Magdalen College ~ Cloisters

The 15th Century Cloisters construction commenced in 1474 which makes this medieval square of stone among the oldest parts of Magdalen.

Balancing on the buttresses that jut from the Cloister walls are the figures later known as ‘hieroglyphics’, the ‘GARGELS”, Magdalen’s very own gargoyles. Some are biblical, some heraldic, all symbolic. Since they entered the College in 1508-9 they have been keeping their emblematic eyes on the comings and goings in the Cloisters and the quad.

Wanted to let you all see that we did “keep off the grass”.

From the Cloisters we headed out to Addison’s walk and the New Building following the footsteps of Tolkien and Lewis along one of the paths that leads to the famous meetings of the “Inklings”.

As you can tell from my posts from Oxford there is a lot to see in this city. I still haven’t shown you photos from Bodleian and Radcliffe Camera or the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin. These places have been seen in many Masterpiece Mystery series and scenes from Harry Potter movies, too. My last post of Oxford will be photo heavy.

Back at this old house the renovations continue. We were hoping for things to be wrapped up today but that’s not happening. Maybe by Tuesday…

We have Fleet week and SeaFair and Hydro races and the Blue Angels in Seattle this weekend. What does the first weekend in August hold for you?

University of Oxford ~ Magdalen College

We visited Magdalen College with our daughter Katie in 2004 and we were happy to re-visit the buildings and grounds this past July. What drew us to this college in 2004 was the information we read about Tolkien and C.S. Lewis enjoying walks and theological discussions here and along Addison’s Walk. We wanted to walk along that path, too.

Magdalen College was founded just outside Oxford’s City walls in 1458 by William Waynflete.

The chapel was begun in May 1474. The remarkable West Window of the Antechapel is a dramatic depiction of the Apocalypse and the judgement of souls. This vision was cast in 1637 but has been subjected to subsequent restorations, the re-glazing in 1859-1861 leaving the windows as they appear today.

Above the stalls hangs Giampetrino’s remarkable 15th copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, on permanent loan from the Royal Academy. In view of the bad condition of the original fresco in Milan, (which I had the privilege of seeing in March of 2013) Magdalen’s copy on canvas is a piece of increasing historic and artistic significance.

In 1635, the repaving of the Chapel floor in a pattern of black and white marble tiles.

The doors to the main Chapel were locked so I had to get these photos by looking through the glass on the doors. The choir sings from the middle stalls at either side. Towards the end of the 19th century the Choir achieved renown and played a pivotal role in ensuring an unprecedented fondness of carol singing among the general public by the publication of an anthology of carols.

This is the Hall which was built at the founding of the College. The High Table at the far end seats the President, Fellows and formal guests, just as it did in the early 16th century when it welcomed King James I. Oscar Wilde was a fromer member of Magdalen.

This post is getting long so I will do another post with photos from the Cloisters and some outdoor spaces.

Good Fences ~ Oxford, England

Balliol College ~ University of Oxford

It seems that everywhere you look in England you see wonderful stone walls and ornate gates. Here are a sampling from each of the colleges we visited while in Oxford on July 6th.

Trinity College ~ University of Oxford

Magdalen College ~ University of Oxford

I’m linking to Good Fences at Run*A*Round Ranch Report #19

Trinity College ~ University of Oxford

You can read about the history of Trinity College by clicking here. After our walking tour of Oxford on our 6th day in England Dear and I enjoyed some lunch and then walked about on our own. We visited two more of the University of Oxford Colleges, Trinity and Magdalen. We had to pay a small entrance fee to walk about these colleges.

The Chapel was consecrated in 1694 and was hailed by contemporaries as the most magnificent Chapel in the University. Its dynamic integration of architecture, sculpture and painting is unrivalled amongst surviving ecclesiastical interiors in England.

Deposition of Christ ~ (copy after Andrea del Sarto) by Gaetano Cannicci, 1870.

Back here in the “States” work did not proceed as planned on Tuesday. One thing we’ve learned is that there are too many different laborers that are required in a bathroom renovation. You have your plumber, your tiler, your drywall installer, the taper, the sealer, the electrician. We can’t say that the skill level for all these workers has been to our standards. We were pleased with the plumber. Work halted on Tuesday since the prep work for the tile man was not completed as needed. I really am hoping we are real pleased with the tile man. The upside to the delay today was that I was able to go out and take care of some errands that needed to be done.

Today, hopefully the tile will be installed with no glitches. I better go run and take some more before photos. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

The Oxford Colleges ~ Balliol

I’m linking this post about one of the many Colleges in Oxford to ABC Wednesday. C is for Colleges. Thank you Denise Nesbitt and the ABC team.

On Wednesday July 9th (Day 6 of our England Trip) we boarded a train in Moreton in Marsh to Oxford for the day. We found free parking on the street close to the station. The train ride was a short 37 minutes. Since parking in Oxford is a challenge and you are advised to use park and rides on the outskirts of town we thought a train ride close to the center of town was the best option for us.

We opted to go to the visitor center and sign up for a walking tour. There were a few other tour options but they seemed a little too hawkish for our taste.

We only visited one of the colleges with the tour guide. The oldest Oxford college continuously on one site, co-founded by a woman, Balliol is home to young people from many different backgrounds who have come to study with world-class academics.

Each of the Oxford Colleges to my understanding have their own chapel, dining hall, libraries, and dormitories.

Some inside views of the William Butterfield chapel.

These are the outside views of the chapel designed by William Butterfield in 1857.

This was the dining hall for the college.

Oxford is a very bicycle friendly town and on our walk around town it seemed we were more in danger from being hit by a bike than a car.

Because of the way this chap was dressed our tour guide said that he’d be sitting for exams. The white bow tie was significant as to what exams he’d be sitting for. There are dress codes that are still observed for taking exams and other ceremonies, too.

After Balliol our tour guide showed us some other major sites in Oxford that I will post about soon. When our tour was over Dear and I spent some time at Trinity College and Magdalen College before we met up with a couple we met on the tour from Vancouver Island at the Oldest Pub in Oxford.

It’s only Monday and it feels like Friday. We are having a very warm summer day in the Pacific Northwest. The thermometer is already registering over 80 degrees. We are in a dry hot spell this week. Work is continuing slowly in our bathroom. The tile guys are suppose to be here tomorrow.

Stow ~ The Church of St. Edward

Ancient and historic Stow on-the Wold is the highest town in the Cotswolds standing 800 feet above sea level.

One of the historic Cotswold buildings in Stow on the Wold is the church of St Edward.The church is primarily a product of the 11th century with later additions in the 15th century. Quite apart from the lovely architecture, the church has a significant historical connection with the Battle of Stow on the Wold. The battle was the final conflict of the English Civil War.

Seeing this church door flanked by the ancient Yew trees is what first drew me to making Stow on the Wold a must see town in the Cotswolds. Here’s the inside photo of this great door.

The 88ft high 4-stage tower, completed in 1447, is a conspicuous landmark with an embattled parapet with pinnacles and a string course with gargoyles.

In 1646 a Royalist army marched through the Cotswolds in a desperate attempt to join up with King Charles at Oxford. They were finally confronted at Stow on the Wold by a Parliamentary force. The fighting was fierce and deadly. The Royalists were defeated and over 1000 imprisoned within the church.

We made a quick stop in this town on our trip in September of 2013, this time we stopped for a longer stay and enjoyed spending some time inside the church of St. Edward.

This portion of 1 Chronicles 16 was sculpted from Cotswold Stone

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice:
and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof:
let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord,

When we were done inside the church we walked around this small market town and enjoyed visiting some of the shops.

The Kings Arms on the market square hosted King Charles I before the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

It’s amazing to think these buildings have been standing for so long. I’m always blown away by the history in the places we visit in England.

Travel Tips for Stow-on-the-Wold. The market square has free two hour parking but when your two hours are up you have to move your car out of the square and find parking at other lots close by. The Fosseway long term parking near Tesco is said to have free parking. When you see “no returns” that means you can’t just change the spot your car is parked in. There is a good variety of shops and places to eat in Stow. We strolled through a few “thrift” stores in town which usually have names like Oxfam, Blue Cross, and others that benefit Hospice care or heart research, etc.

Good Fences ~ England

The first two photos are from Kiftsgate Court Gardens in the Cotswolds and the last few are from Hidcote Manor Garden in the Cotswolds.

These two gardens are just across the road from each other in the Chipping Camden area of the Cotswolds in England.

I have a lot of fences and gates to share from the two weeks we spent in England the beginning of July.

I’m joining in with TexWisGirl at Run*A*Round Ranch for Good Fences #18.

If you want to see more from Kiftsgate Court Gardens or Hidcote Manor Garden click on the links.

Kiftsgate Court Gardens ~ Cotswolds

We got some good exercise when we decided to just stroll over to Kiftsgate Gardens from Hidcote Garden not knowing what the parking situation would be at Kiftsgate. Well…they do have a nice parking area that is free for your information if you decide to visit but we had a goal to walk a lot in England and this day afforded a lot towards that goal.

The story of Kiftsgate is the story of three generations of women gardeners: Heather Muir, Diany Binny and Anne Chambers. Each in her unique way has contributed throughout almost a century to making Kiftsgate the world renowned garden that visitors and gardeners alike have grown to know and love.Heather Muir created the garden at Kiftsgate, which up until 1920 had consisted of a paved formal garden in front of the portico, with a field and wooded banks beyond. Heather was helped and inspired by her lifelong friend Lawrence Johnston of Hidcote Manor. She decided that the garden would develop organically as she was inspired, rather than planning everything on paper. This has given the garden a distinctly feminine feel, almost in direct contrast to the more masculine lines being employed by Johnston at Hidcote. By 1930 the steep banks were tackled and the steps to the lower garden were put in place, along with the delightful summerhouse taking advantage of the views to the west.

From the mid fifties Diany Binny continued to add to the garden by creating the semi-circular pool in the lower garden. She also commissioned two sculptures and began to open the garden on a regular basis.The white sunk garden was also redesigned by her to incorporate a small pool and a well head fountain. Diany was an important figure in the development of Kiftsgate by opening the garden to the public and maintaining the tradition of continuity.

One of Anne Chambers finest accomplishments is the addition of the new water garden that was once the tennis court. This area is now an oasis of calm, where fine white stepping stones give the illusion of floating over the black pool below, leading to a grass island at the centre. To the far end, a double row of gilded bronze philodendron leaves sway gently under a cascade of running water surrounded by a curtain of yew hedging.

Taking up half the space on one side of the Rose Border is Rosa filipes ‘Kiftsgate’. The vigour shown by this rose, which we claim to be the largest in England, produces huge growth each year and three trees have been smothered by its spreading habit. In early to mid July it is a remarkable sight when it is covered in panicles of white blooms and resembles a cascading waterfall amongst the trees.

The view is magnificent from the swimming pool lawn. In one direction the distant hills of Malvern can be seen beyond the Vale of Evesham whilst looking back up the Banks a fine view of the house can allow oneself to imagine being in a Mediterranean setting.

After we strolled through the upper gardens we made our way down to the lower garden and semi circular pool.

I took this next photo with Vee of A Haven for Vee in mind. Not as plush as yours were, Vee.

We had a few fast moving showers while we were at this garden but found good spots out of the rain to wait while the showers passed. There is a nice tea room available right on the grounds. You are never too far from a tea room in the Cotswolds.

All words in italics are from the Kiftsgate web page and not my own words.

Speaking of showers we have had a full day of showers here at this old house with some thunderstorms, too. Things in the bathroom renovation slowed down as we wait on the bathtub to be delivered. It was suppose to arrive today and the plumbers were all set to go but as in any project glitches happen. Tomorrow we should have a full house of worker bees…

What’s new in your neck of the woods?

Hidcote Garden

Monday July 7th was a two garden day for us in the Cotswolds. The first garden was a National Trust property. Our one year membership had not expired yet so we got to go in without paying the entrance fee. We visited this garden with our daughter Katie back in 2004 but I wasn’t aware that this was an American’s vision.

This quiet American’s name was Major Lawrence Johnston. He began to create the garden in 1907. Over the space of 30 years he transformed a field containing just a few trees to one of the country’s great Arts and Crafts gardens.

During the 1920’s Johnston traveled the world taking part in many plant hunting expeditions. He carefully selected only the finest plants to bring back to his garden.

The sweet bird decided to sit long enough for a photo-op. We enjoyed our stroll through Hidcote and quenched our thirst with a Ginger Beer from the cafe. One nice thing about most of the National Trust and other museums and such that we visited were the nice cafes and refreshment options that were available on the properties.

From this wonderful garden we walked down the drive to the road to visit a garden just across the road from Hidcote. I’ll share the photos from Kiftsgate Court Gardens soon.

Back in the States:

During our bathroom renovation I feel trapped here since I’m not comfortable leaving the house while worker bees are busy inside my home. As the saying goes “this, too, shall pass”. We are recovering a little each day from our jet lag and are able to sleep a little longer each day. Dear went back to work on Monday and was pretty wiped out when he arrived home. He had a hard time keeping his eyes open past 6 p.m. We have had some overcast days here and we were happy to hear that a little rain fell in the areas ravaged by brush fires here in the State of Washington. Hoping the thunderstorms predicted don’t cause any problems for the firefighters.

Banbury ~ Oxfordshire

Continuing on my retracing posts from our time in England, on Sunday July 6th we made a short drive through Shipston-on-Stour to Banbury.
The town of Banbury in Oxfordshire dates back much further than the nursery rhyme dedicated to it.

When our three children were babes we would recite this nursery rhyme to them while bouncing them on our knees. It brings back such good memories that when I found out this statue was erected in Banbury we decided it was worth the trip to see it.

Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross to See a Fine Lady Upon a White Horse

With Rings on Her Fingers

And Bells on Her Toes

She Shall Have Music Wherever She Goes

Nowadays the only cross gracing Banbury lies at the intersection of four major roads – those to Oxford, Warwick, Shipston-on-Stour and the High Street, which leads to the shopping area and the old heart of the town. It was erected in 1859 to commemorate the marriage of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa to Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia on 25th January 1858. It stands 52feet 6inches high to the top of its gilt cross and is of a neo-Gothic design. Originally six niches for statues were planned, but this was later reduced to three.

It was fun to learn all about the history surrounding this nursery rhyme and the town of Banbury.

We walked around town, had some lunch and picked up some sweet treats to take back to the cottage.

The sweet treats weren’t from this Olde Sweet Shoppe but from a bakery in town…

B is for Banbury, Banbury Cross, Bells and Baked goods!

This was a timely post featuring the letter B so I’m linking up with ABC Wednesday which was begun by Mrs. Nesbitt and continues on with the help of the ABC team.

Speaking of B, the bathroom renovators arrived this morning to begin the finish work on our bathroom remodel. In 10 to 12 days it should all be done and we will be done with the construction zone mode and back to our quiet home mode until the next project.

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

Category Archives: Travel

Magdalen College ~ Cloisters

University of Oxford ~ Magdalen College

Good Fences ~ Oxford, England

Trinity College ~ University of Oxford

The Oxford Colleges ~ Balliol

Stow ~ The Church of St. Edward

Good Fences ~ England

Kiftsgate Court Gardens ~ Cotswolds

Hidcote Garden

Banbury ~ Oxfordshire