Apologies for mostly photos rather than words, but I have had a busy day today (and SO much fun at my patchwork class - oh lord, we laughed until we cried today!!) Anyway, as a break from museum photos, here is the journey home, when we took the scenic route again (due to the weather forecast - driving on the motorway in heavy rain/spray is no fun at all). We stopped at Burford, and looked around a very up-market antique shop, plus the general Antiques Centre across the road. Just looking . . .
Sorry about all the parked cars, but at least you have some idea of the beautiful architecture there. Ditto below.
My OH in the Posh Antique Shop - I didn't want to go in and be seen as a time-waster but my OH said the chap would probably be glad of some company! Here he is sporting a wonderful pair of Alaskan moose antlers - they were priced at around £2,500 but find me another pair!
Above and below: - these were the most fantastic complete set of Georgian Belfrey Horse Bells - SO Thomas Hardy. The teams of horses on the lanes would have worn these to alert other teams to their approach towards them, as there were few passing places and it's not an easy tasks to back up a team of horses and heavily laden waggon the 1/4 mile or so between passing places. These are rare, and they and anything made by this foundry, VERY desirable. I saw one very small crotal bell by them for sale on Fleabay for £85!
This was the cellar. Just amazing architecture (this must have been a Grade 1listed building - there was also a fabulous stone window blocked in half way up the stairs, with trefoils at the top. I bet that the owner had fun carrying this hefty table down the stairs!
Above and below: cottages on the lane back to the car park.
Some rather splendid architecture further along the same lane, where it opened out. This is the Great House, built in 1690.
Above and below: a couple of views of Gloucestershire scenery. As you can see, not much in the way of trees to keep the weather at bay, and believe me there were even less of them as we came over the top between Burford and Stow-on-the-Wold, and it blew a gale and chucked it down in bucketfulls!
The last 3 are from the selection taken in the Usk Valley, having stopped at Waitrose in Abergavenny for provisions. It has been a truly fabulous Autumn, slow to unfold, and with such incredible colours.
Beautiful photos. Burford - wow, thanks for taking us.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely little town/big village, but you should have seen the house prices!
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous colours!!!
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Aren't they? We have had the most stunning autumn this year - because it has been pretty mild on the whole, so everything has just slowly turned colour instead of the normal Welsh monsoon on top of a couple of frosty nights and instant brown mulch on the ground.
ReplyDeleteI would call all your photos 'treasured memories'. The wonders of the internet allows you to look back on what you have done in the year. You live an idyllic life ;)
ReplyDeleteTreasured memories indeed Thelma. We love our life though it's a bit hectic at times! Sometimes I turn the best photos into calenders for Christmas presents (some of these Usk Valley ones are definite candidates!)
ReplyDeleteNot far from me, been there about 3 times now it is a lovely place.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely little town - I've only been through it in a car before, so it was nice to stop and explore. A desirable place to live I reckon, looking at the prices in the estate agent's window . . .
DeleteA beautiful set of photos :) I haven't been to Burford for years. I've had exactly the same problem with parked cars when trying to take photos of picturesque villages and towns!
ReplyDeleteWe wanted to park on the main street, but NO chance - we had to find our way round the back to the free car park.
DeleteIt's always so difficult taking car-free views in pretty villages.
Gorgeous pictures - It;s a good few years since we used Burford as our journey stop over on the way back to the midlands from the south. I remember gulping at the prices in the same antique shop!
ReplyDeleteT - you would probably recognize half the stock - two Certain Things (furniture) we looked at had been in stock for 5 years! Glad you liked the pictures.
ReplyDelete