Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Snowshill, Gloucestershire


Memories of summer

Having returned from a dry but chilly Czech Republic to an England dampened by winter rain in full spate, I felt that I needed a memory of summer. So here's a picture of one of the lavender fields that paint the landscape around Snowshill, high in the North Cotswolds, with their special and evocative colour. Many fields round here are still bounded by their traditional Cotswold drystone walls, structures held together without mortar by the skill of the waller in selecting and placing appropriately shaped chunks of limestone. Many people don't realise, though, that some humble buildings – farm buildings, especially – also have drystone walls.

This example is a case in point. No doubt it was once roofed with Cotswold stone 'slates' too, but these have been replaced with corrugated iron. Regular readers of this blog will know that I have a weakness for this humble sheeting, which ranks right at the bottom of the conventional pecking-order of building materials. Satisfying as a stone roof would be, I can also find a place in my heart for this iron roof covering, for the practical solution it offers when the investment required for the older material is simply too great – and even for the rich colour of its rust.

If you think the eye of this beholder is eccentric in finding beauty in the rusty roof, enjoy the flowers.

8 comments:

Erin said...

Lovely photo!

Thud said...

It is definitley an acquired taste....one I am lucky enough to have acquired.

Philip Wilkinson said...

Erin: I should have credited my resident wise woman (and rather good lenswoman) for this photograph. Nearly all the images on the blog are my own, but this fine picture is an exception.

Anonymous said...

It's only autumn.

Vinogirl said...

You and your resident wise woman would probably enjoy this;

http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=3176204&prrfnbr=3277592&pcgrfnbr=3262752

...with a glass of Cabernet sauvignon :)

Philip Wilkinson said...

Anon: True. What will I do when winter comes around...

Vinogirl: Thank you. I'm honestly not too sure about lavender and chocolate together, but there look to be some tempting other bars on the site. Absolutely no problem about the Cabernet sauvignon, though.

Erin said...

I'm glad you've placed credit where credit is due - sign of an honest man! But give yourself some credit - you spotted this beauty too, did you not?

Either way - thanks to you both for the great shot.

Thud said...

Sonner wriggly tin than the monstrosity I have just posted...I will keep a look out for any suitable matal examples whilst exploring the by ways of Utah.