St Fagans National History Museum. 3rd April 2013

I paid a visit to the St Fagans National History Museum near Cardiff, also known as the Museum of Welsh Life.

Since opening in 1948 over 40 historic buildings from across Wales have been dismantled, brought to the museum and re-erected in 100 acre grounds.
You can find out more here: http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/historic-buildings/

Here are some pictures... (you can click to see them bigger.)


Kennixton Farmhouse

The earliest part of this farmhose dates from about 1610. The furnishings are mainly 18th century.

Beams



Irons.

Circular stone pig-sty. C 1800.



Corn Mill Water-wheel

St Teilo's Church

Reconstruction of an Iron-Age roundhouse.

One of my favourite buildings was the Oakdale Workmen's Institute.

Library at the Oakdale Workmen's Institute

Window at Oakdale Workmen's Institute.



Upstairs at Gwalia Stores.



I am reading Pandaemonum 1660 - 1886 by Humphrey Jennings at the moment. The subtitle is 'The coming of the machine as seen by contemporary observers'. It's a collection of first hand accounts, letters, poems and notes from witnesses to the industrial revolution. (The book inspired the opening ceremony of the Olympics). This museum also offers a visual insight into the radical changes that took place during this period and how they affected the way people lived. ...(and live)

A row of 6 ironworkers terraced houses at the museum have been furnished and adapted to show different periods of occupation. They were occupied from 1795 to 1985! More info here: http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/buildings/rhydycar/

A plate in the Rhyd-y-car Terrace



Mirror in the 1955 Rhyd-y-Car Terrace



Living-Shed.

Yard at Rhyd-y-Car Terrace.



Roller-Skates.



Anvil at the Smithy.



Cilewent Farmhouse. A longhouse which would have housed cattle at one end.



Byre-floor.



Window - Cilewent Farmhouse.

Nant Wallter Cottage - C 1770



A pig enjoying a rare bit of sunshine.

A wonderful museum...so much to see...and it's free!

Xposed Club - Cheltenham - Friday 8th March 2013

Xposed Club takes place once or twice a month during term time at the University of Gloucestershire. It is a wonderful music night encompassng a wide variety of musical artists and is presented by Stuart Wilding and Mark Unsworth.

Find more info here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Xposed-Club/156974424383741

The atmospheric venue for tonight's Xposed Club is The Chapel of St Mary and St Paul at Francis Close Hall. Francis Close was the reknowned Rector of Cheltenham from 1826 to 1856 and was strongly opposed to alcohol and theatrical amusements ...so who knows what he would have made of tonight's shenanigans.

The first act were The Roof Slate Ensemble. Unfortunately I didn't get a good picture of them. Led by Mike Adcock, the pieces are played on roof slates which came from Wales via an old cottage in Stroud.

You can see a recent video of what they do here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-sc91lg2nE

And you can get more information on Mike's Lithophones website:

http://www.lithophones.com/

Tonight the ensemble were joined on a couple of pieces by wonderful Norwegian singer, Marit and the excellent pianist Pete Robson.

Next up was 90 Degrees South.

90 Degrees South played wonderful twangy guitar tunes which were inspired by 1950's rock n roll instrumentals. What a treat... you don't get to hear this sort of thing live these days and done brilliantly.

Noise Research played atmospheric electronics. The film accompanying is the 1929 experimental silent documentary "Man with a Movie Camera" by Russian Director Dziga Vertov. The subject matter, filming, juxtapositions and editing are inspired and moving. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube for free.

Reflections

Another pastime Francis Close may not have approved of.

90 Degrees South makes a hasty retreat...with a cheeky passenger indeed.

The night is over and we all head off...home? Nah, the night is still young. Thanks Stuart Wilding and Mark Unsworth for another great Xposed Club.



Afternoon Skies. Cheltenham 17th February 2013

Canal walk, Stroud. 15th Feb 2013

I had a wander along the disused canal near Stroud on what felt like the first sunny day in a long time.

This is where the Thames and Severn Canal joins the Stroudwater Navigation.

A short way out from Stroud, passing this gate I could hear the whirr and steady, repetetive motion of machinery and could smell burning coal.

Old woollen mill buildings appear.

Two doors and lifting equipment.

Old yellow door.

These buildings are a part of Lodgemore Mill. Lodgemore Mill is one of the few remaining working woollen mills in the cotswolds and these days produces fine woollen cloth for use on billiard tables and tennis balls.

The River Frome runs through the mills and there is also a lake where I spotted this sign. I think I know what it once said....

...I think.

There are other strange things in the water too.

I head back to the canal where someone has amused themselves with the weight limit sign of a little bridge.

Further along the canal it gets a little muddy. There is a brand new swing bridge which somehow I didn't take a picture of. Further on there are the remains of an old lock.

This section of the canal is gradually being restored. The idea is that the restoration of the Stroudwater Navigation and the thames and Severn Canal will link the rivers Severn and Thames for the first time in 70 years. 

http://www.cotswoldcanalsproject.org/general.asp?pid=2&pgid=1895

There has been a lot of recent construction.

And you can see the old and the new.

Muddy footed I head away from the canal and back into the old town.