Category: Heritage

Visit to Hever Castle home of Anne Boleyn

By cpadmin

Visit to Hever Castle the home of Anne Boleyn

Visit to Hever Castle home of Anne Boleyn. Shru visited the childhood home of Anne Boleyn during the tulip season on a bright still day.

Visit to Hever Castle the home of Anne Boleyn
Hever Castle the home of Anne Boleyn on a bright spring day

Two moats

Captured from the outer moat of the castle, this shot shows the topiary reflected in the outer moat. Hever castle has two moats and two drawbridges. The water in the foreground sweeps the eye in and the viewers’ attention is led over the first wooden bridge. We are then lead and onto the castle forecourt and over the drawbridge, where the draw chains are visible. Eventually we arrive at the caste door where the portcullis is ready to drop on us!

A green image

There is lots of “green” in Shru’s early spring image, provided by the topiary, the bushes and the climbers. There are soft clouds overhead which highlight the stern crenelated yellow brickwork of the castle itself. The topiary designed by the gardeners also brings softness and humour.

This was a great visit that I would recommend it to you.

Equipment

Canon EOS 7D Mark II EF-S 18-135mm IS STM

F5.6   1/200 ISO 100

1066 and all that! Image of the week

By cpadmin

1066 and all that! Image of the week

1066 and all that! Three images from Battle Abbey. Re-visited this site last week and captured three images.

First image.

1066 and all that!
Pond down the hill from Battle Abbey

Down the hill from the Abbey is a large pond surrounded by greenery of all kinds. In terms of composition the greenery frames the image and the reflections of the bushes on the other side of the pond add reflections in the water. These reflections appear to be “under” the waterlilies. I first went here on holiday in 2011 and “snapped” an image. Went back last week to take more care and secure a really good version of the image.

 

Second image

1066 and all that!
Archer aiming high at the Abbey

This image reflects English Heritage’s view that the long bowmen of William the Conqueror let their arrows fly from this sort of position. Of course the Castle or Abbey was not there in 1066, however I thought it made a nice image. I understand that there is a view that this location was not the location of the battle of Hastings anyway!

Third Image

1066 and all that!
Panorama from the top of the gatehouse

Having walked around the site I climbed to the top of the gatehouse part of the Castle and turned my camera to the distance. There is a nice view over the weald which is yellow as the crops have been cut. Interestingly for mid-August it is possible to see that the trees are turning after a long period with temperatures over 30 degrees C.

Battle Abbey

English Heritage are the custodians of Battle Abbey click on link to find out more

Equipment

For all three shots: Sony SLT-A65V, Tamron 16-300mm, plus tripod

First Image Settings: F6.3 1/400 ISO 100

Second Image Settings: F6.3 1/640 ISO 100

Third Image Settings: F6.3 1/500 ISO 100

Re-installing the sails at Rayleigh Windmill (2)

By cpadmin

Re-installing the sails at Rayleigh Windmill

The Rayleigh Windmill is a 200 year old Grade II listed building situated high on a hill in Rayleigh. This mill is the tallest mill in Essex at 60 feet (18.29m). At the base of the Windmill the brickwork is 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 m).

Rayleigh Windmill
The sails arrive “on the back of a lorry”
Rayleigh Windmill
Putting a bolt in. He couldn’t find the hammer!
Rayleigh Windmill
Half way there. Two up two to go
Raylleigh Windmill
Lifting the last sail. Note the shadows

In October 2017 the sails on the windmill were removed for essential maintenance. In April 2018 the sails were re-installed. Shru and Mike spent the day at the Windmill when the sails were re-erected. We happened to have our cameras with us and captured the images below. These four images are a “before”, two work in progress images and a “job done” one. However on our website there are 11 images of how the team did it. Go to our webpage for a look.

We have also prepared a comprehensive historical record of the day in the forms of a PowerPoint presentation and a Photobook. These can be viewed at Rayleigh Windmill when it is open.

The website images follow the sequence from the arrival of the lorry through to completion, including the amazing aerial work of the team, swinging from ropes as they hammered bolts in.

Visiting the Windmill

The windmill is open frequently during the summer months and is also a wedding venue. Have a look at the Rayleigh Windmill website

Re-installing the sails at Rayleigh Windmill

By cpadmin

Re-installing the sails at Rayleigh Windmill

The Rayleigh Windmill is a 200 year old Grade II listed building situated high on a hill in Rayleigh. This mill is the tallest mill in Essex at 60 feet (18.29m). At the base of the Windmill the brickwork is 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 m).

Rayleigh Windmill
The sails arrive “on the back of a lorry”
Rayleigh Windmill
Putting a bolt in. He couldn’t find the hammer!
Rayleigh Windmill
Half way there. Two up two to go
Raylleigh Windmill
Lifting the last sail. Note the shadows

In October 2017 the sails on the windmill were removed for essential maintenance. In April 2018 the sails were re-installed. Shru and Mike spent the day at the Windmill when the sails were re-erected. We happened to have our cameras with us and captured the images below. These four images are a “before”, two work in progress images and a “job done” one. However on our website there are 11 images of how the team did it. Go to our webpage for a look.

We have also prepared a comprehensive historical record of the day in the forms of a PowerPoint presentation and a Photobook. These can be viewed at Rayleigh Windmill when it is open.

The website images follow the sequence from the arrival of the lorry through to completion, including the amazing aerial work of the team, swinging from ropes as they hammered bolts in.

Visiting the Windmill

The windmill is open frequently during the summer months and is also a wedding venue. Have a look at the Rayleigh Windmill website