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Coachwork by Lynx engineering
67 ex.
'On the road there was nothing untoward about the Eventer's behaviour, no unwanted wind noise and no diminution of the XJ-S's unquestionable performance. Unlike so many estate car conversions over the years, the Eventer looks as though it has been conceived as a single, unified design, not as an afterthought...' – Motor Sport.
Conceived as a luxurious and long-legged Grand Routier, the XJ-S, though by no means a small car, afforded precious little in terms of interior space: two adults and an overnight bag being about the limit if its comfortable capacity. In the absence of a factory 'estate' it was left to the Hastings-based engineering company and coachbuilder Lynx to exploit the model's full potential. Renowned for their re-creations of the C- and D-Type Jaguar sports-racers, Lynx had every reason to be confident that such a market existed, given the success of the 'sports estate' concept in the form of the Reliant Scimitar GTE and Lancia Beta HPE. Each Eventer would be hand built to individual customer order.
In reconfiguring the XJ-S, Lynx extended the roof, moved the rear seats back, repositioned the fuel tank, and added a tailgate, thus providing increased passenger leg room and an impressive claimed 23.75cu ft of load space with the seats up, almost 42cu ft with them folded flat. Lynx's modifications not only addressed the issue of the XJ-S's cramped rear seating, but also greatly improved the standard car's poor rearward visibility. Lynx's conversion added £6,950+VAT to the £21,000 list price, making Eventer ownership the privilege of a wealthy few. Even today there are few cars that combine near-silent 155mph performance with the luggage capacity of a family estate.
Number '20' of the estimated 67 Eventers produced, this V12-engined example was first registered 'A6 BEB' and owned originally by a Mr David Barnes of Kent, who kept it until 2009 when the car was sold to the immediately preceding owner. At time of acquisition the recorded mileage total was 60,392, to which the last owner added a further 11,500-or-so over the course of the next six years, making the total 72,000 miles. Never accident damaged, the car has been restored twice, in 1999 and again in 2010, the exterior colour being changed from brown to black at the latter date. Every Eventer is different, and this one comes with a copy of the full factory file, including all production details and correspondence with the client, as well as copy of the original invoices for the estate conversion.
The car has recently been converted from right to left-hand drive using a correct period donor car by CKL Developments of Battle, East Sussex, whose founder and Technical Director, Chris Keith-Lucas, was co-founder and Managing Director at Lynx. CKL have also carried out extensive remedial works; areas receiving attention included the rear suspension, rear brakes, fuel injectors, and exhaust system, the latter being replaced in its entirety. CKL's detailed invoice for £14,191 (approximately €16,740) is on file. 'The perfect blend of pace with space', the car also comes with sundry bills relating to the 1990s restoration; Belgian registration papers; original Jaguar manuals; and an old-style UK logbook and V5 registration document. The perfect car for a picnic at the Chantilly Concours d'Elégance!
The Chantilly Sale
Bonhams
Sold for € 70.150
Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille
Château de Chantilly
Chantilly
France - Frankrijk
September 2016
Spotting another Snowy Owl flying nearby this snowy lets out a loud screech. I believe they are quite territorial. Late day sunshine.
Thank you for viewing.
Sometimes called Grasstree flies. It was good to see the behaviour of these flies on the flower spikes. The flowers had not opened but the flies appeared to be laying their eggs on the stem and in the flower spike itself.
Many weevils have been visiting the stems of the flower spikes and drilling for food. The grasstree responds by producing a sap. I observed these flies and ants eating the sap.
Ovipositor extended and presuming laying eggs.
Photo: Jean
Previously: www.flickr.com/photos/jean_hort/5750003244/
During a recent visit to Lake Panic in the Kruger National Park we noticed a Goliath Heron Ardea goliath and a Grey Heron Ardea cinerea nesting together. The Goliath Heron would fly down from the nest to collect twigs which were then presented to the Grey Heron. They exhibited what would seem courtship behaviour and the Goliath Heron also got on top of the Grey Heron as if to mate. They repeated this behaviour over a number of days.
Comment from bird behaviourists would be appreciated as we think this is unusual behaviour.
E: Nov 14, 2009 #401
Their behaviour has changed this morning. Her wings are spread over the nest and she keeps making very faint "mewing" sounds. Clyde too is standing guard, not moving far away. Hopefully I will have good news tomorrow morning.
I revisited this wonderful building Sunday 19th May 2019, I pass it every day, it always looks resplendent and dominating, it's history intrigues me, unfortunately vandals have also visited and created some damage, their behaviour boils my blood .
Relocated a short distance from Old Aberdeen and Aberdeen University, due to retailers Marks And Spencer's building a new store at its original location, happily the company funded the relocation and it was re-built brick by brick.
History - Benholm's Lodge
Benholm's Lodge, which is also known as Wallace Tower, was built between 1610 and 1616 by Sir Robert Keith. He was a younger brother of George Keith, Earl Marischal and pressured his elder sibling to grant him land and property. Robert seized Ackergill Castle and this seemingly prompted the Earl to relent and grant him the Barony of Benholm.
To mark his new found status, Robert changed his surname to Benholm and built a new lodge to serve as his family seat. Despite its current position, the tower was originally located just outside of Aberdeen Town Walls adjacent to Netherkirkgate (near the intersection between Union Street and Market Street).
The castle took the form of a three storey (plus attic) Z-plan Tower House. It was constructed from rubble with some ashlar dressing and the whole structure was originally harled.
The main block was a rectangular structure with storage at ground level, a hall on the first floor and accommodation above. A circular stair tower provided access to all floors.
Sir Robert Benholm died in 1616 and the tower reverted to the Earl Marischal. He had little use for it so converted it into the residence for the Principal of new Marischal College. It later passed into the hands of William Hay and thereafter was owned by various city merchants. The structure was expanded circa-1789 when a new wing was added.
It remained a residence into the nineteenth century although the ground floor was converted into a Public House. In 1918 it was taken-over by the city council and thereafter was neglected. Between 1963 and 1971, the tower was dismantled brick-by-brick and relocated to Tillydrone, some 1.5 miles north of its original site.
Site Name Aberdeen, Benholm's Lodge
Classification Public House (20th Century), Tower House (17th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Old Aberdeen; Wallace Tower; Benholm's Lodging; Netherkirkgate; Wallace Neuk; Wallace Nook; Putachieside
BENHOLM’S TOWER, in the Nether Kirkgate of Aberdeen, was a unique building in the evolution of Scots medieval architecture for the reason that, despite unfortunate 19th-century alterations and subsequent neglect, it is the only example of a ‘toun ludging’ planned on the 3-stepped or Z-plan shape so much favoured by the fortress home and castle-builders of NE. Scotland from about 1560 on.
Generations of Aberdonians have named the house as the ‘Wallace Tower’ – evidently not a reference to the Scottish Patriot, but perhaps a corruption of the name Well-house (local pronunciation would be ‘Wall-hoose’) – from the pyramid Cistern ‘Wallie’ which formerly stood at the head of Carnegie’s Brae. The house was built by Sir Robert Keith of Benholm, probably after 1610 and certainly prior to 1616 when Sir Robert’s death is recorded. He was the brother of George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal – founder of Marischal College in 1593 – and the nephew of Robert Keith, Commendator of Deer, who in 1587 was designated Lord Altrie being that same year confirmed by charter in the lands and Barony of Benholm, a property in the Mearns he had acquired by marriage to Elizabeth Lundie, heiress of the ancient family of Lundie of Benholm.
During the last half of the 16th century the Keith family as Catholics had gained immense possessions up and down Scotland from what had been church property, and the Marischal’s brother Robert obviously intended to share in the family spoils. Benholm was knighted before 1612, and by 1613, in addition to his Mearns estate, he was in possession of several tenements and lands in and around Aberdeen, including Seaton (the Bishop’s Ward in pre-Reformation times) and properties in the Upper and Nether Kirkgates. Sir Robert had Benholm’s Tower built in what had been virtually open country in the early 17th century. The Z-plan Fortress house he erected for his Toun Ludging was a building capable of defence, for it is actually sited just outside the medieval burgh boundary, some 20 yds. West of the old Nether Kirkgate Port. Of the 2 round towers, one commanded the street leading to the Mither Kirk and the steep inclined city entrance (Carnegie’s Brae is now the only medieval cobbled street in Aberdeen) leading to the Green and the harbour quay, and the other tower overlooked the courtyard and gardens sloping to the bed of the old Loch outflow the Putachie Burn. The Knight of Benholm‘s town house, befitting his early violent life, had in the 17th century appeared a veritable Laird’s Castle.
The earliest record of Benholm’s Tower occurs in 1616, the year of Sir Robert’s death, when the property is described as a new house with its garden in the Nether Kirkgate outside the Port.
The original tower-house, with its central oblong block and diagonally-opposite round towers at NE. and SW. corners, has been subjected to inevitable alterations externally and internally over its long history of almost 350 years. But the basic plan remains: the central block is about 34 ft. long by 20 ft. 6 in. wide over walls generally 2 ft. 6 in. thick. The Court round tower is about 13 ft. 6 in. in diameter over a wall thickness of 27 in. The Street Tower is smaller – about 11 ft. in diameter, the wall varying from 15-18 in. thick. The lowest storey of the house, now the basement forming the cellar of the licensed premises, was in the 17th century the ground floor. The walled courtyard or court (now partly built over by the south wing added about 1785 was entered by a gateway – of which the chamfered jamb stones remain. From Carnegie’s Brae, and westwards, where the flagstoned Tower Court is now enclosed by high buildings on 3 sides, lay the Laird of Benholm’s garden. Where the court round tower forms an angle with the main block is the main entrance door, long locked up, but the fine roll-moulded jambs and lintel are still almost complete. Within the door on the left, the toothings of the original stone steps in the wall indicate the position of the original circular stair. In the south wall of the central block are the cheeks of the original cellar door flanked by 2 windows, now built up – the chamfered jambs of the east-most window have been re-used in the later slapping at the corner of the cellar.
The north wall has 2 narrow window slits: these are interesting as indicating that the street level of the Nether Kirkgate is now much higher than in the 17th century: the re-levelling took place following the formation of St Nicholas Street (1805) when the hollow of the Putachie Burn was filled up.
Of the 3 openings on the east wall, the central one is a door of later date, the other 2 being originally window positions.
The lowering of the level of the ground floor joists in more recent times and the consequent dropping of the earth floor of the cellar explains the exposure of the ‘foonds’ or stone footings on north and south walls, and the original window soffit heights.
From basement level there is no access to the street tower.
Above ground floor level in the Court stair tower, the late 19th century wooden stair now gives access from the Nether Kirkgate to the upper floors of the house. Of the windows lighting the original stone stair, the lowest remains, with indications of the chamfered sandstone jambs of the 2 upper windows underneath the present openings. Projecting from one side of the old middle window was the square bracket for the gas lamp which, from the mid-19th century had given light to the Tower Court and to the pend leading from Carnegie’s Brae. When the ground floor was drastically altered some 60 years ago, the ceiling was heightened, the upper south wall of the main block was carried on a beam and the whole floor (including the lobby access to the stair) was laid out on one level to form the public house.
These alterations removed visible traces of what had been the hall (and possibly kitchen) of the tower house, and of the wide arched fireplace which probably occupied the west wall. In the main house the upper floors show alterations of the late 18th century, contemporary with the south wing added during John Niven‘s ownership (c.1789),
The central stair had led up from a door from Netherkirkgate, but the lower flight was removed during the ground floor alterations.
The 2 chambers at 1st floor – on either side of this central stair – have wall panelling to dado height, the doors have characteristic 18th-century details, and the ceilings have heavy plasterwork.
The house was occupied by Dr Patrick Dun, (1581-1652) appointed Principal of Marischal College in 1621; Dun was head of the medical faculty. Following Dun’s death about 1652,
Benholm’s Tower was acquired by William Hay of Balbithan and thereafter it belonged successively to Andrew Logic, William Wemyss and to James Abernethie, merchant. After the latter’s death in 1768, the tenement of land called ‘Wallace Neuk‘ and close was disposed to John Niven, a snuff and tobacco merchant.
By 1789, Niven had ‘lately erected’ the wing fronting Carnegie’s Brae, thus building over the old courtyard, and in that year the property passed to James Coutts.
Subsequent owners were John Donald Taylor from 1851-78, thence to his heirs until 1895, when James Pirie, Spirit Dealer of 59 Nether Kirkgate, h. 6 Forbesfield Rd acquired the property – at this time the basement and ground floor were converted into licensed premises.
Standing 27 ft. high from street to eaves, the tower has the subtle batter which is a characteristic of Scots military architecture, while the roof has a definite bell-cast lip round the eaves.
The original lead gutters were still in position at the wallhead of both circular towers.
The small turret projects out on 4 corbel courses resting on a carved spurstone terminating the roll-moulded stringcourse which encircles the tower at first floor level: linked to this by a similar surrounding moulding, smaller in scale, is the recess with the statue on the NE. face of the tower .
The recess is 5 ft. 7 in. high by 2 ft. 11 in. wide by 15 in. deep at the top. The stones forming cheeks and lintels are tied in to the tower walls and have every appearance of being original work.
The statement, attributed to Andrew Jervise, that the figure itself was taken from a tomb in St Nicholas kirkyard and set up in the recess by John Niven, may explain this extremely interesting piece of sculpture.
However, despite the accumulation of paint and patching on the statue, close inspection reveals that the dress and armour are contemporary with that of the first decade of the 17th century: the theory cannot be dismissed that here we have a portrait in sculpture of the founder of the building, Sir Robert Keith of Benholm. Also at 1st floor level, and facing west along Nether Kirkgate, is an armorial panel displaying two coats-of-arms.
The upper shield (there are no supporters or crest) is now indecipherable but there is the possibility that it bore the cross of St John below the simple motto ‘Pro Fide’: the Knights of St John, although disbanded at the Reformation, retained the superiority of several properties in Aberdeen.
The larger part of the heraldic panel has the shield of the Keiths – argent, on a chief paly of 6, or and gules with crest and supporting stags, all under the motto ‘Veritas Vincit’ (Truth Conquers).
The whole panel is completely overpainted and requires expert cleaning. Of the weapon-holes which must originally have defended the tower-house, only one is now visible – a fine example of a gunport of the quatrefoil type.
Thanks to the magnificent Wikipedia and Doric Columns for the history facts on this great building .
Back in January, I wrote that I was a little worried that Barney was going senile because his behaviour was getting odd & he was constantly refusing walks, then being restless at night. I am pleased to say that I think, at least for the most part, he just *really* doesn't like winter! He is terrified by gunshot & we live surrounded by farmland, so there are pheasant shoots going on all around us during the winter months, plus, his arthritis is made much worse by the cold & damp, so it's fair enough the season isn't Barney's favourite. I think by January, he'd just had enough! Anyway with the return of spring, Barney's usual sunny personality & bounciness has also returned :)
It is so hard watching beloved pets get older. This month has been tough. Barney's little feline friend, Elsie, who has been with me since I was 18, in 2007 (a year before I got Barney) went to the vet a couple of weeks ago because she'd lost her appetite. She seemed otherwise ok & I was hoping her problem would be something minor... sadly, we got told a few days later she has lung cancer. Primary lung tumours are incredibly rare in cats & the diagnosis came as a complete shock. We've spent the last fortnight desperately looking for a way to help her but sadly, a CT scan on Thurs, showed Elsie's cancer is inoperable & it wouldn't respond well to chemo. My only comfort is that she doesn't know what is wrong. Elsie's breathing is a little laboured, she sleeps a lot & has to be fed in many small meals a day but she seems fairly happy in herself. I've been taking her in the garden on a lead & Elsie rolls around in the grass, watches butterflies & soaks up the sunshine... she is enjoying lots of cuddles & is still bossing her canine "brother" Barney around like normal - he got smacked in the face for committing some minor infraction the other day! We've got some drugs to keep her comfortable & treasuring every day we have together...
A common red soldier beetle (a vegetarian as far as I'm aware) trying to pull apart a mating pair of dock bugs in New Ferry Butterfly Park.
I'm always fascinated by observing human behaviour, particularly how it varies across cultures. It struck me that certain postures are more prevalent in specific regions. For instance, squatting is a common resting position in many parts of Asia and Africa. Yet, it's far less common in Europe, where people typically sit on chairs, and many struggle to even get into a squat.
Interestingly, I've identified another global posture that transcends cultural boundaries: the phone hunch. No matter where you go, you'll see people hunched over their smartphones, engrossed in the digital world. This modern posture is a testament to our universal connection to technology, yet it also serves as a reminder of the physical impact our digital habits have on our bodies.
courtship behaviour (the female is in the front - yellow eyes)
parade nuptiale (la femelle est devant - yeux jaunes)
Kruger National Park, South Africa
July-August 2019
Parc National Kruger, Afrique du Sud
juillet-août 2019
He's going to be the spokesperson for my contest :P. I wanted to get a good image for a banner or a layout, but I think I have to keep on trying.
What drives me nuts is his blushing..the coverage didn't turn out that great, so I think I'm going to try to add some more layers on. If it gets ruined, I'll just redo him completely ^^;.
Unfortunately because of anti-social behaviour I decided that it was best to move on so I did not get the opportunity to explore this park which was a pity.
The park has many fine mature trees, beautiful flowers, horticultural displays and grassland areas.
In June 1866, Belfast Corporation (now Belfast City Council) purchased 101 acres of land on Falls Road from the Sinclair family. Some of the land was set aside for the building of Belfast City Cemetery, but the rest was earmarked for a new park.
However, because the land initially fell outside the Belfast city boundary, the area was not considered a public park until the Public Parks (Ireland) Act was passed in 1869.
The area, now known as Falls Park, was eventually established in 1873.
In 1924, an outdoor swimming pool, known locally as ‘the Cooler’, was added to the park. It cost £3,000 to build and was fed by the Ballymurphy Stream, which still flows through the area today. The pool closed in 1979 for public health reasons.
Cock Pheasants squaring up to each other although this encounter ended peacefully with just a bit of posturing before one decided to walk away.
Okay I found the Birdie Porn shot-of course mating isn't bad-but this interspecies thing just ain't right!
Happy Birds Behaving Badly Feathery Friday
Photo by my daughter :)