A couple of weeks ago I travelled up north, to visit a friend of mine in Lancashire. Her art studio looks out onto the impressive Pendle hill. Pendle being of course, home to the famous Lancashire
witch trials back in 1612.
I won't go into detail about the witch trials, as that would need a blog post of it's own. It's incredibly fascinating and tragic reading about these people, so please do take some time to Google them or get a book from the library, or click on my link above.
We visited the tiny village of Newchurch where the Demdike's, one of the witch families, originated.
There is a small shop here selling very touristy witch souvenirs. The church has a mysterious eye set into the tower, which some say is to ward off evil.
We then went a few miles just across the border into Yorkshire, to Haworth, home of the Bronte's.The Bronte sisters grew up and lived here at the
Parsonage.
Right in front of the house stands an impressive gothic looking graveyard. (If you can call a graveyard impressive, maybe it's not really appropriate to?) So many lives cut short too early, so many child deaths. It was tragic and sad to see. The Bronte's must have been reminded of death constantly living here. An atmosphere hung about the place. I got the feeling I was in a novel while walking among the stones, as the rooks called and watched from high above in the trees. It must be even more moody in November when the mist from the moors sweep in. I would imagine the ghosts of the past are even stronger then.
We followed the path to the pretty stream and the Bronte bridge.
Past this rather lovely weather vane.
I bid a "good afternoon" to a fair Yorkshire lass and her bairns.
And then we reached the bridge.
Here, along with the waterfall nearby, it is said, that Charlotte, Emily and Anne used to visit and sit. Maybe Mr Rochester or Heathcliff was first thought of here?... The original bridge was sadly damaged by floods in 1989, so the slabs on top are new additions.
I paddled in the stream, letting the swirling water tell it's own tales around my ankles.
Back in Howarth, we browsed in
'The Rose & Co Apothecary'. I think all shops should look like this, don't you?
A
cross the border to Lancashire again, we visited Wycoller. A very small and very pretty village. Here the ruin of a hall stands which is believed to be the inspiration for 'Ferndean Manor' in Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre.
I wonder what Christmas was like in this hall. On a snowy moonlit night, I wonder if you might catch the echoes of a tune?
This area reminded me of Dartmoor in many ways. The streams, well trod ancient bridges, moss covering stone, the marshy landscape and moorland.
It was lovely to get away, meet up with friends and see a different landscape.
~ *~
Back home the bluebells and ramsoms (wild garlic) carpeted the dappled sunlit woodlands of Wiltshire. We followed a deer track through the quiet woods and entered the realm of Faerie. Or so it felt like. Nothing can beat the magic of a bluebell wood.
Since I last wrote here the garden and hedgerows have bloomed. The apple blossom has been and gone, along with the cowslips. We've had the most gorgeous full moon, sunny weather, my daughter has had her prom and I've been serenaded by a song thrush most evenings.
I captured some of it's song here for you to hear too.
Now in the garden, the hawthorn is in blossom. I found these two May bugs (cockchafer) in love. :-)
I've been busy quietly working on my hangers, and I'm now pleased to say that the hares are now finished. Yay! They seem to have taken me forever this time. For anyone interested in buying one, I will be adding them to my
Etsy shop this
Thursday 22nd May at 8pm (UK time)
There are 22 of them, but I won't show them all here as this post is probably already long enough? I will add more pictures on my
Facebook page though in between now and Thursday.
Some details, beads bells and moons.
See you soon! x
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