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The Lamborghini Countach is a mid-engined, V12 sports car produced by Italian car manufacturer Lamborghini from 1974 to 1990. Its design pioneered and popularized the wedge-shaped, sharply angled look popular in many high-performance sports cars. It also popularized the "cabin-forward" design concept, which pushes the passenger compartment forward to accommodate a larger engine.
The word Countach is an exclamation of astonishment in the local dialect (see Piedmontese language), that means "perbacco" or "accidenti" ("Heavens!").
The prototype was introduced to the world at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. Most previous and subsequent Lamborghini car names were associated with bulls and bullfighting.
The Countach was styled by Marcello Gandini of the Bertone design studio, the same designer and studio that designed the Miura. Gandini was then a young, inexperienced designer — not very experienced in the practical, ergonomic aspects of automobile design, but at the same time unhindered by them. Gandini again produced another striking design. The Countach shape was wide and low (1.07 metres or 42.1 inches), but not very long (only 4.1 metres or 163 inches). Its angular and wedge-shaped body was made almost entirely of flat, trapezoidal panels.
Countach LP500 (viewed from above)
The Countach LP400 was the original production model
Countach LP400 scissor doors
The doors, most often credited as a Lamborghini trademark, were a remarkable design feature for the Countach. They first appeared on the Alfa Romeo 33 'Carabo' concept car in 1968, an earlier design accomplishment, also by the talented Gandini. The doors have come to be known as scissor doors: hinged at the front with horizontal hinges, so that they lifted up and tilted forwards. The main reason is the car's tubular spaceframe chassis results in very high and wide door sills. It was also partly for style, and partly because the width of the car made conventional doors impossible to use in even slightly confined space. Care needed to be taken, though, in opening the doors with a low roof overhead. The car's poor rear visibility and wide sills led to drivers adopting a method of reversing the car for parking by opening the door, sitting on the sill, and reversing while looking over the back of the car from outside.
The pure style of the prototype was progressively altered by the evolution of the car to improve its performance, handling, tractability, and ability to meet mandated requirements. This began with the first production model, which included several vents that Lamborghini found necessary to cool the engine adequately. These included the iconic NACA duct on the doors and rear fenders. The car design changes ended with a large engine vent directly behind the driver, reducing the rear view. Later additions—including fender flares, spoilers, carburetor covers, and bumpers—progressively changed the car's aesthetic values.
The Countach's styling and visual impression made it an icon of great design to almost everyone except automotive engineers. The superior performance characteristics of later Lamborghini models (such as the Diablo, or the Murciélago) appealed to performance car drivers and engineers, but they never had the originality or outrageousness that gave the Countach its distinction. The different impressions left by the various Lamborghini models have generated numerous debates and disagreements over what constitutes "classic" or "great" automotive design (elegant looks and style, versus technical and engineering superiority). Despite the impracticality and (required/needed) updating over time, one should note that the basic iconic shape of the first Countach prototype revealed in 1971 remained virtually unchanged over an exceptionally long 19-year lifespan.
The rear wheels were driven by a traditional Lamborghini V12 engine mounted longitudinally with a mid-engined configuration. This contrasted with the Miura with its centrally mounted, transversely-installed engine. For better weight distribution, the engine is pointed "backwards"; the output shaft is at the front, and the gearbox is in front of the engine, the driveshaft running back through the engine's sump to a differential at the rear. Although originally planned as a 5 L (310 cu in) powerplant, the first production cars used the Lamborghini Miura's 4-liter engine. Later advances increased the displacement to 4754 cc and then (in the "Quattrovalvole" model) 5167 cc with four valves per cylinder.
All Lamborghini Countaches were equipped with six Weber carburetors until the arrival of the 5000QV model, at which time the car became available in America, and used Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection. The European models, however, continued to use the carburetors (producing more power than fuel-injected cars) until the arrival of the Lamborghini Diablo, which replaced the Countach.
Las Vegas, Nevada. Crystals, a shopping and entertainment designed by Daniel Libeskind, offers pedestrians walking to the Veer Towers an angular maze to explore, inside and out.
curated in: www.flickr.com/photos/winship/galleries/72157625144550259/
Ford S-Max Titanium (1st Gen (2006-15) Engine 1998cc S4 TDCi
Registration Number BG 60 XOP
FORD (EU) SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...
Built as sporty MPV and sold alongside the new Galaxy, the S-Max is built in Genk, Belgium for the European market and Chongqing, China for the Chinese mainland market. Introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. The S-Max is the first vehicle in Ford's lineup to feature their Kinetic Design styling. The Kinetic Design scheme includes angular headlights, twin trapezoidal grilles, and large wheelarches.
One major selling point of the S-Max is its "Fold Flat System". This design allows the second and third-row seats to fold seamlessly into the floor, leaving extra storage space.
For the English speaking markets the three trim levels are Edge, Zetec and top of the range Titanium.
The first generation S-Max was replaced by a second generation for 2016
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The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the family Arecaceae (palm family).
It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which, botanically, is a drupe, not a nut. The spelling cocoanut is an archaic form of the word. The term is derived from the 16th-century Portuguese and Spanish word coco meaning "head" or "skull", from the three indentations on the coconut shell that resemble facial features.
The coconut is known for its great versatility as seen in the many uses of its different parts and found throughout the tropics and subtropics. Coconuts are part of the daily diets of many people. Coconuts are different from any other fruits because they contain a large quantity of "water" and when immature they are known as tender-nuts or jelly-nuts and may be harvested for drinking. When mature, they still contain some water and can be used as seednuts or processed to give oil from the kernel, charcoal from the hard shell and coir from the fibrous husk. The endosperm is initially in its nuclear phase suspended within the coconut water. As development continues, cellular layers of endosperm deposit along the walls of the coconut, becoming the edible coconut "flesh". When dried, the coconut flesh is called copra. The oil and milk derived from it are commonly used in cooking and frying; coconut oil is also widely used in soaps and cosmetics. The clear liquid coconut water within is potable. The husks and leaves can be used as material to make a variety of products for furnishing and decorating. The coconut also has cultural and religious significance in many societies that use it.
DESCRIPTION
PLANT
Cocos nucifera is a large palm, growing up to 30 m tall, with pinnate leaves 4–6 m long, and pinnae 60–90 cm long; old leaves break away cleanly, leaving the trunk smooth. Coconuts are generally classified into two general types: tall and dwarf. On fertile soil, a tall coconut palm tree can yield up to 75 fruits per year, but more often yields less than 30, mainly due to poor cultural practices. Given proper care and growing conditions, coconut palms produce their first fruit in six to ten years, taking 15 – 20 years to reach peak production.
FRUIT
Botanically, the coconut fruit is a drupe, not a true nut. Like other fruits, it has three layers: the exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp. The exocarp and mesocarp make up the "husk" of the coconut. Coconuts sold in the shops of nontropical countries often have had the exocarp (outermost layer) removed. The mesocarp is composed of a fiber, called coir, which has many traditional and commercial uses. The shell has three germination pores (stoma) or "eyes" that are clearly visible on its outside surface once the husk is removed.
A full-sized coconut weighs about 1.44 kg. It takes around 6,000 full-grown coconuts to produce a tonne of copra.
ROOTS
Unlike some other plants, the palm tree has neither a tap root nor root hairs, but has a fibrous root system.
The coconut palm root system consists of an abundance of thin roots that grow outward from the plant near the surface. Only a few of the roots penetrate deep into the soil for stability. The type of root system is known as fibrous or adventitious, and is a characteristic of grass species. Other types of large trees produce a single downward-growing tap root with a number of feeder roots growing from it.
Coconut palms continue to produce roots from the base of the stem throughout its life. The number of roots produced depends on the age of the tree and the environment, with more than 3,600 roots possible on a tree that's 60 to 70 years old.
Roots are usually less than about 3 inches in diameter and uniformly thick from the tree trunk to the root tip.
Inflorescence
The palm produces both the female and male flowers on the same inflorescence; thus, the palm is monoecious. Other sources use the term polygamomonoecious. The female flower is much larger than the male flower. Flowering occurs continuously. Coconut palms are believed to be largely cross-pollinated, although some dwarf varieties are self-pollinating.
ETYMOLOGY
One of the earliest mentions of the coconut dates back to the One Thousand and One Nights story of Sinbad the Sailor; he is known to have bought and sold coconuts during his fifth voyage. Tenga, its Malayalam and Tamil name, was used in the detailed description of coconut found in Itinerario by Ludovico di Varthema published in 1510 and also in the later Hortus Indicus Malabaricus. Even earlier, it was called nux indica, a name used by Marco Polo in 1280 while in Sumatra, taken from the Arabs who called it جوز هندي jawz hindī. Both names translate to "Indian nut". In the earliest description of the coconut palm known, given by Cosmos of Alexandria in his Topographia Christiana written about 545 AD, there is a reference to the argell tree and its drupe.
Historical evidence favors the European origin of the name "coconut", for no name is similar in any of the languages of India, where the Portuguese first found the fruit; and indeed Barbosa, Barros, and Garcia, in mentioning the Tamil/Malayalam name tenga, and Canarese narle, expressly say, "we call these fruits quoquos", "our people have given it the name of coco", and "that which we call coco, and the Malabars temga".
The OED states: "Portuguese and Spanish authors of the 16th c. agree in identifying the word with Portuguese and Spanish coco "grinning face, grin, grimace", also "bugbear, scarecrow", cognate with cocar "to grin, make a grimace"; the name being said to refer to the face-like appearance of the base of the shell, with its three holes. According to Losada, the name came from Portuguese explorers, the sailors of Vasco da Gama in India, who first brought them to Europe. The coconut shell reminded them of a ghost or witch in Portuguese folklore called coco (also côca). The first known recorded usage of the term is 1555.
The specific name nucifera is Latin for "nut-bearing".
Origin, domestication, and dispersal
ORIGIN
The origin of the plant is the subject of debate. O.F. Cook was one of the earliest modern researchers to draw conclusions about the location of origin of Cocos nucifera based on its current-day worldwide distribution. He hypothesized that the coconut originated in the Americas, based on his belief that American coconut populations predated European contact and because he considered pan-tropical distribution by ocean currents improbable. Thor Heyerdahl later used this hypothesis of the American origin of the coconut to support his theory that the Pacific Islanders originated in South America. However, more evidence exists for an Indo-Pacific origin either around Melanesia and Malesia or the Indian Ocean. The oldest fossils known of the modern coconut dating from the Eocene period from around 37 to 55 million years ago were found in Australia and India. However, older palm fossils such as some of nipa fruit have been found in the Americas. Since 1978, the work on tracing the probable origin and dispersal of Cocos nucifera has only recently been augmented by a publication on the germination rate of the coconut seednut and another on the importance of the coral atoll ecosystem. Briefly, the coconut originated in the coral atoll ecosystem — without human intervention — and required a thick husk and slow germination to survive and disperse.
DOMESTICATION
Coconuts could not reach inland locations without human intervention (to carry seednuts, plant seedlings, etc.) and it was early germination on the palm (vivipary) that was important, rather than increasing the number or size of the edible parts of a fruit that was already large enough. Human cultivation of the coconut selected, not for larger size, but for thinner husks and increased volume of endosperm, the solid “meat” or liquid “water” that provides the fruit its food value. Although these modifications for domestication would reduce the fruit’s ability to float, this ability would be irrelevant to a cultivated population.
Among modern C. nucifera, two major types or variants: a thick-husked, angular fruit and a thin-husked, spherical fruit with a higher proportion of endosperm reflect a trend of cultivation in C. nucifera: the first coconuts were of the niu kafa type, with thick husks to protect the seed, an angular, highly ridged shape to promote buoyancy during ocean dispersal, and a pointed base that allowed fruits to dig into the sand, preventing them from being washed away during germination on a new island. As early human communities began to harvest coconuts for eating and planting, they (perhaps unintentionally) selected for a larger endosperm to husk ratio and a broader, spherical base, which rendered the fruit useful as a cup or bowl, thus creating the niu vai type. The decreased buoyancy and increased fragility of this spherical, thin-husked fruit would not matter for a species that had started to be dispersed by humans and grown in plantations. Harries’ adoption of the Polynesian terms niu kafa and niu vai has now passed into general scientific discourse, and his hypothesis is generally accepted.
Variants of C. nucifera are also categorized as Tall (var. typica) or Dwarf (var. nana). The two groups are genetically distinct, with the Dwarf variety showing a greater degree of artificial selection for ornamental traits and for early germination and fruiting. The Tall variety is outcrossing while Dwarf palms are incrossing, which has led to a much greater degree of genetic diversity within the Tall group. It is believed that the Dwarf subgroup mutated from the Tall group under human selection pressure.
DISPERSAL
It is often stated that coconuts can travel 110 days, or 4,800 km, by sea and still be able to germinate. This figure has been questioned based on the extremely small sample size that forms the basis of the paper that makes this claim. Thor Heyerdahl provides an alternative, and much shorter, estimate based on his first-hand experience crossing the Pacific Ocean on the raft Kon-Tiki: "The nuts we had in baskets on deck remained edible and capable of germinating the whole way to Polynesia. But we had laid about half among the special provisions below deck, with the waves washing around them. Every single one of these was ruined by the sea water. And no coconut can float over the sea faster than a balsa raft moves with the wind behind it." He also notes that several of the nuts began to germinate by the time they had been ten weeks at sea, precluding an unassisted journey of 100 days or more. However, it is more than likely that the coconut variety Heyerdahl chose for his long sea voyage was of the large, fleshy, spherical niu vai type, which Harries observed to have a significantly shorter germination type and worse buoyancy than the uncultivated niu kafa type. Therefore, Heyerdahl’s observations cannot be considered conclusive when it comes to determining the independent dispersal ability of the uncultivated coconut.
Drift models based on wind and ocean currents have shown that coconuts could not have drifted across the Pacific unaided. This provides some circumstantial evidence that Austronesian peoples carried coconuts across the ocean and that they could not have dispersed worldwide without human agency. More recently, genomic analysis of cultivated coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) has shed light on the movements of Austronesian peoples. By examining 10 microsatellite loci, researchers found two genetically distinct subpopulations of coconut - one originating in the Indian Ocean, the other in the Pacific Ocean. However, admixture, the transfer of genetic material, evidently occurred between the two populations. Given that coconuts are ideally suited for ocean dispersal, individuals from one population possibly could have floated to the other. However, the locations of the admixture events are limited to Madagascar and coastal east Africa, and exclude the Seychelles. This pattern coincides with the known trade routes of Austronesian sailors. Additionally, a genetically distinct subpopulation of coconut on the Pacific coast of Latin America has undergone a genetic bottleneck resulting from a founder effect; however, its ancestral population is the Pacific coconut. This, together with their use of the South American sweet potato, suggests that Austronesian peoples may have sailed as far east as the Americas.
DISTRIBUTION
The coconut has spread across much of the tropics, probably aided in many cases by seafaring people. Coconut fruit in the wild are light, buoyant and highly water resistant, and evolved to disperse significant distances via marine currents. Specimens have been collected from the sea as far north as Norway. In the Hawaiian Islands, the coconut is regarded as a Polynesian introduction, first brought to the islands by early Polynesian voyagers from their homelands in Oceania. They have been found in the Caribbean and the Atlantic coasts of Africa and South America for less than 500 years, but evidence of their presence on the Pacific coast of South America predates Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. They are now almost ubiquitous between 26°N and 26°S except for the interiors of Africa and South America.
NATURAL HABITAT
The coconut palm thrives on sandy soils and is highly tolerant of salinity. It prefers areas with abundant sunlight and regular rainfall (1500 mm to 2500 mm annually), which makes colonizing shorelines of the tropics relatively straightforward. Coconuts also need high humidity (70–80%+) for optimum growth, which is why they are rarely seen in areas with low humidity. However, they can be found in humid areas with low annual precipitation such as in Karachi, Pakistan, which receives only about 250 mm of rainfall per year, but is consistently warm and humid.
Coconut palms require warm conditions for successful growth, and are intolerant of cold weather. Some seasonal variation is tolerated, with good growth where mean summer temperatures are between 28 and 37 °C, and survival as long as winter temperatures are above 4–12 °C; they will survive brief drops to 0 °C. Severe frost is usually fatal, although they have been known to recover from temperatures of −4 °C. They may grow but not fruit properly in areas with insufficient warmth, such as Bermuda.
The conditions required for coconut trees to grow without any care are:
- Mean daily temperature above 12–13 °C every day of the year
- Mean annual rainfall above 1000 mm
- No or very little overhead canopy, since even small trees require direct sun
The main limiting factor for most locations which satisfy the rainfall and temperature requirements is canopy growth, except those locations near coastlines, where the sandy soil and salt spray limit the growth of most other trees.
DISEASES
Coconuts are susceptible to the phytoplasma disease lethal yellowing. One recently selected cultivar, the Maypan, has been bred for resistance to this disease.
PESTS
The coconut palm is damaged by the larvae of many Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species which feed on it, including Batrachedra spp.: B. arenosella, B. atriloqua (feeds exclusively on C. nucifera), B. mathesoni (feeds exclusively on C. nucifera), and B. nuciferae.
Brontispa longissima (coconut leaf beetle) feeds on young leaves, and damages both seedlings and mature coconut palms. In 2007, the Philippines imposed a quarantine in Metro Manila and 26 provinces to stop the spread of the pest and protect the $800 million Philippine coconut industry.
The fruit may also be damaged by eriophyid coconut mites (Eriophyes guerreronis). This mite infests coconut plantations, and is devastating: it can destroy up to 90% of coconut production. The immature seeds are infested and desapped by larvae staying in the portion covered by the perianth of the immature seed; the seeds then drop off or survive deformed. Spraying with wettable sulfur 0.4% or with neem-based pesticides can give some relief, but is cumbersome and labor-intensive.
In Kerala (India), the main coconut pests are the coconut mite, the rhinoceros beetle, the red palm weevil and the coconut leaf caterpillar. Research into countermeasures to these pests has as of 2009 yielded no results; researchers from the Kerala Agricultural University and the Central Plantation Crop Research Institute, Kasaragode continue to work on countermeasures. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kannur under Kerala Agricultural University has developed an innovative extension approach called the compact area group approach (CAGA) to combat coconut mites.
PRODUCTION AND CULTIVATION
Coconut palms are grown in more than 90 countries of the world, with a total production of 62 million tonnes per year (table). Most of the world production is in tropical Asia, with Indonesia, the Philippines and India accounting collectively for 73% of the world total (table).
CULTIVATION
Coconut trees are hard to establish in dry climates, and cannot grow there without frequent irrigation; in drought conditions, the new leaves do not open well, and older leaves may become desiccated; fruit also tends to be shed.
The extent of cultivation in the tropics is threatening a number of habitats, such as mangroves; an example of such damage to an ecoregion is in the Petenes mangroves of the Yucatán.
HARVESTING
In some parts of the world (Thailand and Malaysia), trained pig-tailed macaques are used to harvest coconuts. Training schools for pig-tailed macaques still exist both in southern Thailand and in the Malaysian state of Kelantan. Competitions are held each year to find the fastest harvester.
INDIA
Traditional areas of coconut cultivation in India are the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal and the islands of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar. As per 2013-14 statistics from Coconut Development Board of Government of India, four southern states combined account for almost 92% of the total production in the country: Tamil Nadu (31.93%), Kerala (27.54%), Karnataka (23.26%), and Andhra Pradesh (8.43%). Other states, such as Goa, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, and those in the northeast (Tripura and Assam) account for the remaining productions. Though Kerala has the largest number of coconut trees, in terms of production per hectare, Tamil Nadu leads all other states. In Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore and Tirupur regions top the production list.
Various terms, such as copra and coir, are derived from the native Malayalam language. In Kerala, the coconut tree is called "Thengu" also termed as kalpa vriksham, which essentially means all parts of a coconut tree is useful some way or other. In Tamil Nadu, a coconut tree is called as "Thennai maram" and tender coconut is called as "Ilaneer" in the native language.
MALDIVES
The coconut is the national tree of the Maldives and is considered the most important plant in the country. A coconut tree is also included in the country's national emblem or coat of arms. Coconut trees are grown on all the islands. Before modern construction methods were introduced, coconut leaves were used as roofing material for many houses in the islands, while coconut timber was used to build houses and boats.
MIDDLE EAST
The main coconut-producing area in the Middle East is the Dhofar region of Oman, but they can be grown all along the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and Red Sea coasts, because these seas are tropical and provide enough humidity (through seawater evaporation) for coconut trees to grow. The young coconut plants need to be nursed and irrigated with drip pipes until they are old enough (stem bulb development) to be irrigated with brackish water or seawater alone, after which they can be replanted on the beaches. In particular, the area around Salalah maintains large coconut plantations similar to those found across the Arabian Sea in Kerala. The reasons why coconut are cultivated only in Yemen's Al Mahrah and Hadramaut governorates and in the Sultanate of Oman, but not in other suitable areas in the Arabian Peninsula, may originate from the fact that Oman and Hadramaut had long dhow trade relations with Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, East Africa and Zanzibar, as well as southern India and China. Omani people needed the coir rope from the coconut fiber to stitch together their traditional high seas-going dhow vessels in which nails were never used. The 'know how' of coconut cultivation and necessary soil fixation and irrigation may have found its way into Omani, Hadrami and Al-Mahra culture by people who returned from those overseas areas.
The coconut cultivars grown in Oman are generally of the drought-resistant Indian "West Coast tall" (WC Tall) variety. Unlike the UAE, which grows mostly non-native dwarf or hybrid coconut cultivars imported from Florida for ornamental purposes, the slender, tall Omani coconut cultivars are relatively well-adapted to the Middle East's hot dry seasons, but need longer to reach maturity. The Middle East's hot, dry climate favors the development of coconut mites, which cause immature seed dropping and may cause brownish-gray discoloration on the coconut's outer green fiber.
The ancient coconut groves of Dhofar were mentioned by the medieval Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta in his writings, known as Al Rihla.[52] The annual rainy season known locally as Khareef or monsoon makes coconut cultivation easy on the Arabian east coast.
Coconut trees also are increasingly grown for decorative purposes along the coasts of the UAE and Saudi Arabia with the help of irrigation. The UAE has, however, imposed strict laws on mature coconut tree imports from other countries to reduce the spread of pests to other native palm trees, as the mixing of date and coconut trees poses a risk of cross-species palm pests, such as rhinoceros beetles and red palm weevils. The artificial landscaping adopted in Florida may have been the cause for lethal yellowing, a viral coconut palm disease that leads to the death of the tree. It is spread by host insects, that thrive on heavy turf grasses. Therefore, heavy turf grass environments (beach resorts and golf courses) also pose a major threat to local coconut trees. Traditionally, dessert banana plants and local wild beach flora such as Scaevola taccada and Ipomoea pes-caprae were used as humidity-supplying green undergrowth for coconut trees, mixed with sea almond and sea hibiscus. Due to growing sedentary life styles and heavy-handed landscaping, there has been a decline in these traditional farming and soil-fixing techniques.
SRI LANKA
An early mention of the planting of coconuts is found in the Mahavamsa during the reign of Agrabodhi II around 589 AD. Coconuts are common in the Sri Lankan diet and the main source of dietary fat.
UNITED STATES
In the United States coconut palms can be grown and reproduced outdoors without irrigation in Hawaii, southern and central Florida, and the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
In Florida, Coconut palms will grow from coastal Pinellas County and St. Petersburg southwards on Florida's west coast, and Melbourne southwards on Florida's east coast. The occasional coconut palm is seen north of these areas in favoured microclimates in Tampa and Clearwater, as well as around Cape Canaveral and Daytona Beach on the east coast. They reach fruiting maturity, but can be damaged or killed by the occasional winter freezes in these areas. In South Texas they may also be grown in favoured microclimates around the Rio Grande Valley near Brownsville, and as far north as Corpus Christi , however more severe cold snaps keep them from producing viable fruit.
AUSTRALIA
Coconuts are commonly grown around the northern coast of Australia, and in some warmer parts of New South Wales.
BERMUDA
Most of the tall mature coconut trees found in Bermuda were shipped to the island as seedlings on the decks of ships. In more recent years, the importation of coconuts was prohibited, therefore, a large proportion of the younger trees have been propagated from locally grown coconuts.
In the winter months, the growth rate of coconut trees declines due to cooler temperatures and people have commonly attributed this to the reduced yield of coconuts in comparison to tropical regions. However, whilst cooler winter temperatures may be a factor in reducing fruit production, the primary reason for the reduced yield is a lack of water. Bermuda's soil is generally very shallow (1.5 to 3 feet) and much of a coconut tree's root mass is found in the porous limestone underneath the soil. Due to the porosity of the limestone, Bermuda's coconut trees do not generally have a sufficient supply of water with which they are able to support a large number of fruit as rain water quickly drains down through the limestone layer to the water table which is far too deep for a coconut's roots to reach. This typically leads to a reduction in fruit yield (sometimes as little as one or two mature fruits) as well as a reduced milk content inside the coconut that often causes the fruit to be infertile.
Conversely, trees growing in close proximity to the sea almost universally yield a much greater volume of fruit as they are able to tap directly into the sea water which permeates the limestone in such areas. Not only do these trees produce a significantly higher yield, but also the fruit itself tends to be far more fertile due to the higher milk content. Trees found growing in Bermuda's marshy inland areas enjoy a similar degree of success as they are also able to tap directly into a constant supply of water.
EUROPE
As a tropical plant, coconut is not native to Europe, but grows in tropical territories of European countries, such as Martinique and Guadeloupe (France), the Canary Islands (Spain) and Madeira (Portugal).
COOLER CLIMATES
In cooler climates (but not less than USDA Zone 9), a similar palm, the queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), is used in landscaping. Its fruits are very similar to the coconut, but much smaller. The queen palm was originally classified in the genus Cocos along with the coconut, but was later reclassified in Syagrus. A recently discovered palm, Beccariophoenix alfredii from Madagascar, is nearly identical to the coconut, more so than the queen palm and can also be grown in slightly cooler climates than the coconut palm. Coconuts can only be grown in temperatures above 18 °C and need a daily temperature above 22 °C to produce fruit.
USES
The coconut palm is grown throughout the tropics for decoration, as well as for its many culinary and nonculinary uses; virtually every part of the coconut palm can be used by humans in some manner and has significant economic value. Coconuts' versatility is sometimes noted in its naming. In Sanskrit, it is kalpa vriksha ("the tree which provides all the necessities of life"). In the Malay language, it is pokok seribu guna ("the tree of a thousand uses"). In the Philippines, the coconut is commonly called the "tree of life".
COOKING
The various parts of the coconut have a number of culinary uses. The seed provides oil for frying, cooking, and making margarine. The white, fleshy part of the seed, the coconut meat, is used fresh or dried in cooking, especially in confections and desserts such as macaroons. Desiccated coconut or coconut milk made from it is frequently added to curries and other savory dishes. Coconut flour has also been developed for use in baking, to combat malnutrition. Coconut chips have been sold in the tourist regions of Hawaii and the Caribbean. Coconut butter is often used to describe solidified coconut oil, but has also been adopted as a name by certain specialty products made of coconut milk solids or puréed coconut meat and oil. Dried coconut is also used as the filling for many chocolate bars. Some dried coconut is purely coconut but others are manufactured with other ingredients, such as sugar, propylene glycol, salt, and sodium metabisulfite. Some countries in South East Asia use special coconut mutant called Kopyor (in Indonesian) or macapuno (in Philippines) as a dessert drinks.
NUTRITION
Per 100 gram serving with 354 calories, raw coconut meat supplies a high amount of total fat (33 grams), especially saturated fat (89% of total fat) and carbohydrates (24 grams) (table). Micronutrients in significant content include the dietary minerals, manganese, iron, phosphorus and zinc (table).
COCONUT WATER
Coconut water serves as a suspension for the endosperm of the coconut during its nuclear phase of development. Later, the endosperm matures and deposits onto the coconut rind during the cellular phase. It is consumed throughout the humid tropics, and has been introduced into the retail market as a processed sports drink. Mature fruits have significantly less liquid than young, immature coconuts, barring spoilage. Coconut water can be fermented to produce coconut vinegar.
Per 100 gram (100 ml) serving, coconut water contains 19 calories and no significant content of essential nutrients.
COCONUT MILK
Coconut milk, not to be confused with coconut water, is obtained primarily by extracting juice by pressing the grated coconut white kernel or by passing hot water or milk through grated coconut, which extracts the oil and aromatic compounds. It has a total fat content of 24%, most of which (89%) is saturated fat, with lauric acid as a major fatty acid. When refrigerated and left to set, coconut cream will rise to the top and separate from the milk. The milk can be used to produce virgin coconut oil by controlled heating and removal of the oil fraction.
A protein-rich powder can be processed from coconut milk following centrifugation, separation and spray drying.
COCONUT OIL
Another byproduct of the coconut is coconut oil. It is commonly used in cooking, especially for frying. It can be used in liquid form as would other vegetable oils, or in solid form as would butter or lard.
TODDY AND NECTAR
The sap derived from incising the flower clusters of the coconut is drunk as neera, also known as toddy or tuba (Philippines), tuak (Indonesia and Malaysia) or karewe (fresh and not fermented, collected twice a day, for breakfast and dinner) in Kiribati. When left to ferment on its own, it becomes palm wine. Palm wine is distilled to produce arrack. In the Philippines, this alcoholic drink is called lambanog or "coconut vodka".
The sap can be reduced by boiling to create a sweet syrup or candy such as te kamamai in Kiribati or dhiyaa hakuru and addu bondi in the Maldives. It can be reduced further to yield coconut sugar also referred to as palm sugar or jaggery. A young, well-maintained tree can produce around 300 liters of toddy per year, while a 40-year-old tree may yield around 400 liters.
HEART OF PALM AND COCONUT SPROUT
Apical buds of adult plants are edible, and are known as "palm cabbage" or heart of palm. They are considered a rare delicacy, as harvesting the buds kills the palms. Hearts of palm are eaten in salads, sometimes called "millionaire's salad". Newly germinated coconuts contain an edible fluff of marshmallow-like consistency called coconut sprout, produced as the endosperm nourishes the developing embryo.
INDONESIA
Coconut is an indispensable ingredient in Indonesian cooking. Coconut meat, coconut milk and coconut water are often used in main courses, desserts and soups throughout the archipelago. In the island of Sumatra, the famous Rendang, the traditional beef stew from West Sumatra, chunks of beef are cooked in coconut milk along with other spices for hours until thickened. In Jakarta, "Soto Babat" or beef tripe soup also uses coconut milk. In the island of Java, the sweet and savoury "Tempe Bacem" is made by cooking tempeh with coconut water, coconut sugar and other spices until thickened. "Klapertart" is the famous Dutch-influenced dessert from Manado, North Celebes, that uses young coconut meat and coconut milk. In 2010, Indonesia increased its coconut production. It is now the world's second largest producer of coconuts. The gross production was 15 million tonnes. A sprouting coconut seed is the logo for Gerakan Pramuka Indonesia, the Indonesian Scouting organization. It can be seen on all the scouting paraphernalia that elementary (SMA) school children wear as well as on the scouting pins and flags.
PHILIPPINES
The Philippines is the world's largest producer of coconuts; the production of coconuts plays an important role in the economy. Coconuts in the Philippines are usually used in making main dishes, refreshments and desserts. Coconut juice is also a popular drink in the country. In the Philippines, particularly Cebu, rice is wrapped in coconut leaves for cooking and subsequent storage; these packets are called puso. Coconut milk, known as gata, and grated coconut flakes are used in the preparation of dishes such as laing, ginataan, bibingka, ube halaya, pitsi-pitsi, palitaw, buko and coconut pie. Coconut jam is made by mixing muscovado sugar with coconut milk. Coconut sport fruits are also harvested. One such variety of coconut is known as macapuno. Its meat is sweetened, cut into strands and sold in glass jars as coconut strings, sometimes labeled as "gelatinous mutant coconut". Coconut water can be fermented to make a different product - nata de coco (coconut gel).
VIETNAM
In Vietnam, coconut is grown abundantly across Central and Southern Vietnam, and especially in Bến Tre Province, often called the "land of the coconut". It is used to make coconut candy, caramel, and jelly. Coconut juice and coconut milk are used, especially in Vietnam's southern style of cooking, including kho, chè and curry (cà ri).
INDIA
In southern India, most common way of cooking vegetables is to add grated coconut and then steam them with spices fried in oil. People from southern India also make chutney, which involves grinding the coconut with salt, chillies, and whole spices. Uruttu chammanthi (granulated chutney) is eaten with rice or kanji (rice gruel). It is also invariably the main side dish served with idli, vadai, and dosai. Coconut ground with spices is also mixed in sambar and other various lunch dishes for extra taste. Dishes garnished with grated coconut are generally referred to as poduthol in North Malabar and thoran in rest of Kerala. Puttu is a culinary delicacy of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, in which layers of coconut alternate with layers of powdered rice, all of which fit into a bamboo stalk. Recently, this has been replaced with a steel or aluminium tube, which is then steamed over a pot. Coconut (Tamil: தேங்காய்) is regularly broken in the middle-class families in Tamil Nadu for food. Coconut meat can be eaten as a snack sweetened with jaggery or molasses. In Karnataka sweets are prepared using coconut and dry coconut "copra"., Like Kaie Obattu, Kobri mitai etc.
WIKIPEDIA
Seen and shot on location as part of the architectural series in Markdorf, Germany. Post-processing done in Capture One 20.
Press 'L' fullscreen mode for optimum optical nerve stimulation.
High and Over, Amersham. Amyas Connell.
Extract from "More Rough Travel Notes with an Architectural Eye - 2012":
.......Here Connell effectively launched modernist architecture in Great Britain. But with his background in integrated planning, with his Roman and Corbusian knowledge, he was highly conscious of the natural landscape setting and employed features related to the house geometry. Terraces were designed in levels to manage the slope and linked to laid-out planting-beds and other garden structures including the cubic concrete pergola. Water elements were incorporated — the circular pool in front remains. Thus the house was firmly rooted to the site and garden in modernist design with angular themes fitting the slope. Alberti had emphasized that the best villa garden should have a sloping site with views and that the garden would weave, relating to contours, indirectly up to the villa.
With today’s reduced site, a modern architectural landscaping is again needed to bring back the sun and re-complete integration with site as part of this important recovery of a masterpiece by a young New Zealand architect.
On the last day of this hurried trip (later Set) we’ll head to Hampstead for a quick re-look at the early-modern in Lawn Rd and Frognal Way.
P :-)
flickriver Amyas Connell Interesting:
The late afternoon sun caught my eye on the city council building highlinghting the 7 flashes of yellow features.
This is SOOC and just a lift on the midtones for the shadows on the RHS.
Numerically Odd Theme
Parallel Lines Challenge
One of the world’s biggest Angular conference.
The beautiful city of Warsaw, amazing national stadium, 2 days, 15 talks, 5 workshops, Q&A session and much more!
Thank you to our wonderfull sponsors: Acaicoft, 7N, Twilio, SoftwareMill, SoftwarePlant, EDC Aviation Digital, Deloitte, CodiLime, Telerik, JetBrains, DataArt Poland. Thank you for the speakers, we are really appreciate that you came to Poland and share your knowledge! Thank you for communities from all over the world for your support. Thank you for ALL attendees!
One of the world’s biggest Angular conference.
The beautiful city of Warsaw, amazing national stadium, 2 days, 15 talks, 5 workshops, Q&A session and much more!
Thank you to our wonderfull sponsors: Acaicoft, 7N, Twilio, SoftwareMill, SoftwarePlant, EDC Aviation Digital, Deloitte, CodiLime, Telerik, JetBrains, DataArt Poland. Thank you for the speakers, we are really appreciate that you came to Poland and share your knowledge! Thank you for communities from all over the world for your support. Thank you for ALL attendees!
Interesting building in Florianópolis, during the sunset.
No amount of rotate/perspective will "fix" this image.
Nº 441. (?)
Citroën BX Rally Paris-Dakar (1987).
Serie Fuego.
Guisval.
Escala 1/33.
Made in Spain.
Año 1987. (?)
Serie FUEGO [ Guisval ]
"In 1983 the serie ESCORPION, with it's heavy metal bases, got a new cheaper brother - the coleccion FUEGO with new models and plastic bases resulting in way lighter and slower models with new artwork but often less "extra features and gear".
Source:: guisval.jimdofree.com/serie-fuego-panther-1-37-1/serie-fu...
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Citroën BX
"El Citroën BX es un automóvil del segmento D producido por el fabricante francés Citroën entre los años 1982 y 1994. Se trataba de un vehículo con una línea angulosa, con la luna trasera muy tendida y quinta puerta posterior. El diseño del italiano Marcello Gandini (cuando trabajaba en Bertone) queda patente en el corte del paso de rueda trasero (...). Existió una práctica, pero no demasiado estética carrocería break, denominada Evasión en muchos mercados, que apareció en 1984. En ese mismo año, el BX fue nombrado Coche del Año en España.
El BX fue sustituido en 1993 por el Citroën Xantia, si bien la carrocería Break-Evasion siguió en el mercado hasta un año después. Protagonizó una gran competencia en los últimos años con su hermano menor, el Citroën ZX, de técnica más convencional, pero de concepción más moderna. Durante sus 12 años de producción, se fabricaron en total 2.315.739 unidades."
Fuente: es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_BX
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Citroën BX
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The Citroën BX is a large family car that was produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1982 to 1994. In total, 2,315,739 BXs were built during its 12-year history. The hatchback was discontinued in 1993 with the arrival of the Xantia, but the estate continued for another year."
"The Citroën BX was announced in June 1982, but its commercial life really only began in the Autumn of that year, with a Paris presentation on 2 October 1982 under the Eiffel Tower. The BX was designed to replace the successful small family car Citroën GS/A that was launched in 1970, with a larger vehicle. "
"The angular hatchback was designed by Marcello Gandini of Bertone, based on his unused design for the British 1977 Reliant FW11 concept and his 1979 Volvo Tundra concept car."
(...)
"Performance models
Sport
As well as the normal BX, Citroën produced the BX Sport from 1985 to 1987 (...)
GT
The BX GT was launched in 1985 and featured a 1.9 L Peugeot-sourced engine (...)
4TC
Citroën entered Group B rallying with the BX in 1986. The specially designed rally BX was called the BX 4TC (...)Because of the Group B regulations, 200 street versions of the 4TC also had to be built, with a 200 PS (147 kW) at 5,250 rpm version of the N9TE engine.
GTi
An uprated version of the BX GT, the BX19 GTi was fitted with an 1.9 L eight-valve fuel injected engine producing 122 PS (90 kW) (...) it could reach 198 km/h.
16V
In May 1987, a 16-valve version of the GTi was launched. This was the first mass-produced French car to be fitted with a 16-valve engine. (...)"
Manufacturer
Citroën
Production
1982—1994
Assembly
Rennes, France; Vigo, Spain
Designer
Marcello Gandini
One of the world’s biggest Angular conference.
The beautiful city of Warsaw, amazing national stadium, 2 days, 15 talks, 5 workshops, Q&A session and much more!
Thank you to our wonderfull sponsors: Acaicoft, 7N, Twilio, SoftwareMill, SoftwarePlant, EDC Aviation Digital, Deloitte, CodiLime, Telerik, JetBrains, DataArt Poland. Thank you for the speakers, we are really appreciate that you came to Poland and share your knowledge! Thank you for communities from all over the world for your support. Thank you for ALL attendees!
de la KDD del passat diumenge mentre xerràvem i provaba l'angular d'en Sergio,
la casualitat em va portar al lloc més monumental del barri vell de Girona, van ser uns minuts molt intensos i breus!
durante la KDD del domingo pasado, probando el angular de Sergio, en el sitio más monumental del barrio antiguo de Girona,
fueron unos minutos intensos y breves
Click 'L' please. :)
From my last trip to Detroit. Have a few I may post over the next few weeks now that I know which ones will not be in the show. Friday Fave mosaic coming later!
■ Itinerant Dinosaur Exhibition which took place in September 2015 in Torrejon de Ardoz (Madrid, Spain). Besides the many life-size dinosaur replicas (some of them animatronic, even offered as rides for young children) it also featured a prehistoric tour showing the way of life of Neanderthals, an assorted fossil collection and a hosted multimedia show. All in all, very worthwhile as an educational event and extremely enjoyable to children and parents alike.
Pic 7 of 30: Postosuchus, a large North American apex predator reptile that lived during the Late Triassic.
Taken handheld with my Panasonic Lumix TZ7 (ZS3) in very scarce and rapidly changing available light, which made using the small built-in flash mandatory as well as selecting ISO 200/400 in all shots for increased flash range to cater for the very large subjects.
.
■ Exhibición itinerante de dinosaurios que tuvo lugar en Septiembre de 2015 en Torrejón de Ardoz (Madrid). Además de las muchas réplicas a tamaño real de dinosaurios de todo tipo (algunos de ellos animatrónicos, que los niños podían montar) también incluía un recorrido por la prehistoria mostrando el modo de vida de los Neandertales, una colección de fósiles variados y un espectáculo multimedia conducido por un animador. En conclusión, una exhibición muy válida como evento educativo y un gran disfrute para padres e hijos.
Foto 7 de 30: Postosuco (Postosuchus), un gran reptil superdepredador que vivió en Norteamérica a finales del Triásico.
Tomada a pulso con mi Panasonic Lumix TZ7 (ZS3) en luz ambiente muy escasa y rápidamente variable, que hizo obligatorio el uso del pequeño flash incorporado y la elección de ISO 200/400 en todas las fotos para aumentar el alcance del flash en vista del gran tamaño de los sujetos.
Como eu havia prometido :)
Essa eu tirei pra Bianca, em homenagem a todos desprovidos de uma grande angular e que tem que se virar em chaleira, bola de engate de carro, espelho de elevador, etc.
A minha ficou no chinelo da dela, mas fiz o que pude. hehe
Once the Shoshone River exits Rattlesnake Mountain into the Big Horn Basin at Cody the river remains in a canyon that has the Cody bench (river terrace) on both sides. An angular unconformity between the Quaternary Cody Terrace Gravels and the red Triassic Chugwater Formation is exposed in the bend of the river on the canyon wall in the center of the image. The Cody Rodeo Arena can be seen on the Cody Bench just behind the exposed unconformity.
Geologically, an unconformity is an erosional or non-depositional surface separating two rock masses or strata of different ages, indicating that sediment deposition was not continuous. In other words, an unconformity indicates that 1- the older rock layer was exposed to erosion for an interval of time before deposition of the younger; 2- there was a period of non-deposition between the time the 2 sediment layers were deposited at least at that location or 3- a combination of both. An angular unconformity is an unconformity where horizontally parallel strata of sedimentary rock are deposited on tilted and eroded layers, producing an angular discordance with the overlying layers. This indicates that the older beds were titled or deformed tectonically, then truncated by erosion, before the younger beds were deposited. The entire package can be subsequently deformed after deposition of the younger beds so they are no longer parallel but the discordance with the older beds still remains. Generally, development of an unconformity is accompanied by or preceded by uplift of the rock units or strata that will be eroded, and/or the fall of relative sea level, thus exposing rock units or strata to erosion. The presence of an unconformity indicates a gap or vacuity in the chronostratigraphic record.
The rocks visible in the foreground from front to back are shales; limestone and cherts on the Permian Park City Formation (also known as the Phosphoria Formation), and the tan sandstones of the Pennsylvanian Tensleep Formation. On top of the cliffs both to the left and the right in the foreground are topped with Quaternary Travertine Deposits that are part of the Colter's Hell (Also know as the Demaris or Cody) hydrothermal (hot springs) area.
A fleeting visit on Sunday as I was here mainly to look for Hawfinches. But it such a fine church, and with history linking it to Jane Austen, whose brother is buried here and the memorial a thing that people come from over the world to see.
Another dull day, but bright and airy in the church, which I entered after it was opened in preparation for the eleven o'clock service.
As I was having computer problems last time I was here, some were unedited so are blurry, so all the better to redo some and post those.
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A simple, well-cared-for church which has an extremely complicated building history. The nave and western half of the chancel are Saxon in date, although there are no surviving architectural details of this period. Early in the twelfth century a northern tower with small apsidal chapel was added to the north of the nave. This has recently been restored and its round headed windows may be clearly seen. From the same period dates the remarkable stone carving of an archbishop that is now displayed in the chancel. It may be Archbishop Theobold (d. 1162) or Becket (d. 1170) and could have formed part of a tomb in Canterbury Cathedral. The church was restored by William Butterfield in the 1860s. His is the nice rood screen (painted by Gibbs) the angular font of Devonshire marble and the design for the east window. The screen is supported on thin columns so as not to destroy the congregation's view of the High Altar which the Victorians held so dear, although it is definitely in the medieval tradition. Fine Minton tiles were put in the sanctuary - the medieval tiles gathered up and carefully placed on the window-sill to preserve them. The twentieth century has done much to build upon Butterfield's restoration, including the fine south aisle east window by C.E. Kempe and Co. Ltd of 1923.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Godmersham
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LOCATION: The church is situated close to the River Stour at c. 115 ft. above O.D. just south of the now - demolished (1955) Godmersham Court Lodge. This is in the gap where the river cuts through the North Downs.
DESCRIPTION: I have written a very full history of this church (published in Arch Cant 106 (1988), 45-81), which includes a full description of the fabric, so only a summary is needed here.
The earliest part of the church is the nave and western half of the chancel, which have quoins of Roman bricks and ferruginous sandstone. This is almost certainly the church mentioned in Domesday Book, but whether it was built just before, or just after, the Norman Conquest in uncertain.
In the early 12th century, a west door was inserted (blocked in 1865) and three rounded-headed windows were put into the north side of the nave. A north transept chapel (with apsidal east end) and tower was also constructed at this time. Though heavily restored in 1865-6, this still continues its hemidome over the apse. The arch into the east end of the nave was blocked in the later Middle Ages.
By the end of the 12th century a new south aisle and arcade had been added to the nave, but this was destroyed after the Reformation. The fine mid-12th century font (similar to that at Westwell) was also destroyed, but a few fragments of it are walled up in the west doorway.
In the mid - 13th century, at about the time when the fine new Court Lodge to the north was built, the chancel was extended to the east and given three fine new lancets, as well as a sedilia. There are some fine capitals, columns and bases on the inside of these features (The sedilia also has a moulded trefoil head).
In 1363 a new Chantry chapel of St Mary was built on the south-east side of the nave, but this too was demolished after its abolition as a Chantry at the Reformation (The final traces were removed when the family pew extensions were built in the early 18th century).
In the later 14th century a piscina, various new two-light windows were put into the chancel, as well as some new oak stalls (on the ends of three of these were carved TCP Ann. Dom. 1409). These were recorded in the early 18th century, but have long since disappeared.
The west window in the nave, and the surviving crown-post roof probably date from the 15th century. The fine three-light window towards the east end of the north side of the nave probably dates to the early 16th century. A new north doorway into the chancel was perhaps also built at this time.
The doors into the Rood stair at the north-east corner of the nave (now blocked) can also be seen. These were perhaps also made in the later 15th century when a new loft was built (fragments of the screen - now gone - were found in the West gallery in 1865).
In the 1720's the south side of the nave was rebuilt in brick, and the earlier south aisle disappeared and two new brick family pews (over vaults) were built projecting southwards over the side of the former chantry chapel. All of this, however, was swept away in 1865. Various drawings of these before 1865 are available). Two new diagonal buttresses to the chancel were also built at about that time, which survive, as well as a west gallery in the nave and west and north porches (demolished 1865).
As we have seen, a very major restoration of the church took place in 1865-6 under William Butterfield. A new south aisle, porch and south transept were built, as well as an organ - chamber south of the chancel. Much earth was dug away from the western and southern sides of the church at this time. The vicar and instigator of this work (Revd. Walter Field) made very useful notes and sketches of the state of the church before the restoration (in the parish records). Most of the windows were restored at this time, and the north (chancel) and west doorways were blocked after their 'mean' porches were removed. The top stage of the tower was rebuilt in brick with a flint external face, and a pyramid roof on top. There was also a new chancel roof and screen (painted 1875), and many new pews (to re-place the box ones), as well as a new pulpit and font.
BUILDING MATERIALS (incl. old plaster, paintings, glass, tiles etc.):
Flint rubble (with ferruginous sandstone and Roman brick quoins) is used for the earliest church with Caen stone dressings from the early 12th century. Some Reigate stone was used for jambs, etc., in the 13th century chancel extension. There is also some Ragstone for later windows.
Red brick was used for 18th century repairs and buttresses (and the family pews), and the large amounts of Bath stone was used for the 1865-6 repairs, restoration, Saisle, etc.
EXCEPTIONAL MONUMENTS IN CHURCH:
Bas-relief figure of Archbishop (12th cent.) on S. wall of chancel, put here in 1933. It came from the neighbouring Court-Lodge, but was probably originally from Canterbury.
1516 brass of W. Geoffrey on S. wall of chancel.
R. Bun memorial (1682) on N.E. side of nave, and T Knight (1894) by Shout in S. aisle.
CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS:
Size & Shape: The churchyard of c. 1½ acres is a rough square around the church, extending down to the river on the east.
Condition: Good
Boundary walls: c. 19th cent. stone & brickwalls around it.
Building in churchyard or on boundary: Small 19th cent. shed on boundary immediately N. of the tower with Medieval gravelmarker reused in gable.
Ecological potential: Good
HISTORICAL RECORD (where known):
Earliest ref. to church: Domesday Book, 3,13.
Evidence of pre-Norman status (DB, DM, TR etc.): Paid 28d, Chrisin in D.M.
Challock was a chapel-of-ease to Godmersham.
Late med. status (vicarage/appropriation): Vicarage with formal appropriation to the Priory in 1400 (the vicarage was endowed from 1380).
Patron: Canterbury Cathedral Priory (given by Archbishop in c. 1037) till Dissolution, then, from 1546, the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury.
Other documentary sources: For wills, (Test. Cant. (E. Kent 1907), 136-8. They mention various lights, the Roodloft, 'Holy Cross before the door' etc. For the Chantry of St. Mary, see Kent Chantries (ed. A Hussey) Kent Records XII (1932-6), 131.
See also Hasted (2nd ed. 1799), 328-32.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD:
Reused materials: - Roman bricks.
Finds from church\churchyard: Some Roman bricks and pottery found by the Revd. S G Brade-Birks. One discoid grave-marker still exists to the S. of the church, by the path. Old hand-bells were also found in the churchyard in 1865.
Finds within 0.5km: Grave-marker found in Court Lodge excavation to N.
SURVIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPOSITS: Good. The chancel floor was apparently just covered up in 1865-6.
Outside present church: ? Quite good, but disturbed in 1865-6.
RECENT DISTURBANCES\ALTERATIONS:
To structure: In 1986 the c. 1687 bell-frame was removed from the tower (this is now stored at the Canterbury Archaeologist Trust). In 1992 the later N-S cross wall in the N. apsidal chapel was demolished.
To graveyard: None (but shed in churchyard to be restored as W.C. in 1993).
Quinquennial inspection (date\architect): Feb. 1989 - George Denny.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT:
The church and churchyard: Despite very heavy restoration work in 1865-6, there are important remains here of an 11th century church with added north tower/transept with apsidal chapel of the early 12th century. Also an extended mid - 13th century chancel.
The wider context: Apsidal chapels in Kent parish churches are a very rare survival, as is the unique 12th century bas-relief now in the chancel.
REFERENCES: T. Tatton-Brown, 'The parish church of St. Lawrence, Godmersham: a history' Arch. Cant. 106 (1988), 45-81.
Guide Book: None, though there was one by an early long-serving vicar S G Brade-Birks (1930-77).
Plans & drawings: Plans before + after 1865-6 restorations, and 1865 sketches of church are in the parish records - see art. by Tim Tatton-Brown above.
DATE VISITED: 21/12/92 REPORT BY: Tim Tatton-Brown
www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/01/03/GOD.htm
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GODMERSHAM
LIES the next parish south-westward from Chartham, and is written in antient records, Godmersham, and in Domesday, Gomersham.
IT LIES in the beautiful Stour valley, a situation healthy and pleasant to the extreme, the river Stour glides through it from Ashford, in its course towards Canterbury; Godmersham house and park are the principal objects in it, both elegant and beautiful, the Ashford high road encircles the east side of the park, along which there is a sunk sence, which affords an uninterrupted view of the whole of it, and adds greatly to the beauty of this elegant scene, and leads through the village of Godmersham close to it, the whole village which contains about twenty houses, belongs to Mrs. Knight, excepting one house, as does the greatest part of the parish, excepting the lands belonging to the dean and chapter of Canterbury. There are about twenty more houses in the parish, and about two hundred and forty inhabitants in all. The church, and vicarage, a neat dwelling, pleasantly situated, stand at a small distance from the village, on the left side of the road, with the antient manor-house near the former, close to the bank of the river; the meadows in the vale are exceeding fertile, the uplands are chalk, with some gravel among them, the hills rise high on each side, those on the west being the sheep walks belonging to Godmersham-house, the summits of which are finely cloathed with wood, at proper intervals; the opposite ones are the high range of uninclosed pasture downs of Wye and Braborne. Among these hills, in the eastern part of the parish, is the seat of Eggerton, situated in a wild and bleak country of barren lands and flints.
At the southern boundary of the parish, on the Ashford road, is the hamlet of Bilting, part of which is in Wye parish. There was a family of this name who once resided here, as appears by their wills so early as 1460. Richard Mocket, gent. of Challock, died in 1565, possessed of the manor of Biltyng-court, in Godmersham, which by his will he directed to be sold. At length this estate of Bilting came into the possession of the Carters. Thomas Carter, gent. of Bilting, second son of George Carter, gent. of Winchcombe, died possessed of it in 1707, s.p. After which it at length came to his nephew Thomas Carter, gent. of Godmersham, who dying in 1744, left two daughters his coheirs, the eldest of whom Mary, marrying Mr. Nicholas Rolfe, of Ashford, he became in her right possessed of her father's estate at Bilting. After which it became the residence of Mrs. Jane, the sister of the late Mr. Knight, and after her death in 1793, of Thomas Monypenny, esq. who afterwards removing from hence sold it in 1797, to Mr. Richard Sutton, who now resides at it.
There is no fair, nor is there any one alehouse within this parish.
From the high road above-mentioned, which runs along the lower side of the western hills there is a most pleasing view over the valley beneath, in which the various beautiful objects of both art and nature combine to make it the most delightful prospect that can be imagined.
BEORNULPH, king of Mercia, in the year 822, gave Godmersham to Christ-church, in Canterbury, to the use of their refectory and cloathing, at the request of archbishop Wlfred, L.S.A. that is, Libere sicut Adisham, endowed with the same liberties and privileges that Adisham, which had been given to that church, originally was. But it appears afterwards to have been wrested from the church, and to have been again restored to it by archbishop Egelnoth, who made a new grant of it in the year 1036, having purchased it of duke Sired, for seventy-two marcs of pure silver, for the use of the monks in Christ-church; in whose possession Godmersham remained at the taking the general survey of Domesday, in which it is entered as follows, under the general title of Terra Monachorum Archiepi, i.e. the lands of the monks of the archbishop, as all the lands belonging to the monastery of Christ-church were.
In Feleberg hundred, the archbishop himself holds Gomersham. It was taxed at eight sulings. The arable land is twelve carucates. In demesne there are two, and sixty villeins, with eight cottagers, having seventeen carucates. There is a church, and two servants, and one mill of twenty-five shillings, and twelve acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of forty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and when he received it, it was worth twelve pounds, now twenty pounds, and yet it pays thirty pounds.
In the 7th year of king Edward I. the prior claimed a fair here, on the day of St. Laurence, which was allowed; and king Edward III. in his 38th year granted to the prior another fair here on the Thursday and Friday in every Whitsun-week, together with a market to be held here on a Tuesday weekly. In the 10th year of king Edward II. the prior obtained a charter of free-warren for this manor; about which time it was, with its appurtenances, valued at thirty-six pounds. The priors of Canterbury frequently resided at the manor-house here, which appears by the present state of it to have been a mansion large and suitable to their dignity. Prior Chillenden, at the latter end of king Richard II.'s reign, made large additions and repairs here, as did prior Sellyng in that of Edward IV. The house is situated on the bank of the river, a small distance northward from the church. It appears to have been a very large mansion formerly. The old hall of it is yet remaining, with the windows, door-cases, and chimney of it, in the gothic stile. Over the porch, at the entrance of the house, is the effigies of the prior, curiously carved in stone, sitting richly habited, with his mitre and pall, and his crosier in his left hand, his right lifted up in the act of benediction, and his sandals on his feet. This, most probably, represents prior Chillenden, above mentioned, who had the privilege of wearing those ornaments, granted to him and his successors by pope Urban, and repaired this mansion as before related. In which state this manor continued till the dissolution of the priory in the 31st year of king Henry VIII. when it came, with the rest of the possessions of the monastery, into the king's hands, who in his 37th year, granted the manor, rectory, and advowson of Godmersham, in exchange for other premises, to the dean and chapter of Canterbury, in pure and perpetual alms, at the yearly rent of 10l. 1s. 8d. (fn. 1) being then valued at 80l. 11s. in exchange for which they gave the king seven valuable manors in this and other counties; Canterbury college, in Oxford, and other premises, a scandalous bargain of plunder, like most others of the king's making; and yet in the deed it is said to have been made through his most gracious favor. Since which this manor has remained part of their possessions to the present time.
The court-lodge, with the demesne lands of this manor, are let to Mrs. Coleman, who resides in it, on a beneficial lease, but the manor itself, with the profits of the courts, &c. the dean and chapter retain in their own hands. A court baron is regularly held for it.
THE MANORS OF FORD AND YALLANDE were antiently part of the inheritance of the family of Valoigns, one of whom, Robert de Valoigns, died possessed of them and much other land in this neighbourhood, in the 19th year of king Edward II. and in his descendants they continued till the latter end of king Edward III.'s reign, when Waretius de Valoigns leaving by his wife, daughter of Robert de Hougham, two daughters his coheirs, one of them, married to Thomas de Aldon, entitled her husband to these manors as part of her inheritance; and in this name of Aldon they continued for some space of time. At length they became the property of Austen, or Astyn, as they afterwards spelt their name, and they continued possessors of it, till Richard Astyn, gent. of West Peckham, conveyed them, with all lands and tenements called Halton, in Godmersham and other parishes, to Thomas Broadnax, gent. late of Hyth, though there were descendants of that family, who wrote themselves gentlemen, remaining here in the beginning of king George I.'s reign, as appears by their wills in the prerogative-office. He afterwards resided at Ford-place, as his descendants, possessors of these manors, afterwards did, without intermission, to Thomas Broadnax, esq. (fn. 2) who in the 13th year of king George I. anno 1727, pursuant to the will of Sir Thomas May, and under the authority of parhament, changed his name to May, and in 1729 kept his shrievalty here. In 1732 he rebuilt this seat, and in 1738, pursuant to the will of Mrs. Elizabeth Knight, widow of Bulstrode Peachy Knight, esq. (who was her second husband, her first being William Knight, esq. of Dean, in that county); and under the authority of another act, he again changed his name to Knight, and in 1742 inclosed a park round his seat here, afterwards called Ford park, which name it seems since entirely to have lost, this seat and park being now usually called Godmersham-park. Thomas May Knight, esq. beforementioned, died here, far advanced in years, in 1781, a gentleman, whose eminent worth is still remembered by many now living; whose high character for upright conduct and integrity, rendered his life as honorable as it was good, and caused his death to be lamented by every one as a public loss. He married Jane, eldest daughter and coheir of William Monk, esq. of Buckingham in Shoreham, in Sussex, by whom he had several children, of whom only four survived to maturity, Thomas, his heir, and three daughters, who died unmarried. Thomas Knight, esq. the son, succeeded his father in estates, and was of Godmersham, the seat and park of which he greatly improved. He married Catherine, daughter of Dr. Wadham Knatchbull, late prebendary of Durham, and died in 1794, s.p. leaving her surviving. He bore for his arms, the coat of Knight, vert, a bend fusilly, in base, a cinquefoil, argent, quartered with nineteen others; the second being, Broadnax, or, two chevronels, gules, on a chief of the second, three cinquefoils, argent; and the third, May, gules, a fess between three billets, or. By his will Mr. Knight gave this seat, with the park, the manors before-mentioned, and the lands belonging to it, to his widow Mrs. Catherine Knight, for her life, with remainder to Edward Austen, esq. of Rolling-place. She afterwards resided here, but removing to the White Friars, in Canterbury, she gave up the possession of Godmersham house and park to Edward Austen, esq. before-mentioned, who now resides at it.
EGGARTON is another manor, situated on the opposite side of the river, at the south-east boundaries of this parish, among the hills, near Crundal. It was antiently the estate of the noble family of Valence, earls of Pembroke. Aymer de Valence, earl of Pembroke, held this manor at his death in the 17th year of king Edward II. He died s.p. and John, son of John de Hastings, by Isabel his wife, one of the earl's sisters, and John, son of John Comyn, of Badenagh, by Joane, another of his sisters, were found to be his coheirs; and upon the division of their estates, John de Hastings the son seems to have become wholly possessed of it. He died s.p. next year, leaving Joane, wife of David de Strabolgie, earl of Athol, and Elizabeth her sister, sisters and coheirs of John Comyn, of Badenagh, his next of kin. David de Strabolgie, earl of Athol, before-mentioned, died possessed of this manor, as appears by the inquisition taken after his death, in the 1st year of Edward III. leaving it to his son of the same name, who in the 7th year of Edward III. by deed settled it on his kinsman Sir Henry de Hills; which gift was confirmed by the countess his widow, in the 20th year of that reign. Gilbert de Hills, who lies buried in this church, with the marks of his figure in armour on his grave-stone, was a person of eminence in the age in which he flourished, and from him and Sir Henry de Hills, issued many worthy successors, who were proprietors of this manor till the reign of queen Elizabeth, when it was sold to Charles Scott, esq. eldest son of Sir Reginald Scott, of Scotts-hall, by his second wife. His grandson Thomas Scott, esq. of Eggarton, left a son Thomas, who died s.p. and a daughter Dorothy, married to Mr. Daniel Gotherson, who in her right at length became possessed of this manor, (fn. 3) though not without several contests at law by some collateral claimers to it. He afterwards sold it to Sir James Rushout, bart. who had been so created in 1661, and bore for his arms, Sable, two lioncels passant, guardant, within a bordure engrailed, or. He died in 1697, and by his will devised it to trustees, to sell for payment of his debts, which they accordingly soon afterwards did, to Peter Gott, esq. of Sussex, whose arms were, Per saltier argent and sable, a bordure counterchanged. His descendant Maximilian Gott, esq. resided at Eggarton, where he died in 1735; upon which this manor, with the rest of his estates in this county and in Sussex, came to his three sisters, Elizabeth, Mary, and Sarah; and on the death of the former, the two latter became entitled to the whole fee of it, as coparceners; Mrs. Sarah Gott usually residing at this mansion of Eggarton. Mary Gott died in 1768, and by will devised her moiety of her estates to Henry Thomas Greening, gent. of Brentford, in Middlesex, who afterwards, by act of parliament, assumed the name of Gott. Sarah Gott, the other sister, died at Eggarton, in 1772, and by will devised her moiety of her estates to the children of William Western Hugessen, esq. of Provender, deceased, to be equally divided between them. (fn. 4) Mr. Hugessen left three daughters his coheirs, of whom the two surviving ones, Dorothy, was afterwards married to Sir Joseph Banks, bart. and K. B. Mary, to Edward Knatchbull, esq. now Sir Edward Knatchbull, bart. who in their wives right became entitled to one moiety of this estate, they afterwards, together with Henry-Thomas Gott, esq. before-mentioned, possessor of the other moiety, joined in the sale of the entire property of this manor to Thomas Knight, esq. of Godmersham, who purchased it for the residence of his sister Jane, since deceased. He died in 1794, s. p. and by his will gave this seat, with the estate and manor, to Edward Austen, esq. before-mentioned.
Charities.
MARTIN MAYE, yeoman, of Godmersham, ordered by will in 1614, that his executors should pay to Thomas Scott, gent. and five others therein mentioned, 100l on condition that they should enter into a bond of 200l. to his executors, to settle 8l. per annum towards the maintenance of twenty of the poorest persons householders, in Godmersham, that from time to time should be there dwelling; which sum should be a perpetual payment of 8s. per annum to each of them. This charity is now vested in Mrs. Knight.
THOMAS SCOTT, ESQ. of Canterbury, by will in 1635, devised the house which he lately built in Godmersham, and ten perches of land adjoining to it, to such poor persons, born and living in Godmersham, as the heirs of his body, and for want of such heirs as the right heirs of his kinsman, Sir Edward Scott, K. B. should nominate from time to time, for ever. And if such heirs should neglect such nomination, for the space of three months, then that the churchwardens for the time being, should nominate in their room; and if they or he should fail to nominate, within one month, then that the archbishop of Canterbury should in such case nominate from time to time. And he willed one other house, with its appurtenances, which he had lately built in Godmersham, adjoining to that before limited, and 10 perches of land adjoining, in like manner as the other before-mentioned, with like nomination and limitation; and so from time to time for ever. This charity is now lost.
THOMAS CARKERIDGE. of Maidstone, by will in 1640, devised all those lands and tenements which he bought in Wye, Godmersham, and Crundal, to William Cooper and his heirs for ever, he paying out of them 6l. per annum, to the overseers of the poor of the parish of Wye, 3l. and to the overseers of the parish of Godmersham. the other 3l. for ever; and he willed that this 6l. should be every year bestowed to cloath four poor widows, two of Wye, and two of Godmersham; and if there were not such poor widows, then to cloath other poor women, each of them to have five yards and an half of good country kersey, to make a petticoat and a waistcoat, and so much lockram or other country cloth as would make every of them two smocks, and every of them a pair of hose and a pair of shoes. And he willed that this cloth and other things be given to those poor women the first Thursday in November every year; with power to distrain in any of his lands lying in Wye, Godmersham, and Crundall, &c. until the same should be paid accordingly.
JOHN FINCHE, gent. of Limne, by will in 1707, devised his messuage, tenement, and lands, containing 36 acres, in Bilting, and his messuage and tenement, and seven acres of land, and 9 acres of woodland, in Wye, Godmersham, and Crundall, and all those his six cowshares, lying in a meadow called Laines, between Ollantigh and Tremworth, in Wye and Godmersham, and a piece of meadow-ground called Temple-hope, adjoining, in Wye and Crundall, to the ministers, churchwardens, and overseers of the parishes of Wye and Godmersham, and their successors for ever, in trust, that the minister, &c. of Wye, and their successors, should dispose of the rents and profits of that land which lay in Wye, as is therein mentioned; and that the minister, &c. of Godmersham, and their successors, should dispose of the rents and profits of that land, with its appurtenances in Godmersham and Crundall, to six of the poorest and eldest people of Godmersham, or any other, half-yearly for ever. But that there should be paid out of the rents and profits of his last-mentioned lands, 40s. yearly upon Christmas-day for ever, without any deduction, to poor people of the like sort, being men; that is to say, 20s. to each of them yearly for ever. And further, that if any of the trustees, the ministers, &c. of these parishes, should at any time alter, contradict, or misapply these charities, or the rents and profits of the estates, that then the devise to such parish, the minister, &c. of which had so done, should cease and determine. And he willed that none of the said charities should be distributed to any other poor, but such as should be members of the church of England, as then by law established. This charity is now of the annual produce of 24l. 1s. 6d. and produces on an average 18l. per annum.
The present alms-houses in Godmersham-street, were erected by the father of the last Thomas Knight, esq. on the ground before devised to the parish. The building contains dwellings for eight poor people.
There is a school here, for reading and writing, supported by the voluntary benefaction of Mrs. Knight, in which about 20 children are daily taught.
The poor constantly relieved are about nineteen, casually as many.
THIS PARISH is within the ELESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Bridge.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Laurence, is a plain building, consisting of a body and a chancel, having a square low tower on the north side of the body, on which was formerly a steeple. There are five bells in it. The chancel is large and handsome. There were formerly eight stalls in it. On three of the upright end-boards of these stalls were these letters and date:P/TC An. Dom. 1409, in memory of Thomas Chillenden, prior A. D. 1409, for the use of the prior and monks of Christ church, when they came to reside at their manor here, and the other clergy who might be present at divine services, the like as they had usually in other churches where they had manors. On the south side of the church was formerly a chantry, which was dedicated to St. Mary, as appears by the will of William Geffrye, chaplain of it in 1517, who directed to be buried in it on the south side. It was suppressed in the 1st year of king Edward VI. There was a house and garden belonging to it in Godmersham-street. This chantry has been rebuilt, and is now made use of as two large pews, for the use of the owners of the mansion-houses of Ford and Eggarton. Underneath these pews, which are raised considerable higher than the level of the pavement, are vaults for the owners of these houses. In that of Eggarton lie many of the Hilles's, Scotts, and Gotts; and in that of Forde, several of the Broadnax's. The two monuments now against the south wall of the body of the church, for Thomas Carter and James Christmas, were formerly in the chantry, on the pulling down of which, they were removed hither. In the body of the church, near the steeple, is another vault for the Broadnax's, which is quite full, and the entrance closed up; and in the body of the church there are several grave-stones of them, the inscriptions of which are gone. In the church-yard, close to the wall of Mr. Knight's pew, is a small vault, built by the late Mr. Knight's father, in which he lies, with his wife and daughter Anne; and leaving only room for one more in it, in which his son was afterwards buried.
The church of Godmersham, with the chapel of Challock annexed to it, was antiently an appendage to the manor of Godmersham, and as such was part of the possessions of the priory of Christ-church, in Canterbury, to which it was appropriated in the 21st year of king Richard II. anno 1397, with the king's and pope's licence, towards the support of the fabric of their church, to which archbishop Arundel consented; for which the prior gave up to him the advowson of the two churches of St. Vedast and Amand, and St. Michael, Crooked-lane, London. (fn. 5) After which the rectory and advowson of the vicarage of this church remained with the priory of Christ church till its dissolution, in the 31st year of Henry VIII. when they were, with the manor of Godmersham, and the rest of the possessions of that priory, surrendered into the king's hands, where they remained till the 37th year of that reign, when the king granted the manor, rectory, and advowson of the vicarage of Godmersham, as has been already mentioned, to the dean and chapter of Chanterbury, in exchange for other premises, with whom the rectory remains at this time. But the advowson of the vicarage of Godmersham, with the chapel of Challock appendant to it, is now in the patronage of his grace the archbishop of Canterbury.
In the year 1254, Hugh de Mortimer, rector of this church, confirmed the exemption of the manor of Godmersham, belonging to the prior and convent of Christchurch, from the payment of small tithes arising from it; with a saving to the right of his successors.
Before the appropriation of this church archbishop Sudbury had in 1330, endowed a vicarage here, which with the chapel of Challock, is valued in the king's books at 9l. 3s. 9d. and the yearly tenths at 18s. 4¼d. It is exempt from the jurisdiction of the archdeacon.
¶In 1640 here were communicants two hundred and forty-three, and it was then valued at fifty pounds. In 1649 the parsonage was valued at one hundred and twenty pounds per annum.
There is a pension of ten pounds to the vicar yearly paid out of the parsonage.
Showroom
Crta. Santiago-Pontevedra a 9 Km. de Santiago de Compostela en dirección a Pontevedra. 15.866 Ameneiro-Teo (La Coruña) España.
Showroom
Crta. Santiago-Pontevedra a 9 Km. de Santiago de Compostela en dirección a Pontevedra. 15.866 Ameneiro-Teo (La Coruña) España.
Showroom
Crta. Santiago-Pontevedra a 9 Km. de Santiago de Compostela en dirección a Pontevedra. 15.866 Ameneiro-Teo (La Coruña) España.
"You're way off base I won't say it
Get off my case I won't say it
(Girl don't be proud it's okay you're in love)
At least out loud I won't say I'm in love"
I think by now, it's probably painfully obvious that this is the doll from 2019 that I wanted the most. I have a lot of favorites across every imaginable category of Disney characters... Favorite Princess: Snow White, Favorite Prince: Prince Philip, Favorite Villain: Cruella de Vil, Favorite Cat: Dinah... Well, Megara has been my favorite Disney Character since Hercules was released in 1997. Merchandise for her comes once in a blue moon (usually pins), and if you ever find her in any of the Disney Parks to meet, you've just won the jackpot. So when the roster for the Designer Midnight Masquerade was revealed, you all know that I was over the moon with joy (though also disappointed that she was the second to the last to be released). Personal bias aside, Megara is definitely one of the best of this collection, and easily one of the best Designers that DS has produced. The stock photos do not do justice to the actual doll, as many of the textural details got washed out.
Megara has a new, unique sculpt, and she looks very pretty, but it's actually not completely perfect (I'll cover this at the end). Her expression is spot-on, as her beautiful side-glancing purple eyes have her iconic knowing cat eye shape, her sardonic smile exposes her crafty wit, and her angular eyebrows are exactly as they should be. I love the chosen shades of purples for her eye shadow and raspberry lip color. She has rooted eyelashes that do have extra long lashes at the outer corners (reminiscent of the antennae eyelashes of most of the 2011 Designers, but these are somewhat more tame). The only change I would have made would have been the rounded shape of her eye shadow. In the film, Megara has very angular upper eyelids, so it would have been nice if they had kept that. This is a relatively minor thing, and most people would not even notice, and the current look is still quite pleasing to the eye.
Her hair is a very rich dark auburn color. In general, I think DS did a decent attempt to try to imitate her rather inhuman bangs, but in reality there is no way that anyone can recreate the way Megara's bangs sweep forward in front of her face and magically switch sides (the way Mickey Mouse's ears are always in the same position regardless of if he is looking to the left or the right). So, DS gave her a sweeping swoop of bangs with a couple of shorter curls at the origin of the swoop. She has two sideburns ringlets. Her iconic ponytail is pulled up high at the crown of her head. They did not give her a bronze band to secure her ponytail, but instead used more hair wrapped around the base of the ponytail to provide the necessary height. Her ponytail is long, falling past her hips in loose waves with sculptured curls at the ends. DS has never been able to recreate the rounded curls that Aurora and Megara have, so this is the best we're going to get. They did give her a gold colored (metal!) laurel leaf headband.
Megara's mask is nice, but probably one of the plainest in the doll collection. The design contains many beautiful features that get lost in the monochromatic gold tone plastic: her swirling brooch design, the feathers, the laurel leaves, the Greek key design... the details all sort of merge together. There are five tanzanite-lavender colored gems set into the mask, which also get lost in all of that gold. There are no ribbons with her mask, nor is there the sculpted loop in the back for one to add their own ribbons if one so chose. Boo!
As I mentioned, her gown is a lot more impressive in person than in the stock photos. They used satins, organza, and chiffon, all of which create an air of lightness to the gown. The base of her bodice is a deep royal purple satin with gold embroidery along the sweetheart neckline. Over that, and starting at her right shoulder, is a lovely light purple himation (most people would call it a toga, but that is so wrong on so many levels) that drapes across her torso to her left at the waist and then back to the right in rounded draped folds. The himation has a deep royal purple edge that is finished off with a broad gold trim. A pleated deep royal purple sash encircles her waist as a belt. Her skirt is what surprised me the most when I finally got to see her up close. Instead of what appeared to be a somewhat flat plain satin cone-shaped skirt, it is actually a lot more flowy in person. The underskirt is a light purple satin, and the top layer is a lavender organza with a blue illusion effect! That surprised me (and also infuriates me that they could have used a similar fabric for Aurora, but a blue fabric with a pink illusion effect). It definitely adds visual interest, in addition to the gold printed designs, gold gem accents, and gold trim border at the hemline (all of which are present throughout the entire circumference of her skirt). It's pretty, but I do question the choice to pick the blue illusion effect to go with her purples. Blue is not one of Megara's colors. Are they perhaps referencing when her soul was in the Underworld? We'll never know. At her right shoulder is a gold colored (metal!) pauldron with thin looped gold chains. Because of the angle that she is positioned in the box, I can't tell what the design is supposed to be (Acanthus leaves? Feathers?). It's an odd choice, as it looks like she's trying to channel her inner Athena or something, but it works. From the left edge of her bodice, a pleated vibrant royal purple sash flows around her left arm, around to the back (presumably to the gold pauldron) and then flows gracefully to the ground around her. Dramatic!
Her remaining accessories are four separate gold bangles around her left wrist and a pair of gold high heeled shoes that have a lace up feature with gold ribbons. I get what they were going for (re: Megara's sandals), and I appreciate the clever design of the shoes to include eyelets for the ribbons. The ribbons look cheap, however, and the end result looks like ballet slippers. They should have used gold colored silk cording. Also, I personally would not have given her gold shoes, but I do understand what they were going for.
So, is she worth the self-inflicted anxiety I put upon myself? Was she worth getting up to the San Francisco DS before 7 AM? Is she a fabulous Designer doll? YES, YES, and YES! I will be deboxing one when I get my online order in... Stay tuned!
***As promised: why don't I think that her sculpt is 100% perfect. From the front and even a 3/4 view, everything looks perfect. Where I noticed things were not right was when I took photos of her profile. Her forehead is rather flat with a very long minimally sloped nose bridge, and then the spacing of her nose-to-mouth-to-chin is very compact. This is VERY Anna & Elsa from Frozen or Disney's Fairies instead of Megara. I reviewed screencaps of Megara's profile and the 1997 Mattel doll is actually a more accurate sculpt in terms of her facial proportions. The one area where the Mattel doll needs help is in the way the eyes are painted, but otherwise it is a superior sculpt. Designer Megara's sculpt would actually be PERFECT for a Designer Vidia doll.