Photo Challenge – Page 195

One Day One World Project: 03:00 – 04:00

a ghostly story

I have written several posts about Ludlow Castle, but now that we are in the middle of the night perhaps it is time for a slightly darker tale?

The castle is reputed to be haunted by the twelfth century Marion de la Bruyere. Legend suggests that the fair damsel Marion, who lived within the castle walls, was besotted by a knight called Arnold de Lisle who was an enemy of the castle’s lord, Josse de Dinant. Although he had been captured together with Walter de Lacy during a previous attack on the castle, de Lisle persuaded Marion into giving him a piece of knotted linen which the men used to escape from their prison.

One fateful night some time later when de Dinant was absent, Marion sent Arnold a secret message saying that the castle was almost empty and that she would leave a rope dangling for him to climb in. De Lisle, who was more intent on capturing the castle than romance, gained access to the castle and left the rope for a hundred of de Lacy soldiers to climb in and capture the castle, murdering the sleeping garrison in their beds. Marion, whilst in the arms of her lover, was woken by the screams of the dying men and realised that she had been betrayed. She snatched her lover’s sword from the table beside her and ran it through him, then filled with grief and shame she threw herself from the Pendover or Hanging Tower.

Stories vary somewhat regarding the ghost itself. Some say if you visit the tower at dusk on quiet evenings her ghost can be seen, but if you go on the anniversary of her death you can hear her scream as she falls to the rocks below.

(Sorry Lisa, I struggled with this time period – but things can only get better…)

Lisa of the blog NorthWest Frame of Mind has decided to run a different project over the next 24 weeks. To try to show what is happening in different parts of the world (if you all join in) at a particular time of day. If you would like to participate you have until next Saturday midnight to post a photo or write about what is happening in your part of the world. This week is between 03:00 – 04:00. I hope you’ll join in! See links for more details.

Contre-jour

produces backlighting of the subject. This effect usually hides details, causes a stronger contrast between light and dark, creates silhouettes and emphasizes lines and shapes. The sun, or other light source, is often seen as either a bright spot or as a strong glare behind the subject.

New Abbey Buildings

Although the main reason for visiting New Abbey was the delightful Sweetheart Abbey, we also took a stroll along the main street to the Corn Mill at the bottom. There are some interesting houses and windows that I thought I’d share with you.

From the carpark at the Sweetheart Abbey head back to the road and turn right through the village down to the working Corn Mill. Pass several single-storey rubble-stone, whitewashed cottages like this pretty blue-painted framed openings with roses around the door.

Rosewall

Mid/late 18th century. Single storey 3-bay cottage with central door and 2 carved stones incorporated. Carved stones represent a) 3 men in a boat, b) rose motif in incomplete pediment.

The Port House

Probably late 16th/17th century, but heightened late in 18th or in first quarter of 19th century, and openings altered.

The Hermitage

Windows filled with interesting old glass bottles.

And two village pubs facing each other across the square.

and another house with an interesting plaque

And finally the Corn Mill

Now under the care of Historic Scotland, this three-storey whitewashed mill building was built towards the end of the 18th century by the Stewarts of nearby Shambellie House. However, it is thought that it reaches back much later than that, perhaps to as early as the late 13th century, when the Cistercian monks established their monastery of Dulce Cor (‘Sweet Heart’ ) at the far end of the village; today the mill is still known locally as ‘Monks’ Mill’.

Behind the mill is an 1806 Masonic Lodge converted to church hall 1887; now a dwelling house.

New Abbey must rank amongst the prettiest settlements in the area with its whitewashed cottages overlooked by the Abbey ruins.

If you enjoy a walk, short or long, then you may enjoy visiting Jo’s Monday Walk where you are in for a treat.

Or if your interest is windows then Dawn from ‘The Day After’ invites participants to post pictures of any windows that they find curious, inviting, photogenic, or in some way tell a story.

One Day One World Project: 02:00 – 03:00

nature’s fury

Thunder crashes through my dreams like a sledge-hammer, startling me into wakefulness. It growls like a caged-in lion pacing, it bangs furiously and then grumbles away, sometimes near, sometimes far. The lightning strikes and I start counting; one thousand, two thousand… the gods come tumbling out of their beds above my head shattering the stillness of the air, deafening me, wakening the entire neighbourhood.

Lightning flickers around the edge of the town, circling dangerously close, lighting up roofs and chimneys then forking down to the earth. So bright I can see it with my eyes closed. Red, yellow on the insides of my eye-lids. Afraid to open them in case the retina is damaged by the flash. So vivid that night becomes day.

Then the rain starts; fat, heavy drops falling slowly, hesitantly onto the still warm tarmac and dry tiles. The hissing begins; raindrops steadily increasing in pace, straight as stair-rods, rapidly filling the gutters, turning the road into a river, gurgling down the fall-pipes and creating fog above the river. The smell of rain in the thick air. It stops. It starts. It stops.

Everything is still. The air is so heavy. Listening, holding its breath. In case the fury returns.

(Storms over the UK – July 2014)

Lisa of the blog NorthWest Frame of Mind has decided to run a different project over the next 24 weeks. To try to show what is happening in different parts of the world (if you all join in) at a particular time of day. If you would like to participate you have until next Saturday midnight to post a photo or write about what is happening in your part of the world. This week is between 02:00 – 03:00. I hope you’ll join in! See links for more details.

(Photo source: Mark Kidsley
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.)

Travel Theme: Endearing

endearing

adjective

adjective: endearing

inspiring affection.

“an endearing little grin”
“hedgehogs are endearing creatures”

synonyms: lovable, adorable, cute, sweet, dear, delightful, lovely, charming,appealing, attractive, engaging, winning, captivating, enchanting, beguiling,winsome;

OK children, gather round, we are going to visit Bodiam castle

See, it’s really easy, we just follow the Humans over the bridge, no need to be afraid of all that water.

Best foot forward…

stay together now

Oh, dear, there’s always ONE who falls in.

Aw, come on, he is rather cute don’t you think?