ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Friday 1 April 2011

ALL IS VANITY (29-30/03/11)

We are staying in Rosedale Abbey a small village not far from Pickering in North Yorkshire. It is a wonderful little place. I can’t do a map as I have no internet access, if you want one you will have to type the following Post Code into Google Maps……..YO18 8SA. The weather is what is politely described as mixed.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Dawn on the twenty ninth from just outside the van. This is shot straight into the sun so the mist was pretty thick. A cold and frosty start to the day.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA The road in looking out. I’m sure you know what I mean. I came in a different way a one in three vertical decent down Chimney Bank. I don’t recommend it…………good job I had the van serviced. She’ll want new pads and brake linings again after that. Thanks Tom Tom!!

_3302669_70_71_72_tonemapped  This is the church of St. Mary and St Laurence. This simple church was built on the site of the priory chapel and dates from 1839. The original priory is now scattered all around the village. At or around this time ironstone was found in the hills above the village and what Henry the VIII started three hundred years before the mine owners finished. They used the stone to build houses for the miners.

_3302658_59_60_61_tonemapped Not stunning but it does the job………..These pews were made by George Thompson. No mice in sight. This company are still in existence and carve a little mouse onto every piece of furniture they make.

_3292644_5_6_7_8_tonemappedThis inscription is part of the original Priory, home to around ten nuns and dates from 1150 or thereabouts. I spent ages trying to decipher it. Glad I did…..it says OMNIA VANITAS……..Latin for ‘All is Vanity.’……An amusing inscription to find in a Priory. Looking at the Archbishops and Popes perhaps it would be better replicated in all the big cathedrals. Certainly in vestries.* By the nineteen hundreds the mines were obviously more important than church architecture………’Stick it up there mate………..be reet!’

_3292629_30_31_32_33_tonemappedA non fisheye view of the interior.

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe Priory Turret  staircase or what remains of it. It’s the only bit left standing………….

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis is a bit of garden wall. Built from pillaged stone. Lovely!

_3292639_40_41_42_43_tonemapped The turret in all its glory…………..there’s only so much I can do in drizzle.

_3302673_4_5_tonemapped  This is unusual, it’s the old or ex Methodist chapel and pretty ornate for Calvinists…..It now appears to be holiday flats.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA    Not picture postcard but representative of the village. I do like the use of brick and stone. They built a railway in this valley and the blue brick is Engineering Brick. Bomb proof stuff. You’ll have to zoom in to see it.

*A quick one liner. The Archbishop of Canterbury was visiting a primary school…………….

“Do you all know who I am?”

Nods all round, with exception of one little girl who had missed school the day before. She waved her hand in the air.

“Yes. What’s your name?”

“Clair sir, I’m just guessing sir but I think……..umm….. Little Bo Peep?”

That’s all. I’ll try and get up to the ironstone mines tomorrow.

9 comments:

  1. I love the shots with the mist over the fields and the road going on and ...

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  2. Interesting. Thanks for the tour. Looks a bit chilly, though! (Is there any heating inside that church?! Or is that considered "vanity", perhaps.)

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  3. These photos are stunning, Adrian. I feel as if you brought me right into each image.

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  4. I have to hand it to you Adrian, you certainly know where to find somewhere off the beaten track.
    Some nice opening scenes with the light & the fish eye view of the church interior made me sit up and grabbed my attention. I keep meaning to look out for some of Thompson's work as i think this was one of his main areas of work.

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  5. Scrappy Grams, so do I. The road just reminded me of French roads. The picture is a little of kilter. I'll rework it for print. Pity the shadows from the fence aren't more defined.

    Monica, It's worth a visit. No Heating so wrap up warm.

    Hilary, you are too kind. It's great to hear. I sometimes think high contrast images are over the top but I like them.

    Jay, These places are only off the track in winter. I'm really happy with this Zuiko fisheye. Half price and though it can be faulted right at the edges it is a superb bit of glass. They are not true fish eye's. But 8mm and give 180 degrees on the diagonal. Nikor do one which gets better reviews. I love Thompson furniture. I could get quite anal about it. I am I hunt it down.

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  6. I see what you mean about the French-looking road.

    I thought this was a splendid set of interesting and enjoyable images. As for the text... need I say more?

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  7. Graham, I love that bit of road. This is the best of three early morning goes at it. I've pulled it a bit more and whacked contrast. I prefer this one warts and all. It is a grand little hamlet from the mid nineteenth century.
    Glad you enjoyed my rather strange take on the world. Tomorrow The grand Canyon.........bit deep isn't it?

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  8. Hi Adrian, lovely photos of one of the smallest, prettiest and most tranquil church I have ever had the privilege of visiting. Happy memories. Jo x

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  9. Jo, if you get up to Wasdale head there you will find the smallest church in the UK. I quite liked this place. Look after yourselves.

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