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Calke Abbey/ staunton Harold Reservoir
To MANY creases in the map...well thats my excuse for getting lost.Started by going up a private road to get to a footpath and getting caught by the farmer, she didnt shoot me whiich was nice. So dont start walk at the road to High Barn farm start at Manor Farm.
I TURNED A NICE 10 MILE WALK into a sweaty 14 mile one and saw the bus i wanted go past. But the upside to that was 2 pints in a nice pub waiting for the next one.
Window in the north transept by Arthur Moore, 1852.
Ely Cathedral is in the top rank of the great English cathedrals, and indeed earns its place among the best of medieval churches internationally for its unique architecture and astonishing beauty. It is a church I've visited several times over the years and never fails to impress, its form at once imposing and strikingly individual. Owing to the flatness of the surrounding countryside it is visible from afar as a major landmark, which makes approaching this tiny city all the more enticing.
The church was founded as an abbey by St Etheldreda in 672 and didn't achieve cathedral status until the foundation of the diocese in 1109. Much of the present building dates from the following years, with the nave and transepts still substantially as they were built (aside from a few altered windows and later ceilings) and a fine example of Norman / Romanesque architecture. A little later during the 1170s the soaring west tower and western transepts were added which would have created a magnificent facade when complete and of a type rarely seen in this country. The style is richer with more use of ornamentation than before, but also many of the arches (particularly the upper parts of the tower) are pointed, making it an early example of the transition to Gothic (the octagonal top storey is from two centuries later, but follows the original overall plan in form, if not detail). The north-west transept however collapsed in the late 15th century and was never rebuilt, leaving the front of the cathedral will the curiously lopsided but not unattractive west front we see today. The Galilee porch that projects from the base of the tower dates from the beginning of the 13th century, only a few decades later but now fully Gothic in style.
The Norman eastern limb had been fairly short so the next major building phases saw the great eastward extension of the presbytery built in Gothic style in 1234-50. It makes an interesting contrast with the earlier parts of the building being so rich in style, externally punctuated with pinnacles and flying buttresses and profusely ornamented withing, making the Romanesque nave and transepts seem somewhat austere by comparison. Then in 1321 an ambitious new lady chapel was begun at the north-east corner, but soon afterwards work was delayed by unforeseen events.
In 1322 the old Norman central tower collapsed, bringing down with it most of the old Romanesque choir (but not the recently built presbytery beyond). The aftermath left the cathedral with a gaping hole at its heart, but this must have inspired those charged with its recovery, and under the direction of Alan of Walsingham the crossing was rebuilt in a unique way; rather than build a new tower of a similar form the central piers that supported it were entirely cleared away along with the adjoining bay of nave, transepts and choir to create a much larger octagonal central space. This then rose to become the unique central tower that Ely is so famous for, the Octagon, a combination of a lower octagonal tower built of stone crowned by a delicate lantern built of wood and covered with lead externally. The result is an incredible, piece of architecture, and the view inside of the open space rising to the curved vaults above on which the glazed lantern appears to float is unforgettable.
After the Octagon and beautifully spacious and richly adorned Lady Chapel were completed there was no more major work at the cathedral. The transept roofs were replaced in the 15th century with the wooden hammerbeam structures we see today, adorned with large angel figures in the East Anglian tradition. The most significant late medieval additions are the two sumptuously decorated chantry chapels built within the end of each choir aisle, each a riot of later medieval ornament and Bishop West's also being remarkable for its fusion of Gothic and Renaissance detail. The cloister appears to have been rebuilt at a similar stage though sadly very little of it survives today.
Sadly the Reformation saw a wave of iconoclasm of particular ferocity unleashed here in Ely. The most telling reminder is the Lady Chapel with its richly ornamented arcading carved with hundreds of small scenes and figures, all brutally beheaded (not a single head survives). Free standing statues in niches have all gone without trace, but in the case of Bishop West's chantry chapel the topmost figures were carved in relief, so these were hammered away leaving the mutilated remains as a testament to zealotry and intolerance. Most of the stained glass appears to have also been removed around this time, so there was surprisingly little damage here during the Civil War a century later as the Puritan frenzy had already been unleashed.
A corner of the north transept collapsed in 1699 but was rebuilt almost identically, a rare early example of such an exacting approach to reconstruction. The classical form of a window and doorway below are the only reminders of the rebuilding, some say with advice from Christopher Wren whose uncle had been bishop here decades earlier (Wren knew the cathedral as a result, and the Octagon is believed to have inspired his plans for St Paul's, as the ground plans of the Octagon and his domed central space at St Paul's are remarkably similar).
The cathedral saw further changes in the 18th century when the structure was in need of repair. James Essex was called in to repair the Octagon and the wooden lantern was stabilised but its external was appearance simplified by stripping away much of its original detail. The medieval choir stalls had originally sat directly underneath the Octagon with painted walls on either side, but these were removed at this time and the stalls relocated further east to the position they are in now. Sadly the Norman pulpitum screen at the end of the nave was also removed (the earliest of its kind to survive in any cathedral).
By the mid 19th century tastes had changed again and the Victorian preference for richness over Georgian austerity saw the cathedral restored under the direction of George Gilbert Scott. He restored the Octagon lantern to something much closer to its original appearance and added new screens at the crossing and behind the altar. Stained glass gradually filled the cathedral again and it remains one of the richest collections of Victorian glass in the country. The ceiling of the nave which had been left plain for centuries was given a new richly painted finish with scenes from the Old & New Testaments, begun by Henry le Strange but finished by Thomas Gambier Parry after the former had died halfway through the project. Gambier Parry also undertook the lavish redecoration of the interior of the Octagon lantern.
The cathedral has remained little changed since and is one of the rewarding in the country. There is much of beauty to enjoy here beyond the architecture, with many interesting tombs and monuments from the medieval and post-Reformation periods. There is a wealth of stained glass of unusual richness; not everyone appreciates Victorian glass (indeed Alec Clifton Taylor was quite scathing about the glass here) but while it is very mixed I find much of it is of remarkably high quality.
Since 1972 the Stained Glass Museum has been housed in the nave triforium (originally on the north side, it was later transferred to the south where it currently remains). This is the only collection in the country solely devoted to the medium and is a great ambassador for it, with fine pieces covering a range of styles and illustrating the development of the art through the various backlit panels on show in the gallery.
Visitors can usually take tours to ascend the Octagon and even the west tower on more select days. Tours do get booked up though so it took me many visits before I could make my ascent, but happily this time I finally managed it and it was a wonderful experience I won't forget. Frustratingly I was unable to ascend the west tower since I was at a symposium on the day when tours were held so I hope to have better luck next time.
For more historical detail and context see below:-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely_Cathedral
For entry fees and tower tours see the cathedral's website below:-
Via West Hallam, Stanley Common, Smalley Common and Mapperley.
West Hallam
First walk of the year of to a bad start took wrong turn after less than a mile and had to almost get back to start to continue. Ended up with blisters which i don’t normally get, but first warm day of the year and not at work so no worries.
A Walk in the Countryside.
This walk I took I somehow didn't do in a long time, almost half a year. The photos are not the most visonary one I ever took, but it was a very nice day and it was so hot I took a bath in the nearby lake after it. Probably one of the last days that invite you to do this.
Flat sunny walk apart from the descent of the 10 locks at Foxton. Good beers for a halfway stop Doom Bar for me. Did it on a bank holiday something i dont like doing, i will go back on a quieter day.
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Zimingzhong with Moving Countryside Scene, c1770 (Qianlong reign)
Britain
The moving parts of this zimingzhong are powered by a single mechanism. When it is wound, power travels through a complex series of wheels, mainspring barrels, chains and levers to animate 13 animals, move scenery, play music and turn glass rods to look like flowing water. The pendulum clock within the tower has its own separate clock mechanism.*
From the exhibition
Zimingzhong 凝时聚珍 : Clockwork Treasures from China’s Forbidden City
(February – June 2024)
In the 1700s, China’s emperors collected ornate clockwork automata known as zimingzhong and cherished them for their intricate design and technical innovation. Our exhibition Zimingzhong 凝时聚珍: Clockwork Treasures from China’s Forbidden City showcased a unique collection of 23 stunning pieces, on display in the UK together for the first time.
This exhibition invited you to discover the outward beauty and inner workings of these centuries-old timepieces, and their historic role in early cultural exchanges between Britain and China. Translating as “bells that ring themselves”, zimingzhong were far more than just clocks; they combined timekeeping with sophisticated musical technology and flamboyant aesthetics. Their designs incorporated motifs such as cranes and lotus flowers, expressing British perceptions of a Chinese culture that held powerful sway over the country’s imagination.
These opulent treasures transported visitors to the Chinese trading port of Guangzhou and the home of the emperors in the Forbidden City for a fascinating insight into early trade between Britain and China, and a tour de force of artistry and spectacle.
...Pagoda Zimingzhong….a celebration of the technology and design possibilities of zimingzhong. This unique piece dating from the 1700s was made in London during the Qing Dynasty in China. The complex moving mechanism is brought to life in an accompanying video which will show the nine delicate tiers slowly rise and fall.
...Emperors and Zimingzhong...the vital role of zimingzhong in facilitating early cultural exchanges between East and West. Some of the first zimingzhong to enter the Forbidden City were brought by Matteo Ricci, an Italian missionary in the early 1600s. Ricci and other missionaries were seeking to ingratiate themselves in Chinese society by presenting beautiful automata to the emperor. Decades later, the Kangxi Emperor (1662-1722) was intrigued by, and went on to collect, these automata which he christened ‘zimingzhong’, displaying them as ‘foreign curiosities’. They helped demonstrate his mastery of time, the heavens and his divine right to rule.
...Trade...the clock trade route from London to the southern Chinese coast. The journey took up to a year but once British merchants reached the coast, they could buy sought-after goods including silk, tea and porcelain. Within this section, visitors can see a preserved porcelain tea bowl and saucer set which sank on a merchant ship in 1752 and was found centuries later at the bottom of the South China Sea.
Whilst the demand for Chinese goods was high, British merchants were keen to develop their own export trade and British-made luxury goods like zimingzhong provided the perfect opportunity to do so. This exchange of goods led to the exchange of skills. In the Mechanics section of the exhibition visitors will see luxurious pieces like the Zimingzhong with mechanical lotus flowers, which was constructed using Chinese and European technology. When wound, a flock of miniature birds swim on a glistening pond as potted lotus flowers open. The sumptuous decorative elements are powered by a mechanism made in China while the musical mechanism was made in Europe.
...Making...explores the artistic skills and techniques needed to create zimingzhong. On display together for the first time will be the Temple zimingzhong made by key British maker, James Upjohn, in the 1760s and his memoir which provides rich insight into the work involved in creating its ornate figurines and delicate gold filigree. Four interactive mechanisms that illustrate technologies used to operate the zimingzhong will also be on display. Provided by Hong Kong Science Museum, these interactives will enable visitors to discover some of the inner workings of these delicate clocks.
...Design...how British zimingzhong, designed for the Chinese market by craftsmen who had often never travelled to Asia, reflect British perceptions of Chinese culture in the 1700s. On display will be a selection of zimingzhong that embody this attempt at a visual understanding of Chinese tastes, including the Zimingzhong with Turbaned Figure. This piece mixes imagery associated with China, Japan and India to present a generalised European view of an imagined East, reflecting the ‘chinoiserie’ style that was popular in Britain at the time. It highlights British people’s interest in China but also their lack of cultural understanding.
Although beautiful to behold, zimingzhong weren’t purely decorative. As timekeepers, zimingzhong had a variety of uses, including organising the Imperial household and improving the timing of celestial events such as eclipses. The ability to predict changes in the night sky with greater accuracy helped reinforce the belief present in Chinese cosmology that the emperor represented the connection between heaven and Earth. On display in the exhibition will be a publication from 1809 written by Chaojun Xu and on loan from the Needham Research Institute, titled 自鸣钟表图说 (Illustrated Account of Zimingzhong). The document was used as a guide for converting the Roman numerals used on European clocks into the Chinese system of 12 double-hours, 时 (shi) and represents the increasing cultural exchanges between East and West.
...decline of the zimingzhong trade. In 1796, Emperor Jiaqing ascended the throne; he believed zimingzhong to be a frivolous waste of money and the trade faded. But zimingzhong continued to be used by China’s elite rulers in the Forbidden City and highlighted the growing global links being forged by trade”.
[*Science Museum]
Taken at the Science Museum