Sunday 21 August 2022

A stroll around Kington Museum

 


We had an outing yesterday to Kington.  There was a monthly market on which we wanted to check out.  No sooner had we reached the Museum, than Keith decided he would walk around it. The man outside selling books was also a Museum volunteer, and told us lots about the exhibits. The elephant bones below came from a 47 year old circus elephant who had decided that Kington was the place to bid farewell to the world (as indeed, one also did in Carmarthen where it is buried in the grounds of the old Grammar School).  There was a photo of a younger elephant who used to wander around the town on its own, and gratefully accepted pints of beer or cider from customers at the pub!



Perforated axe-hammer, Bronze Age, found at Staunton-on-Arrow.


On my list to visit - Staunton-on-Arrow church and the motte next to it. Perhaps not till early spring as I imagine it's rather overgrown now, as the notes below the picture suggest.


Neolithic stone axes found in the vicinity of Kington.


A Hornet's nest.  Looks about 3 times the size of the Wasp nest we had here last year. 


A couple of slipper-stirrups. (I will forgive them the term "foot holders" as they are obviously not horsey !)


Front left -skimmer for cream, and in the middle, a log headcollar block for when a horse was tied up in a stall - the rope went from the headcollar, through a ring on the manger, and then threaded through the block.  So the horse could move his head etc whilst still fastened.


A horn drinking cup and a selection of old costrels.  The one in the front is like the cart costrel I have in my collection.


Kingston was once a centre for clock making. At one time, we were told, there were about 40 clock makers working in the town.



Sorry, reading this will be impossible, but it was one of several sheets of photographs showing the Mills of Kington.


I have always been interested in smocks - this was beautifully made and embroidered.  All the details of the extended family are below, and make fascinating reading.




There was a good display of Victorian and Edwardian clothing too.




The back rooms had a good display of Military things and the volunteer and Keith had a lovely chat.  I didn't know there had been two big US Military Hospitals there, which started with soldiers injured at Dunkirk, offering treatment, rest and recuperation and continued throughout the war.  I think I recall they were used for temporary accommodation for local folk after the war too.  Now that site is covered by Industrial units.


I pushed Keith along the somewhat challenging pavements to the Charity Shops, and he then upped and walked across the road and back up the slight hill for a few hundred yards.  I was very surprised that a) he chose to do it and b) he managed very well.  The pavement there is stone setts and rather uneven (not easy for wheelchair pushing!) The last few times we've been out in the park, his neck has seized up the moment he begins walking, but didn't yesterday.  Hurray!  I pushed him the last bit and we walked past someone eating chips. That was FATAL, I just HAD to have some so went in search of the chippy, which was down the street and around the corner.  A reminder of the past with the Capstan cigarettes advertising signs.  Bet they'd be worth something nowadays as in very good condition.

Anyway, chips were bought and eaten, though slightly surprised at price - £3.50!!!  I can remember when they were 6d and a piece of Cod was 9d.  A big bottle of Corona pop was a shilling, but you got thruppence back on the bottle.  I am definitely getting old!  Must still be looking younger though (I am very fortunate with my complexion and not too many wrinkles yet) as yesterday I was taken for Keith's daughter!

It was a lovely few hours out and so good to see Keith more mobile.  The pills must finally be working!

We stopped at the church at Old Radnor on the way back, and it was well worth visiting.  There will be a post in due course.

Oh, and by way of a P.S.  The best thing by far on tv this week was British Comedy Greats about 'Allo 'Allo (the one about Les Dawson recently was also brilliant). Oh, it cheered us up no end.  We loved it when it was first shown, though I remember trying to explain it to the children and failing miserably.  British Farce at its best.


26 comments:

  1. I think I have seen the museum but never been in it. Looks interesting from the amount of stuff there, suppressed you did not go in the church which I visited a few years ago. Yes I remember going to the chippy for six penny's worth of chips eaten out of newspaper with plenty of salt & vinegar. Not quite the same eating out of a tray now. Yep cost has gone up I get a large bag quite offend for the four of us and that cost £4:50 You will enjoy St Stephen Old Radnor especially the Organ and rood screen

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  2. If Keith's with me I have "a one church a day" rule - it's not fair on him having to hang around in the car for me! Yes indeed, I did enjoy St Stephen Old Radnor.

    You get better value for money if you buy a big portion of chips - if we are having a chippy meal (it doesn't happen often), we share a big piece of fish and a big portion of chips. Cheaper that way!

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    1. Meant to ask, did you see Shelly's mansion is showing up at the Elan Reservoirs, I think you should be able to see from the bridge. The lower dam could be also showing under the bridge and the old church beneath might show as well. Love a photo if it is as I'm not sure when I will get a chance to go up there ATM

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    2. I'll try and get up there this coming week - it is something I would dearly love to see. If I do, of course, there will be photos.

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  3. I find these small, intimate museums far more pleasurable to view than the big name famous ones, although both sorts have value and purpose. Nothing rounds off a day like a bag of chips from the chippy, naughtily drenched with salt and vinegar. I shudder to think what our local chippy is charging now, it was £2.95 a portion last summer! They're known to be expensive as we're touristy, but locals get 10% discount cards. Giles Coren gave a good write up in his column last week. Hope Keith isn't paying for over exertion!

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    1. Plus we had the Guided Tour - what a difference it had having a local talk to us about the exhibits. The chips were a real indulgence - it's the smell of vinegar -does it every time! Keith's tired today, not helped by an outing to a car boot sale 30 miles away (Madley) but we got a couple of interesting things.

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  4. I love those old fashioned museums. Mistaken for his daughter? I bet he was pleased.

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    1. I think I must be a Trophy Wife now Tom!! It was a sweet little museum and we shall go again. I'd like to see the things sewn by Olive Preece as I must have overlooked them.

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  5. That's a packed museum, and good variety of exhibits.
    I love the clocks. So pleased for you both that Keith's pills are taking effect.
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. One of the clocks struck (at 10 to the hour! a hand had been bent when it was being wound once) and it had a lovely gentle tone. There was a good variety. Poor Carmarthen never gets to change its exhibitions as there isn't the money for it.

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  6. 'Foot Holders' ... they obviously just couldn't spell stirrups!!

    It sounds like a lovely day out and I'm glad that Keith managed so well. Yes, chips are quite costly now aren't they, but thinking of all that expensive oil and heating up the huge fryers and it all makes sense. They will be a real treat from now on ... or maybe if I've collected lots of thruppences from taking back the empties I'll get them more often ;-)

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    1. Still chuckling about the foot holders! I shall have to be the horsey advisor for them :) I imagine the price of the chips does reflect the big rise in cooking oil. Having recycled some glass bottles this week, thruppence back on each one would have been handy!

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  7. What an interesting little museum. Especially love the smock - must be the ag labs in my DNA. Last time I had chips was on Littlehampton promenade pre-Covid. There is something about seeing other people tucking in which makes them irresistible. Problem is, the first half dozen or so are delicious and then they gradually deteriorate until you are forcing down stodgy fatty cold potato. I have never in my life cooked chips but I remember from childhood my mum’s chips, always cooked twice and such a treat. Great to hear about Keith, and laughter is an essential part of the treatment. We had old friends for tea this afternoon (they arrived in their 1950s Riley car) and I made chocolate, raspberry and pistachio brownies - raspberries picked from the garden. C made my day by saying he could see nothing wrong with S. Certainly he is looking strong and well and he’s always cheery. After all, there are a lot worse things than Parky’s! And today we not only did our almost daily 10 mile cycle ride but S made a start on mowing the meadow, just an hour before lunch with our eGo battery mower around the perimeter a couple of times. It is bitter sweet when meadow mowing comes around but our reward is seeing the buzzards circling low over the meadow looking for voles. It’s been another lovely summer’s day. Sarah x

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    1. Gosh, you must eat more healthily than me if you've never cooked chips! We don't have them that often, but when I make them they are sprayed with a little oil and then rolled in Polenta, which makes them very tasty.

      Those Brownies sound delish. I have a go-to brownie recipe with blackberries in but it's even better with raspberries. The birds are beating me to the small quantity of raspberries on my young bushes. They ignored the yellow autumn fruiting ones though - we had a few earlier in the summer and I beat them to it.

      I am so glad that your husband is doing so well with the medication and looks back to normal. I wish I could say the same but because of the unhelpful GP we lost much of a year and Keith is Stage 4 and struggling, but he is slowly improving in some areas. Writing better and hand tests much faster. His problem is his neck and back becoming painful when he walks - the legs can go much much further but he gets stopped by his neck etc. I have found sound PD yoga exercises so hopefully they will free tight muscles up.

      Meanwhile I am trying to recover from pushing a wheelchair round a field yesterday!

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    2. Oh my goodness BB, you must not push a wheelchair around a field with a fully-grown person in it! You will do yourself an injury and then where will you be. Also be very careful lifting any large cumbersome item out of the back of the car. I do hope you get the all-terrain/tramper/off road mobility scooter plus ramps sorted very soon as I know how much your trips out mean to you both. If I leave S to his own devices during the afternoon or evening he nods off with his head in the most uncomfortable position and then of course he is complaining of sore neck for the next few days. Now when he says during the day he is tired and needs to lie down I direct him to the yoga mat and we go through a series of very simple yoga stretches and breathing exercises with movement which seem to revitalise him. I am very hands on (all part of the feel-good therapy!) during these sessions as like most men he is extremely inflexible. (I have been a regular yoga practitioner for 40 years and have done yoga teaching courses in the past.) In the evening he would be out like a light on the sofa - unless he is watching sport. So that is what he does: tennis, football, cricket, athletics - he loves sport and it keeps him focused and happy. Meanwhile I sit in the adjoining garden room and listen to music while sewing or reading and and watching the light fade around me which makes me feel relaxed and content. Chronic tiredness does seem to be a symptom of PD. I hope my experience helps and I am not sounding bossy or ‘know it all’. S is much better when other people are around too - it forces him to make an effort. Did you notice a difference in K when your friend stayed or when the children visit? Is K still able to drive? During all the lockdowns when I first began to realise something was wrong I always made S drive to our village shop less than a mile away and do the shopping. I made him write the list and he had to engage with other people and multi-task. It is so easy to lose these skills if we don’t practise them and I know from your blog that K was until fairly recently extremely fit and agile with superb practical skills requiring high levels of concentration. I am confident that working together you can help K in getting some of these practical skills back, which in turn will make him feel better. YOU are his best physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist. Onwards BB, I’ve got your back (you must look after your back!) as we are in this together. Sarah x

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    3. It was my hands hurting from controlling it on rough ground - hopefully we won't need to use it much once we get the mobility scooter. I have Tam to help me at the big Fair in the offing, so she will do the heavy lifting, though that said it is use it or lose it and I know during the Lockdowns I lost a lot of upper body strength so need to keep at it with the lifting, just nothing v. heavy. S is lucky to have a built in yoga teacher. We all used to go as a family, but that's 20 years ago now. Only Tam carried on with it so will help, although the yoga for Parkinson's site I've found is good. The Physio came today and told him to do his neck exercises on the bed (K won't listen to me when I told him this) and has given him other things to do neck-wise. Keith hasn't driven since we moved here, and has found his woodwork very difficult - even the standing part is so tiring now. I need to try and guide him without sounding like I'm nagging!

      I do appreciate your encouragement and support. I don't feel on my own now. Thank you Sarah.

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  8. Super post and museum. I think I follow them on twitter and thought from their tweets it looked really good. There is an old circus elephant buried at Coleshill where it dropped down dead. I think it is now under the Morrisons store or car park. Glad to hear Keith did so well. Look forward to Old Radnor church post.

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    1. It's a great little museum. I will have to see if they are on Instagram. Don't use Twitter. Sounds like the circus elephants didn't get treated very well if they popped their clogs all round the country! Will do Old Radnor later in the week.

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  9. How heartwarming for you that Keith managed such a big outing. I think distraction is an important element in coping - or at least it has been for me when I was really ill - and although he's naturally tired today, it will have helped strengthen his muscles. Great news.
    And the museum looked lovely - well displayed and with adequate information too. I'm sure you're correct about the nomenclature for stirrups, but perhaps in Medieval times there was a distinction made between women's side-saddle stirrups and those for traditional saddles? Unlikely, I agree!

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    1. We've had 3 outings in a row and K is unsurprisingly tired tonight, but some things are improving and it is so good to get out together.

      The slipper stirrups were normally used with side-saddles. I've had a couple in the past which I sold on.

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  10. The museum looks very interesting. I find large museums overwhelm me. Our historical society used to have a lovely little museum in one section of the library, but the space was taken for the children's library expansion, and now the museum is gone. Of course, expanding the library was needed. I am glad Keith had a good day and hope he's not too sore now. I know almost nothing about horses, and I'm sure I would have figured those are stirrups!

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    1. Some of the London Museums are overwhelming. I got totally lost in the V&A after finding the Nicolaus Hilliard miniatures I especially wanted to see. So much there, and such variety.

      What a shame that the museum went to enlarge the childrens' library. It's a shame they couldn't find an alternative venue for the historical society goodies.

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  11. I'll come back to better absorb the details of the museum, for now--how wonderful that Keith could be out and about!

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  12. A date for your diary while I remember. 23-26 September Lleyn Celyn in the Llanthony Valley near Cwmjoy In Monmouthshire will be open as part of the Landmark Trust’s Open weekends. Entry is free but you need need to book tickets via the Landmark Trust website. Lleyn Celyn was built in 1420 and has barely changed since 1690. It has been beautifully conserved by the Landmark Trust. Photos and info including a virtual tour on the Landmark Trust website. Sarah x

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  13. What a beautiful place to visit. I love the medieval tiles, how lovely.

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