Friday 3 April 2009

Friday.


This isn't quite what it appears. It shows a corner turret of the Deanery Tower (built in 1495) with the broach spire of the church in the background. The spire is timber (lead covered). The church is 14th century, with a 13th century tower.
This morning I motored int Bury St. Edmund's, where there is an antiques fair on at the Athaeneum. I had arranged to deliver a pair of cased flintlock pistols (circa 1750) to one of the exhibitors at opening time (10.30 a.m). Got there nicely in time and delivered goodies. Another exhibitor very kindly treated me to a coffee and a wodge of (home made) fruitcake as the fair wasn't very busy at that point.
I should return to the pistols and clarify a point which some knowledgeable reader will probably now be clamouring to make; viz. that pistols were not usually sold cased in 1750. I would agree with said knowledgeable reader and must explain that although these pistols were made around the middle of the eighteenth century they were cased up at a rather later date. All clear now, chaps???? Good. I thoroughly enjoyed visit to fair, although I didn't buy anything. Got home about twenty minutes past noon. Ann is still helping at our luncheon club for the elderly, and as effects of wodge of fruitcake is now beginning to wear off (1.30 p.m.), will go and make meself a sandwich. More blog later, possibly.
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6 comments:

Lori Skoog said...

Mike....you live near so much history. Thank you for taking us along.

Crowbard said...

Lovely Photos mike, What period is the Deanery, the tower looks neo-gothic from that angle, but knowing suffolk I suppose it is high gothic?

v-word = covesess is that the feminine of coves?

Unknown said...

A pleasure, Lori.
Hi Carl. The Deanery Tower (still sometimes known locally as Pykenham's Tower was built by Archdeacon Pykenham in 1495 (traditionally by the same builders who built Oxborough Hall in Norfolk in the 1480s. It was built as the gatehouse to the original Parsonage House in Hadleigh, which was built in the 1300s and finally pulled down in the 1820s. The present Deanery House was built on the side of the Deanery Tower, and in the same style, in 1832.
Going on from your impression of the Deanery Tower, I remember when I first saw it (about 45 years ago) I immediately assumed it to be Victorian gothic. Then I had a closer look and realised it is Gothic. BUT in quite remarkably good order for its age.
Cheers, Mike.

Crowbard said...

Great minds with but a single thought....... eh, what?
I expected from its location that it was early Gothic but it looks so fresh it is hard to believe it's 514 years old. Good clean Suffolk air is clearly to be recommended

Nea said...

The Athaeneum is soooo Jane Austen, it's worth the trip even if you didn't buy.

My W V is "treddles" a nice gothic sounding word!

Crowbard said...

Yes, if you have a Gothic spinning wheel to go with it Nea! (although I believe the treadle was a later power transmission development)
Which brings me nicely to my present w-v inhexcr, whatever is MEANT by it, I think I may be...... in-hexcr-meant