Market Place, Alston, Cumbria.

Oil burner and tealight holder

Unfortunately I forgot my camera the day I visited Alston. I enjoyed some fab shopping, the town has a number of jewellers, artists, potters and other crafts people working and displaying and selling their work. In particular i was impressed with the pottery at Gallery 1611 Ceramic, and bought a sweet little candle holder and oil burner.

I also bought loads of things from Mellow yellow gift shop and had a delightful lunch in the rather old fashioned tea shop, called Blueberries. My other half bought outdoor gear from the Outdoor Ramblers Shop.

For more details on the gallery try www.gallery1611.co.uk

High Cup Winery, Keisley, near Appleby in Cumbria.

Entrance

High Cup Winery not only offers you the chance to taste and buy their own range of wines produced from locally grown fruit but also has other displays. They use elderflower and berry, apple, damson, raspberry, rhubarb and beetroot. I tried all the different types and ended up buying six bottles, both for friends and my own consumption. 

Geology display

There is also a display about the geology of the area, which was designed with the help of North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership.

Art exhibit

There is also a summer art exhibition which displays the work of 18 artists based in the Eden valley area.

View across Eden Valley from winery

The High Cup Winery as seen from the road

Antibes, South of France.

 Antibes is in the Cote D'Azur. A beautiful old town on the coast. It is the place to go if you want to look at amazing sailing boats in the harbour. 

For me however it was the Musee Picasso, which is an art museum with 150 works of art by Picasso, and also art by a number of other artists. The museum is in the Chateau Grimaldi, which was built in the 12th century. 

Picasso lived there and found the light and peace of the area particularly beneficial to painting, which is why he was so prolific during this period. 

My favourite picture was a lively yellow painting of rather cheerful looking goats. Called Tete de faune en spirale avec trois figures marginales, which was produces in October 1946. I wasn't able to take any pictures of the paintings as it is not allowed, however you were allowed to take photos of the sculptures outside which is what accompanies this blog. 

The church in Antibes

Broadway Tower, Cotswold/Worcestershire Border.

Broadway Tower

Memorial plaque

 Broadway tower stands high above the Worcestershire Cotswold skyline. It is a mini museum inside. The first floor display is all about it being built as a folly and it's early history. The next floor is about the renaissance art movement and William Morris. The third floor is about the military history of the sight.

With it's fantastic views it was used as a spotting station in the wars. Sadly also it was the sight of a memorable crash, so the history of that, and their is a plaque outside on the sight. The tower also played it's part in the cold war, and a nuclear bunker was built just along the hill. You can go and explore the Nuclear Bunker if you wish, though it is generally only open on a Sunday.

We also looked around Broadway village. In many way's it is a typical Cotswold village, as there are eleven art galleries, about six antique shops, and numerous cafes and bistro's. My favourite place was the old fashioned sweet shop.

I also liked the curious sign outside one of the estate agencies. It looks to me like a bishop fighting a five headed snake. It must commemorate some local mythology, but no-one seemed to know what it was about, and so far my research has turned up no answers. Any interesting ideas or actual facts please tell me.

Nuclear Bunker history

Part of the WW2 display

View from top of tower

Names and dates carved in by the soldiers

The most interesting thing in Broadway village

Broadway, a Cotswold village

St Michaels & All Angels Church, Great Witley, Worcestershire.

Exterior with dome and clock

From the outside Whitley church doesn't really look all that special. It seems very much to be in keeping with the house, but the gold dome and clock, although beautiful, don't scream special.

Inside is a different story. The church was built with the monies and ideas of the Foley family, and so it much more so than the old photographs, highlights just how sad the lost of their home to the fire was. It must have been just as beautiful.

The church has one of the countries, if not the worlds, finest 18th century interiors. These photographs only hint at the great beauty. Everything is so ornate, a delightful mix of Baroque and Rococo styles. The work has been done by some of the finest artisans of the time, in every case. Paintings, carvings, glass, nothing has been scrimped on. The Foley family certainly had style and an eye for beauty.

The alter view

 The painted panels are by the great painter Antonio Bellucci.
The ornate wooden pulpit was the work of the sculptor James Forsyth, whilst the magnificent marble font is the work of his brother William Forsyth, and are my particular favourite. Between then the lectern and all the pews were carved.

Main fresco

Pulpit detail

One of the marble angels supporting the font

Foley family memorial

The many stained glass windows were the work of Joshua Price, who worked on them between 1718 and 1721, and they are considered to be the best collection of his work in existence.

The influence of the great tour may never have borne quite so much fruit anywhere else, bar the once great home, unfortunately lost to fire.

Small fresco detail

One of the stained glass windows

View from alter, showing font, ornate organ and balconies

View from one of the balconies

Volterra, Easter Parade, Italy.

Volterra was originally an ancient Etruscan settlement called Velathri. It is situated in an elevated position in some of the most picturesque countryside in Italy, and much of it's ancient city walls and gates still survive.

It was on the Monday immediately after Easter Sunday that I visited it in 2011. On that day each year there is a parade, with musicians and folk dressed in historic costume. I did take pictures, but they are on a memory card I have misplaced.

Roof detail in Guarnacci Museum

We visited the Guarnacci Museum, which features many alabaster works of art. There are other museums in the town, and an art gallery also. The area is famous for its alabaster, sourced locally and there are many workshops and bargain sculptures and pieces can be bought in the many specialist gift shops.

Garden with Wistria flowering as seen from city walls

Also well worth a visit is the Piazza dei Priori, with it's Palace designed by Maestro Riccardo in 1239. The lions on it were added later in 1472 when the building became the local court, and seat to the Captain of Justice.

Volterra is also the place I enjoyed the best Italian meal I have ever eaten. It was in a little cafe, which had a shop selling pasta and oils, a covered area for eating in on the narrow street and a boar's head over the stores door. Try and find it if you ever visit.