Enjoying retirement
In The Red Rose County
We had tickets for the Second Test between England and South Africa at Old Trafford, and what a brilliant day we had. The first thing that struck us was the view from Point (our stand at you guessed it point). The second thing was the crowd itself. Friendly, noisy indeed as the day went on one could say boisterous. But it wasn't only the cricket that got the crowd's interest.......... There was always something going on in the crowd...passing the beach balls was one thing...as also model planes and hundreds of frisbees made out of beer trays..... One thing copied from The Hundred crowd was making the longest snake out of empty beer containers, and this must be something of a record.......the stewards always tried to break this up and got good-humoured booing as their reward. A thankless task anyhow.....they didn't really succeed. As it happens there was some excellent cricket going on too. We saw Foulkes and England captain Stokes each make a century. We saw the fastest bowler in the world - South Africa's Rabada. And the most successful fast bowler of all time - Lancashire's Jimmy Anderson. The cricket throughout was scintillating, and evn better established a winning poistion for England. They duly took the honours by an innings next day. Standing and applause all round for Foulke's century.......
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For a nice change we attended a one day Lancashire match at Blackpool's cricket ground in Stanley Park which I had last visited in the Sixties. It was a lovely day, nice atmosphere (almost like a large village cricket match), and a great match (Lancs won just!). I was particularly struck by the pavilion which I could enter as a Lancs Member. It has been picked out by CAMRA on numerous occasions as the best club in the country, and no wonder. It had an extraordinary range of real ale and the food included things like fillet steak with all the trimmings for £20 which can't be bad. Membership for us would be £20 a year which I will certainly consider for next year. We did take a small picnic but I knew Stanley Park itself was worth a visit so we we strolled there in the lunch break. We made first for the Art Deco cafe which was the best park cafe you could imagine. The building was unique....... and the interior just as good with separate areas for food, ice cream and alcohol. The food came in large portions and was cheap (the Lancashire way). You exit onto a grand terrace....... which overlooks the Italian Gardens........ Good details everywhere. A pair of lions at the entrance to the gardens were copied from those in Florence and cast in bronze. We also found a walled garden which was a delight........ The lake was pretty special too. and by its side a bandstand with its own seating arena........... The park has its own BMX track which is the longest, national standard, BMX track in the country....here's a part of it. Looked good to me. And the pics don't do the play area justice. We thought it the best we have seen. No wonder Stanley Park was picked out in 2019 as the country's best-loved park. The whole area around the park is full of splendid and cheap houses, mainly traditional Victorian/Edwardian........ but with some new....... and the prices made us wonder...this house for instance recently sold at a similar price to our small terrace......... ....and its kitchen would do many an expensive house proud. This one is currently for sale for £169k. Nice. This one rather more! I know my Mum and Dad got angry when people criticised Blackpool (and Lancashire in general). They thought they didn't know what they were talking about. How right they were............
I've made two visits to Old Trafford and enjoyed the view. The Hundred was a bit gimmicky and the interest was sometimes as much in the crowd as on the pitch. Here a guy is collecting empties. pretty soon everyone was throwing their empties to him before steward intervention (booed!). He was copied all round the ground.......... On a brief trip into Burnley centre we left feeling how great many of these Northern towns would be if their Victorian buildings had been left intact (as here). We thought this use of a patch of ground near a major road crossing was terrific ..... ....but the use of a bridge near Tesco to dispose of supermarket trollies in the culvert underneath not quite so nice.....
We were here for my Birthday. The Festival was on, but first we enjoyed some time relaxing on the new patio and in the 'new' garden. We went to just two shows. The days of rushing from one show to another are over (far too expensive anyhow). After a leisurely breakfast at the terrific Victor Hugo we strolled through the Meadows...... and along a new road for us - Meadow Lane - which reminded us of the 'country' lanes in Penzance............ although the back of the old hospital is hardly rural.......... We were to see 'Mrs Roosevelt Flies to London' (recommended by Katherine) and very very good it was too. Alison Skilbeck was terrific. After lunch (again at Victor Hugo)........we went to see Aiisha in one of her productions. Very well-attended and good atmosphere. Walking back through the Grange area is always interesting with lovely houses everywhere. Dog walking was enjoyed.......... in different ways....... Another day saw us at 'Dragons and Mythical Beasts'. Unexceptional plot, good animatronics. In the afternoon we hired a car and drove over the Bridge to Fife, first of all to Aberdour which was a charming and laid-back seaside place, the equal of anything in Cornwall. Lunch was hard work.... The only thing we couldn't do was walk around to the other beach through the woods as a metal bridge had collapsed. But we enjoyed the harbour and surrounds...... The playpark was good too....... and had trees for climbing......... and sleeping........... Next stop was Elie, fairly remote and attracting wealthy visitors....... Dinner at The Ship was good......(the only pub in the UK with its own beach cricket team). and we liked it (if not quite so much as Aberdour). My Birthday treat was to be a cruise on the SS Waverley from Glasgow to Bute. Departure was delayed by nearly an hour because of exceptionally low tides Views were of ex-industrial for a short way ie shipbuilding........... to long stretches with magnificent country and glimpses of inlets leading to romantic mountains......a superb scenic journey..... And Rosyth where we got off (I should say disembarked) was lovely........ Our destination however was Mount Stuart just outside Rosyth, the home still of the Marquesses of Bute and full of amazing contents and architectural details as well as innovations - from an early telephone system to a Victorian passenger lift. All built on the riches of coal mines in Wales. It was fascinating to hear from one of the guides who had worked there more than 20 years ago as an aide to the family Butler. It really was a very special place. The journey home proved a bit convoluted, nevertheless an extremely enjoyable day and a great Birthday. Thanks to the Smith-Meer family!
With our HH membership we are entitled to one visit per year to Harewood House in Leeds. We didn't want to miss out so off we went. Unlike some houses which are hidden in their grounds, Harewood stands foursquare at once. You enter the hall which is dominated by Epstein's statue of Adam. This statue travelled the world (it wasn't liked) until it ended up as part of Tussaud's in a warehouse in Blackpool of all places. From there it was acquired by the current Earl's father. The Hall was designed by Adam as a unified whole, including the ceiling, friezes and chimney pieces (as indeed throughout the house). This is what makes Harewood so so special. You pass next into the Old Library, the oldest of 3 libraries at the house. Here the chairs and library steps were designed by Chippendale (again someone whose furniture is so integral to the whole house). The bust is of Princess Mary, wife of the Sixth Earl.......and the Royal connection for the Lascelles family. The one thing we noticed straight away was that every little detail is designed by Carr the architect, Adam and Chippendale to the n'th degree. This so-called China Room is the only room I didn't like and played no part in the overall design. Robert Adam called this the study and that is what it should be. As it is it displays some of the family's collections of objet d'art. Now this is more like it, the East Bedroom.......with its magnificent bed (pics do not do it justice), and the Chinese wallpaper which was found in an outbuilding where it had lain for 200 years. The conservators described it as "one of the finest examples anywhere in the world'. The detail is simply facinating. A traditional rural landscape showing all aspects of working life from making tea to crafting porelain. The views from the windows by the way were magnificent. In every room there were aspects of an exhibition called 'Radical Futures'. I have no idea what it was about and tried my best to ignore the distraction (in one room with continuous commentary this was impossible). Why take over the whole house? Ridiculous. This piece however I did like ...it is by a contemporary glass-blower and is inspired by the 200 year-old bottles of rum found in Harewood's cellars a decade earlier, representing with its braided rope enslaved individuals who produced the rum on Lascelles slave plantations. As something to admire and make us ask questions, fine. But as for our 'guilt' for what happened in times past stupid. Presumably that it was the exhibition is about. It cuts no ice with me the historian. I have not seen anything anywhere which quite takes the breath away as much as this magnificent bed in the State Bedroom. Done away with by the Victorian Barry who made some significant alterations in his time this Chippendale masterpiece lay in storage forgotten until rediscovered in the 70's. But just look at how it relates to both ceiling and carpet, a master stoke by Adam and Chippendale. Barry was a chump in this room. The next room was the Spanish Library so-called because of Spanish leather wallpaper, followed by The Library below. The Cinnamon Drawing Room contains some fine paintings including the striking portrait of Lady Worsley (in red) thought to be one of Reynold's finest. Often when entering a long gallery you are struck by its length and its portraits. Here in The Gallery you are struck by the wonderful co-ordinated design of the whole room. '......such a show of magnificence and art as the eye hath seldom seen and words cannot describe' an early Nineteenth Century guidebook avers. Quite right. The odd modern insertions to the Dining Room table loom large. Why? Perhaps something to do with the exhibition? The ceiling and frieze were absolutely butchered by Barry in a very coarse and heavy-handed way. I never want to see them again. Please restore the Adam originals (the plans are in the Sir John Soane Museum). The Music Room is another Adam delight. The carpet is an original Adam design echoing his ceiling. Below Stairs is impressive in its own way. John Carr the York architect took a lot of trouble in making sure they worked and were designed well. They are certainly light and airy and well looked after. Normally after a tour of a house you are glad to get some fresh air. Here it was a wrench to leave the house. The formal Barry Terrace is memorable, although what Capability Brown would have said of this interference in his plans I would not like to say. The Bird Garden proved very interesting and well thought out...... I must lastly mention an exhibition of work by local sixth-formers in The Courtyard. We seemed to be the only ones viewing it. Work by the younger generation never ceases to amaze me. Far better to make more of this than 'Radical Futures'.
We met Katherine and Aiisha at Manchester airport and had a late lunch at The Roebuck in Mobberley, sitting in the lovely gardens. First stop Blackpool of course.....every child's favourite place. Whilst Waterworld was enjoyed, the real adults went to the Grundy Art Gallery and Museum in Blackpool. I have to say very disappointing. The pic shows about two thirds of what was available. Lytham as always was a delight.... But what caught our attention on this trip was of all things Booths Supermarket...it had the best display you could imagine, plus a lovely cafe and a wine bar which we couldn't resist. One day was given over to a pleasant walk and picnic from Cromwell's Bridge..... to the impressive Stoneyhurst Catholic College........ We also found time to tour Clitheroe Castle Museum which was much better than expected and very good for children...... Another trip was to the Wild Boar Park in Bowland. A bit unexpected was the parade of dozens of classic and kit cars through the grounds...... The animals were lovely........ and on our walk through the grounds we were followed for some distance by a flock of ducks (a waddling is the correct and better expression!). I'm never one for mock-ups but the Iron Age hut was actually very good...... On the way back home we called at the pretty village of Chipping.......... On the last day of the trip we just managed to fit in a short while in the very impressive Avenham Park in Preston..........
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August 2023
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