not been back as the journey is too daunting. We used to holiday when we were young at Morwenstowe, just over the border from Devon into Cornwall. And we once had a lovely holiday when we stayed in a pub - I think called the White Hart in Moretonhampstead - super place. Ah memories.
    Do hope you find your dream home - I am sure you will.

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  2. Oh, lovely header! A green cathedral-perfectly describes it. I have fond memories of traveling thru Devon with Mike on our way down to the Helston Furry Dance. Stopped in Clovelly, Minehead (and saw the Sailor's Horse) and took photos of sheep on the moors...

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  3. Well well well. My g.g.grandfather worked as an Ostler at the White Hart . . . then he became a post boy and finally a coachman, ending up as a licensee of one of the small pubs in Moretonhampstead . . .

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  4. For me it's the wide open spaces of the moorlands that appeals most. Then the colors and beautiful, gradually sloping lines. I can get that wide open spaces feel also when I look out from the cliff top at Flamborough across the North Sea. Then in recent years looking out over the Pacific from Catalina Island (near L.A.) and realizing there is nothing between me and Hawaii! Gives me shivers!

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  5. Thank you for sharing all of these treasures, including the cottage and the cross.

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  6. I'm feeling sorry--not for the first time--that a visit to the English/Welsh/Scottish countryside has never happened for me.
    I don't suppose I'd be terribly interested in the cities, but I would have loved to walk in these places familiar to you ladies.
    A space to garden--and some outbuildings are essential to sanity! There has to be an eventual reward for all this refurbishing and tasteful decorating you've been doing.

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  7. I love that header photo, it is very atmospheric. Imagine having that hugely enlarged and on ones bedroom ceiling, to lie there and gaze up at the canopy of green...Don't worry, I'm weird but I'm harmless... How interesting about the wayside crosses, I had never heard about them before, but now I shall enjoy finding out more (good old internet).

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  8. What a lovely cottage, too bad it won't work for you. We love the moors, have spent many a day walking them and drawing crosses.

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  9. MM - spare bed's made up, just book your flight!

    Kath - I think that would be a brilliant idea. I would love to try and recreate it in embroidery or textile of some sort.

    Mac n'Janet, Chris J and Terra -it's the smell of the moor I miss most - one lungful of that Sweet Gale-laden air and I know I am "home" . . .

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  10. hi i just refound your blog!!
    There is a beautiful tree tunnel (the boys call it) between bradbury ring and wimborne, I just love driving slowly through the leafy cover,
    Any houses in dorset???

    ren

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