Friday 19 August 2011

Out of Pembrokeshire!

Way back in June we took ourselves off for a few days to Gloucestershire.
Kept meaning to post and only just got around to it.
It was good to look back at the photographs and remember what a nice time we had.
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Gloucester Docks. Like a lot of similar docks many have been transformed into apartments and others are used as shops and museums.
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St Mary le Crypt Church
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"The Tailor of Gloucester" - one of many Beatrix Potter's characters.
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Gloucester Cathedral cloisters.
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One of the many, many beautiful stained glass windows.
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St Mary's Church, Painswick
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We also visited Painswick, a typical unspoilt Cotswold village at the midpoint of the Cotswold Way and also its Rococo Garden.
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Painswick Post Office
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Painswick Church and churchyard is surrounded by the legendary 99 yew trees set amongst its crafted tombs.
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One of the most spectacular features of the Rococo Garden occurs in early spring when snowdrops carpet the woodland floor, so it is well worth a visit at that time.
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"You are taken to a pompous and gilded building, consecrated to Venus for no other purpose or so it seemed that the squire riots here in vulgar love with a couple of orange wenches from the purlieus (surroundings) of the play-house".
So writes Francis Coventry in an essay in 1753 - a criticism aimed at the then owners of the garden who he thought self-opinionated. The gardens were havens of peace and tranquility, a place to stroll and soak up the ambience of the place whatever the time of year.
They still are.
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A garden worth visiting if you are ever in the area.
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Ann x

1 comment:

Kath said...

Those gardens look gorgeous. I can just imagine romping there with my squire LOL