eastwell park

i passed this as it was getting dark and starting to rain again, so could only stop for two minutes ... i need to go back and photograph it from ground level

it is worth quoting from the pevsner guide to north east and east kent, written by john newman in 1969

"The neo-Jacobean gatehouse on the A251 announces Eastwell Park with a trumpet blast, a flint and stone be-turreted tower springing upwards in the centre of a low semi-circle of wall, with big rampant lions, and a tremendous coat-of-arms over the arch. It was built c.1843. Alas, there is nothing now to announce. Or nearly nothing ..."

hastings net sheds

old hastings boats and net sheds

hastings net sheds ... a sympathetic tower

hastings net sheds ... any colour you like, as long as its black

this old image is from the united states library of congress archives

hastings' little funicular railway

the old hastings boats had strongly fortified hulls

the modern hastings fishing boats are like sledges

i hadn't looked at a lobster pot for forty years ... the design has evolved a long way from the old baskets

maybe seagulls can read ...

winchelsea church

interior of winchelsea church

despite the destruction of parts of winchelsea church in past centuries, the interior still feels spacious, and today i was lucky to find the christmas decorations still looking very good

stained glass by douglas strachan in winchelsea church

terrifically well organised designs with a very clever use of appropriate perspective to emphasise the height of the figures

memorial window by douglas strachan in winchelsea church

all the windows in winchelsea church are by douglas strachan

they aren't pretty, to my eye, but quite big and spectacular and "fit for purpose"

who commissioned them ? who paid ?

i should have bought a guide book !

one of several knights resting in winchelsea church

lion or lapdog ... how long have they been together ?

... and lastly, the bike ride home through wandsworth park

re-visiting battersea park peace pagoda

i've missed nearly three months of cycling since twisting my knee

it has cost a fortune in bus fares

today we were lucky to finish work early ( before dark ! ) and so i cycled very slowly home through battersea park, across albert bridge, and on past the old chelsea power station

there was no sunshine, but enough light to see some detail and texture

battersea park buddha vandalised

battersea park buddha not yet vandalised