Appleby, Cumbria

On Sunday 28th July I visited friends and we went to Appleby in Cumbria. Unfortunately the castle there was shut for the day, but we enjoyed a walk along the river. Rain the night before had swollen the river and the water was rushing past, and quite brown. The day however was lovely and having admired the garden and fountain at the Hospital of St Anne's enjoyed a walk along the river banks and through the wood. I also rather loved the carving near the play area, whilst the children enjoyed the swings and roundabout.

Well dressed, Malvern Hills, Worcester

St James' Church

More of the wells from Malvern Hills Well Dressing annual festival, (see yesterdays entry for more details). St James' Church well was dressed by Sara Bennett and Brian Graham.

West Malvern Tap

West Malvern Tap was decorated in various princess fairy tale themes, including Rapunzel. This well was the work of West Malvern Garden and Nature Club.

Haysald

Hayslad well as dressed by Dan and Karen Smith is going to be the site of one of the well blessings. The blessing ceremony there will be conducted on Monday at 3pm by members of local Druid groups and anyone is welcome to join them.

Royal Well

Royal well was dressed by Carol, Wayne and Pippa Seaton.

Evendine Spring

Evendine spring was decorated by Aquartet taking their inspiration from the tradition of Faeries, Dryads and Naiads in folklore.

Lower Wyche Trough

At Lower Wyche Well the Himalayan story of Saraswati and was dressed by Caroline Harris and Jean Williams.

Whilst the Lower Wyche spout, dressed by Debbie and Jess Sly tells John Ruskin's tale of The King of the Golden River.

Malvhina

Malvhina Well was dressed by Jan Bowden and will be the site of the local Buddhists water blessing ceremony on Monday at 11am, and all are welcome to attend.

Temperance Fountain

The Temperance Fountain well was dressed by the St Joseph's Swans and Cygnets Pre-School, and they had written a tales about a princess and a swan and her cygnets, which was very sweet.

Stocks drinking Fountain

The Stocks drinking Fountain Well, situated just below the local stocks, was dressed by the 7th Malvern Girls Brigade, as The Three Billy Goats Gruff and came complete with bridge, goats and a troll with oranges for eyes.

Clock Tower

The clocktower well was dressed by Ian Woodcock and Susan Hale and consisted of a decorated tree and willow gazebo frame, and a rather stunning green man over the tower entrance.

Tank Quarry

Rapunzel was the theme again, at the North Malvern Tap at Tank Quarry, which was dressed by 1st Malvern Link Rainbows and Brownies.

My favourite wells would be, in first place the Temperance Fountain Well by St Josephs Pre-school, in second place would be Bilbo Baggins home by Sheila Maund, as shown yesterday. Equal third would be the Girls Brigade Billy Goats and the Jack and the Beanstalk well by Malvern Wells school.

Whitley Court ruins and fountains.

The Perseus and Andromeda fountain

Detail in the ceiling of one of the formal garden follys

Inside the ruins dining room

 Today I visited Whitley Court, near Worcester. Once home to the Foley and Dudley families, but now in the care of English Heritage, the ruins and fountains are well worth a visit.

A fire in 1937 destroyed the internal decor and much of the inner structure of the once great country house. The beautiful exoskeleton that remains still appears complete from a distance. The damage in someways gives the house a fairy-tale shadowy dream like feel. When you enter the ruins the rooms seem surprisingly small when you compare them to the surviving photographs of the once ornately decorated grandure. Perhaps it is this incongrulousness which makes it seem unreal, and you are an overly large Alice figure.

The ruins sit in formal gardens, designed by William Andrew Nesfield and built under Samuel Daukes. Within these are two magnificent fountains. The fountain of the goddess Flora, with her four worshiping tritons, like the house is a magnificent relic, (though hopefully one that maybe restored).

The great fountain depicting Perseus and Andromeda was restored to fully working order in 2002. During the season, (Easter to early Autumn), the fountain performs a twenty minute "show" on the hour, (except at one o'clock).

Dining room as was.

The Perseus fountain mid "show"

Flora's fountain with house behind

House ruins with gold dome of nearby church visable

Inside the ruin

The view from one of the follys

Fountain detail