Ken swears that he is a romance novel cover model and not a surfer dude. But either way he is convinced that his hair is fuller and more manageable than Barbie's.

The Bureau of Land Management manages 517 wilderness study areas containing about 12.6 million acres located in the Western States and Alaska. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 directed the Bureau to inventory and study its roadless areas for wilderness characteristics. To be designated as a Wilderness Study Area, an area had to have the following characteristics:

Size - roadless areas of at least 5,000 acres of public lands or of a manageable size;

Naturalness - generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature;

Opportunities - provides outstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfined types of recreation.

In addition, Wilderness Study Areas often have special qualities such as ecological, geological, educational, historical, scientific and scenic values.

The congressionally directed inventory and study of BLM's roadless areas received extensive public input and participation. By November 1980, the BLM had completed field inventories and designated about 25 million acres of wilderness study areas. Since 1980, Congress has reviewed some of these areas and has designated some as wilderness and released others for non-wilderness uses. Until Congress makes a final determination on a wilderness study area, the BLM manages these areas to preserve their suitability for designation as wilderness.

In Oregon/Washington there are 83 wilderness study areas comprising 2,642,289 acres. These 83 wilderness study areas are primarily located in southeast Oregon in the Prineville, Lakeview, Burns and Vale Districts.

To learn more about wilderness study areas head on over to: www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/oregon-w...

BOX DATE: None

APPROXIMATE RELEASE DATE: 2007

MANUFACTURER: M.G.A.

DOLLS IN LINE: Cloe; Yasmin; Sasha; Meygan

BODY TYPE: 2001; pink painted lace panties; bend & snap legs

HEAD MOLD: 2001; closed lips; pierced ears

PERSONAL FUN FACT: This adorable Cloe doll is quite the knockout. I was over the moon when I found her at my local flea market, still boxed in 2017. Finding a Bratz doll, especially one still sealed in her packaging, is like winning the lottery. Colleen and I seemed to be having an unlucky day at our local flea market, when I spotted some Ever After High and Barbie dolls still boxed on a table. This seller usually has brand new dolls that are still in stores, or freshly out of stores. So originally, I wasn't going to bother going over to investigate. But then I spotted a Cerise Hood doll who caught my eye, so I went over to see how much she cost. While Cerise's $9 price tag didn't impress me (since I see her on clearance at stores for the same price regularly), Cloe's presence excited me. She was standing up behind the other boxes in all her bratty glory. I love this Birthday line in particular because the dolls have such sweet, serene faces. I also have Meygan, who I rescued from Savers years ago. She too has a wide eyed, cherubic expression. I think Cloe might be even more stunning than Meygan, which is saying something. Plus I like how Cloe's hair is a bit shorter and more manageable. Speaking of that hair, Cloe's hair was loaded with oodles of gel that made her locks crusty and hard. She reminded me of an over gelled 2015 Bratz doll, so I was concerned how her hair would clean up. But luckily for me, all the product came out without a fight, and now her mane is buttery soft and super shiny. This Cloe doll is one of a kind, and I love how angelic she looks wearing this baby blue ensemble. In case you are wondering her "crown" is actually the necklace "for you" that came with her, that I altered to become a hair accessory (why not-- it's not like I was going to use it for myself).

Botanical Garden

To my best estimate this garden is between 25 and 30 acres in size. Small by most standards. It is very manageable and can be viewed in about 90 minutes, perhaps more if plants are in bloom. It has just enough of a formal and informal touch combined with some nice specimen plantings.

Jersey Shore Fightin’ Texas Aggie Ring told me, “Well, an Aggie Ring’s gotta do what an Aggie Ring’s gotta do and today is the day this Aggie Ring is going to make kolaches.”

Aggie Ring started out by taking 1/2 cup of the beer yeast that the brewer at Jughandle brewery gave him and diluted it with 1/2 cup of tap water. Then he added a tablespoon or so of sugar and allowed the yeas to “bloom” for about 15 minutes.

When the yeast was ready, Aggie Ring added it to about 8 cups of flour, some melted butter, salt, and a bit more sugar and mixed it all together with the stand mixer and bread hook until it was all nicely combined. Aggie Ring prefers a dough that’s a bit on the sticky side as he can always add more flour later on. He can’t add water to dry dough as easily. Aggie Ring’s dough turns out differently every time because sometimes he replaces half of the water with beer, or milk, or buttermilk. He usually throws in a tablespoon of white vinegar because he likes the “bite” the vinegar gives to the dough.

Aggie Ring greased a big bowl and put the dough in it to rise for an hour or so while he went upstairs to read his bible. When Aggie Ring came downstairs about 90 minutes later, he observed that the beer yeast had worked too well and the dough had risen far above the lip of the bowl. “Don’t you worry.” Aggie Ring told me. “I’m going to “beat the hell” outta the dough and get it down to a manageable size.” Aggie Ring proceeded to “beat the hell” outta the dough until it was down close to its original volume and put it aside for around 45 minutes for its second rise.

In the meantime, Aggie Ring pulled fresh kielbasa sausage out of the refrigerator and cut it into chunks. Aggie Ring then gently used a knife to slice open the casing on each piece of sausage which he then removed. “Yes,” says Aggie Ring. “I know the casing is edible, but no one should have to bite into casing when they’re eating this Texas Aggie Ring’s kolaches.” Aggie Ring sliced up a couple of blocks of several kinds of cheese he had bought the day before.

When the dough had finished its second rise, Aggie Ring pulled off a softball sized chunk and rolled it out on a floured prepared surface. Although Aggie Ring normally uses jalapeños for spice along with the kielbasa and pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese, he decided to do something “wild and crazy” today. (You see, Aggie Rings, unbeknownst to even most Aggies can be ordered in two models, the “wild and crazy” model that is likely to do the unlikely when least expected an then there is the “ordinary safe” Aggie Ring model many of which never move out of Texas and see the world.)

Where was I? Oh yes… Aggie Ring let the dough “rest” for a few minutes before cutting it so the glutens could stretch out and it wouldn’t snap back to a smaller shape when cut. So, just because Jersey Shore Fightin’ Texas Aggie Ring is “wild and crazy,” instead of jalapeño slices, he took a can of extremely hot Hungarian paprika and sprinkled it over the rolled out dough. Then he took a piece of cheese and uncased kielbasa and put it on the dough where he cut out enough of it to hand form a kolache. Once Aggie Ring had filled up a baking sheet with them, he gave each of the kolaches a good brushing with an egg/buttermilk wash and sprinkled sesame seeds over them. And, because Jersey Shore Aggie Ring is “wild and crazy,” he sprinkled even more hot paprika on top.

After they came out of the oven and cooled, Aggie Ring tried a couple with some sriracha sauce on the side because, as he says, “That’s the way this Jersey Shore Aggie Ring rolls.” Then, Aggie Ring directed me, “Drive down the street and grab us a case of that Shiner Bock.”

#AggieRing #TexasAggie

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The 90-Second Fitness Solution vook is a revolutionary new way to experience the powerful strength-training plan of Pete Cerqua.

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The power of this remarkable program is its simplicity. You can exercise at home without changing into workout clothes. You eat well without counting calories or carbs, and you don’t even need a complicated grocery list. You won’t have to spend a fortune on equipment, gym memberships, supplements, or meal replacement products either!

Pete has created a truly manageable program for the busiest of women. The results are dramatic and all the more satisfying because they last. Skeptical? Many of Pete’s clients were too. Then they tried it; and their bodies got tighter and smaller. Their bones got stronger. They slept more deeply, handled stress better, and felt better than they had in years. So good in fact that they told fifty of their friends about Pete. He made believers out of them, and he’ll make one out of you, too.

The videos integrated in with Pete’s simple exercises, makes it feel like you have a personal trainer walking you through your workout. It’s the best of an exercise guide paired with the best of an exercise video — blended to create a uniquely satisfying (and doable!) plan to shape up.

Photo caption: Freshmen Ingrid Findlay and Hannah Lemel observe sophomore Aaron Neumann collect honeybees from a local hive. The team worked this year to assess the health of Transylvania County beehives.

The TIME Honors Science Research Course is an intensive, inquiry-based school-day course. Students learn about the process of science as they conduct original scientific research into topics of their own choosing. They are supported by both teacher and scientist mentors as they choose a topic of interest, develop a testable question, design a procedure, collect and analyze data and present their findings.

All Transylvania County Schools high school students (rising 9-12 graders) are eligible to apply for the course. Participants will be chosen through an application process that began in January of 2015, with application deadlines beginning Jan. 30. Course enrollment will be limited. Students will be chosen by an independent selection committee based on their demonstrated interest in science, potential for success in scientific research, and commitment to all components of the course.

Students chosen in 2015 will attend a trip to observe state research competitions in March and a summer field study week prior to the course. The school-day portion of the course will be held during the fall of 2015 in Brevard High School's Science Research Laboratory. Students will enter their work in one or more science competitions during the winter of 2016.

Why apply for the TIME Honors Science Research Course? Students benefit from doing research projects because they see how science applies to their own lives and community. They learn more about the process of science and what scientists do as they act as co-learners with teachers, scientists and other students. They discover new careers in science. While conducting research projects, students develop independence-no one is telling them exactly what to do or how to do it. They learn how to break down a complex, long-term project into manageable pieces, develop a plan of action, and follow it through. As they conclude their projects, students learn how to communicate their results clearly and persuasively to a variety of audiences as they contribute to the bank of scientific knowledge with their findings.

Students who have conducted long-term research projects are more competitive as they apply for college and scholarships. Top colleges want students who can write as well as possess analytical skills, creativity and a multidisciplinary perspective. Most of all they want people with a capacity for continuous innovation. These are skills gained from conducting original research. Doing a science project and participating in a competition can give students the opportunity to meet and spend time with others from around the world who have similar interests while competing for significant scholarships, travel, monetary awards and other prizes.

Current TIME students have recently completed the following research projects: Testing for the presence of estrogen-like compounds In Stevia rebaudiana (Cameron McCathern, Erin Smith and Sam Farrar); Electroantennogram response of Megacopta cribraria to chemical components in its defensive secretion (Abby Williams and Carly Onnink); Evaluation of honeybee health in Transylvania County: An assessment of Varroa destructor and Nosema levels (Ingrid Findlay, Aaron Neumann, and Hannah Lemel); Isolation, identification and screening of local wood rot fungi for the production of lignin-degrading enzymes (Hannah Field and Ryan Holland); Agrobacterium-mediated stable transformation of Coleus X hybridus plants using the floral dip method and B-glucuronidase (GUS) gene as a reporter system (Carver Nichols); Adapting the LAMP assay and culturing methods for hops downy mildew, Pseudoronospora humuli (Sam Lemel and Bryce Spradlin); The effect of antibiotics on the mortality of the hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae (Allison Reece and Lauren DuBreuil); Evaluation of VOC producing Diaporthe species for enzyme production (Joe Roberts, Lauren Tooley and Eliza Witherspoon); Identifica-tion and heavy metal remediation potential of fungi isolated from Duke Energy's 1964 Asheville coal ash pond (Ryulee Park and Aidan Spradlin); and studies on the walnut twig beetle (Pityophthorus juglandis) and its association with Geosmithia morbida (Crista Cali and Sarah Branagan).

Current TIME students would like to thank all who have helped with their research during the year including students, teachers, administration, parents and numerous scientists and community volunteers. Thanks go to 2014 TIME volunteers: Ken Chepenik, Don Wauchope, Paul Sisco, Jeanine Davis, Kelly Gaskill, Laurie Moorhead, Chuck McGrady, Page Lemel, Craig DeBrew, Ervin Kovacs, Chris Cali, Pat Montgomery, Tammy Bellefeuil, Adam DeWitt, Brian Heath, Amy Kinsella, Kelly Oten, Bryan Dubois, David Williams, Cindy Carpenter, Lisa Smith, Eric Caldwell, Jay Case, Andy VonCanon, Dan Harris, Danny Fender, Paul Sisco, Scott Pryor, Rene Timmons, Nancy Knights, Sheila and Marvin Holland, George Logsdon, Ed Burdette, Mary Ann Mickewitz, Crawford and Jeanette Lowe, Allen Frost, Ora Wells, Randy Oliver, Coby Schal, Bart Renner, Harriett Walls, Kaitlin McCreery, Gordon Riedesel, Summer Cortinas, Bruce Roberts, Roger Frisbee and Wes Freund. Special thanks go to Dr. Kent Wilcox and Mary Arnaudin, without whose help, guidance, and actions the class could not have been possible!

Funds for the TIME Science Research Course are provided in part by a grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund in addition to support from Transylvania County Schools and NC Cooperative Extension. Special thanks go to a growing group of community donors: the American Association of University Women, Pisgah Forest Rotary Club, PharmAgra, The Robertson Foundation, Merrill Well and Pump Company, Environmental Quality Institute, Roger Frisbee, June Litchfield, Peter Chaveas, Steve and Mary Beth Whitmire, Newell and Mary Witherspoon, Ed Buckbee, Kristine and John Candler, NC BioNetwork Labs, Kent Wilcox, Ken Chepenik, Ann Farash and Paul Onnink, Bee Cool Bee Supply and Pat Montgomery.

For more information, to apply for the research course, or to indicate an interest in volunteering or donating to the program, visit time4realscience.org.

© 2015, Transylvania County Schools. All rights reserved.

A long planned visit to Leeds to record the church.

Leeds is just off the M20, and nearby to Leeds Castle, which means the roads are often busy. St Nicholas is on the main road leading up the down, but before the road gets narrow as it winds between the timber framed houses. Thankfully there is good parking next door, so we were able to get off the main road and out of the traffic, as unbeknown to us, there was a classical music show on that night, and most of Kent were going and in the process of arriving.

St Nicholas is a grand church, the chancel and two side chapels are partially hidden behind a very fine Rood Screen, which at first didn't look original, but actually is.

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One of the largest twelfth-century towers in Kent. The arch between tower and nave is of three very plain orders with no hint of the usual zigzag moulding of the period, and is so large that a meeting room has recently been built into it. The nave has three bay aisles and short chapels to north and south of the chancel. The outstanding rood screen was partially reconstructed in 1892, and runs the full width of nave and aisles - with the staircase doorways in the south aisle. That the chancel was rebuilt in the sixteenth century may be seen by the plain sedilia through which is cut one of two hagioscopes from chapels to chancel. The north chapel contains some good seventeenth- and eighteenth-century tablets and monuments. The stained glass shows some excellent examples of the work of Heaton, Butler and Bayne (south aisle) whilst there is an uncharacteristically poor example of the work of C.E. Kempe & Co. Ltd. in the north aisle. The church has recently been reordered to provide a spacious, light and manageable interior with excellent lighting and a welcoming atmosphere without damaging the character of the building.

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Leeds

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LEEDS

IS the next parish southward from Hollingborne. Kilburne says, that one Ledian, a chief counsellor to king Ethelbert II. who began his reign in 978, raised a fortress here, which was called in Latin, from him, Ledani Castrum, and in process of time in English, LEEDS. This castle was afterwards demolished by the Danes, and continued in that situation till the time of the Norman conquest.

THE PRESENT CASTLE is situated at the southeast boundary of this parish, adjoining to Bromfield, which includes a part of the castle itself. It is situated in the midst of the park, an ample description of it the reader will find hereafter. The Lenham rivulet takes its course through the park, and having supplied the moat, in which the castle stands, and the several waters in the grounds there, and having received into it the several small streamlets from Hollingborne, and one from the opposite side, which comes from Leeds abbey, it flows on, and at a small distance from Caring street, in this parish, adjoining to Bersted, the principal estate of which name there belongs to the Drapers company, it turns a mill, and then goes on to Maidstone, where it joins the river Medway. The high road from Ashford and Lenham runs close by the outside of the pales of Leeds park, at the northern boundary of the parish next to Hollingborne, and thence goes on towards Bersted and Maidstone, from which the park is distant a little more than five miles; here the soil is a deep sand, but near the river it changes to a black moorish earth. Southward from the castle the ground rises, at about three quarters of a mile south-west from it is Leeds abbey, the front of which is a handsome well-looking building, of the time of queen Elizabeth. It is not unpleasantly situated on a gentle eminence, and is well watered by a small stream which rises just above it, and here turns a mill. It is well cloathed with wood at the back part of it, to which the ground still keeps rising; adjoining to the abbey grounds westward is Leeds-street, a long straggling row of houses, near a mile in length, having the church at the south end of it; here the soil becomes a red unfertile earth much mixed with slints, which continues till it joins to Langley and Otham.

LEEDS was part of those possessions given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother Odo, bishop of Baieux; accordingly it is thus entered, under the general title of that prelate's lands, in the survey of Domesday, taken in the year 1080.

Adelold holds of the bishop (of Baieux) Esiedes. It was taxed at three sulings. The arable land is twelve carucates. In demesne there are two carucates, and twenty-eight villeins, with eight borderers, having seven carucates. There is a church, and eighteen servants. There are two arpends of vineyard, and eight acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of twenty bogs, and five mills of the villeins. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, it was worth sixteen pounds, the like when be received it, now twenty pounds, and yet it pays twentyfive pounds. Earl Leuuin held it.

Of this manor the abbot of St. Augustine has half a suling, which is worth ten shillings, in exchange of the park of the bishop of Baieux. The earl of Ewe has four denns of this manor, which are worth twenty shillings.

The mention of the two arpends of vineyard in the above survey, is another instance of there having been such in this county in early times, some further observations of which the reader will find in the description of the parish of Chart Sutton, not far distant, and he will likewise observe, that at the above time the bishop of Baieux had a park here, which he acquired by exchange with the abbot of St. Augustine, who must therefore have had possessions here before that time.

On the bishop of Baieux's disgrace, about four years after the taking of the above-mentioned survey, this estate, among the rest of his possessions, became consiscated to the crown.

After which it was granted by king William to the eminent family of Crevequer, called in antient charters Creveceur, and in Latin, De Crepito Corde, who at first made Chatham in this county their seat, or caput baroniæ, i. e. the principal manor of their barony, for some time, until they removed hither, being before frequently written Domini de Cetham.

Robert, son of Hamon de Crevequer, who had probably a grant of Leeds from the Conqueror, appears to have held it of the king, as of his castle of Dover, in capite by barony, their barony, which consisted of five knight's sees, being stiled Baronia de Crevequer . (fn. 1) He erected the castle here, to which he asterwards removed the capital seat of his barony. This castle being environed with water, was frequently mentioned in antient writings by the name of Le Mote. In the north-west part of it he built a chapel, in which he placed three canons, which on his foundation of the priory of Leeds, in the 19th year of king Henry I. he removed thither.

His descendant, Hamon de Crevequer, lived in the reign of king Henry III. in the 19th year of which, he was joined with Walterand Teutonicus, or Teys, in the wardenship of the five ports, and the next year had possession granted to him of the lands of William de Albrincis or Averenches, whose daughter and heir Maud he had married. He died in the 47th year of king Henry III. possessed of the manor of Ledes, held of the king in capite, as belonging to his barony of Chatham; upon which Robert, his grandson, viz. son of Hamon his son, who died in his life-time, succeeded him as his heir, and in the 52d year of that reign, exchanged the manor of Ledes, with its appurtenances, together with a moiety of all his fees, with Roger de Leyburne, for the manors of Trottesclyve and Flete. He lest William de Leyburne, his son and heir, who in the 2d year of king Edward I. had possession granted to him of the manor of Ledes, as well as of the rest of his inheritance, of which Eleanor, countess of Winchester, his father's widow, was not endowed. (fn. 2)

His son, William de Leyborne, observing that the king looked on the strength of this fortress with a jealous eye, in the beginning of king Edward Ist.'s reign reinstated the crown in the possession of both the manor and castle; and the king having, in his 27th year married Margaret, sister of Philip, king of France, he settled them, being then of the clear yearly value of 21l. 6s. 8d. among other premises, as part of her dower. She survived the king her husband, who died in 1307, and in the 5th year of the next reign of king Edward II. by the king's recommendation, appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, a nobleman of great power and eminence, and much in that prince's favor, governor of this castle. (fn. 3) She died possessed of them in the 10th year of that reign; on which they came once more into the hands of the crown, and in the beginning of the next year the king appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, above-mentioned, governor of this castle, as well as of that of Bristol. In the 11th year of that reign, the king granted to him in see, this manor and castle, and the advowson of the priory of Ledes, in exchange for the manor of Addresley, in Shropshire. Being possessed of great possessions, especially in this county, he was usually stiled, the rich lord Badlesmere of Ledes. Being pussed up through ambition and his great wealth, he forgot his allegiance, and associated himself with the earl of Lancaster, and the discontented barons; which the king being well informed of, resolved, if possible, to gain possession of this strong fortress of Ledes: to effect which, under pretence of the queen's going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, she set forward for that city with a large train of attendants, and, with a secret intention of surprising this castle, sent her marshal with others of her servants, to prepare lodging for her and her suit in it. The lord Badlesmere's family, that is, his wife, son, and four daughters, were at that time in it, together with all his treasure, deposited there for safety, under the care of Thomas Colepeper, the castellan, who refused the queen's servants admittance, and on her coming up, peremptorily persisted in denying her or any one entrance, without letters from his lord. The queen, upon this, made some attempt to gain admittance by force, and a skirmish ensued, in which one or more of her attendants were slain, but being repulsed, she was obliged to relinquish her design, and to retire for a lodging elsewhere.

The king, chagrined at the failure of his scheme, and highly resenting the indignity offered to the queen, sent a force under the earls of Pembroke and Richmond, to besiege the castle; (fn. 4) and those within it finding no hopes of relief, for though the lord Badlesmere had induced the barons to endeavours to raise the siege, yet they never advanced nearer than Kingston, yielded it up. Upon which, the lady Badlesmere and her children were sent prisoners to the tower of London, Thomas Colepeper, the castellan, was hung up, and the king took possession of the castle, as well as of all the lord Badlesmere's goods and treasures in it. But by others, Thomas de Aldone is said to have been castellan at this time, and that the castle being taken, he, with the lord Badlesmere's wife, his only son Giles, his daughters, Sir Bartholomew de Burgershe, and his wife, were sent to the tower of London by the king's order; and that afterwards, he caused Walter Colepeper, bailiff of the Seven Hundreds, to be drawn in a pitiable manner at the tails of horses, and to be hung just by this castle; on which Thomas Colepeper, and others, who were with him in Tunbridge castle, hearing of the king's approach, sled to the barons.

After which the lord Badlesmere, being taken prisoner in Yorkshire, was sent to Canterbury, and there drawn and hanged at the gallows of Blean, and his head being cut off, was set on a pole on Burgate, in that city. Upon which the manor and castle of Leeds, became part of the royal revenue and the castle remained in a most ruinous condition till the year 1359, anno 34 Edward III. in which year that munisicent prelate, William of Wickham, was constituted by the king, chief warden and surveyor of his castle of Ledes, among others, (fn. 5) having power to appoint all workmen, to provide materials, and to order every thing with regard to building and repairs; and in those manors to hold leets and other courts of trespass and misdemeanors, and to enquire of the king's liberties and rights; and from his attention to the re-edisying and rebuilding the rest of them, there is little doubt but he restored this of Leeds to a very superior state to whatever it had been before, insomuch, that it induced king Richard to visit it several times, particularly in his 19th year, in which several of his instruments were dated at his castle of Ledes; and it appears to have been at that time accounted a fortress of some strength, for in the beginning of the next reign, that unfortunate prince was, by order of king Henry IV. sent prisoner to this castle; and that king himself resided here part of the month of April in his 2d year.

After which, archbishop Arundel, whose mind was by no means inferior to his high birth, procured a grant of this castle, where he frequently resided and kept his court, whilst the process against the lord Cobham was carrying forward, and some of his instruments were dated from his castle of Ledes in the year 1413, being the year in which he died. On his death it reverted again to the crown, and became accounted as one of the king's houses, many of the principal gentry of the county being instrusted with the custody of it:

In the 7th year of king Henry V. Joane of Navarre, the second queen of the late king Henry IV. being accused of conspiring against the life of the king, her son-in-law, was committed to Leeds-castle, there to remain during the king's pleasure; and being afterwards ordered into Sir John Pelham's custody, he removed her to the castle of Pevensey, in Sussex.

In the 18th year of king Henry VI. archbishop Chichele sat at the king's castle of Leeds, in the process against Eleanor, duchess of Gloucester, for forcery and witchcrast.

King Edward IV. in his 11th year, made Ralph St. Leger, esq. of Ulcomb, who had served the office of sheriff of this county three years before, constable of this castle for life, and annexed one of the parks as a farther emolument to that office. He died that year, and was buried with his ancestors at Ulcomb.

Sir Thomas Bourchier resided at Leeds castle in the 1st year of king Richard III. in which year he had commission, among others of the principal gentry of this county, to receive the oaths of allegiance to king Richard, of the inhabitants of the several parts of Kent therein mentioned; in which year, the king confirmed the liberties of Leeds priory, in recompence of twentyfour acres of land in Bromfield, granted for the enlargement of his park of Ledes.

In the 4th year of king Henry VIII. Henry Guildford, esq. had a grant of the office of constable of Leeds castle, and of the parkership of it; and in the 12th year of that reign, he had a grant of the custody of the manor of Leeds, with sundry perquisities, for forty years. He died in the 23d year of that reign, having re-edisied great part of the castle, at the king's no small charge.

But the fee simple of the manor and castle of Leeds remained in the hands of the crown, till Edward VI. in his 6th year, granted them, with their appurtenances in the parishes of Leeds, Langley, and Sutton, to Sir Anthony St. Leger, lord deputy of Ireland, to hold in capite by knight's service.

His son, Sir Warham St. Leger, succeeded him in this manor and castle, and was afterwards chief governor of Munster, in Ireland, in which province he was unfortunately slain in 1599, (fn. 6) but before his death he alienated this manor and castle to Sir Richard Smyth, fourth son of Thomas Smyth, esq. of Westenhanger, commonly called Customer Smyth.

Sir Richard Smyth resided at Leeds castle, of which he died possessed in 1628, and was buried in Ashford church, where there is a costly monument erected to his memory.

Sir John Smith, his only son, succeeded his father, and resided at Leeds castle, and dying s. p. in 1632, was buried in this church; upon which his two sisters, Alice, wife of Sir Timothy Thornhill, and Mary, of Maurice Barrow, esq. became his coheirs, and entitled their respective husbands to the property of this manor and castle, which they afterwards joined in the sale of to Sir T. Culpeper, of Hollingborne, who settled this estate, after his purchase of it, on his eldest son Cheney Culpeper, remainder to his two other sons, Francis and Thomas. Cheney Culpeper, esq. resided at Leedscastle for some time, till at length persuading his brother Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Hollingborne, (then his only surviving brother, Francis being dead. s. p.) to cut off the entail of this estate, he alienated it to his cousin Sir John Colepeper, lord Colepeper, only son of Sir John Culpeper, of Wigsell, in Sussex, whose younger brother Francis was of Greenway-court, in Hollingborne, and was father of Sir Thomas Culpeper, the purchaser of this estate as before-mentioned.

Sir John Colepeper represented this county in parliament in the 16th year of king Charles I. and being a person, who by his abilities had raised himself much in the king's favor, was made of his privy council, and chancellor of the exchequer, afterwards master of the rolls, and governor of the Isle of Wight. During the troubles of that monarch, he continued stedfast to the royal cause, and as a reward for his services, was in 1644 created lord Colepeper, baron of Thoresway, in Lincolnshire.

After the king's death he continued abroad with king Charles II. in his exile. During his absence, Leeds-castle seems to have been in the possession of the usurping powers, and to have been made use of by them, for the assembling of their committee men and sequestrators, and for a receptacle to imprison the ejected ministers, for in 1652, all his estates had been declared by parliament forfeited, for treason against the state. He died in 1660, a few weeks only after the restoration, and was buried at Hollingborne. He bore for his arms, Argent, a bend ingrailed gules, the antient bearing of this family; he left by his second wife Judith, daughter of Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Hollingborne, several children, of whom Thomas was his successor in title and estates, and died without male issue as will be mentioned hereafter, John succeeded his brother in the title, and died in 1719 s. p. and Cheney succeeded his brother in the title, and died at his residence of Hoston St. John, in 1725, s. p. likewise, by which the title became extinct; they all, with the rest of the branch of the family, lie buried at Hollingborne. Thomas, lord Colepeper, the eldest son, succeeded his father in title, and in this manor and castle, where he resided, and having married Margaret, daughter of Signior Jean de Hesse, of a noble family in Germany, he left by her a sole daughter and heir Catherine, who intitled her husband Thomas, lord Fairfax, of Cameron, in Scotland, to this manor and castle, with his other estates in this neighbourhood.

The family of Fairfax appear by old evidences in the hands of the family to have been in possession of lands in Yorkshire near six hundred years ago. Richard Fairfax was possessed of lands in that county in the reign of king John, whose grandson William Fairfax in the time of king Henry III. purchased the manor of Walton, in the West Riding, where he and his successors resided for many generations afterwards, and from whom descended the Fairfax's, of Walton and Gilling, in Yorkshire; of whom, Sir Thomas Fairfax, of Gilling, was created viscount Fairfax, of the kingdom of Ireland, which title became extinct in 1772; and from a younger branch of them descended Sir Thomas Fairfax, of Denton, who lived in queen Elizabeth's reign, and changed the original field of his coat armour from argent to or, bearing for his arms, Or, 3 bars gemelles, gules, surmounted of a lion rampant, sable, crown'd, of the first, and was father of Sir. T. Fairfax, who was, for his services to James and Charles I. created in 1627 lord Fairfax, baron of Cameron, in Scotland. He died in 1640, having had ten sons and two daughters; of whom, Ferdinando was his successor; Henry was rector of Bolton Percy, and had two sons, Henry, who became lord Fairfax, and Bryan, who was ancestor of Bryan Fairfax, late commissioner of the customs; and colonel Charles Fairfax, of Menston, was the noted antiquary, whose issue settled there.

Ferdinando, the second lord Fairfax, in the civil wars of king Charles I. was made general of the parliamentary forces, and died at York in 1646. His son, Sir Thomas Fairfax, succeeded him as lord Fairfax, and in all his posts under the parliament, and was that famous general so noted in English history during the civil wars, being made commander in chief of all the parliamentary forces; but at last he grew so weary of the distress and confusion which his former actions had brought upon his unhappy country, that he heartily concurred in the restoration of king Charles II. After which he retired to his seat at Bilborough, in Yorkshire, where he died in 1671, and was buried there, leaving by Anne, daughter and coheir of Horatio, lord Vere of Tilbury, a truly loyal and virtuous lady, an only daughter; upon which the title devolved to Henry Fairfax, esq. of Oglesthorpe, in Yorkshire, his first cousin, eldest son of Henry, rector of Bolton Percy, the second son of Thomas, the first lord Fairfax. Henry, lord Fairfax, died in 1680, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas, fifth lord Fairfax, who was bred to a military life, and rose to the rank of a brigadier-general. He represented Yorkshire in several parliaments and marrying Catherine, daughter and heir of Thomas, lord Colepeper, possessed, in her right this manor and castle, and other large possessions, as before-mentioned. (fn. 7)

He died possessed of them in 1710, leaving three sons and four daughters, Thomas, who succeeded him as lord Fairfax; Henry Culpeper, who died unmarried, in 1734; and Robert, of whom hereafter. Of the daughters, Margaret married David Wilkins, D. D. and prebendary of Canterbury, and Francis married Denny Martin, esq. Thomas, lord Fairfax, the son, resided at Leeds-castle till his quitting England, to reside on his great possessions in Virginia, where he continued to the time of his death. On his departure from England, he gave up the possession of this manor and castle, with his other estates in this neighbourhood, to his only surviving brother, the hon. Robert Fairfax, who afterwards resided at Leeds-castle, and on his brother's death unmarried, in 1782, succeeded to the title of lord Fairfax. He was at first bred to a military life, but becoming possessed of Leeds castle, he retired there, and afterwards twice served in parliament for the town of Maidstoue, as he did afterwards in two successive parliaments for this county. He was twice married; first to Marsha, daughter and coheir of Anthony Collins, esq. of Baddow, in Essex, by whom he had one son, who died an instant; and, secondly, to one of the daughters of Thomas Best, esq. of Chatham, who died s. p. in 1750. Lord Fairfax dying s. p. in 1793, this castle and manor, with the rest of his estates in this county, came to his nephew the Rev. Denny Martin, the eldest son of his sister Frances, by Denny Martin, esq. of Loose, who had before his uncle's death been created D. D. and had, with the royal licence, assumed the name and arms of Fairfax. Dr. Fairfax is the present possessor of this manor and castle, and resides here, being at present unmarried.

A court leet and court baron is held for the manor of Leeds, at which three borsholders are appointed. It is divided into six divisions, or yokes as they are called, viz. Church-yoke, Ferinland-yoke, Mill-yoke, Russerken-yoke, Stockwell-yoke, and Lees-yoke.

Using my Makro-Planar 4/120 lens on my daughters Nikon D7000 house, trying to catch some birds. This combination is 1.6 kilo lighter than using the Tele 5.6/350 on my 503CW, so almost manageable to do in-flight manual focus. Will need plenty more exercise to get it right.

This stuff was much better than the over salted and almost inedible fish. These are ground meat dumplings wrapped in vine leaves and eaten with yoghurt. Tasted a bit like the khinkali dumplings I had in Turkey but these were in much more manageable sizes. (Instagram image, shot with my iPhone 6+ in less than ideal lighting conditions) (Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 2017)

Stella is about 8 1/2 inches tall, crocheted from my Simply Ami pattern with crochet eyes. She has a bit of bling in her hair and at the waist with glass star beads and assorted smaller glass beads.

Her hair is worsted mohair crocheted in a cap, with long strands of single crochet to give her long, but manageable, hair. The bangs are embroidered to her head before the wig cap is sewn down.

The silk ribbon beginners' class complementary piece : a personal study loosely based on a pattern by most talented Lorna Bateman (do visit her site at www.lornabatemanembroidery.com/). Only thing is : the ribbons I use on this piece are not at all silk. I bought very cheap rolls from various discounters and the fabric is an old piece of bed linen. Various technical challenges arise then : the fabric is VERY tight and the ribbons are VERY stiff so some stitches are not manageable on this piece (because getting the ribbons through the fabric implies ruining the fabric by ripping it off). Up till now, I'm quite pleased with the tricks I devised to solve my technical problems.

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The Museo Regional de Durango-UJED “Angel Rodríguez Solórzano” in Durango to host Jackie Sleper's latest exhibition dedicated to Mexico

From 5 November 2008 to 5 January 2009, Dutch artist Jackie Sleper will exhibit "Dulce y Amargo" in the Museo Regional de Durango-UJED “Angel Rodríguez Solórzano”, Durango, Mexico

(Florence - Italy, October 2008) - From 5 November - 5 January 2009, the Museo Regional de Durango-UJED “Angel Rodríguez Solórzano” in Durango, Mexico, will host the famous Dutch artist’s, Jackie Sleper, touring exhibition "Dulce y Amargo" inspired by, and dedicated to, Mexico and the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo and curated by Matty Roca.

Jackie Sleper, the winner of the section “Sculpture and Installation” at the Florence Biennale 2007, has always been fascinated by Mexico and the artist Frida Kahlo, for whom she has a profound admiration and so, when she received an offer from Matty Roca to depict her vision of Mexico she readily accepted. Over the course of the following two years, Jackie Sleper spent many months in situ, about which she says “I took in everything around me, spoke with lots of people and, in particular, got a sense of the country. My previous love of Mexico only grew stronger."

Her works are at times reminiscent of a variety of artists: Rivera, Orozco, Tamayo and Pollock. Jackie Sleper assumes absolute freedom in applying various techniques and introducing experimental elements: her work is characterised by combinations of photography and painting, and the use of mixed media. In addition to painting, Jackie also creates objects using a variety of materials, which she then transforms into wholly a new and surprising entity, such a the wonderful and fun piece “Rocatizada”, dedicated to her curator Matty Roca. The artist other works to be guided by a profound sense of humanity, and she is an artist in the truest sense of the word, her work has always been grounded in her exploration of the human existence and its significance. The art critic, Wim Van der Beek said about Jackie’s work prior to her 2007 Netherlands exhibition: “Jackie Sleper’s aim is not to shock, but to make things tangible and manageable. She does not want to magnify injustices, but to offer solutions in the form of positive and unorthodox ways of seeing.”

The Durango show is the fourth and last step in 2008 of Jackie’s touring exhibition and she is delighted to be holding in a city which she feels has a close link with her own home town of Utrecht. The museum is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city centre, built in 1890 and was the residence of the family of Francisco Gomez Palacio, son of the famous governor.

Jackie’s exhibitions showing throughout Mexico in 2008 and 2009 are all being curated by Matty Roca, art historian, museum curator and art critic. They have so far been a huge success, the first was held at the Museo de la Cultura Maya in Chetumal in March and April of this year, in May-June at the Museo de la Isla in Cozumel, and most recently at the Museum of Modern Art of Gómez Palacio in July and August.

The artist will, as always, be present at the vernissage of "Dulce y Amargo" on 5 November, at the Museo Regional de Durango-UJED “Angel Rodríguez Solórzano”, along with important local personalities from the political, cultural and educational scene in Mexico and from the Dutch and European communities living in the state of Durango.

Jackie Sleper was born in Amsterdam and studied at the Utrecht Academy for Visual Arts. Between 1988 and 1995 she spent time in Ireland, Spain and Prague for study purposes. Works produced in her home country, the Netherlands, include a tile plateau in honour of Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, commissioned by the municipality of Utrecht, and ‘light objects’ for the Kruisheren Hotel, a design establishment that opened in Maastricht in 2005. Outside the Netherlands, she has exhibited in Antwerp (Art-Event), Stockholm (Art Fair), Marbella (Marb Art – Feria Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo), Geneva (Europ’Art), Klagenfurt (Biennale Austria), Salzburg (Mozart Festival), Florence (Museo Diocesano and Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea), Milan (Studio D’Ars), New York (Carrozzini Von Buhler Gallery and CVB Space), and in Mexico. One of her sculptures, "Modestia", was exhibited during the Venice Biennale, at Open 2007. She won the 1st prize for “Sculpture and Installation” at the Florence Biennale 2007.

For further information:

Jackie Sleper's website: www.jackiesleper.com

Images:

You can also see images of Jackie’s art at

www.flickr.com/photos/dulceyamargo

For journalists only:

High resolution files of these images or other press related information can be requested directly from the press office:

Vito Abba, press officer

Studio Abba - Corso Italia, 6 - 50123 Florence - Italy

info@studioabba.com

www.studioabba.com

Visitors to Jackie’s exhibitions in Mexico can also upload photos taken during the exhibitions on Flickr and share them with

www.flickr.com/groups/dulceyamargo

At the end of the exhibition series, the authors of the three photos that Jackie likes most, will each receive a signed lithograph of one of her works.

For general comments contact:

dulceyamargo@yahoo.com

A long planned visit to Leeds to record the church.

Leeds is just off the M20, and nearby to Leeds Castle, which means the roads are often busy. St Nicholas is on the main road leading up the down, but before the road gets narrow as it winds between the timber framed houses. Thankfully there is good parking next door, so we were able to get off the main road and out of the traffic, as unbeknown to us, there was a classical music show on that night, and most of Kent were going and in the process of arriving.

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One of the largest twelfth-century towers in Kent. The arch between tower and nave is of three very plain orders with no hint of the usual zigzag moulding of the period, and is so large that a meeting room has recently been built into it. The nave has three bay aisles and short chapels to north and south of the chancel. The outstanding rood screen was partially reconstructed in 1892, and runs the full width of nave and aisles - with the staircase doorways in the south aisle. That the chancel was rebuilt in the sixteenth century may be seen by the plain sedilia through which is cut one of two hagioscopes from chapels to chancel. The north chapel contains some good seventeenth- and eighteenth-century tablets and monuments. The stained glass shows some excellent examples of the work of Heaton, Butler and Bayne (south aisle) whilst there is an uncharacteristically poor example of the work of C.E. Kempe & Co. Ltd. in the north aisle. The church has recently been reordered to provide a spacious, light and manageable interior with excellent lighting and a welcoming atmosphere without damaging the character of the building.

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Leeds

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LEEDS

IS the next parish southward from Hollingborne. Kilburne says, that one Ledian, a chief counsellor to king Ethelbert II. who began his reign in 978, raised a fortress here, which was called in Latin, from him, Ledani Castrum, and in process of time in English, LEEDS. This castle was afterwards demolished by the Danes, and continued in that situation till the time of the Norman conquest.

THE PRESENT CASTLE is situated at the southeast boundary of this parish, adjoining to Bromfield, which includes a part of the castle itself. It is situated in the midst of the park, an ample description of it the reader will find hereafter. The Lenham rivulet takes its course through the park, and having supplied the moat, in which the castle stands, and the several waters in the grounds there, and having received into it the several small streamlets from Hollingborne, and one from the opposite side, which comes from Leeds abbey, it flows on, and at a small distance from Caring street, in this parish, adjoining to Bersted, the principal estate of which name there belongs to the Drapers company, it turns a mill, and then goes on to Maidstone, where it joins the river Medway. The high road from Ashford and Lenham runs close by the outside of the pales of Leeds park, at the northern boundary of the parish next to Hollingborne, and thence goes on towards Bersted and Maidstone, from which the park is distant a little more than five miles; here the soil is a deep sand, but near the river it changes to a black moorish earth. Southward from the castle the ground rises, at about three quarters of a mile south-west from it is Leeds abbey, the front of which is a handsome well-looking building, of the time of queen Elizabeth. It is not unpleasantly situated on a gentle eminence, and is well watered by a small stream which rises just above it, and here turns a mill. It is well cloathed with wood at the back part of it, to which the ground still keeps rising; adjoining to the abbey grounds westward is Leeds-street, a long straggling row of houses, near a mile in length, having the church at the south end of it; here the soil becomes a red unfertile earth much mixed with slints, which continues till it joins to Langley and Otham.

LEEDS was part of those possessions given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother Odo, bishop of Baieux; accordingly it is thus entered, under the general title of that prelate's lands, in the survey of Domesday, taken in the year 1080.

Adelold holds of the bishop (of Baieux) Esiedes. It was taxed at three sulings. The arable land is twelve carucates. In demesne there are two carucates, and twenty-eight villeins, with eight borderers, having seven carucates. There is a church, and eighteen servants. There are two arpends of vineyard, and eight acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of twenty bogs, and five mills of the villeins. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, it was worth sixteen pounds, the like when be received it, now twenty pounds, and yet it pays twentyfive pounds. Earl Leuuin held it.

Of this manor the abbot of St. Augustine has half a suling, which is worth ten shillings, in exchange of the park of the bishop of Baieux. The earl of Ewe has four denns of this manor, which are worth twenty shillings.

The mention of the two arpends of vineyard in the above survey, is another instance of there having been such in this county in early times, some further observations of which the reader will find in the description of the parish of Chart Sutton, not far distant, and he will likewise observe, that at the above time the bishop of Baieux had a park here, which he acquired by exchange with the abbot of St. Augustine, who must therefore have had possessions here before that time.

On the bishop of Baieux's disgrace, about four years after the taking of the above-mentioned survey, this estate, among the rest of his possessions, became consiscated to the crown.

After which it was granted by king William to the eminent family of Crevequer, called in antient charters Creveceur, and in Latin, De Crepito Corde, who at first made Chatham in this county their seat, or caput baroniæ, i. e. the principal manor of their barony, for some time, until they removed hither, being before frequently written Domini de Cetham.

Robert, son of Hamon de Crevequer, who had probably a grant of Leeds from the Conqueror, appears to have held it of the king, as of his castle of Dover, in capite by barony, their barony, which consisted of five knight's sees, being stiled Baronia de Crevequer . (fn. 1) He erected the castle here, to which he asterwards removed the capital seat of his barony. This castle being environed with water, was frequently mentioned in antient writings by the name of Le Mote. In the north-west part of it he built a chapel, in which he placed three canons, which on his foundation of the priory of Leeds, in the 19th year of king Henry I. he removed thither.

His descendant, Hamon de Crevequer, lived in the reign of king Henry III. in the 19th year of which, he was joined with Walterand Teutonicus, or Teys, in the wardenship of the five ports, and the next year had possession granted to him of the lands of William de Albrincis or Averenches, whose daughter and heir Maud he had married. He died in the 47th year of king Henry III. possessed of the manor of Ledes, held of the king in capite, as belonging to his barony of Chatham; upon which Robert, his grandson, viz. son of Hamon his son, who died in his life-time, succeeded him as his heir, and in the 52d year of that reign, exchanged the manor of Ledes, with its appurtenances, together with a moiety of all his fees, with Roger de Leyburne, for the manors of Trottesclyve and Flete. He lest William de Leyburne, his son and heir, who in the 2d year of king Edward I. had possession granted to him of the manor of Ledes, as well as of the rest of his inheritance, of which Eleanor, countess of Winchester, his father's widow, was not endowed. (fn. 2)

His son, William de Leyborne, observing that the king looked on the strength of this fortress with a jealous eye, in the beginning of king Edward Ist.'s reign reinstated the crown in the possession of both the manor and castle; and the king having, in his 27th year married Margaret, sister of Philip, king of France, he settled them, being then of the clear yearly value of 21l. 6s. 8d. among other premises, as part of her dower. She survived the king her husband, who died in 1307, and in the 5th year of the next reign of king Edward II. by the king's recommendation, appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, a nobleman of great power and eminence, and much in that prince's favor, governor of this castle. (fn. 3) She died possessed of them in the 10th year of that reign; on which they came once more into the hands of the crown, and in the beginning of the next year the king appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, above-mentioned, governor of this castle, as well as of that of Bristol. In the 11th year of that reign, the king granted to him in see, this manor and castle, and the advowson of the priory of Ledes, in exchange for the manor of Addresley, in Shropshire. Being possessed of great possessions, especially in this county, he was usually stiled, the rich lord Badlesmere of Ledes. Being pussed up through ambition and his great wealth, he forgot his allegiance, and associated himself with the earl of Lancaster, and the discontented barons; which the king being well informed of, resolved, if possible, to gain possession of this strong fortress of Ledes: to effect which, under pretence of the queen's going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, she set forward for that city with a large train of attendants, and, with a secret intention of surprising this castle, sent her marshal with others of her servants, to prepare lodging for her and her suit in it. The lord Badlesmere's family, that is, his wife, son, and four daughters, were at that time in it, together with all his treasure, deposited there for safety, under the care of Thomas Colepeper, the castellan, who refused the queen's servants admittance, and on her coming up, peremptorily persisted in denying her or any one entrance, without letters from his lord. The queen, upon this, made some attempt to gain admittance by force, and a skirmish ensued, in which one or more of her attendants were slain, but being repulsed, she was obliged to relinquish her design, and to retire for a lodging elsewhere.

The king, chagrined at the failure of his scheme, and highly resenting the indignity offered to the queen, sent a force under the earls of Pembroke and Richmond, to besiege the castle; (fn. 4) and those within it finding no hopes of relief, for though the lord Badlesmere had induced the barons to endeavours to raise the siege, yet they never advanced nearer than Kingston, yielded it up. Upon which, the lady Badlesmere and her children were sent prisoners to the tower of London, Thomas Colepeper, the castellan, was hung up, and the king took possession of the castle, as well as of all the lord Badlesmere's goods and treasures in it. But by others, Thomas de Aldone is said to have been castellan at this time, and that the castle being taken, he, with the lord Badlesmere's wife, his only son Giles, his daughters, Sir Bartholomew de Burgershe, and his wife, were sent to the tower of London by the king's order; and that afterwards, he caused Walter Colepeper, bailiff of the Seven Hundreds, to be drawn in a pitiable manner at the tails of horses, and to be hung just by this castle; on which Thomas Colepeper, and others, who were with him in Tunbridge castle, hearing of the king's approach, sled to the barons.

After which the lord Badlesmere, being taken prisoner in Yorkshire, was sent to Canterbury, and there drawn and hanged at the gallows of Blean, and his head being cut off, was set on a pole on Burgate, in that city. Upon which the manor and castle of Leeds, became part of the royal revenue and the castle remained in a most ruinous condition till the year 1359, anno 34 Edward III. in which year that munisicent prelate, William of Wickham, was constituted by the king, chief warden and surveyor of his castle of Ledes, among others, (fn. 5) having power to appoint all workmen, to provide materials, and to order every thing with regard to building and repairs; and in those manors to hold leets and other courts of trespass and misdemeanors, and to enquire of the king's liberties and rights; and from his attention to the re-edisying and rebuilding the rest of them, there is little doubt but he restored this of Leeds to a very superior state to whatever it had been before, insomuch, that it induced king Richard to visit it several times, particularly in his 19th year, in which several of his instruments were dated at his castle of Ledes; and it appears to have been at that time accounted a fortress of some strength, for in the beginning of the next reign, that unfortunate prince was, by order of king Henry IV. sent prisoner to this castle; and that king himself resided here part of the month of April in his 2d year.

After which, archbishop Arundel, whose mind was by no means inferior to his high birth, procured a grant of this castle, where he frequently resided and kept his court, whilst the process against the lord Cobham was carrying forward, and some of his instruments were dated from his castle of Ledes in the year 1413, being the year in which he died. On his death it reverted again to the crown, and became accounted as one of the king's houses, many of the principal gentry of the county being instrusted with the custody of it:

In the 7th year of king Henry V. Joane of Navarre, the second queen of the late king Henry IV. being accused of conspiring against the life of the king, her son-in-law, was committed to Leeds-castle, there to remain during the king's pleasure; and being afterwards ordered into Sir John Pelham's custody, he removed her to the castle of Pevensey, in Sussex.

In the 18th year of king Henry VI. archbishop Chichele sat at the king's castle of Leeds, in the process against Eleanor, duchess of Gloucester, for forcery and witchcrast.

King Edward IV. in his 11th year, made Ralph St. Leger, esq. of Ulcomb, who had served the office of sheriff of this county three years before, constable of this castle for life, and annexed one of the parks as a farther emolument to that office. He died that year, and was buried with his ancestors at Ulcomb.

Sir Thomas Bourchier resided at Leeds castle in the 1st year of king Richard III. in which year he had commission, among others of the principal gentry of this county, to receive the oaths of allegiance to king Richard, of the inhabitants of the several parts of Kent therein mentioned; in which year, the king confirmed the liberties of Leeds priory, in recompence of twentyfour acres of land in Bromfield, granted for the enlargement of his park of Ledes.

In the 4th year of king Henry VIII. Henry Guildford, esq. had a grant of the office of constable of Leeds castle, and of the parkership of it; and in the 12th year of that reign, he had a grant of the custody of the manor of Leeds, with sundry perquisities, for forty years. He died in the 23d year of that reign, having re-edisied great part of the castle, at the king's no small charge.

But the fee simple of the manor and castle of Leeds remained in the hands of the crown, till Edward VI. in his 6th year, granted them, with their appurtenances in the parishes of Leeds, Langley, and Sutton, to Sir Anthony St. Leger, lord deputy of Ireland, to hold in capite by knight's service.

His son, Sir Warham St. Leger, succeeded him in this manor and castle, and was afterwards chief governor of Munster, in Ireland, in which province he was unfortunately slain in 1599, (fn. 6) but before his death he alienated this manor and castle to Sir Richard Smyth, fourth son of Thomas Smyth, esq. of Westenhanger, commonly called Customer Smyth.

Sir Richard Smyth resided at Leeds castle, of which he died possessed in 1628, and was buried in Ashford church, where there is a costly monument erected to his memory.

Sir John Smith, his only son, succeeded his father, and resided at Leeds castle, and dying s. p. in 1632, was buried in this church; upon which his two sisters, Alice, wife of Sir Timothy Thornhill, and Mary, of Maurice Barrow, esq. became his coheirs, and entitled their respective husbands to the property of this manor and castle, which they afterwards joined in the sale of to Sir T. Culpeper, of Hollingborne, who settled this estate, after his purchase of it, on his eldest son Cheney Culpeper, remainder to his two other sons, Francis and Thomas. Cheney Culpeper, esq. resided at Leedscastle for some time, till at length persuading his brother Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Hollingborne, (then his only surviving brother, Francis being dead. s. p.) to cut off the entail of this estate, he alienated it to his cousin Sir John Colepeper, lord Colepeper, only son of Sir John Culpeper, of Wigsell, in Sussex, whose younger brother Francis was of Greenway-court, in Hollingborne, and was father of Sir Thomas Culpeper, the purchaser of this estate as before-mentioned.

Sir John Colepeper represented this county in parliament in the 16th year of king Charles I. and being a person, who by his abilities had raised himself much in the king's favor, was made of his privy council, and chancellor of the exchequer, afterwards master of the rolls, and governor of the Isle of Wight. During the troubles of that monarch, he continued stedfast to the royal cause, and as a reward for his services, was in 1644 created lord Colepeper, baron of Thoresway, in Lincolnshire.

After the king's death he continued abroad with king Charles II. in his exile. During his absence, Leeds-castle seems to have been in the possession of the usurping powers, and to have been made use of by them, for the assembling of their committee men and sequestrators, and for a receptacle to imprison the ejected ministers, for in 1652, all his estates had been declared by parliament forfeited, for treason against the state. He died in 1660, a few weeks only after the restoration, and was buried at Hollingborne. He bore for his arms, Argent, a bend ingrailed gules, the antient bearing of this family; he left by his second wife Judith, daughter of Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Hollingborne, several children, of whom Thomas was his successor in title and estates, and died without male issue as will be mentioned hereafter, John succeeded his brother in the title, and died in 1719 s. p. and Cheney succeeded his brother in the title, and died at his residence of Hoston St. John, in 1725, s. p. likewise, by which the title became extinct; they all, with the rest of the branch of the family, lie buried at Hollingborne. Thomas, lord Colepeper, the eldest son, succeeded his father in title, and in this manor and castle, where he resided, and having married Margaret, daughter of Signior Jean de Hesse, of a noble family in Germany, he left by her a sole daughter and heir Catherine, who intitled her husband Thomas, lord Fairfax, of Cameron, in Scotland, to this manor and castle, with his other estates in this neighbourhood.

The family of Fairfax appear by old evidences in the hands of the family to have been in possession of lands in Yorkshire near six hundred years ago. Richard Fairfax was possessed of lands in that county in the reign of king John, whose grandson William Fairfax in the time of king Henry III. purchased the manor of Walton, in the West Riding, where he and his successors resided for many generations afterwards, and from whom descended the Fairfax's, of Walton and Gilling, in Yorkshire; of whom, Sir Thomas Fairfax, of Gilling, was created viscount Fairfax, of the kingdom of Ireland, which title became extinct in 1772; and from a younger branch of them descended Sir Thomas Fairfax, of Denton, who lived in queen Elizabeth's reign, and changed the original field of his coat armour from argent to or, bearing for his arms, Or, 3 bars gemelles, gules, surmounted of a lion rampant, sable, crown'd, of the first, and was father of Sir. T. Fairfax, who was, for his services to James and Charles I. created in 1627 lord Fairfax, baron of Cameron, in Scotland. He died in 1640, having had ten sons and two daughters; of whom, Ferdinando was his successor; Henry was rector of Bolton Percy, and had two sons, Henry, who became lord Fairfax, and Bryan, who was ancestor of Bryan Fairfax, late commissioner of the customs; and colonel Charles Fairfax, of Menston, was the noted antiquary, whose issue settled there.

Ferdinando, the second lord Fairfax, in the civil wars of king Charles I. was made general of the parliamentary forces, and died at York in 1646. His son, Sir Thomas Fairfax, succeeded him as lord Fairfax, and in all his posts under the parliament, and was that famous general so noted in English history during the civil wars, being made commander in chief of all the parliamentary forces; but at last he grew so weary of the distress and confusion which his former actions had brought upon his unhappy country, that he heartily concurred in the restoration of king Charles II. After which he retired to his seat at Bilborough, in Yorkshire, where he died in 1671, and was buried there, leaving by Anne, daughter and coheir of Horatio, lord Vere of Tilbury, a truly loyal and virtuous lady, an only daughter; upon which the title devolved to Henry Fairfax, esq. of Oglesthorpe, in Yorkshire, his first cousin, eldest son of Henry, rector of Bolton Percy, the second son of Thomas, the first lord Fairfax. Henry, lord Fairfax, died in 1680, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas, fifth lord Fairfax, who was bred to a military life, and rose to the rank of a brigadier-general. He represented Yorkshire in several parliaments and marrying Catherine, daughter and heir of Thomas, lord Colepeper, possessed, in her right this manor and castle, and other large possessions, as before-mentioned. (fn. 7)

He died possessed of them in 1710, leaving three sons and four daughters, Thomas, who succeeded him as lord Fairfax; Henry Culpeper, who died unmarried, in 1734; and Robert, of whom hereafter. Of the daughters, Margaret married David Wilkins, D. D. and prebendary of Canterbury, and Francis married Denny Martin, esq. Thomas, lord Fairfax, the son, resided at Leeds-castle till his quitting England, to reside on his great possessions in Virginia, where he continued to the time of his death. On his departure from England, he gave up the possession of this manor and castle, with his other estates in this neighbourhood, to his only surviving brother, the hon. Robert Fairfax, who afterwards resided at Leeds-castle, and on his brother's death unmarried, in 1782, succeeded to the title of lord Fairfax. He was at first bred to a military life, but becoming possessed of Leeds castle, he retired there, and afterwards twice served in parliament for the town of Maidstoue, as he did afterwards in two successive parliaments for this county. He was twice married; first to Marsha, daughter and coheir of Anthony Collins, esq. of Baddow, in Essex, by whom he had one son, who died an instant; and, secondly, to one of the daughters of Thomas Best, esq. of Chatham, who died s. p. in 1750. Lord Fairfax dying s. p. in 1793, this castle and manor, with the rest of his estates in this county, came to his nephew the Rev. Denny Martin, the eldest son of his sister Frances, by Denny Martin, esq. of Loose, who had before his uncle's death been created D. D. and had, with the royal licence, assumed the name and arms of Fairfax. Dr. Fairfax is the present possessor of this manor and castle, and resides here, being at present unmarried.

A court leet and court baron is held for the manor of Leeds, at which three borsholders are appointed. It is divided into six divisions, or yokes as they are called, viz. Church-yoke, Ferinland-yoke, Mill-yoke, Russerken-yoke, Stockwell-yoke, and Lees-yoke.

A long planned visit to Leeds to record the church.

Leeds is just off the M20, and nearby to Leeds Castle, which means the roads are often busy. St Nicholas is on the main road leading up the down, but before the road gets narrow as it winds between the timber framed houses. Thankfully there is good parking next door, so we were able to get off the main road and out of the traffic, as unbeknown to us, there was a classical music show on that night, and most of Kent were going and in the process of arriving.

St Nicholas is a grand church, the chancel and two side chapels are partially hidden behind a very fine Rood Screen, which at first didn't look original, but actually is.

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One of the largest twelfth-century towers in Kent. The arch between tower and nave is of three very plain orders with no hint of the usual zigzag moulding of the period, and is so large that a meeting room has recently been built into it. The nave has three bay aisles and short chapels to north and south of the chancel. The outstanding rood screen was partially reconstructed in 1892, and runs the full width of nave and aisles - with the staircase doorways in the south aisle. That the chancel was rebuilt in the sixteenth century may be seen by the plain sedilia through which is cut one of two hagioscopes from chapels to chancel. The north chapel contains some good seventeenth- and eighteenth-century tablets and monuments. The stained glass shows some excellent examples of the work of Heaton, Butler and Bayne (south aisle) whilst there is an uncharacteristically poor example of the work of C.E. Kempe & Co. Ltd. in the north aisle. The church has recently been reordered to provide a spacious, light and manageable interior with excellent lighting and a welcoming atmosphere without damaging the character of the building.

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Leeds

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LEEDS

IS the next parish southward from Hollingborne. Kilburne says, that one Ledian, a chief counsellor to king Ethelbert II. who began his reign in 978, raised a fortress here, which was called in Latin, from him, Ledani Castrum, and in process of time in English, LEEDS. This castle was afterwards demolished by the Danes, and continued in that situation till the time of the Norman conquest.

THE PRESENT CASTLE is situated at the southeast boundary of this parish, adjoining to Bromfield, which includes a part of the castle itself. It is situated in the midst of the park, an ample description of it the reader will find hereafter. The Lenham rivulet takes its course through the park, and having supplied the moat, in which the castle stands, and the several waters in the grounds there, and having received into it the several small streamlets from Hollingborne, and one from the opposite side, which comes from Leeds abbey, it flows on, and at a small distance from Caring street, in this parish, adjoining to Bersted, the principal estate of which name there belongs to the Drapers company, it turns a mill, and then goes on to Maidstone, where it joins the river Medway. The high road from Ashford and Lenham runs close by the outside of the pales of Leeds park, at the northern boundary of the parish next to Hollingborne, and thence goes on towards Bersted and Maidstone, from which the park is distant a little more than five miles; here the soil is a deep sand, but near the river it changes to a black moorish earth. Southward from the castle the ground rises, at about three quarters of a mile south-west from it is Leeds abbey, the front of which is a handsome well-looking building, of the time of queen Elizabeth. It is not unpleasantly situated on a gentle eminence, and is well watered by a small stream which rises just above it, and here turns a mill. It is well cloathed with wood at the back part of it, to which the ground still keeps rising; adjoining to the abbey grounds westward is Leeds-street, a long straggling row of houses, near a mile in length, having the church at the south end of it; here the soil becomes a red unfertile earth much mixed with slints, which continues till it joins to Langley and Otham.

LEEDS was part of those possessions given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother Odo, bishop of Baieux; accordingly it is thus entered, under the general title of that prelate's lands, in the survey of Domesday, taken in the year 1080.

Adelold holds of the bishop (of Baieux) Esiedes. It was taxed at three sulings. The arable land is twelve carucates. In demesne there are two carucates, and twenty-eight villeins, with eight borderers, having seven carucates. There is a church, and eighteen servants. There are two arpends of vineyard, and eight acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of twenty bogs, and five mills of the villeins. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, it was worth sixteen pounds, the like when be received it, now twenty pounds, and yet it pays twentyfive pounds. Earl Leuuin held it.

Of this manor the abbot of St. Augustine has half a suling, which is worth ten shillings, in exchange of the park of the bishop of Baieux. The earl of Ewe has four denns of this manor, which are worth twenty shillings.

The mention of the two arpends of vineyard in the above survey, is another instance of there having been such in this county in early times, some further observations of which the reader will find in the description of the parish of Chart Sutton, not far distant, and he will likewise observe, that at the above time the bishop of Baieux had a park here, which he acquired by exchange with the abbot of St. Augustine, who must therefore have had possessions here before that time.

On the bishop of Baieux's disgrace, about four years after the taking of the above-mentioned survey, this estate, among the rest of his possessions, became consiscated to the crown.

After which it was granted by king William to the eminent family of Crevequer, called in antient charters Creveceur, and in Latin, De Crepito Corde, who at first made Chatham in this county their seat, or caput baroniæ, i. e. the principal manor of their barony, for some time, until they removed hither, being before frequently written Domini de Cetham.

Robert, son of Hamon de Crevequer, who had probably a grant of Leeds from the Conqueror, appears to have held it of the king, as of his castle of Dover, in capite by barony, their barony, which consisted of five knight's sees, being stiled Baronia de Crevequer . (fn. 1) He erected the castle here, to which he asterwards removed the capital seat of his barony. This castle being environed with water, was frequently mentioned in antient writings by the name of Le Mote. In the north-west part of it he built a chapel, in which he placed three canons, which on his foundation of the priory of Leeds, in the 19th year of king Henry I. he removed thither.

His descendant, Hamon de Crevequer, lived in the reign of king Henry III. in the 19th year of which, he was joined with Walterand Teutonicus, or Teys, in the wardenship of the five ports, and the next year had possession granted to him of the lands of William de Albrincis or Averenches, whose daughter and heir Maud he had married. He died in the 47th year of king Henry III. possessed of the manor of Ledes, held of the king in capite, as belonging to his barony of Chatham; upon which Robert, his grandson, viz. son of Hamon his son, who died in his life-time, succeeded him as his heir, and in the 52d year of that reign, exchanged the manor of Ledes, with its appurtenances, together with a moiety of all his fees, with Roger de Leyburne, for the manors of Trottesclyve and Flete. He lest William de Leyburne, his son and heir, who in the 2d year of king Edward I. had possession granted to him of the manor of Ledes, as well as of the rest of his inheritance, of which Eleanor, countess of Winchester, his father's widow, was not endowed. (fn. 2)

His son, William de Leyborne, observing that the king looked on the strength of this fortress with a jealous eye, in the beginning of king Edward Ist.'s reign reinstated the crown in the possession of both the manor and castle; and the king having, in his 27th year married Margaret, sister of Philip, king of France, he settled them, being then of the clear yearly value of 21l. 6s. 8d. among other premises, as part of her dower. She survived the king her husband, who died in 1307, and in the 5th year of the next reign of king Edward II. by the king's recommendation, appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, a nobleman of great power and eminence, and much in that prince's favor, governor of this castle. (fn. 3) She died possessed of them in the 10th year of that reign; on which they came once more into the hands of the crown, and in the beginning of the next year the king appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, above-mentioned, governor of this castle, as well as of that of Bristol. In the 11th year of that reign, the king granted to him in see, this manor and castle, and the advowson of the priory of Ledes, in exchange for the manor of Addresley, in Shropshire. Being possessed of great possessions, especially in this county, he was usually stiled, the rich lord Badlesmere of Ledes. Being pussed up through ambition and his great wealth, he forgot his allegiance, and associated himself with the earl of Lancaster, and the discontented barons; which the king being well informed of, resolved, if possible, to gain possession of this strong fortress of Ledes: to effect which, under pretence of the queen's going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, she set forward for that city with a large train of attendants, and, with a secret intention of surprising this castle, sent her marshal with others of her servants, to prepare lodging for her and her suit in it. The lord Badlesmere's family, that is, his wife, son, and four daughters, were at that time in it, together with all his treasure, deposited there for safety, under the care of Thomas Colepeper, the castellan, who refused the queen's servants admittance, and on her coming up, peremptorily persisted in denying her or any one entrance, without letters from his lord. The queen, upon this, made some attempt to gain admittance by force, and a skirmish ensued, in which one or more of her attendants were slain, but being repulsed, she was obliged to relinquish her design, and to retire for a lodging elsewhere.

The king, chagrined at the failure of his scheme, and highly resenting the indignity offered to the queen, sent a force under the earls of Pembroke and Richmond, to besiege the castle; (fn. 4) and those within it finding no hopes of relief, for though the lord Badlesmere had induced the barons to endeavours to raise the siege, yet they never advanced nearer than Kingston, yielded it up. Upon which, the lady Badlesmere and her children were sent prisoners to the tower of London, Thomas Colepeper, the castellan, was hung up, and the king took possession of the castle, as well as of all the lord Badlesmere's goods and treasures in it. But by others, Thomas de Aldone is said to have been castellan at this time, and that the castle being taken, he, with the lord Badlesmere's wife, his only son Giles, his daughters, Sir Bartholomew de Burgershe, and his wife, were sent to the tower of London by the king's order; and that afterwards, he caused Walter Colepeper, bailiff of the Seven Hundreds, to be drawn in a pitiable manner at the tails of horses, and to be hung just by this castle; on which Thomas Colepeper, and others, who were with him in Tunbridge castle, hearing of the king's approach, sled to the barons.

After which the lord Badlesmere, being taken prisoner in Yorkshire, was sent to Canterbury, and there drawn and hanged at the gallows of Blean, and his head being cut off, was set on a pole on Burgate, in that city. Upon which the manor and castle of Leeds, became part of the royal revenue and the castle remained in a most ruinous condition till the year 1359, anno 34 Edward III. in which year that munisicent prelate, William of Wickham, was constituted by the king, chief warden and surveyor of his castle of Ledes, among others, (fn. 5) having power to appoint all workmen, to provide materials, and to order every thing with regard to building and repairs; and in those manors to hold leets and other courts of trespass and misdemeanors, and to enquire of the king's liberties and rights; and from his attention to the re-edisying and rebuilding the rest of them, there is little doubt but he restored this of Leeds to a very superior state to whatever it had been before, insomuch, that it induced king Richard to visit it several times, particularly in his 19th year, in which several of his instruments were dated at his castle of Ledes; and it appears to have been at that time accounted a fortress of some strength, for in the beginning of the next reign, that unfortunate prince was, by order of king Henry IV. sent prisoner to this castle; and that king himself resided here part of the month of April in his 2d year.

After which, archbishop Arundel, whose mind was by no means inferior to his high birth, procured a grant of this castle, where he frequently resided and kept his court, whilst the process against the lord Cobham was carrying forward, and some of his instruments were dated from his castle of Ledes in the year 1413, being the year in which he died. On his death it reverted again to the crown, and became accounted as one of the king's houses, many of the principal gentry of the county being instrusted with the custody of it:

In the 7th year of king Henry V. Joane of Navarre, the second queen of the late king Henry IV. being accused of conspiring against the life of the king, her son-in-law, was committed to Leeds-castle, there to remain during the king's pleasure; and being afterwards ordered into Sir John Pelham's custody, he removed her to the castle of Pevensey, in Sussex.

In the 18th year of king Henry VI. archbishop Chichele sat at the king's castle of Leeds, in the process against Eleanor, duchess of Gloucester, for forcery and witchcrast.

King Edward IV. in his 11th year, made Ralph St. Leger, esq. of Ulcomb, who had served the office of sheriff of this county three years before, constable of this castle for life, and annexed one of the parks as a farther emolument to that office. He died that year, and was buried with his ancestors at Ulcomb.

Sir Thomas Bourchier resided at Leeds castle in the 1st year of king Richard III. in which year he had commission, among others of the principal gentry of this county, to receive the oaths of allegiance to king Richard, of the inhabitants of the several parts of Kent therein mentioned; in which year, the king confirmed the liberties of Leeds priory, in recompence of twentyfour acres of land in Bromfield, granted for the enlargement of his park of Ledes.

In the 4th year of king Henry VIII. Henry Guildford, esq. had a grant of the office of constable of Leeds castle, and of the parkership of it; and in the 12th year of that reign, he had a grant of the custody of the manor of Leeds, with sundry perquisities, for forty years. He died in the 23d year of that reign, having re-edisied great part of the castle, at the king's no small charge.

But the fee simple of the manor and castle of Leeds remained in the hands of the crown, till Edward VI. in his 6th year, granted them, with their appurtenances in the parishes of Leeds, Langley, and Sutton, to Sir Anthony St. Leger, lord deputy of Ireland, to hold in capite by knight's service.

His son, Sir Warham St. Leger, succeeded him in this manor and castle, and was afterwards chief governor of Munster, in Ireland, in which province he was unfortunately slain in 1599, (fn. 6) but before his death he alienated this manor and castle to Sir Richard Smyth, fourth son of Thomas Smyth, esq. of Westenhanger, commonly called Customer Smyth.

Sir Richard Smyth resided at Leeds castle, of which he died possessed in 1628, and was buried in Ashford church, where there is a costly monument erected to his memory.

Sir John Smith, his only son, succeeded his father, and resided at Leeds castle, and dying s. p. in 1632, was buried in this church; upon which his two sisters, Alice, wife of Sir Timothy Thornhill, and Mary, of Maurice Barrow, esq. became his coheirs, and entitled their respective husbands to the property of this manor and castle, which they afterwards joined in the sale of to Sir T. Culpeper, of Hollingborne, who settled this estate, after his purchase of it, on his eldest son Cheney Culpeper, remainder to his two other sons, Francis and Thomas. Cheney Culpeper, esq. resided at Leedscastle for some time, till at length persuading his brother Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Hollingborne, (then his only surviving brother, Francis being dead. s. p.) to cut off the entail of this estate, he alienated it to his cousin Sir John Colepeper, lord Colepeper, only son of Sir John Culpeper, of Wigsell, in Sussex, whose younger brother Francis was of Greenway-court, in Hollingborne, and was father of Sir Thomas Culpeper, the purchaser of this estate as before-mentioned.

Sir John Colepeper represented this county in parliament in the 16th year of king Charles I. and being a person, who by his abilities had raised himself much in the king's favor, was made of his privy council, and chancellor of the exchequer, afterwards master of the rolls, and governor of the Isle of Wight. During the troubles of that monarch, he continued stedfast to the royal cause, and as a reward for his services, was in 1644 created lord Colepeper, baron of Thoresway, in Lincolnshire.

After the king's death he continued abroad with king Charles II. in his exile. During his absence, Leeds-castle seems to have been in the possession of the usurping powers, and to have been made use of by them, for the assembling of their committee men and sequestrators, and for a receptacle to imprison the ejected ministers, for in 1652, all his estates had been declared by parliament forfeited, for treason against the state. He died in 1660, a few weeks only after the restoration, and was buried at Hollingborne. He bore for his arms, Argent, a bend ingrailed gules, the antient bearing of this family; he left by his second wife Judith, daughter of Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Hollingborne, several children, of whom Thomas was his successor in title and estates, and died without male issue as will be mentioned hereafter, John succeeded his brother in the title, and died in 1719 s. p. and Cheney succeeded his brother in the title, and died at his residence of Hoston St. John, in 1725, s. p. likewise, by which the title became extinct; they all, with the rest of the branch of the family, lie buried at Hollingborne. Thomas, lord Colepeper, the eldest son, succeeded his father in title, and in this manor and castle, where he resided, and having married Margaret, daughter of Signior Jean de Hesse, of a noble family in Germany, he left by her a sole daughter and heir Catherine, who intitled her husband Thomas, lord Fairfax, of Cameron, in Scotland, to this manor and castle, with his other estates in this neighbourhood.

The family of Fairfax appear by old evidences in the hands of the family to have been in possession of lands in Yorkshire near six hundred years ago. Richard Fairfax was possessed of lands in that county in the reign of king John, whose grandson William Fairfax in the time of king Henry III. purchased the manor of Walton, in the West Riding, where he and his successors resided for many generations afterwards, and from whom descended the Fairfax's, of Walton and Gilling, in Yorkshire; of whom, Sir Thomas Fairfax, of Gilling, was created viscount Fairfax, of the kingdom of Ireland, which title became extinct in 1772; and from a younger branch of them descended Sir Thomas Fairfax, of Denton, who lived in queen Elizabeth's reign, and changed the original field of his coat armour from argent to or, bearing for his arms, Or, 3 bars gemelles, gules, surmounted of a lion rampant, sable, crown'd, of the first, and was father of Sir. T. Fairfax, who was, for his services to James and Charles I. created in 1627 lord Fairfax, baron of Cameron, in Scotland. He died in 1640, having had ten sons and two daughters; of whom, Ferdinando was his successor; Henry was rector of Bolton Percy, and had two sons, Henry, who became lord Fairfax, and Bryan, who was ancestor of Bryan Fairfax, late commissioner of the customs; and colonel Charles Fairfax, of Menston, was the noted antiquary, whose issue settled there.

Ferdinando, the second lord Fairfax, in the civil wars of king Charles I. was made general of the parliamentary forces, and died at York in 1646. His son, Sir Thomas Fairfax, succeeded him as lord Fairfax, and in all his posts under the parliament, and was that famous general so noted in English history during the civil wars, being made commander in chief of all the parliamentary forces; but at last he grew so weary of the distress and confusion which his former actions had brought upon his unhappy country, that he heartily concurred in the restoration of king Charles II. After which he retired to his seat at Bilborough, in Yorkshire, where he died in 1671, and was buried there, leaving by Anne, daughter and coheir of Horatio, lord Vere of Tilbury, a truly loyal and virtuous lady, an only daughter; upon which the title devolved to Henry Fairfax, esq. of Oglesthorpe, in Yorkshire, his first cousin, eldest son of Henry, rector of Bolton Percy, the second son of Thomas, the first lord Fairfax. Henry, lord Fairfax, died in 1680, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas, fifth lord Fairfax, who was bred to a military life, and rose to the rank of a brigadier-general. He represented Yorkshire in several parliaments and marrying Catherine, daughter and heir of Thomas, lord Colepeper, possessed, in her right this manor and castle, and other large possessions, as before-mentioned. (fn. 7)

He died possessed of them in 1710, leaving three sons and four daughters, Thomas, who succeeded him as lord Fairfax; Henry Culpeper, who died unmarried, in 1734; and Robert, of whom hereafter. Of the daughters, Margaret married David Wilkins, D. D. and prebendary of Canterbury, and Francis married Denny Martin, esq. Thomas, lord Fairfax, the son, resided at Leeds-castle till his quitting England, to reside on his great possessions in Virginia, where he continued to the time of his death. On his departure from England, he gave up the possession of this manor and castle, with his other estates in this neighbourhood, to his only surviving brother, the hon. Robert Fairfax, who afterwards resided at Leeds-castle, and on his brother's death unmarried, in 1782, succeeded to the title of lord Fairfax. He was at first bred to a military life, but becoming possessed of Leeds castle, he retired there, and afterwards twice served in parliament for the town of Maidstoue, as he did afterwards in two successive parliaments for this county. He was twice married; first to Marsha, daughter and coheir of Anthony Collins, esq. of Baddow, in Essex, by whom he had one son, who died an instant; and, secondly, to one of the daughters of Thomas Best, esq. of Chatham, who died s. p. in 1750. Lord Fairfax dying s. p. in 1793, this castle and manor, with the rest of his estates in this county, came to his nephew the Rev. Denny Martin, the eldest son of his sister Frances, by Denny Martin, esq. of Loose, who had before his uncle's death been created D. D. and had, with the royal licence, assumed the name and arms of Fairfax. Dr. Fairfax is the present possessor of this manor and castle, and resides here, being at present unmarried.

A court leet and court baron is held for the manor of Leeds, at which three borsholders are appointed. It is divided into six divisions, or yokes as they are called, viz. Church-yoke, Ferinland-yoke, Mill-yoke, Russerken-yoke, Stockwell-yoke, and Lees-yoke.

Thread the needle. Do not double the thread, but pull plenty through the eye so that the thread is a more manageable length.

Sew out of the center fold of the first hole in the first signature, as shown in the photo.

HE'S DONE! And boy, is he a beaut - bigger than I expected! But still much smaller and more manageable than any of the larger official Lego builds. The greeble was a delight, and the proportions are simply... *chef's kiss*

ISD Nemesis midi-scale design by onecase - buy the instructions here: rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-25013/onecase/sd-chronicle/

Falls Run #2

Falls Run

Blackwater Falls State Park

West Virginia

The hike down Blackwater Canyon to this little known falls is steep but easily manageable from the park road. The worst part really, is the rhododendron is thick as you approach the falls. On the way down I didn't notice this vantage point but on the way back up Randy and I both discussed how cool this perspective was. I really like how the water plumes out from the falls.

This is a time lapse of the Deneb Algenubt Kaitos Quadrant over the course of 2500 years. As you can see, the gravitational pull from the hole is beginning to eat everything in the quadrant.

You can see the trails of ships left in the various lanes over the course of the time-lapse, this is one of the busier throughways since ships use the graviton waves for acceleration {.90 Framual variations of G-force per lightyear.}

The series of 65 images were taken with a Xcore Signet time light photometer and reduced down from the original 10.6 gigabit stack to a manageable 8 MB single exposure. The next set of exposures should be complete and processed by 4510.

This is one of the more scenic canals of downtown Amsterdam. Around mid-day I took several exposure brackets of this canal with the intent of using HDR to preserve detail in both the highlights and shadows. But I liked the spot so much I also went back and took a second series of shots at dusk when the natural dynamic range of the scene was more manageable. As is often the case, this single frame made in good light turned out better the any of the HDR images I was able to produce by combining multiple exposures taken in more contrasty light.

You can check out my photography blog at

eriksphotoblog.blogspot.com

The pleasant (unless you're a duck) scene depicted here hasn't changed much since this engraving was made - except you're not allowed to shoot the ducks here anymore! While pleasantly bucolic it may look, it's actually surrounded on all sides by Edinburgh suburbs these days.

The building is more often called Lochend House, but I will be sticking with Restalrig, not just because I am inherently stubborn, but because the family that lived here were important players on the national stage in their time and they were the Logans "of Restalrig." In other words the name Restalrig is more historically important than Lochend. The name Lochend House really only applies to the part of the building that was built c.1820.

The gentleman standing among the reeds helping keep the duck population down to manageable levels, is standing beside Lochend Loch in what is now called Lochend Park. Interestingly, at the north end of the loch there is a 16th century doocot, built to provide the castle with pigeon eggs and meat - presumably for when they ran out of ducks! It is known as the Plague Kiln because in 1564 it was used to burn the clothes and bedding of people that had been infected during an outbreak of bubonic plague.

Restalrig is often described as looking like a miniature Edinburgh Castle, because like its big brother, it is perched on top of an outcrop of volcanic rock.

My 2013 Classic Belle 12'' Doll has been completely deboxed. She is standing, supported by a Kaiser doll stand (not included with the doll), and is photographed from various angles.

The 2013 Classic Belle doll has many differences from the 2012 model, but looks very similar, and is a somewhat improved doll. The only major change is to her legs, from fully articulated hard plastic legs to rubber legs with internal knee joints and fixed angled feet. There are a minor changes to her hair, face, dress and shoes. She is also missing her gloves. The features that haven't changed are her head mold, torso and arms.

Her head mold is identical to last year's doll. Her face is almost identical, with some subtle changes. Her green eyes have gotten darker, with the elimination of the ring of light green around her pupils, leaving just dark green around her pupils. Her pupils a touch larger. She has three short thick lashes over each eye, and silver eyeshadow, as before. Her eyebrows are a darker shade of brown, but the same thickness and length. A small be very significant change is the smoothing of the arch in her eyebrows, so they no longer have an ''evil'' wiggle. She has a short straight nose. She has gentle open mouthed smile, with a thin upper lip and full lower lip, painted in bright pink. Both her nose and mouth are unchanged from last year. Finally she has heavier application of pink rouge on her cheeks. Her face is just a beautiful as last year's doll, but is now friendlier looking with the changes in her eyebrows and eyes.

Her brown hair is medium length, but is shorter and much less voluminous than before. Gone are the two curls dropping down the sides of her face. There is a small bun at the top, as before. There is a small ponytail coming out of the back of the bun, whereas last year the ponytail was longer and lower down her the back of her head. The bulk of her hair is gently curving, and is gathered up in a large curl at the end, which is gelled to keep it in shape and in place. Other than the curl, her hair is soft and smooth. Rather than reaching her waist and spreading out beyond both her shoulders, her hair is now reaches the middle of her back, and is contained within the width her shoulders. It is much neater looking and manageable, as long as the curl at the end is not disturbed.

Her golden yellow satin dress is similar in design to the 2012 version, but there are some significant differences. The gold organza shoulder straps are very similar, but now they are wrapped lower down her shoulders, thus being more movie accurate. I had to adjust her left strap to make it lower, to match the right strap. Her bodice is now glitter free, but has the same design, with a V-shaped waist. The skirt is now much less voluminous, and has a pattern of glittering gold roses, instead of the gold glitter being sprayed in a random pattern. The gold organza decoration around the middle of the skirt is now only in the front, whereas the 2012 doll had the decoration go completely around the skirt. But as with last year's doll, the ruching is only in the front. At least the golden rose pattern continues to the back of the skirt. The skirt is about the length as before, but since the 2013 doll is on her tippy toes rather than her feet flat on the floor, the skirt doesn't quite reach the floor. The new dress holds its shape much better, due to the glitter giving the skirt more stiffness. The old dress is more movie accurate, and its volume is very impressive, but it requires a petticoat (which is not included) to keep its shape.

Her shoes are flats as in the old doll, but they are a little shorter, and a paler shade of yellow. With her fixed angled feet, she should have gotten high heels, as the 2011 and earlier dolls had.

She no longer has any accessories, as her full length gold satin gloves are gone.

Her body is fully articulated in the arms, but now has the rubber legs of 2011 and earlier dolls, which has internal knee joints and fixed angled feet. Her hip joints allow her to sit down with her legs together and her back straight up, unlike the 2012 doll with the fully articulated but defective legs. But her knees can only bend about 40 degrees, so her legs stick out when she is sitting. The leg joints are also much stiffer, so she is in a much more natural position when placed standing in a Kaiser doll stand. Her angled rubber feet also make her about 1/4 inch taller than the 2012 doll, who had flat feet.

The packaging for the dolls is much improved. The box art has been completely redesigned, with beautiful decorations unique to each Princess (actually for each movie), and a cameo of the animated movie character. The boxes are the same height and width, but are 1/2'' flatter, making them smaller and lighter. The packaging restraints are simplified, especially with a reduced use of T-tags, so the deboxing is quicker and easier, and there is less damage to the doll. Belle's box has rose and Cogsworth images with a yellow background.

The 2013 Disney Princess Classic Doll Collection, released on June 10, 2013. They consist of 11-12'' articulated dolls of the 11 official Disney Princesses, from Snow White to Merida, as well as Princes, Villains and Sidekicks. I now have all 11 Princesses, Queen Elinor, Charlotte and Gaston. I will photograph them boxed, during deboxing and fully deboxed. I will also post reviews and comparative photos.

Classic Disney Princess Belle Doll - 12''

US Disney Store.

Released online June 10, 2013.

Purchased online June 13, 2013.

Received June 24, 2013.

$14.95 (was on sale for $10 at time of purchase).

Designer: Giles Laurent

Builder: Private

Year: 1985

Location Hampshire

Length on deck: 30'

Beam: 9'4"

Draft: 5'

Tonnage(TM): 9

£15,000

Full Specification

The Wanderer Class was a development of Hiscock’s Wanderer 111 designed by Laurent Giles and built for him in 1952. In Wanderer 111, Hiscock sailed 32,000 miles in a 3-year circumnavigation.

After his experience with Wanderer 111 he judged she would be a better ship with a little more beam and sail area and the result was the Wanderer Class.

Several were built in UK yards and quite a few by Cheoy Lee in Hong Kong who had also built 15 of the Laurent Giles Vertues, some would say a smaller sister to the Wanderer.

This yacht was built in Southampton by the previous owner and his company Launched in 1985 she is believed to be the last wooden Wanderer built in UK and the construction was supervised by David Hopkins, Marine Surveyor from Hamble. .

Spring 2015. The owner is now in poor health and no longer sailing. The yacht has been laid up for 18 months and he has now instructed us to slash the price and sell this season.

Being built on hardwoods there is no significant opening of the hull after her time ashore. In addition to the yacht, the owner is offering all his boating equipment collected over many years including dinghies, outboard engines, sails and cordage. Full list to come.

Planked in iroko, all copper fastened to 1 ¾” x 1 ¼” steam bent oak timbers in 2 laminations to avoid inevitable fracture on the tight turn at the tuck and the bilge, heavier and closer spaced in way of the mast, on an oak back-bone.

Iron ballast keel. Massive oak floors on every second timber with galvanised strap floor on the other timber making a very robust back-bone.

Deck laid in 2 layers of ½” ply, Cascover sheathed and painted.

5” toe rail with varnished iroko capping.

Pair of varnished wood mooring cleats on the fore and after decks. Heavy Sampson post, slotted to accept and hold the chain on the fore deck.

Totally clear side and fore decks.

Capstan-type chain windlass on the fore deck

Twin chain roller galvanised stemhead fitting.

Stainless steel pull-pit and stanchion posts with twin guard wires.

Varnished iroko coach-roof coamings with 2 fixed windows aft and 4 opening bronze port holes each side.

Nicely cambered sheathed and painted ply roof with varnished grab rails each side.

Heavy duty, varnished iroko fore hatch on the fwd end of the coach-roof.

Dorade vent in the middle of the coach-roof.

Cabin entrance sliding hatch in a garage with grab rail each side. Spray-hood over on stainless steel frame.

Deep, sheltered self draining cock-pit with high, varnished iroko coamings give a tremendous feeling of security.

Tiller steering to transom-hung rudder.

Seat/locker each side divided into 2, long locker forward, short locker aft. The locker faces forming the cock-pit well lift and hinge with the lid to give excellent access to these deep storage lockers.

Locker aft in the well to the lazarette with a glass holder on the coaming above under the tiller – just right for a whiskey glass.

Teak gratings in the well.

Large, opening ply panel in the well gives excellent access to the stern tube etc for service.

Wide bridge-deck across the front of the cock-pit.

The cabin entrance hatch is slightly off-set to stbd with a sliding hatch in a garage. Solid iroko varnished louvered washboards with optional mosquito or clear Perspex wash-boards.

Masthead bermudian sloop rig on round section, hollow, painted, built wooden mast stepped in a galvanised steel cup on the coach-roof with a similar mast section compression post below the deck.

Single spreaders. Steps up the mast.

Stainless steel standing rigging with stainless steel rigging screws to internal bronze chain plates.

Twin standing back-stays to the quarters, twin lowers and cap shrouds.

Fore stay with Harken roller furling gear.

External bronze mainsail track.

Slab reefing varnished boom with stainless steel goose neck fittings on twin mast bands

Halyards led aft through turning blocks on the mast and coach-roof to jamming cleats under the spray-hood.

Main sheet on tufnol blocks with a jammer on the lower block to a galvanised horse across the tiller on the aft deck.

Headsail sheets led through blocks on single cars on Harken tracks on the toe rails.

Winches.

Pair of new Lewmar 44 self tailing sheet winches on the cock-pit coamings.

Pair of single speed, top action Lewmar winches on the coach-roof under the spray-hood + 2 x 3-line Harken clutches.

This is the simplest rig the yacht can carry, strong, well-built and the new self-tailing winches make the headsail very manageable.

Sails

All sails original 1985 in white terylene.

Mainsail 233sq’ with Kemp Packaway self-stowing system.

Genoa No 1 300sq’ on Harken Mk 3 roller furling gear.

No 2 and 3 genoas

Storm jib and spinnaker

Wooden spinnaker pole stows up the rigging.

Mainsail cover.

Bukh 20hp 2-cylinder diesel installed new in 1985. Salt water cooled.

Belt driven alternator

Wet exhaust.

Single lever controls

2 x 12v batteries in the bilge in front of the engine with change-over switch.

5 berths.

V-berths in the fore cabin with infill to make a large double berth. Drawer below in varnished iroko joinery.

Bulkhead doorway, stbd off-set, oval top and bottom, to ablutions area.

Jabsco sea toilet to port with lockers under the side deck.

The forward bulkhead door swings round to close off the WC compartment.

Opposite to stbd under the side deck is a newly built stainless steel hand basin, draining overboard, with shower head delivering H&C pressurised water allowing a shower wash, draining into the bilge.

Bulkhead door with oval top and bottom, off-set to stbd through to saloon cabin. This door closes off either the hand basin or the saloon cabin allowing use of the heads and ablutions area independent of either the forward cabin or the saloon cabin or both.

Narrow, vertical chain locker alongside the hand basin compartment with the chain fed through a hawse pipe in the coaming above.

Saloon cabin with port and stbd 6’6” settee berths.

Pilot berth behind the port settee berth with fold-away pipe cot – probably the most comfortable sea berth in the yacht.

Varnished mahogany saloon table with fold-out flap.

Part bulkheads each side aft to:

Stbd large chart table, drawer and lockers under.

Oilies hanging locker aft under the bridge deck.

Port galley with Flavell 2-burner, grill and oven gas cooker, stainless steel sink in a work surface athwartships under the side deck. Good stowage.

Fold-down varnished flap over the cooker suitably disguises it when not in use.

Step-locker box and step over the engine to the entrance hatch.

Surface lifts and front pulls away to give good access to the engine.

Electrical controls down the stbd side of the engine step.

25 gall flexible water tank each side under the settee berths.

Hot water calorifier tank under the port pilot berth.

Pressurised water supply to galley and fwd hand basin.

Sealed, draining gas locker in the port cock-pit locker contains 2 Camping Gas bottles.

Cock-pit table on a pedestal stows away under the pilot berth.

6’2” head-room in the saloon cabin.

5’7” head-room in fore cabin.

Varnished iroko joinery and sole boards, all very thick and strong.

3 pairs of laminated hanging knees each side to the coach-roof form attractive features in the cabin as well as adding enormous strength to the structure.

Grab rails along the coamings each side.

Small side-board shelf each side over the fwd ends of the settees provide stowage space for bedding. Lockers under the side decks above each side.

Brass reading lights above the berths.

Pascal Atkey charcoal cabin heater on the fwd saloon bulkhead.

Navigation equipment.

Bulkhead steering compass alongside entrance hatch. Hand held GPS

Sounder Log/speed

ST60 wind/speed/depth Clock and barometer.

Wind speed indicator

Ground tackle

Danforth and fisherman anchors Capstan chain windlass

Ample chain

Safety gear.

Hand held fog-horn Deck safety lines

Stainless steel boarding ladder Life buoy.

A long planned visit to Leeds to record the church.

Leeds is just off the M20, and nearby to Leeds Castle, which means the roads are often busy. St Nicholas is on the main road leading up the down, but before the road gets narrow as it winds between the timber framed houses. Thankfully there is good parking next door, so we were able to get off the main road and out of the traffic, as unbeknown to us, there was a classical music show on that night, and most of Kent were going and in the process of arriving.

St Nicholas is a grand church, the chancel and two side chapels are partially hidden behind a very fine Rood Screen, which at first didn't look original, but actually is.

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One of the largest twelfth-century towers in Kent. The arch between tower and nave is of three very plain orders with no hint of the usual zigzag moulding of the period, and is so large that a meeting room has recently been built into it. The nave has three bay aisles and short chapels to north and south of the chancel. The outstanding rood screen was partially reconstructed in 1892, and runs the full width of nave and aisles - with the staircase doorways in the south aisle. That the chancel was rebuilt in the sixteenth century may be seen by the plain sedilia through which is cut one of two hagioscopes from chapels to chancel. The north chapel contains some good seventeenth- and eighteenth-century tablets and monuments. The stained glass shows some excellent examples of the work of Heaton, Butler and Bayne (south aisle) whilst there is an uncharacteristically poor example of the work of C.E. Kempe & Co. Ltd. in the north aisle. The church has recently been reordered to provide a spacious, light and manageable interior with excellent lighting and a welcoming atmosphere without damaging the character of the building.

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Leeds

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LEEDS

IS the next parish southward from Hollingborne. Kilburne says, that one Ledian, a chief counsellor to king Ethelbert II. who began his reign in 978, raised a fortress here, which was called in Latin, from him, Ledani Castrum, and in process of time in English, LEEDS. This castle was afterwards demolished by the Danes, and continued in that situation till the time of the Norman conquest.

THE PRESENT CASTLE is situated at the southeast boundary of this parish, adjoining to Bromfield, which includes a part of the castle itself. It is situated in the midst of the park, an ample description of it the reader will find hereafter. The Lenham rivulet takes its course through the park, and having supplied the moat, in which the castle stands, and the several waters in the grounds there, and having received into it the several small streamlets from Hollingborne, and one from the opposite side, which comes from Leeds abbey, it flows on, and at a small distance from Caring street, in this parish, adjoining to Bersted, the principal estate of which name there belongs to the Drapers company, it turns a mill, and then goes on to Maidstone, where it joins the river Medway. The high road from Ashford and Lenham runs close by the outside of the pales of Leeds park, at the northern boundary of the parish next to Hollingborne, and thence goes on towards Bersted and Maidstone, from which the park is distant a little more than five miles; here the soil is a deep sand, but near the river it changes to a black moorish earth. Southward from the castle the ground rises, at about three quarters of a mile south-west from it is Leeds abbey, the front of which is a handsome well-looking building, of the time of queen Elizabeth. It is not unpleasantly situated on a gentle eminence, and is well watered by a small stream which rises just above it, and here turns a mill. It is well cloathed with wood at the back part of it, to which the ground still keeps rising; adjoining to the abbey grounds westward is Leeds-street, a long straggling row of houses, near a mile in length, having the church at the south end of it; here the soil becomes a red unfertile earth much mixed with slints, which continues till it joins to Langley and Otham.

LEEDS was part of those possessions given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother Odo, bishop of Baieux; accordingly it is thus entered, under the general title of that prelate's lands, in the survey of Domesday, taken in the year 1080.

Adelold holds of the bishop (of Baieux) Esiedes. It was taxed at three sulings. The arable land is twelve carucates. In demesne there are two carucates, and twenty-eight villeins, with eight borderers, having seven carucates. There is a church, and eighteen servants. There are two arpends of vineyard, and eight acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of twenty bogs, and five mills of the villeins. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, it was worth sixteen pounds, the like when be received it, now twenty pounds, and yet it pays twentyfive pounds. Earl Leuuin held it.

Of this manor the abbot of St. Augustine has half a suling, which is worth ten shillings, in exchange of the park of the bishop of Baieux. The earl of Ewe has four denns of this manor, which are worth twenty shillings.

The mention of the two arpends of vineyard in the above survey, is another instance of there having been such in this county in early times, some further observations of which the reader will find in the description of the parish of Chart Sutton, not far distant, and he will likewise observe, that at the above time the bishop of Baieux had a park here, which he acquired by exchange with the abbot of St. Augustine, who must therefore have had possessions here before that time.

On the bishop of Baieux's disgrace, about four years after the taking of the above-mentioned survey, this estate, among the rest of his possessions, became consiscated to the crown.

After which it was granted by king William to the eminent family of Crevequer, called in antient charters Creveceur, and in Latin, De Crepito Corde, who at first made Chatham in this county their seat, or caput baroniæ, i. e. the principal manor of their barony, for some time, until they removed hither, being before frequently written Domini de Cetham.

Robert, son of Hamon de Crevequer, who had probably a grant of Leeds from the Conqueror, appears to have held it of the king, as of his castle of Dover, in capite by barony, their barony, which consisted of five knight's sees, being stiled Baronia de Crevequer . (fn. 1) He erected the castle here, to which he asterwards removed the capital seat of his barony. This castle being environed with water, was frequently mentioned in antient writings by the name of Le Mote. In the north-west part of it he built a chapel, in which he placed three canons, which on his foundation of the priory of Leeds, in the 19th year of king Henry I. he removed thither.

His descendant, Hamon de Crevequer, lived in the reign of king Henry III. in the 19th year of which, he was joined with Walterand Teutonicus, or Teys, in the wardenship of the five ports, and the next year had possession granted to him of the lands of William de Albrincis or Averenches, whose daughter and heir Maud he had married. He died in the 47th year of king Henry III. possessed of the manor of Ledes, held of the king in capite, as belonging to his barony of Chatham; upon which Robert, his grandson, viz. son of Hamon his son, who died in his life-time, succeeded him as his heir, and in the 52d year of that reign, exchanged the manor of Ledes, with its appurtenances, together with a moiety of all his fees, with Roger de Leyburne, for the manors of Trottesclyve and Flete. He lest William de Leyburne, his son and heir, who in the 2d year of king Edward I. had possession granted to him of the manor of Ledes, as well as of the rest of his inheritance, of which Eleanor, countess of Winchester, his father's widow, was not endowed. (fn. 2)

His son, William de Leyborne, observing that the king looked on the strength of this fortress with a jealous eye, in the beginning of king Edward Ist.'s reign reinstated the crown in the possession of both the manor and castle; and the king having, in his 27th year married Margaret, sister of Philip, king of France, he settled them, being then of the clear yearly value of 21l. 6s. 8d. among other premises, as part of her dower. She survived the king her husband, who died in 1307, and in the 5th year of the next reign of king Edward II. by the king's recommendation, appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, a nobleman of great power and eminence, and much in that prince's favor, governor of this castle. (fn. 3) She died possessed of them in the 10th year of that reign; on which they came once more into the hands of the crown, and in the beginning of the next year the king appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, above-mentioned, governor of this castle, as well as of that of Bristol. In the 11th year of that reign, the king granted to him in see, this manor and castle, and the advowson of the priory of Ledes, in exchange for the manor of Addresley, in Shropshire. Being possessed of great possessions, especially in this county, he was usually stiled, the rich lord Badlesmere of Ledes. Being pussed up through ambition and his great wealth, he forgot his allegiance, and associated himself with the earl of Lancaster, and the discontented barons; which the king being well informed of, resolved, if possible, to gain possession of this strong fortress of Ledes: to effect which, under pretence of the queen's going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, she set forward for that city with a large train of attendants, and, with a secret intention of surprising this castle, sent her marshal with others of her servants, to prepare lodging for her and her suit in it. The lord Badlesmere's family, that is, his wife, son, and four daughters, were at that time in it, together with all his treasure, deposited there for safety, under the care of Thomas Colepeper, the castellan, who refused the queen's servants admittance, and on her coming up, peremptorily persisted in denying her or any one entrance, without letters from his lord. The queen, upon this, made some attempt to gain admittance by force, and a skirmish ensued, in which one or more of her attendants were slain, but being repulsed, she was obliged to relinquish her design, and to retire for a lodging elsewhere.

The king, chagrined at the failure of his scheme, and highly resenting the indignity offered to the queen, sent a force under the earls of Pembroke and Richmond, to besiege the castle; (fn. 4) and those within it finding no hopes of relief, for though the lord Badlesmere had induced the barons to endeavours to raise the siege, yet they never advanced nearer than Kingston, yielded it up. Upon which, the lady Badlesmere and her children were sent prisoners to the tower of London, Thomas Colepeper, the castellan, was hung up, and the king took possession of the castle, as well as of all the lord Badlesmere's goods and treasures in it. But by others, Thomas de Aldone is said to have been castellan at this time, and that the castle being taken, he, with the lord Badlesmere's wife, his only son Giles, his daughters, Sir Bartholomew de Burgershe, and his wife, were sent to the tower of London by the king's order; and that afterwards, he caused Walter Colepeper, bailiff of the Seven Hundreds, to be drawn in a pitiable manner at the tails of horses, and to be hung just by this castle; on which Thomas Colepeper, and others, who were with him in Tunbridge castle, hearing of the king's approach, sled to the barons.

After which the lord Badlesmere, being taken prisoner in Yorkshire, was sent to Canterbury, and there drawn and hanged at the gallows of Blean, and his head being cut off, was set on a pole on Burgate, in that city. Upon which the manor and castle of Leeds, became part of the royal revenue and the castle remained in a most ruinous condition till the year 1359, anno 34 Edward III. in which year that munisicent prelate, William of Wickham, was constituted by the king, chief warden and surveyor of his castle of Ledes, among others, (fn. 5) having power to appoint all workmen, to provide materials, and to order every thing with regard to building and repairs; and in those manors to hold leets and other courts of trespass and misdemeanors, and to enquire of the king's liberties and rights; and from his attention to the re-edisying and rebuilding the rest of them, there is little doubt but he restored this of Leeds to a very superior state to whatever it had been before, insomuch, that it induced king Richard to visit it several times, particularly in his 19th year, in which several of his instruments were dated at his castle of Ledes; and it appears to have been at that time accounted a fortress of some strength, for in the beginning of the next reign, that unfortunate prince was, by order of king Henry IV. sent prisoner to this castle; and that king himself resided here part of the month of April in his 2d year.

After which, archbishop Arundel, whose mind was by no means inferior to his high birth, procured a grant of this castle, where he frequently resided and kept his court, whilst the process against the lord Cobham was carrying forward, and some of his instruments were dated from his castle of Ledes in the year 1413, being the year in which he died. On his death it reverted again to the crown, and became accounted as one of the king's houses, many of the principal gentry of the county being instrusted with the custody of it:

In the 7th year of king Henry V. Joane of Navarre, the second queen of the late king Henry IV. being accused of conspiring against the life of the king, her son-in-law, was committed to Leeds-castle, there to remain during the king's pleasure; and being afterwards ordered into Sir John Pelham's custody, he removed her to the castle of Pevensey, in Sussex.

In the 18th year of king Henry VI. archbishop Chichele sat at the king's castle of Leeds, in the process against Eleanor, duchess of Gloucester, for forcery and witchcrast.

King Edward IV. in his 11th year, made Ralph St. Leger, esq. of Ulcomb, who had served the office of sheriff of this county three years before, constable of this castle for life, and annexed one of the parks as a farther emolument to that office. He died that year, and was buried with his ancestors at Ulcomb.

Sir Thomas Bourchier resided at Leeds castle in the 1st year of king Richard III. in which year he had commission, among others of the principal gentry of this county, to receive the oaths of allegiance to king Richard, of the inhabitants of the several parts of Kent therein mentioned; in which year, the king confirmed the liberties of Leeds priory, in recompence of twentyfour acres of land in Bromfield, granted for the enlargement of his park of Ledes.

In the 4th year of king Henry VIII. Henry Guildford, esq. had a grant of the office of constable of Leeds castle, and of the parkership of it; and in the 12th year of that reign, he had a grant of the custody of the manor of Leeds, with sundry perquisities, for forty years. He died in the 23d year of that reign, having re-edisied great part of the castle, at the king's no small charge.

But the fee simple of the manor and castle of Leeds remained in the hands of the crown, till Edward VI. in his 6th year, granted them, with their appurtenances in the parishes of Leeds, Langley, and Sutton, to Sir Anthony St. Leger, lord deputy of Ireland, to hold in capite by knight's service.

His son, Sir Warham St. Leger, succeeded him in this manor and castle, and was afterwards chief governor of Munster, in Ireland, in which province he was unfortunately slain in 1599, (fn. 6) but before his death he alienated this manor and castle to Sir Richard Smyth, fourth son of Thomas Smyth, esq. of Westenhanger, commonly called Customer Smyth.

Sir Richard Smyth resided at Leeds castle, of which he died possessed in 1628, and was buried in Ashford church, where there is a costly monument erected to his memory.

Sir John Smith, his only son, succeeded his father, and resided at Leeds castle, and dying s. p. in 1632, was buried in this church; upon which his two sisters, Alice, wife of Sir Timothy Thornhill, and Mary, of Maurice Barrow, esq. became his coheirs, and entitled their respective husbands to the property of this manor and castle, which they afterwards joined in the sale of to Sir T. Culpeper, of Hollingborne, who settled this estate, after his purchase of it, on his eldest son Cheney Culpeper, remainder to his two other sons, Francis and Thomas. Cheney Culpeper, esq. resided at Leedscastle for some time, till at length persuading his brother Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Hollingborne, (then his only surviving brother, Francis being dead. s. p.) to cut off the entail of this estate, he alienated it to his cousin Sir John Colepeper, lord Colepeper, only son of Sir John Culpeper, of Wigsell, in Sussex, whose younger brother Francis was of Greenway-court, in Hollingborne, and was father of Sir Thomas Culpeper, the purchaser of this estate as before-mentioned.

Sir John Colepeper represented this county in parliament in the 16th year of king Charles I. and being a person, who by his abilities had raised himself much in the king's favor, was made of his privy council, and chancellor of the exchequer, afterwards master of the rolls, and governor of the Isle of Wight. During the troubles of that monarch, he continued stedfast to the royal cause, and as a reward for his services, was in 1644 created lord Colepeper, baron of Thoresway, in Lincolnshire.

After the king's death he continued abroad with king Charles II. in his exile. During his absence, Leeds-castle seems to have been in the possession of the usurping powers, and to have been made use of by them, for the assembling of their committee men and sequestrators, and for a receptacle to imprison the ejected ministers, for in 1652, all his estates had been declared by parliament forfeited, for treason against the state. He died in 1660, a few weeks only after the restoration, and was buried at Hollingborne. He bore for his arms, Argent, a bend ingrailed gules, the antient bearing of this family; he left by his second wife Judith, daughter of Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Hollingborne, several children, of whom Thomas was his successor in title and estates, and died without male issue as will be mentioned hereafter, John succeeded his brother in the title, and died in 1719 s. p. and Cheney succeeded his brother in the title, and died at his residence of Hoston St. John, in 1725, s. p. likewise, by which the title became extinct; they all, with the rest of the branch of the family, lie buried at Hollingborne. Thomas, lord Colepeper, the eldest son, succeeded his father in title, and in this manor and castle, where he resided, and having married Margaret, daughter of Signior Jean de Hesse, of a noble family in Germany, he left by her a sole daughter and heir Catherine, who intitled her husband Thomas, lord Fairfax, of Cameron, in Scotland, to this manor and castle, with his other estates in this neighbourhood.

The family of Fairfax appear by old evidences in the hands of the family to have been in possession of lands in Yorkshire near six hundred years ago. Richard Fairfax was possessed of lands in that county in the reign of king John, whose grandson William Fairfax in the time of king Henry III. purchased the manor of Walton, in the West Riding, where he and his successors resided for many generations afterwards, and from whom descended the Fairfax's, of Walton and Gilling, in Yorkshire; of whom, Sir Thomas Fairfax, of Gilling, was created viscount Fairfax, of the kingdom of Ireland, which title became extinct in 1772; and from a younger branch of them descended Sir Thomas Fairfax, of Denton, who lived in queen Elizabeth's reign, and changed the original field of his coat armour from argent to or, bearing for his arms, Or, 3 bars gemelles, gules, surmounted of a lion rampant, sable, crown'd, of the first, and was father of Sir. T. Fairfax, who was, for his services to James and Charles I. created in 1627 lord Fairfax, baron of Cameron, in Scotland. He died in 1640, having had ten sons and two daughters; of whom, Ferdinando was his successor; Henry was rector of Bolton Percy, and had two sons, Henry, who became lord Fairfax, and Bryan, who was ancestor of Bryan Fairfax, late commissioner of the customs; and colonel Charles Fairfax, of Menston, was the noted antiquary, whose issue settled there.

Ferdinando, the second lord Fairfax, in the civil wars of king Charles I. was made general of the parliamentary forces, and died at York in 1646. His son, Sir Thomas Fairfax, succeeded him as lord Fairfax, and in all his posts under the parliament, and was that famous general so noted in English history during the civil wars, being made commander in chief of all the parliamentary forces; but at last he grew so weary of the distress and confusion which his former actions had brought upon his unhappy country, that he heartily concurred in the restoration of king Charles II. After which he retired to his seat at Bilborough, in Yorkshire, where he died in 1671, and was buried there, leaving by Anne, daughter and coheir of Horatio, lord Vere of Tilbury, a truly loyal and virtuous lady, an only daughter; upon which the title devolved to Henry Fairfax, esq. of Oglesthorpe, in Yorkshire, his first cousin, eldest son of Henry, rector of Bolton Percy, the second son of Thomas, the first lord Fairfax. Henry, lord Fairfax, died in 1680, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas, fifth lord Fairfax, who was bred to a military life, and rose to the rank of a brigadier-general. He represented Yorkshire in several parliaments and marrying Catherine, daughter and heir of Thomas, lord Colepeper, possessed, in her right this manor and castle, and other large possessions, as before-mentioned. (fn. 7)

He died possessed of them in 1710, leaving three sons and four daughters, Thomas, who succeeded him as lord Fairfax; Henry Culpeper, who died unmarried, in 1734; and Robert, of whom hereafter. Of the daughters, Margaret married David Wilkins, D. D. and prebendary of Canterbury, and Francis married Denny Martin, esq. Thomas, lord Fairfax, the son, resided at Leeds-castle till his quitting England, to reside on his great possessions in Virginia, where he continued to the time of his death. On his departure from England, he gave up the possession of this manor and castle, with his other estates in this neighbourhood, to his only surviving brother, the hon. Robert Fairfax, who afterwards resided at Leeds-castle, and on his brother's death unmarried, in 1782, succeeded to the title of lord Fairfax. He was at first bred to a military life, but becoming possessed of Leeds castle, he retired there, and afterwards twice served in parliament for the town of Maidstoue, as he did afterwards in two successive parliaments for this county. He was twice married; first to Marsha, daughter and coheir of Anthony Collins, esq. of Baddow, in Essex, by whom he had one son, who died an instant; and, secondly, to one of the daughters of Thomas Best, esq. of Chatham, who died s. p. in 1750. Lord Fairfax dying s. p. in 1793, this castle and manor, with the rest of his estates in this county, came to his nephew the Rev. Denny Martin, the eldest son of his sister Frances, by Denny Martin, esq. of Loose, who had before his uncle's death been created D. D. and had, with the royal licence, assumed the name and arms of Fairfax. Dr. Fairfax is the present possessor of this manor and castle, and resides here, being at present unmarried.

A court leet and court baron is held for the manor of Leeds, at which three borsholders are appointed. It is divided into six divisions, or yokes as they are called, viz. Church-yoke, Ferinland-yoke, Mill-yoke, Russerken-yoke, Stockwell-yoke, and Lees-yoke.

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Seen in Claremont Gardens this stone boar stands proud .

How suburban outer London had become! Or so it must have felt in 1848 when exiled French King, Louis-Phillipe was forced to borrow Claremont and its landscape garden from Leopold, King of the Belgians. Louis-Phillipe and his wife, Marie-Amelie, did their best to make it fun for their children, building – among others things – mock fortifications to enable training in the art of war.

Hunting, however, had been their chief pleasure back in France, so their friend the Comte d’Artois imported a wild boar for them to hunt. London’s deep south held little in common with the forests of France, and the boar itself battled as much with the traffic as with the royal huntsmen. The boar ended up being despatched – no doubt, much to the distaste of the suburban English shoppers – in Esher High Street.

The stone boar commemorates this event and is a much more manageable addition to the garden.

The Bureau of Land Management manages 517 wilderness study areas containing about 12.6 million acres located in the Western States and Alaska. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 directed the Bureau to inventory and study its roadless areas for wilderness characteristics. To be designated as a Wilderness Study Area, an area had to have the following characteristics:

Size - roadless areas of at least 5,000 acres of public lands or of a manageable size;

Naturalness - generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature;

Opportunities - provides outstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfined types of recreation.

In addition, Wilderness Study Areas often have special qualities such as ecological, geological, educational, historical, scientific and scenic values.

The congressionally directed inventory and study of BLM's roadless areas received extensive public input and participation. By November 1980, the BLM had completed field inventories and designated about 25 million acres of wilderness study areas. Since 1980, Congress has reviewed some of these areas and has designated some as wilderness and released others for non-wilderness uses. Until Congress makes a final determination on a wilderness study area, the BLM manages these areas to preserve their suitability for designation as wilderness.

In Oregon/Washington there are 83 wilderness study areas comprising 2,642,289 acres. These 83 wilderness study areas are primarily located in southeast Oregon in the Prineville, Lakeview, Burns and Vale Districts.

To learn more about wilderness study areas head on over to: www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/oregon-w...

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER19: The Smithsonian's National Zoo announced a major donation to fund the giant panda program today from David Rubenstein at the zoo, Monday December 19, 2011. (photo by Dayna Smith/ImageSmith Media).

David M. Rubenstein donated $4.5 million to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo to fund the giant panda program for the next five years. In appreciation, the giant panda complex—home to giant pandas Tian Tian (male) and Mei Xiang (female)—will be named the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat. In addition, young conservation biologists in the U.S. and in China who are awarded National Zoo fellowships for their work to save this endangered species will be named “David M. Rubenstein Fellows.” The gift will be used to fund conservation efforts in China, reproductive science, professional training programs, giant panda care at the Zoo, upgrades to the Zoo habitats and public education.

“On behalf of the Zoo Advisory Board, we are most grateful to David for his generous gift, which keeps the beloved giant pandas at the National Zoo for Washington, D.C., and all Americans to enjoy,” said John Marriott, chair of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Advisory Board. “More importantly, his generosity will enable us and our Chinese partners to continue our conservation work to give this critically endangered species the chance to survive in its native habitat.”

Rubenstein, co-founder and managing director of The Carlyle Group, has been a member of the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents since 2009. “We are honored to be part of a cherished program that brings joy to millions of people and draws together two great nations working to preserve these magnificent and gentle giant pandas,” said Rubenstein.

The gift allows the Zoo’s animal care and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s scientific team to proceed with the five-year science plan established with their Chinese colleagues from the China Wildlife Conservation Association. The science plan has specific goals: to examine the creation and impact of corridors to link fragmented habitats that will benefit giant pandas and other wildlife species, including promoting genetic diversity; examine how to restore habitats, especially those where pandas appear to be making a comeback; provide advice on giant panda reintroduction; examine the potential impact of transmissible diseases on giant pandas and other wildlife species, including providing advice on implementing new programs associated with a Wildlife Disease Control Center being built in Sichuan Province; and continue research on giant panda reproduction and management, because, although there has been major success in Chinese breeding centers, some pandas still experience reproductive challenges.

This last goal extends to the Zoo’s pair of pandas who have only produced one cub, Tai Shan, via artificial insemination in 2005. SCBI scientists evaluated all panda breeding records and found that no female individual has successfully reproduced after five consecutive failures. Since Mei Xiang falls into that category, the SCBI team formed a 2012 breeding plan with some variations. “It’s important that we use modern biomedical tools to try and make sure that every genetically valuable individual panda reproduces,” said Pierre Comizzoli, SCBI reproductive physiologist.

The 2012 giant panda breeding plan was done in collaboration with Chinese colleagues. Most notably, the Zoo will receive frozen semen from the San Diego Zoo this year. The frozen semen will be from Shi Shi (now deceased). The frozen semen will be used only in the event that the pandas do not mate successfully and if Tian Tian’s semen is not of sufficient quality for an artificial insemination. Additional details of the breeding plan include: panda keepers continue to house the pandas separately as they would live in the wild although they are rotated throughout all the yards, panda keepers continue the animal training and exercise regimens to improve their stamina, alterations are being made to the facility to create smaller and more manageable breeding areas, all unnatural night light in the building has been eliminated and the indoor panda exhibit is closed to the public at 4:30 p.m.

Tian Tian, the male panda, has already exhibited preliminary rutting behaviors (“powerwalking”/patrolling, urine hopping, scent marking and some vocalizations). Keepers expect these behaviors to increase over time. Mei Xiang has yet to exhibit any estrous behaviors. Last year at this time, she was beginning to show early behaviors such as scent marking, restlessness and vocalizations.

The Giant Panda Habitat consists of panda outdoor and indoor living spaces, an outdoor exhibit in the conservation plaza, an indoor exhibit and a research center. The animal spaces are designed to replicate the panda’s natural environment with rock and tree structures for climbing; grottoes, pools and streams to keep the pandas cool; and shrubs and trees to offer them privacy. The habitats serve as both a display and a learning opportunity. The layout of the yards allows visitors to stand inches away from the pandas to observe them, as well as learn about conservation and reproduction efforts. A video camera system, the popular panda cam, also allows people to watch the pandas in real time on their own computers, offering a personal experience for those who cannot visit the Zoo.

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Another cold wet Wintry day, strolling around The Glen shopping centre, debating what to have for lunch. I realise it is Saturday, and Shira Nui is open for lunch! All it takes is a quick phone call to confirm and book.

Because this is a sushi restaurant, our choices are easy. A Sushi Lunch Special and a Sashimi Lunch Special, oh and send us a plate of wagyu beef yakiniku. Yum!

The chawan mushi arrived first, and it was the silkiest, smoothest savoury egg custard I have ever had, again :) The chicken broth on top was rich and very tasty. So tasty, yet so hot, I burnt my tongue.

This was followed by 2 cold starters, a chewy crunchy konnyaku with a sesame sauce, and a peppery spaghetti salad with a light mayonnaise.

Then comes the beef! There is no better way to serve marbled wagyu beef that to sear it quickly, yakiniku style, to give it a nice burnt colour and melt some of the fat. Of course, the lesser cuts can be made into burgers, etc, but sometimes, we need a bit of luxury.

The fish is good as always, and today's sashimi included hiramasa kingfish, wild barramundi, tuna and salmon. The kingfish with shisho was good, but surprisingly Suzuran's kingfish sahimi seemed fresher with a distinct crunch to the flesh. The barammundi was good too, but the tuna, was soft, smooth and buttery. Very good! As always, the offcuts from the fish were tossed into the salad, dressed with sesame oil and vinegar.

On the sushi platter we had cod, according to Nishikura-san, salmon, tuna, wild barammundi, hiramasa kingfish, prawn, tamago (egg omelet). All very good.

Even on such a Wintry day, Shira Nui was full. For both sessions. Both the tables, and the counter were full. It is obvious that bookings, even on the day, are essential.

Shira Nui 不知火

247 Springvale Rd

Glen Waverley VIC 3150

(03) 9886-7755

Lunch Tue-Sat noon-2pm. Dinner Tue-Sun 6pm-10pm

Reviews:

- Shira Nui, by Dani Valent, Epicure, The Age May 22, 2007 Sit at the sushi counter. Order the omakase

- Shira Nui By Jane Faulkner, Epicure, The Age October 10, 2005 Shira Nui is worth crossing town for.

- Fusion without power By John Lethlean, The Age August 5 2003 At Shira Nui, only certain types of sushi will be delivered to the table, so fanatical is the chef. The full range is available only to a manageable group of sushi-bar diners. He makes; you eat immediately; then he makes again. This is the omakase menu, a sushi-only degustation that is the purest, most pleasurable dining experience I have had all year.

- Shira Nui ... again - TummyRumbles by mellie on May 17th, 2009

- Shira Nui - Miettas

Age Good Food Guide 2010 Score: 14.5/20

Age Good Food Guide 2009 Score: 14.5/20

Gourmet Traveller 2009 Australian Restaurant Guide "A nondescript Glen Waverley shopping strip is not the obvious place to seek boundarypushing Japanese food, but Shira Nui's camouflage partially explains its 'hidden treasure' status"

Age Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 15/20

Age Good Food Guide 2006 score 15/20

Age Good Food Guide 2005 score 14/20

AGFG 2004, score 14/20

- Shiranui - UrbanSpoon

- Shira Nui - Your Restaurants

Designer: Giles Laurent

Builder: Private

Year: 1985

Location Hampshire

Length on deck: 30'

Beam: 9'4"

Draft: 5'

Tonnage(TM): 9

£15,000

Full Specification

The Wanderer Class was a development of Hiscock’s Wanderer 111 designed by Laurent Giles and built for him in 1952. In Wanderer 111, Hiscock sailed 32,000 miles in a 3-year circumnavigation.

After his experience with Wanderer 111 he judged she would be a better ship with a little more beam and sail area and the result was the Wanderer Class.

Several were built in UK yards and quite a few by Cheoy Lee in Hong Kong who had also built 15 of the Laurent Giles Vertues, some would say a smaller sister to the Wanderer.

This yacht was built in Southampton by the previous owner and his company Launched in 1985 she is believed to be the last wooden Wanderer built in UK and the construction was supervised by David Hopkins, Marine Surveyor from Hamble. .

Spring 2015. The owner is now in poor health and no longer sailing. The yacht has been laid up for 18 months and he has now instructed us to slash the price and sell this season.

Being built on hardwoods there is no significant opening of the hull after her time ashore. In addition to the yacht, the owner is offering all his boating equipment collected over many years including dinghies, outboard engines, sails and cordage. Full list to come.

Planked in iroko, all copper fastened to 1 ¾” x 1 ¼” steam bent oak timbers in 2 laminations to avoid inevitable fracture on the tight turn at the tuck and the bilge, heavier and closer spaced in way of the mast, on an oak back-bone.

Iron ballast keel. Massive oak floors on every second timber with galvanised strap floor on the other timber making a very robust back-bone.

Deck laid in 2 layers of ½” ply, Cascover sheathed and painted.

5” toe rail with varnished iroko capping.

Pair of varnished wood mooring cleats on the fore and after decks. Heavy Sampson post, slotted to accept and hold the chain on the fore deck.

Totally clear side and fore decks.

Capstan-type chain windlass on the fore deck

Twin chain roller galvanised stemhead fitting.

Stainless steel pull-pit and stanchion posts with twin guard wires.

Varnished iroko coach-roof coamings with 2 fixed windows aft and 4 opening bronze port holes each side.

Nicely cambered sheathed and painted ply roof with varnished grab rails each side.

Heavy duty, varnished iroko fore hatch on the fwd end of the coach-roof.

Dorade vent in the middle of the coach-roof.

Cabin entrance sliding hatch in a garage with grab rail each side. Spray-hood over on stainless steel frame.

Deep, sheltered self draining cock-pit with high, varnished iroko coamings give a tremendous feeling of security.

Tiller steering to transom-hung rudder.

Seat/locker each side divided into 2, long locker forward, short locker aft. The locker faces forming the cock-pit well lift and hinge with the lid to give excellent access to these deep storage lockers.

Locker aft in the well to the lazarette with a glass holder on the coaming above under the tiller – just right for a whiskey glass.

Teak gratings in the well.

Large, opening ply panel in the well gives excellent access to the stern tube etc for service.

Wide bridge-deck across the front of the cock-pit.

The cabin entrance hatch is slightly off-set to stbd with a sliding hatch in a garage. Solid iroko varnished louvered washboards with optional mosquito or clear Perspex wash-boards.

Masthead bermudian sloop rig on round section, hollow, painted, built wooden mast stepped in a galvanised steel cup on the coach-roof with a similar mast section compression post below the deck.

Single spreaders. Steps up the mast.

Stainless steel standing rigging with stainless steel rigging screws to internal bronze chain plates.

Twin standing back-stays to the quarters, twin lowers and cap shrouds.

Fore stay with Harken roller furling gear.

External bronze mainsail track.

Slab reefing varnished boom with stainless steel goose neck fittings on twin mast bands

Halyards led aft through turning blocks on the mast and coach-roof to jamming cleats under the spray-hood.

Main sheet on tufnol blocks with a jammer on the lower block to a galvanised horse across the tiller on the aft deck.

Headsail sheets led through blocks on single cars on Harken tracks on the toe rails.

Winches.

Pair of new Lewmar 44 self tailing sheet winches on the cock-pit coamings.

Pair of single speed, top action Lewmar winches on the coach-roof under the spray-hood + 2 x 3-line Harken clutches.

This is the simplest rig the yacht can carry, strong, well-built and the new self-tailing winches make the headsail very manageable.

Sails

All sails original 1985 in white terylene.

Mainsail 233sq’ with Kemp Packaway self-stowing system.

Genoa No 1 300sq’ on Harken Mk 3 roller furling gear.

No 2 and 3 genoas

Storm jib and spinnaker

Wooden spinnaker pole stows up the rigging.

Mainsail cover.

Bukh 20hp 2-cylinder diesel installed new in 1985. Salt water cooled.

Belt driven alternator

Wet exhaust.

Single lever controls

2 x 12v batteries in the bilge in front of the engine with change-over switch.

5 berths.

V-berths in the fore cabin with infill to make a large double berth. Drawer below in varnished iroko joinery.

Bulkhead doorway, stbd off-set, oval top and bottom, to ablutions area.

Jabsco sea toilet to port with lockers under the side deck.

The forward bulkhead door swings round to close off the WC compartment.

Opposite to stbd under the side deck is a newly built stainless steel hand basin, draining overboard, with shower head delivering H&C pressurised water allowing a shower wash, draining into the bilge.

Bulkhead door with oval top and bottom, off-set to stbd through to saloon cabin. This door closes off either the hand basin or the saloon cabin allowing use of the heads and ablutions area independent of either the forward cabin or the saloon cabin or both.

Narrow, vertical chain locker alongside the hand basin compartment with the chain fed through a hawse pipe in the coaming above.

Saloon cabin with port and stbd 6’6” settee berths.

Pilot berth behind the port settee berth with fold-away pipe cot – probably the most comfortable sea berth in the yacht.

Varnished mahogany saloon table with fold-out flap.

Part bulkheads each side aft to:

Stbd large chart table, drawer and lockers under.

Oilies hanging locker aft under the bridge deck.

Port galley with Flavell 2-burner, grill and oven gas cooker, stainless steel sink in a work surface athwartships under the side deck. Good stowage.

Fold-down varnished flap over the cooker suitably disguises it when not in use.

Step-locker box and step over the engine to the entrance hatch.

Surface lifts and front pulls away to give good access to the engine.

Electrical controls down the stbd side of the engine step.

25 gall flexible water tank each side under the settee berths.

Hot water calorifier tank under the port pilot berth.

Pressurised water supply to galley and fwd hand basin.

Sealed, draining gas locker in the port cock-pit locker contains 2 Camping Gas bottles.

Cock-pit table on a pedestal stows away under the pilot berth.

6’2” head-room in the saloon cabin.

5’7” head-room in fore cabin.

Varnished iroko joinery and sole boards, all very thick and strong.

3 pairs of laminated hanging knees each side to the coach-roof form attractive features in the cabin as well as adding enormous strength to the structure.

Grab rails along the coamings each side.

Small side-board shelf each side over the fwd ends of the settees provide stowage space for bedding. Lockers under the side decks above each side.

Brass reading lights above the berths.

Pascal Atkey charcoal cabin heater on the fwd saloon bulkhead.

Navigation equipment.

Bulkhead steering compass alongside entrance hatch. Hand held GPS

Sounder Log/speed

ST60 wind/speed/depth Clock and barometer.

Wind speed indicator

Ground tackle

Danforth and fisherman anchors Capstan chain windlass

Ample chain

Safety gear.

Hand held fog-horn Deck safety lines

Stainless steel boarding ladder Life buoy.

A composite image comprising of 8 source images shot on my Nikon D600 and 80. The raw images were processed in ViewNX before being imported to Gimp for the construction of the image.

The high resolution image is 4000 x 6000 pixels and the multilayered image became too large and frequently crashed my system. I therefore worked on three XCF files; background, trees and figures. Once each of these multilayered images was constructed I flattened each file into a single layer and created a new, more manageable three layer master image to which I added final touches such as shadows etc.

Should I feel the need to visit the Product Development Centres based at Ford's Melbourne Headquarters, from Geelong, the traffic is either Sunday-afternoon light or terrible.

One saving grace of terrible traffic, is that it gives me more time to look longingly at the lovely white-and-lime tractors and harvesters at the local CLAAS distribution centre, next to the highway. (Incidentally, the distribution centre nestles just besides the highway overpass used in 'Mad Max' where the message is phoned in that the hell-razing, post-apocalyptic bikies are heading in to town - but that is another story.)

In an earlier LUGNuts challenge that focused on food-related and on farm vehicles - Challenge 37 'The Food We Eat', I took delight in building various model s from the CLASS Tractor range, in miniland scale. This resulted in some nice (and very large), lime tractors. An absence of time, large wheels & tires, and lime Lego, left a few model untried, including the magnificent CLASS XERION, a double steering axle, giant wheeled behemoth, with a swiveling cab so it can go forwards, backwards, AND sideways - AWESOME.

The XERION will have to wait for another challenge somewhere down the line.

The other CLAAS with which I was captivated appears periodically in the distribution yard, and is equally magnificent. This model is the equally enormous CLAAS JAGUAR Harvester. I am a little bit sad that it can only go forward, but it makes up for this in being able to carry all sorts of crazy cutting, slicing and dicing tools on the front end. I have modeled only two here the Maize Cob Silage (MCS), designed to harvest corn/maize type plants, and the more traditional spinning long blade harvester type tool. There are more cool tools too, so they may be modeled for adaptation to the MotorCity-scale JAGUAR shown here.

One key difference from the Challenge 37 tractors, and the JAGUAR Harvester shown here is the scale. The sheer size of the real JAGUAR - 6.6 metres long (20 ft), and 3.8 metres tall (10.5 ft), not including any tool attachments, make it a seriously big entity. Maybe I will get to a Miniland-scale JAGUAR someday, but for now, I display the model in a more manageable 1:28 (MotorCity scale).

Incidentally, the Lego Group have also released a Harvester in the past few years under the 'City' line. One of the images shows this model (Nr. 7636). My JAGUAR was loosely based on this model for size and tool compatibility, and also as an example of the customisation of original Lego models that can add a dose of individual creativity to Lego modeling.

The point of this?

This CLAAS JAGUAR model has been created for Flickr LUGNuts 68th Build Challenge - 'A Baker's Dozen', to the sub-theme Nr. 11. 'Any tractor or combine harvester'.

A long planned visit to Leeds to record the church.

Leeds is just off the M20, and nearby to Leeds Castle, which means the roads are often busy. St Nicholas is on the main road leading up the down, but before the road gets narrow as it winds between the timber framed houses. Thankfully there is good parking next door, so we were able to get off the main road and out of the traffic, as unbeknown to us, there was a classical music show on that night, and most of Kent were going and in the process of arriving.

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One of the largest twelfth-century towers in Kent. The arch between tower and nave is of three very plain orders with no hint of the usual zigzag moulding of the period, and is so large that a meeting room has recently been built into it. The nave has three bay aisles and short chapels to north and south of the chancel. The outstanding rood screen was partially reconstructed in 1892, and runs the full width of nave and aisles - with the staircase doorways in the south aisle. That the chancel was rebuilt in the sixteenth century may be seen by the plain sedilia through which is cut one of two hagioscopes from chapels to chancel. The north chapel contains some good seventeenth- and eighteenth-century tablets and monuments. The stained glass shows some excellent examples of the work of Heaton, Butler and Bayne (south aisle) whilst there is an uncharacteristically poor example of the work of C.E. Kempe & Co. Ltd. in the north aisle. The church has recently been reordered to provide a spacious, light and manageable interior with excellent lighting and a welcoming atmosphere without damaging the character of the building.

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Leeds

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LEEDS

IS the next parish southward from Hollingborne. Kilburne says, that one Ledian, a chief counsellor to king Ethelbert II. who began his reign in 978, raised a fortress here, which was called in Latin, from him, Ledani Castrum, and in process of time in English, LEEDS. This castle was afterwards demolished by the Danes, and continued in that situation till the time of the Norman conquest.

THE PRESENT CASTLE is situated at the southeast boundary of this parish, adjoining to Bromfield, which includes a part of the castle itself. It is situated in the midst of the park, an ample description of it the reader will find hereafter. The Lenham rivulet takes its course through the park, and having supplied the moat, in which the castle stands, and the several waters in the grounds there, and having received into it the several small streamlets from Hollingborne, and one from the opposite side, which comes from Leeds abbey, it flows on, and at a small distance from Caring street, in this parish, adjoining to Bersted, the principal estate of which name there belongs to the Drapers company, it turns a mill, and then goes on to Maidstone, where it joins the river Medway. The high road from Ashford and Lenham runs close by the outside of the pales of Leeds park, at the northern boundary of the parish next to Hollingborne, and thence goes on towards Bersted and Maidstone, from which the park is distant a little more than five miles; here the soil is a deep sand, but near the river it changes to a black moorish earth. Southward from the castle the ground rises, at about three quarters of a mile south-west from it is Leeds abbey, the front of which is a handsome well-looking building, of the time of queen Elizabeth. It is not unpleasantly situated on a gentle eminence, and is well watered by a small stream which rises just above it, and here turns a mill. It is well cloathed with wood at the back part of it, to which the ground still keeps rising; adjoining to the abbey grounds westward is Leeds-street, a long straggling row of houses, near a mile in length, having the church at the south end of it; here the soil becomes a red unfertile earth much mixed with slints, which continues till it joins to Langley and Otham.

LEEDS was part of those possessions given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother Odo, bishop of Baieux; accordingly it is thus entered, under the general title of that prelate's lands, in the survey of Domesday, taken in the year 1080.

Adelold holds of the bishop (of Baieux) Esiedes. It was taxed at three sulings. The arable land is twelve carucates. In demesne there are two carucates, and twenty-eight villeins, with eight borderers, having seven carucates. There is a church, and eighteen servants. There are two arpends of vineyard, and eight acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of twenty bogs, and five mills of the villeins. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, it was worth sixteen pounds, the like when be received it, now twenty pounds, and yet it pays twentyfive pounds. Earl Leuuin held it.

Of this manor the abbot of St. Augustine has half a suling, which is worth ten shillings, in exchange of the park of the bishop of Baieux. The earl of Ewe has four denns of this manor, which are worth twenty shillings.

The mention of the two arpends of vineyard in the above survey, is another instance of there having been such in this county in early times, some further observations of which the reader will find in the description of the parish of Chart Sutton, not far distant, and he will likewise observe, that at the above time the bishop of Baieux had a park here, which he acquired by exchange with the abbot of St. Augustine, who must therefore have had possessions here before that time.

On the bishop of Baieux's disgrace, about four years after the taking of the above-mentioned survey, this estate, among the rest of his possessions, became consiscated to the crown.

After which it was granted by king William to the eminent family of Crevequer, called in antient charters Creveceur, and in Latin, De Crepito Corde, who at first made Chatham in this county their seat, or caput baroniæ, i. e. the principal manor of their barony, for some time, until they removed hither, being before frequently written Domini de Cetham.

Robert, son of Hamon de Crevequer, who had probably a grant of Leeds from the Conqueror, appears to have held it of the king, as of his castle of Dover, in capite by barony, their barony, which consisted of five knight's sees, being stiled Baronia de Crevequer . (fn. 1) He erected the castle here, to which he asterwards removed the capital seat of his barony. This castle being environed with water, was frequently mentioned in antient writings by the name of Le Mote. In the north-west part of it he built a chapel, in which he placed three canons, which on his foundation of the priory of Leeds, in the 19th year of king Henry I. he removed thither.

His descendant, Hamon de Crevequer, lived in the reign of king Henry III. in the 19th year of which, he was joined with Walterand Teutonicus, or Teys, in the wardenship of the five ports, and the next year had possession granted to him of the lands of William de Albrincis or Averenches, whose daughter and heir Maud he had married. He died in the 47th year of king Henry III. possessed of the manor of Ledes, held of the king in capite, as belonging to his barony of Chatham; upon which Robert, his grandson, viz. son of Hamon his son, who died in his life-time, succeeded him as his heir, and in the 52d year of that reign, exchanged the manor of Ledes, with its appurtenances, together with a moiety of all his fees, with Roger de Leyburne, for the manors of Trottesclyve and Flete. He lest William de Leyburne, his son and heir, who in the 2d year of king Edward I. had possession granted to him of the manor of Ledes, as well as of the rest of his inheritance, of which Eleanor, countess of Winchester, his father's widow, was not endowed. (fn. 2)

His son, William de Leyborne, observing that the king looked on the strength of this fortress with a jealous eye, in the beginning of king Edward Ist.'s reign reinstated the crown in the possession of both the manor and castle; and the king having, in his 27th year married Margaret, sister of Philip, king of France, he settled them, being then of the clear yearly value of 21l. 6s. 8d. among other premises, as part of her dower. She survived the king her husband, who died in 1307, and in the 5th year of the next reign of king Edward II. by the king's recommendation, appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, a nobleman of great power and eminence, and much in that prince's favor, governor of this castle. (fn. 3) She died possessed of them in the 10th year of that reign; on which they came once more into the hands of the crown, and in the beginning of the next year the king appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, above-mentioned, governor of this castle, as well as of that of Bristol. In the 11th year of that reign, the king granted to him in see, this manor and castle, and the advowson of the priory of Ledes, in exchange for the manor of Addresley, in Shropshire. Being possessed of great possessions, especially in this county, he was usually stiled, the rich lord Badlesmere of Ledes. Being pussed up through ambition and his great wealth, he forgot his allegiance, and associated himself with the earl of Lancaster, and the discontented barons; which the king being well informed of, resolved, if possible, to gain possession of this strong fortress of Ledes: to effect which, under pretence of the queen's going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, she set forward for that city with a large train of attendants, and, with a secret intention of surprising this castle, sent her marshal with others of her servants, to prepare lodging for her and her suit in it. The lord Badlesmere's family, that is, his wife, son, and four daughters, were at that time in it, together with all his treasure, deposited there for safety, under the care of Thomas Colepeper, the castellan, who refused the queen's servants admittance, and on her coming up, peremptorily persisted in denying her or any one entrance, without letters from his lord. The queen, upon this, made some attempt to gain admittance by force, and a skirmish ensued, in which one or more of her attendants were slain, but being repulsed, she was obliged to relinquish her design, and to retire for a lodging elsewhere.

The king, chagrined at the failure of his scheme, and highly resenting the indignity offered to the queen, sent a force under the earls of Pembroke and Richmond, to besiege the castle; (fn. 4) and those within it finding no hopes of relief, for though the lord Badlesmere had induced the barons to endeavours to raise the siege, yet they never advanced nearer than Kingston, yielded it up. Upon which, the lady Badlesmere and her children were sent prisoners to the tower of London, Thomas Colepeper, the castellan, was hung up, and the king took possession of the castle, as well as of all the lord Badlesmere's goods and treasures in it. But by others, Thomas de Aldone is said to have been castellan at this time, and that the castle being taken, he, with the lord Badlesmere's wife, his only son Giles, his daughters, Sir Bartholomew de Burgershe, and his wife, were sent to the tower of London by the king's order; and that afterwards, he caused Walter Colepeper, bailiff of the Seven Hundreds, to be drawn in a pitiable manner at the tails of horses, and to be hung just by this castle; on which Thomas Colepeper, and others, who were with him in Tunbridge castle, hearing of the king's approach, sled to the barons.

After which the lord Badlesmere, being taken prisoner in Yorkshire, was sent to Canterbury, and there drawn and hanged at the gallows of Blean, and his head being cut off, was set on a pole on Burgate, in that city. Upon which the manor and castle of Leeds, became part of the royal revenue and the castle remained in a most ruinous condition till the year 1359, anno 34 Edward III. in which year that munisicent prelate, William of Wickham, was constituted by the king, chief warden and surveyor of his castle of Ledes, among others, (fn. 5) having power to appoint all workmen, to provide materials, and to order every thing with regard to building and repairs; and in those manors to hold leets and other courts of trespass and misdemeanors, and to enquire of the king's liberties and rights; and from his attention to the re-edisying and rebuilding the rest of them, there is little doubt but he restored this of Leeds to a very superior state to whatever it had been before, insomuch, that it induced king Richard to visit it several times, particularly in his 19th year, in which several of his instruments were dated at his castle of Ledes; and it appears to have been at that time accounted a fortress of some strength, for in the beginning of the next reign, that unfortunate prince was, by order of king Henry IV. sent prisoner to this castle; and that king himself resided here part of the month of April in his 2d year.

After which, archbishop Arundel, whose mind was by no means inferior to his high birth, procured a grant of this castle, where he frequently resided and kept his court, whilst the process against the lord Cobham was carrying forward, and some of his instruments were dated from his castle of Ledes in the year 1413, being the year in which he died. On his death it reverted again to the crown, and became accounted as one of the king's houses, many of the principal gentry of the county being instrusted with the custody of it:

In the 7th year of king Henry V. Joane of Navarre, the second queen of the late king Henry IV. being accused of conspiring against the life of the king, her son-in-law, was committed to Leeds-castle, there to remain during the king's pleasure; and being afterwards ordered into Sir John Pelham's custody, he removed her to the castle of Pevensey, in Sussex.

In the 18th year of king Henry VI. archbishop Chichele sat at the king's castle of Leeds, in the process against Eleanor, duchess of Gloucester, for forcery and witchcrast.

King Edward IV. in his 11th year, made Ralph St. Leger, esq. of Ulcomb, who had served the office of sheriff of this county three years before, constable of this castle for life, and annexed one of the parks as a farther emolument to that office. He died that year, and was buried with his ancestors at Ulcomb.

Sir Thomas Bourchier resided at Leeds castle in the 1st year of king Richard III. in which year he had commission, among others of the principal gentry of this county, to receive the oaths of allegiance to king Richard, of the inhabitants of the several parts of Kent therein mentioned; in which year, the king confirmed the liberties of Leeds priory, in recompence of twentyfour acres of land in Bromfield, granted for the enlargement of his park of Ledes.

In the 4th year of king Henry VIII. Henry Guildford, esq. had a grant of the office of constable of Leeds castle, and of the parkership of it; and in the 12th year of that reign, he had a grant of the custody of the manor of Leeds, with sundry perquisities, for forty years. He died in the 23d year of that reign, having re-edisied great part of the castle, at the king's no small charge.

But the fee simple of the manor and castle of Leeds remained in the hands of the crown, till Edward VI. in his 6th year, granted them, with their appurtenances in the parishes of Leeds, Langley, and Sutton, to Sir Anthony St. Leger, lord deputy of Ireland, to hold in capite by knight's service.

His son, Sir Warham St. Leger, succeeded him in this manor and castle, and was afterwards chief governor of Munster, in Ireland, in which province he was unfortunately slain in 1599, (fn. 6) but before his death he alienated this manor and castle to Sir Richard Smyth, fourth son of Thomas Smyth, esq. of Westenhanger, commonly called Customer Smyth.

Sir Richard Smyth resided at Leeds castle, of which he died possessed in 1628, and was buried in Ashford church, where there is a costly monument erected to his memory.

Sir John Smith, his only son, succeeded his father, and resided at Leeds castle, and dying s. p. in 1632, was buried in this church; upon which his two sisters, Alice, wife of Sir Timothy Thornhill, and Mary, of Maurice Barrow, esq. became his coheirs, and entitled their respective husbands to the property of this manor and castle, which they afterwards joined in the sale of to Sir T. Culpeper, of Hollingborne, who settled this estate, after his purchase of it, on his eldest son Cheney Culpeper, remainder to his two other sons, Francis and Thomas. Cheney Culpeper, esq. resided at Leedscastle for some time, till at length persuading his brother Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Hollingborne, (then his only surviving brother, Francis being dead. s. p.) to cut off the entail of this estate, he alienated it to his cousin Sir John Colepeper, lord Colepeper, only son of Sir John Culpeper, of Wigsell, in Sussex, whose younger brother Francis was of Greenway-court, in Hollingborne, and was father of Sir Thomas Culpeper, the purchaser of this estate as before-mentioned.

Sir John Colepeper represented this county in parliament in the 16th year of king Charles I. and being a person, who by his abilities had raised himself much in the king's favor, was made of his privy council, and chancellor of the exchequer, afterwards master of the rolls, and governor of the Isle of Wight. During the troubles of that monarch, he continued stedfast to the royal cause, and as a reward for his services, was in 1644 created lord Colepeper, baron of Thoresway, in Lincolnshire.

After the king's death he continued abroad with king Charles II. in his exile. During his absence, Leeds-castle seems to have been in the possession of the usurping powers, and to have been made use of by them, for the assembling of their committee men and sequestrators, and for a receptacle to imprison the ejected ministers, for in 1652, all his estates had been declared by parliament forfeited, for treason against the state. He died in 1660, a few weeks only after the restoration, and was buried at Hollingborne. He bore for his arms, Argent, a bend ingrailed gules, the antient bearing of this family; he left by his second wife Judith, daughter of Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Hollingborne, several children, of whom Thomas was his successor in title and estates, and died without male issue as will be mentioned hereafter, John succeeded his brother in the title, and died in 1719 s. p. and Cheney succeeded his brother in the title, and died at his residence of Hoston St. John, in 1725, s. p. likewise, by which the title became extinct; they all, with the rest of the branch of the family, lie buried at Hollingborne. Thomas, lord Colepeper, the eldest son, succeeded his father in title, and in this manor and castle, where he resided, and having married Margaret, daughter of Signior Jean de Hesse, of a noble family in Germany, he left by her a sole daughter and heir Catherine, who intitled her husband Thomas, lord Fairfax, of Cameron, in Scotland, to this manor and castle, with his other estates in this neighbourhood.

The family of Fairfax appear by old evidences in the hands of the family to have been in possession of lands in Yorkshire near six hundred years ago. Richard Fairfax was possessed of lands in that county in the reign of king John, whose grandson William Fairfax in the time of king Henry III. purchased the manor of Walton, in the West Riding, where he and his successors resided for many generations afterwards, and from whom descended the Fairfax's, of Walton and Gilling, in Yorkshire; of whom, Sir Thomas Fairfax, of Gilling, was created viscount Fairfax, of the kingdom of Ireland, which title became extinct in 1772; and from a younger branch of them descended Sir Thomas Fairfax, of Denton, who lived in queen Elizabeth's reign, and changed the original field of his coat armour from argent to or, bearing for his arms, Or, 3 bars gemelles, gules, surmounted of a lion rampant, sable, crown'd, of the first, and was father of Sir. T. Fairfax, who was, for his services to James and Charles I. created in 1627 lord Fairfax, baron of Cameron, in Scotland. He died in 1640, having had ten sons and two daughters; of whom, Ferdinando was his successor; Henry was rector of Bolton Percy, and had two sons, Henry, who became lord Fairfax, and Bryan, who was ancestor of Bryan Fairfax, late commissioner of the customs; and colonel Charles Fairfax, of Menston, was the noted antiquary, whose issue settled there.

Ferdinando, the second lord Fairfax, in the civil wars of king Charles I. was made general of the parliamentary forces, and died at York in 1646. His son, Sir Thomas Fairfax, succeeded him as lord Fairfax, and in all his posts under the parliament, and was that famous general so noted in English history during the civil wars, being made commander in chief of all the parliamentary forces; but at last he grew so weary of the distress and confusion which his former actions had brought upon his unhappy country, that he heartily concurred in the restoration of king Charles II. After which he retired to his seat at Bilborough, in Yorkshire, where he died in 1671, and was buried there, leaving by Anne, daughter and coheir of Horatio, lord Vere of Tilbury, a truly loyal and virtuous lady, an only daughter; upon which the title devolved to Henry Fairfax, esq. of Oglesthorpe, in Yorkshire, his first cousin, eldest son of Henry, rector of Bolton Percy, the second son of Thomas, the first lord Fairfax. Henry, lord Fairfax, died in 1680, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas, fifth lord Fairfax, who was bred to a military life, and rose to the rank of a brigadier-general. He represented Yorkshire in several parliaments and marrying Catherine, daughter and heir of Thomas, lord Colepeper, possessed, in her right this manor and castle, and other large possessions, as before-mentioned. (fn. 7)

He died possessed of them in 1710, leaving three sons and four daughters, Thomas, who succeeded him as lord Fairfax; Henry Culpeper, who died unmarried, in 1734; and Robert, of whom hereafter. Of the daughters, Margaret married David Wilkins, D. D. and prebendary of Canterbury, and Francis married Denny Martin, esq. Thomas, lord Fairfax, the son, resided at Leeds-castle till his quitting England, to reside on his great possessions in Virginia, where he continued to the time of his death. On his departure from England, he gave up the possession of this manor and castle, with his other estates in this neighbourhood, to his only surviving brother, the hon. Robert Fairfax, who afterwards resided at Leeds-castle, and on his brother's death unmarried, in 1782, succeeded to the title of lord Fairfax. He was at first bred to a military life, but becoming possessed of Leeds castle, he retired there, and afterwards twice served in parliament for the town of Maidstoue, as he did afterwards in two successive parliaments for this county. He was twice married; first to Marsha, daughter and coheir of Anthony Collins, esq. of Baddow, in Essex, by whom he had one son, who died an instant; and, secondly, to one of the daughters of Thomas Best, esq. of Chatham, who died s. p. in 1750. Lord Fairfax dying s. p. in 1793, this castle and manor, with the rest of his estates in this county, came to his nephew the Rev. Denny Martin, the eldest son of his sister Frances, by Denny Martin, esq. of Loose, who had before his uncle's death been created D. D. and had, with the royal licence, assumed the name and arms of Fairfax. Dr. Fairfax is the present possessor of this manor and castle, and resides here, being at present unmarried.

A court leet and court baron is held for the manor of Leeds, at which three borsholders are appointed. It is divided into six divisions, or yokes as they are called, viz. Church-yoke, Ferinland-yoke, Mill-yoke, Russerken-yoke, Stockwell-yoke, and Lees-yoke.

Leica M4-P, Adox CMS 20 II, shot at ISO 6, developed in Ilford DD-X, 1-to-9 mix for 5 minutes @ 68°F. The negative was still very thin on emulsion with very little shadow detail, but the tonal ranges were manageable.

I'm currently working on writing a novel. I started writing it in November and was a participant in NaNoWriMo (which, sadly, I "lost"). BUT, even though I didn't reach the goal of 50,000 words in November, I did get 13,000 done which is a huge accomplishment for me since I am so busy, so I still feel like I kinda won :) November was a great starting point and I really want to see myself finish my novel. Therefore, I've decided to set goals for myself to get it done by March. If I can reach my goals, I've decided I'm going to reward myself with a little something :D So, if you see random uploads about a writing goal, that's what it is ;) Hopefully, between the small, manageable goals (and corresponding rewards!) and the accountability of having posted my goals for all to see, I will have enough incentive to buckle down and get this thing done!

1. blank pages,

2. writer's block,

3. Dear.......,

4. I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions. (Explore, #3)

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

The outrigger canoe (Taiwanese: Monga; Filipino: bangka; Indonesian: Jukung; New Zealand Māori: waka ama; Cook Islands Maori: vaka; Hawaiian: waʻa; Tahitian and Samoan:vaʻa) is a type of canoe featuring one or more lateral support floats known as outriggers, which are fastened to one or both sides of the main hull. Smaller canoes often employ a single outrigger on the port side, while larger canoes may employ a single-outrigger, double-outrigger, or double-hull configuration (see also catamaran). The sailing canoes are an important part of the Polynesian heritage and are raced and sailed in Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa and by the Māori of New Zealand. They are also very popular in Puerto Rico.

Unlike a single-hulled canoe, an outrigger or double-hull canoe generates stability as a result of the distance between its hulls rather than due to the shape of each individual hull. As such, the hulls of outrigger or double-hull canoes are typically longer, narrower and more hydrodynamically efficient than those of single-hull canoes. Compared to other types of canoes, outrigger canoes can be quite fast, yet are also capable of being paddled and sailed in rougher water. This paddling technique, however, differs greatly from kayaking or rowing. The paddle, or blade, used by the paddler is single sided, with either a straight or a double-bend shaft. Despite the single paddle, an experienced paddler will only paddle on one side, using a technique such as a J-stroke to maintain heading and stability.

The outrigger float is called the ama in many Polynesian and Micronesian languages. The spars connecting the ama to the main hull (or the two hulls in a double-hull canoe) are called ʻiako in Hawaiian and kiato in Māori (with similar words in other Polynesian languages); in Micronesian languages, the term aka is used.

HISTORY

Outrigger canoes were originally developed by the Austronesian-speaking peoples of the islands of Southeast Asia for sea travel. They were used to transport these peoples both eastward to Polynesia and New Zealand and westward across the Indian Ocean as far as Madagascar during the Austronesian migration period. While today they can be found in East Africa (e.g. the ungalawa of Tanzania), the Austronesian peoples (Filipino, Malay, Micronesian, Melanesian and Polynesian peoples) continue to be the primary users of the outrigger canoes.

Outrigger fishing canoes are also used among certain non-Austronesian groups, such as the Sinhala in Sri Lanka, where they are known as oruwa, as well as among some groups in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The ethnological significance of this spread has been studied by James Hornell.

When Magellan's ships first encountered the Chamorros of the Mariana Islands in 1521, Antonio Pigafetta recorded that the Chamorros' sailboats far surpassed Magellan's in speed and maneuverability.

The Polynesian Voyaging Society has two double-hull sailing canoes, Hokulea and Hawaiiloa, and sails them between various islands in the Pacific using traditional Polynesian navigation methods without instruments. The Hikianalia and Alingano Maisu are other extant double-hulled voyaging canoes.

The technology has persisted into the modern age. Outrigger canoes can be quite large fishing or transport vessels. In the Philippines, outrigger canoes (called bangka, parao or balanghai) are often fitted with petrol engines. The links between seafaring and outrigger canoes in the Philippines extend through to political life, in which the smallest political unit in the country is still called Barangay after the historical Balangay outrigger proas used in the original migrations of the first Austronesian peoples across the archipelago and beyond.

TYPES

A variety of boat types exist, including the OC1, OC2, OC3, OC4 and OC6 (with the respective number of paddlers using a single-hull outrigger canoe), and the DC12 or OC12 (with twelve paddlers using a double-hull outrigger canoe, two six-person canoes rigged together like a catamaran). Outriggers without a rudder are referred to as V1, V2, etc. (where V refers to vaʻa).

Single-hull outrigger canoes have an ama (outrigger float) connected to the main hull by spars called ʻiako (Hawaiian), ʻiato (Tahitian), or kiato (Māori). The ama, which is usually rigged on the left side, provides stability. The paddlers need to be careful to avoid leaning too far on the opposite side of the ama, as that may cause the canoe to capsize (huli or lumaʻi).

There are also outrigger sailing canoes ranging from smaller three or four-person canoes to large voyaging canoes. Sailing canoes may have one ama, two amas (one on each side, but only one side is normally in contact with the water), or a double-hull configuration (like a catamaran).

ROLES

In an outrigger canoe the paddlers sit in line, facing toward the bow of the canoe (i.e. forward, in the direction of travel, unlike rowing). The seats are numbered from 1 (closest to the bow) to the number of seats in the canoe, usually 6. The steerer (or steersman or steersperson) sits in the last seat of the canoe (seat 6 in the common OC6) and, as the name indicates, is primarily responsible for steering. The paddler sitting in seat 1 is called the stroke (or stroker) and is responsible for setting the pace of the paddle strokes. The stroker should have a high level of endurance to keep the rate (the number of strokes taken in a given amount of time) manageable for whatever the situation may be. The first two positions may also be involved in certain steering manoeuvers. This usually involves the draw stroke. During a tight turn the one seat might poke to make the canoe turn the opposite way. In the middle of the canoe (seats number 3 and 4) known as the powerhouse are the strong and powerful paddlers. Any of the 2 can be the 'caller' who directs when to switch over their blades, when to pick up or slow down the stroking pace, etc. Whoever is caller must have very good leadership skills and know how to think off the top of their head in any situation. Every position has an important role to play in the canoe.

In an OC1, the single paddler must also steer the canoe. Some OC1s have rudders operated by foot pedals, while OC1s without rudders must be steered by drawing and paddling as needed for steering purposes while paddling to move the canoe forward.

STEERSMAN

A good steersman is able to maintain the straight attitude of the canoe throughout the course of a race, and also keep the boat and the crew safe in rough sea conditions. S/he may also take advantage of water conditions to gain extra speed by surfing. The steersman uses a single bladed steering paddle which has a larger blade than a standard outrigger paddle, is built stronger, and has less or no bend in its shaft. S/he steers by the following methods:

- Poking: holding the paddle vertically against the side of the canoe, causing drag on that side to cause the canoe to turn that direction. (left to go left and right to go right)

- Drawing: paddling at a 45 to 90 degree angle to pull water under the canoe, causing the canoe to turn the opposite direction.

- Posting: holding the paddle in the water out to the side with the forward edge angled opposite to the desired turn direction, usually as a prelude to drawing.

- Paddling: by applying power on one side of the canoe, the steersman can influence to a small degree which way the canoe will turn. Paddling also increases the total power moving the canoe forward compared to the other steering methods. The steersman should try and paddle as much as possible so he or she doesn't slow down the canoe by contributing to the amount of weight in the canoe.

A steersman also skippers the canoe and instructs all other paddlers as necessary. As an outrigger canoe is a long narrow canoe with the steersman placed at the very end, the steersman must give instructions sufficiently loudly and clearly for the entire crew to hear. From a water safety perspective the steersman should also be amongst the most experienced crew members, and be knowledgeable with the waterways and weather conditions, relevant maritime rules and other safety considerations such as the use of personal floatation devices, rigging of the canoe, placement of paddlers in the various seating positions, and recovery from a huli by righting the canoe and bailing out the water. The steersman should also be able to keep the ama down during rough water.

PADDLERS

Paddlers use single bladed paddles, usually with single or double bent shafts. The paddling stroke is similar to that of most other racing canoe paddling strokes, involving primarily core and lat strength. Generally, each paddler paddles on the opposite side from the paddler in directly front (for example, in an OC6, paddlers in seats 1, 3, and 5 paddle on one side, while paddlers in seats 2 and 4 paddle on the other side). All paddlers switch sides simultaneously on a call from one who is the designated caller. The steerer may paddle either side or switch sides as needed for steering purposes. The steersman will also switch sides to keep the ama from popping up and capsizing the canoe.

Stronger paddlers are typically placed in the middle of the canoe, while paddlers with the most endurance tend to be placed at the front, as the lead paddler sets the pace for the crew. All other paddlers synchronize their strokes to the paddler in front of them (whom they can directly see).

In rough water, it is often desirable to have a paddler with steering skill in seat 5 (of an OC6), to allow for the steerer to have that paddler also take steering strokes if needed in some situations. In conditions when the boat is surfing, the stern of the canoe will be so far out of the water that seat 5 will have to keep the boat on course. A seat 5 paddler with steering skill can also assist in preventing a huli by staying on the ama side during a particularly rough stretch of water.

In water rough enough to splash into the canoe, paddlers also need to pay attention to the water level in the canoe, report the situation to the steerer, and bail out the water as necessary. Paddlers also need to know how to recover from a huli under the steerer's direction.

In a quick turn situation, paddlers at the front may also be instructed to une (poke steer, causes the canoe to turn the opposite direction) or kahi (post and draw steer, pulls the canoe to the side where this is done) to help bring the canoe around a turn quickly.

MODERN SPORT

Outrigger canoe racing has become a popular canoeing sport, with numerous clubs located around the world. Outrigger Canoe Racing is the State sport of Hawaii and an interscholastic high school sport. In Hawaii entire families participate in summer regattas with age groups from keiki (children as young as 6 with an adult steersperson) and age 12 through age 60+.

Major races in Hawaii include the Molokaʻi Hoe 69 km men's race from the island of Molokai to Oahu across the Kaiwi Channel, Na Wahine O Ke Kai (same race for women) and the Queen Liliʻuokalani Race held near Kona on the Island of Hawai.

Six-person outrigger canoes (or OC6) are among the most common used for sport use; single-person outrigger canoes (or OC1) are also very common. Two and four-person outrigger canoes are also sometimes used, and two six-person outrigger canoes are sometimes rigged together like a catamaran to form a twelve-person double canoe.

Modern OC6 hulls and amas are commonly made from glass-reinforced plastic. However, some canoes are made of more traditional materials. In Ancient Hawaii, canoes were carved from the trunks of very old koa trees. These canoes, although rare, are still very much in use today. The ʻiako are usually made of wood; the ʻiako-ama and ʻiako-hull connections are typically done with rope wrapped and tied in interlocking fashion to reduce the risk of the connection coming completely apart if the rope breaks.

Modern OC1 hulls and amas are commonly made from glass-reinforced plastic, carbon fiber reinforced plastic, and/or Kevlar to produce a strong but light canoe. OC1 are often made with rudders operated by foot pedals. More traditional designs do not have rudders. OC1 commonly use ʻiako made of aluminium, with a mechanism for quickly assembling and disassembling the canoe (snap buttons, large wing nuts, etc.).

RACING

The length of a race ranges from short sprints (e.g. 250–500 metres for the OC1 and the OC12, 500–2000 metres (usually includes turns) for the OC6) to longer events, including marathons (e.g. 42 kilometres). A number of races are raced over distances that far exceed 42 kilometres, including the Molokaʻi Hoe that crosses the Kaiwi Channel between the islands of Molokai and Oahu in Hawaii. However, long distance races of 20 to 30 kilometres are more common, with shorter 5 to 8 kilometre courses typically being offered to novice paddlers and those under 20 years of age.

Longer races involving the OC6 often involve paddler replacements, which involve exit and entry to the canoe directly from the water while the canoe is under way (this is called a water change). Typically, nine paddlers form a crew, with six paddling the OC6 and the other three resting, drinking, and/or eating on an escort boat. Replacement typically occurs at 20 to 30 minute intervals; the escort boat drops the relief paddlers into the water ahead of the OC6, which is steered toward them. The relief paddlers climb in on the ama side as those they are replacing roll out into the water on the opposite side. The escort boat then picks up the paddlers in the water so that they can rest, drink, and/or eat before they in turn relieve some of the paddlers in the OC6.

The longer races are typically conducted in the open ocean, e.g. between islands in the South Pacific. The Molokaʻi Hoe in Hawaii, The Hamilton Cup in Australia, The Vaka Eiva in Rarotonga (Cook Islands), The Motu2Motu in Aitutaki (Cook Islands) and the Catalina Channel crossing in California are four examples of races involving water changes.

Paddlers and crews are usually classified by gender and age. Gender classification is typically straightforward, with male, female, and coed classifications, with the latter being a crew with equal numbers of male and female paddlers (different rules may apply to nine person coed crews doing a race with paddler replacements). Age classifications typically include youth divisions like 19-and-under, 16-and-under, etc., master divisions with minimum ages typically starting at 35 or 40 years of age, and an open division which allows paddlers of any age. A novice division for paddlers with less than a specified number of years of race experience (usually one or two) may also exist in a given association.

In some races, a particular type of outrigger canoe, usually a more traditional design for the region, may be given its own racing classification. For example, races in Hawaii have a koa division, while southern California has a Bradley OC6 division and northern California OC1 sprint races have a traditional (no rudder) division.

There are several outrigger racing organizations in the United States. They include: East Coast Outrigger Racing Association (ECORA), Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association (HCRA), Northern California Outrigger Canoe Association (NCOCA), Southern California Outrigger Canoe Association (SCORA) and several more.

WIKIPEDIA

Testimonial by: www.facebook.com/janeih.bain

Date: March 15

My hairfinity results after 1 month. From 1/28/2014 to 2/24/2014. My hair is much softer and more manageable. I would highly recommend this product. Im currently still using!

Design by Shuki Kato

Fold by Travis Nolan

1 square sheet of biotope paper, 70 cm to a side. Dry-folded, no cuts or glue.

This design is fantastic. This is my second time folding it, each fold took about sixteen hours. Twenty-four teeth, and the layers were still manageable. The detail is incredible. I have been looking forward to folding this model ever since I first saw Shuki's fold. Possibly my favorite design ever.

As if the original wasn't complicated enough, I opted for the optional steps to separate fingers on the arm. It was tricky but rewarding, I think.

A few of the last remaining Class 503s were scrapped at the then closed Birkenhead Mollington Street Depot. The end is near for M28385M, M29146M & M29822M on the 6th April 1986.

In the left foreground is a chassis section from a driving car. It looked as though the crane was being used to literally pull the bodywork apart, before the pieces were cut into manageable sections.

Railways of Great Britain

This start of another one of my collections, although I have posted a few in the past.

I have taken quite a few images over the years of Old Steam, Diesel and Electric engines and after sorting out probably 3,000 plus, I’ve now got it down to a more manageable number.

I’m starting with English Engines. Some of these images could be 25 years old. Many were transferred from negatives via a scanner so the quality will not be as good I would like. I have put them all through Photoshop to get rid of the most glaring issues

Apologies to those enthusiasts if I don’t get the right engine with the right Railway, they were taken a long time ago, some of them have moved on and my memory is not as good as it was.

Happy viewing.

My 2013 Classic Belle 12'' Doll has been completely deboxed. She is standing, supported by a Kaiser doll stand (not included with the doll), and is photographed from various angles.

The 2013 Classic Belle doll has many differences from the 2012 model, but looks very similar, and is a somewhat improved doll. The only major change is to her legs, from fully articulated hard plastic legs to rubber legs with internal knee joints and fixed angled feet. There are a minor changes to her hair, face, dress and shoes. She is also missing her gloves. The features that haven't changed are her head mold, torso and arms.

Her head mold is identical to last year's doll. Her face is almost identical, with some subtle changes. Her green eyes have gotten darker, with the elimination of the ring of light green around her pupils, leaving just dark green around her pupils. Her pupils a touch larger. She has three short thick lashes over each eye, and silver eyeshadow, as before. Her eyebrows are a darker shade of brown, but the same thickness and length. A small be very significant change is the smoothing of the arch in her eyebrows, so they no longer have an ''evil'' wiggle. She has a short straight nose. She has gentle open mouthed smile, with a thin upper lip and full lower lip, painted in bright pink. Both her nose and mouth are unchanged from last year. Finally she has heavier application of pink rouge on her cheeks. Her face is just a beautiful as last year's doll, but is now friendlier looking with the changes in her eyebrows and eyes.

Her brown hair is medium length, but is shorter and much less voluminous than before. Gone are the two curls dropping down the sides of her face. There is a small bun at the top, as before. There is a small ponytail coming out of the back of the bun, whereas last year the ponytail was longer and lower down her the back of her head. The bulk of her hair is gently curving, and is gathered up in a large curl at the end, which is gelled to keep it in shape and in place. Other than the curl, her hair is soft and smooth. Rather than reaching her waist and spreading out beyond both her shoulders, her hair is now reaches the middle of her back, and is contained within the width her shoulders. It is much neater looking and manageable, as long as the curl at the end is not disturbed.

Her golden yellow satin dress is similar in design to the 2012 version, but there are some significant differences. The gold organza shoulder straps are very similar, but now they are wrapped lower down her shoulders, thus being more movie accurate. I had to adjust her left strap to make it lower, to match the right strap. Her bodice is now glitter free, but has the same design, with a V-shaped waist. The skirt is now much less voluminous, and has a pattern of glittering gold roses, instead of the gold glitter being sprayed in a random pattern. The gold organza decoration around the middle of the skirt is now only in the front, whereas the 2012 doll had the decoration go completely around the skirt. But as with last year's doll, the ruching is only in the front. At least the golden rose pattern continues to the back of the skirt. The skirt is about the length as before, but since the 2013 doll is on her tippy toes rather than her feet flat on the floor, the skirt doesn't quite reach the floor. The new dress holds its shape much better, due to the glitter giving the skirt more stiffness. The old dress is more movie accurate, and its volume is very impressive, but it requires a petticoat (which is not included) to keep its shape.

Her shoes are flats as in the old doll, but they are a little shorter, and a paler shade of yellow. With her fixed angled feet, she should have gotten high heels, as the 2011 and earlier dolls had.

She no longer has any accessories, as her full length gold satin gloves are gone.

Her body is fully articulated in the arms, but now has the rubber legs of 2011 and earlier dolls, which has internal knee joints and fixed angled feet. Her hip joints allow her to sit down with her legs together and her back straight up, unlike the 2012 doll with the fully articulated but defective legs. But her knees can only bend about 40 degrees, so her legs stick out when she is sitting. The leg joints are also much stiffer, so she is in a much more natural position when placed standing in a Kaiser doll stand. Her angled rubber feet also make her about 1/4 inch taller than the 2012 doll, who had flat feet.

The packaging for the dolls is much improved. The box art has been completely redesigned, with beautiful decorations unique to each Princess (actually for each movie), and a cameo of the animated movie character. The boxes are the same height and width, but are 1/2'' flatter, making them smaller and lighter. The packaging restraints are simplified, especially with a reduced use of T-tags, so the deboxing is quicker and easier, and there is less damage to the doll. Belle's box has rose and Cogsworth images with a yellow background.

The 2013 Disney Princess Classic Doll Collection, released on June 10, 2013. They consist of 11-12'' articulated dolls of the 11 official Disney Princesses, from Snow White to Merida, as well as Princes, Villains and Sidekicks. I now have all 11 Princesses, Queen Elinor, Charlotte and Gaston. I will photograph them boxed, during deboxing and fully deboxed. I will also post reviews and comparative photos.

Classic Disney Princess Belle Doll - 12''

US Disney Store.

Released online June 10, 2013.

Purchased online June 13, 2013.

Received June 24, 2013.

$14.95 (was on sale for $10 at time of purchase).

This gate allows visitors to the Tulsa Botanical Gardens to enjoy a trail into the surrounding area while keeping the deer out. My first use of my Tokina in a while. I forgot how great the lens feels in my hand with its great build quality and the ca's were manageable here even with the well lit metal wires.

There are a few tributes to Gary Larson like this out there and I thought I'd give it a go, very simple and very much fun to do!

the crowd at the Sunday Slide might care for a giggle... HSS everybody.

Straight forward Paint brushed Eyes, A couple of dabs with a spatter brush and a session in 'Liquify' with the 'Bloat' tool. the Malaria is Manageable, the Dengue fever has cleared up and I died twice from Yellow fever, but it's the price you pay to be a super slider!

Bluebird Puzzle 60 128

cardboard

1,000 pieces, new and complete

68.3x48.0cm

2023 piece count: 27,836

puzzle no: 41

The full official title of the painting from which this puzzle is taken is 'Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon I and Coronation of the Empress Josephine in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris on 2 December 1804' (phew!) so I can understand why Bluebird opted for this more manageable title for their puzzle!

Bluebird are fast becoming a favourite with us due to their wonderful choice of fine art subjects and the sheer quality of the puzzles themselves.

My only complaint is that the image is murky, but I don't know if that's Bluebird's fault and other versions are clearer, or a feature of the painting. I suspect it's the former.

Another variation on a whitefish, this time with mentaiko, a spicy salted cod roe. The contrast of sweet seared snapper and the salty umami-laden mentaiko is quite amazing!

---

Dinner with Jennie and David, omakase-style at the sushi counter.

Shira Nui 不知火

247 Springvale Rd

Glen Waverley VIC 3150

(03) 9886-7755

Lunch Tue-Sat noon-2pm. Dinner Tue-Sun 6pm-10pm

Reviews:

- Shira Nui, by Dani Valent, Epicure, The Age May 22, 2007 Sit at the sushi counter. Order the omakase

- Shira Nui By Jane Faulkner, Epicure, The Age October 10, 2005 Shira Nui is worth crossing town for.

- Fusion without power By John Lethlean, The Age August 5 2003 At Shira Nui, only certain types of sushi will be delivered to the table, so fanatical is the chef. The full range is available only to a manageable group of sushi-bar diners. He makes; you eat immediately; then he makes again. This is the omakase menu, a sushi-only degustation that is the purest, most pleasurable dining experience I have had all year.

- Shira Nui ... again - TummyRumbles by mellie on May 17th, 2009

- Shira Nui - Miettas

Age Good Food Guide 2010 Score: 14.5/20

Age Good Food Guide 2009 Score: 14.5/20

Gourmet Traveller 2009 Australian Restaurant Guide "A nondescript Glen Waverley shopping strip is not the obvious place to seek boundarypushing Japanese food, but Shira Nui's camouflage partially explains its 'hidden treasure' status"

Age Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 15/20

Age Good Food Guide 2006 score 15/20

Age Good Food Guide 2005 score 14/20

AGFG 2004, score 14/20

- Shiranui - UrbanSpoon

- Shira Nui - Your Restaurants

I've been trying forever to get a decent potato roll recipe and after so many duds I decided to make my own recipe. I used my foolproof pizza dough recipe as the base and worked from there. They make wonderfully tender rolls puff well and aren't at all cake-y like some potato recipes. There also isn't a ton of sugar like some recipes.

This is a very wet dough (it will seem almost frighteningly so, but with a dusting of flour and moving fast it's quite manageable and very similar to making Ciabatta. I use sweet potato for this recipe. It gives it a lovely golden-peach color and it's a healthier starch than the white potato.

Sweet Potato Rolls

1 c mashed sweet or white potato

2 1/2 c warm potato water

2 Tbsp active dry yeast

2 Tbsp white or raw sugar

6 Tbsp olive or any vegetable oil

2 tsp salt

6 c all purpose flour

6 Tbsp wheat gluten

Peel and cut enough potato to make one cup mashed, boil until very tender. Do not discard the water. You will be saving this for the recipe. Yeast loves potato water. Mash or rice the potato without adding butter or milk. If you find it very dry, just use a little bit of your cooking water.

In mixing bowl put your reserved potato water, adding warm water if you don't have enough to make the full 2 1/2 cups. Add sugar and yeast and let it sit until frothy (5-10 min).

Throw everything else in but the salt. Start the mixer with your bread hook and when it's almost come together add the salt. mix on medium for 3-4 minutes scraping the sides and making sure there's no pockets of dry flour. Again, it will be a very wet dough. Don't panic and don't add more flour unless it's soupy.

Let rise until double (1-2+ hours) Dust the counter or a tea towel with flour, scrape out the dough, dust it with more flour on top. Us a pastry scraper to divide the recipe into roll sized pieces. You should get at least 20 hamburger sized rolls out of the batch. Shape them and place on parchment paper lined baking trays. Let rise until double. (30min-1hr).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spritz the rolls and inside of oven just before putting rolls in to bake. Bake for 20-30 mins until puffed, golden and the bottoms are golden as well. Done!

Notes: I don't use the pizza stone for this. I find it pulls out too much moisture for these tender rolls - they come out very crispy and sort of flat. Still good, but not like it ought to. I use my airbake pans and cook on the middle shelf for this and it works very well.

If you've got bread flour, just use 6c and 6T. I just didn't have any on hand so I use the wheat gluten.

Leave the boiled potato whole until it's just about to go in. This way it doesn't suck up a lot of excess liquid and it doesn't create lumps in the dough.

I've never made these using potato flakes but I don't see why it wouldn't work. I just suggest replacing the milk the box calls for with more water.

If you like making your breads with a Poolish, the night before boil your potato, let it cool a bit then mash it into 1c warm potato water, 1c of the flour and 1/2 T of the yeast in a large bowl. This will froth up quite a bit. The next morning prepare the remaining ingredients like normal, scraping in the poolish after the sugar, remaining yeast and water has frothed. Using a poolish is not necessary, it's just the way I like to do it since I have to cook the potato ahead of time anyway.

Designer: Giles Laurent

Builder: Private

Year: 1985

Location Hampshire

Length on deck: 30'

Beam: 9'4"

Draft: 5'

Tonnage(TM): 9

£15,000

Full Specification

The Wanderer Class was a development of Hiscock’s Wanderer 111 designed by Laurent Giles and built for him in 1952. In Wanderer 111, Hiscock sailed 32,000 miles in a 3-year circumnavigation.

After his experience with Wanderer 111 he judged she would be a better ship with a little more beam and sail area and the result was the Wanderer Class.

Several were built in UK yards and quite a few by Cheoy Lee in Hong Kong who had also built 15 of the Laurent Giles Vertues, some would say a smaller sister to the Wanderer.

This yacht was built in Southampton by the previous owner and his company Launched in 1985 she is believed to be the last wooden Wanderer built in UK and the construction was supervised by David Hopkins, Marine Surveyor from Hamble. .

Spring 2015. The owner is now in poor health and no longer sailing. The yacht has been laid up for 18 months and he has now instructed us to slash the price and sell this season.

Being built on hardwoods there is no significant opening of the hull after her time ashore. In addition to the yacht, the owner is offering all his boating equipment collected over many years including dinghies, outboard engines, sails and cordage. Full list to come.

Planked in iroko, all copper fastened to 1 ¾” x 1 ¼” steam bent oak timbers in 2 laminations to avoid inevitable fracture on the tight turn at the tuck and the bilge, heavier and closer spaced in way of the mast, on an oak back-bone.

Iron ballast keel. Massive oak floors on every second timber with galvanised strap floor on the other timber making a very robust back-bone.

Deck laid in 2 layers of ½” ply, Cascover sheathed and painted.

5” toe rail with varnished iroko capping.

Pair of varnished wood mooring cleats on the fore and after decks. Heavy Sampson post, slotted to accept and hold the chain on the fore deck.

Totally clear side and fore decks.

Capstan-type chain windlass on the fore deck

Twin chain roller galvanised stemhead fitting.

Stainless steel pull-pit and stanchion posts with twin guard wires.

Varnished iroko coach-roof coamings with 2 fixed windows aft and 4 opening bronze port holes each side.

Nicely cambered sheathed and painted ply roof with varnished grab rails each side.

Heavy duty, varnished iroko fore hatch on the fwd end of the coach-roof.

Dorade vent in the middle of the coach-roof.

Cabin entrance sliding hatch in a garage with grab rail each side. Spray-hood over on stainless steel frame.

Deep, sheltered self draining cock-pit with high, varnished iroko coamings give a tremendous feeling of security.

Tiller steering to transom-hung rudder.

Seat/locker each side divided into 2, long locker forward, short locker aft. The locker faces forming the cock-pit well lift and hinge with the lid to give excellent access to these deep storage lockers.

Locker aft in the well to the lazarette with a glass holder on the coaming above under the tiller – just right for a whiskey glass.

Teak gratings in the well.

Large, opening ply panel in the well gives excellent access to the stern tube etc for service.

Wide bridge-deck across the front of the cock-pit.

The cabin entrance hatch is slightly off-set to stbd with a sliding hatch in a garage. Solid iroko varnished louvered washboards with optional mosquito or clear Perspex wash-boards.

Masthead bermudian sloop rig on round section, hollow, painted, built wooden mast stepped in a galvanised steel cup on the coach-roof with a similar mast section compression post below the deck.

Single spreaders. Steps up the mast.

Stainless steel standing rigging with stainless steel rigging screws to internal bronze chain plates.

Twin standing back-stays to the quarters, twin lowers and cap shrouds.

Fore stay with Harken roller furling gear.

External bronze mainsail track.

Slab reefing varnished boom with stainless steel goose neck fittings on twin mast bands

Halyards led aft through turning blocks on the mast and coach-roof to jamming cleats under the spray-hood.

Main sheet on tufnol blocks with a jammer on the lower block to a galvanised horse across the tiller on the aft deck.

Headsail sheets led through blocks on single cars on Harken tracks on the toe rails.

Winches.

Pair of new Lewmar 44 self tailing sheet winches on the cock-pit coamings.

Pair of single speed, top action Lewmar winches on the coach-roof under the spray-hood + 2 x 3-line Harken clutches.

This is the simplest rig the yacht can carry, strong, well-built and the new self-tailing winches make the headsail very manageable.

Sails

All sails original 1985 in white terylene.

Mainsail 233sq’ with Kemp Packaway self-stowing system.

Genoa No 1 300sq’ on Harken Mk 3 roller furling gear.

No 2 and 3 genoas

Storm jib and spinnaker

Wooden spinnaker pole stows up the rigging.

Mainsail cover.

Bukh 20hp 2-cylinder diesel installed new in 1985. Salt water cooled.

Belt driven alternator

Wet exhaust.

Single lever controls

2 x 12v batteries in the bilge in front of the engine with change-over switch.

5 berths.

V-berths in the fore cabin with infill to make a large double berth. Drawer below in varnished iroko joinery.

Bulkhead doorway, stbd off-set, oval top and bottom, to ablutions area.

Jabsco sea toilet to port with lockers under the side deck.

The forward bulkhead door swings round to close off the WC compartment.

Opposite to stbd under the side deck is a newly built stainless steel hand basin, draining overboard, with shower head delivering H&C pressurised water allowing a shower wash, draining into the bilge.

Bulkhead door with oval top and bottom, off-set to stbd through to saloon cabin. This door closes off either the hand basin or the saloon cabin allowing use of the heads and ablutions area independent of either the forward cabin or the saloon cabin or both.

Narrow, vertical chain locker alongside the hand basin compartment with the chain fed through a hawse pipe in the coaming above.

Saloon cabin with port and stbd 6’6” settee berths.

Pilot berth behind the port settee berth with fold-away pipe cot – probably the most comfortable sea berth in the yacht.

Varnished mahogany saloon table with fold-out flap.

Part bulkheads each side aft to:

Stbd large chart table, drawer and lockers under.

Oilies hanging locker aft under the bridge deck.

Port galley with Flavell 2-burner, grill and oven gas cooker, stainless steel sink in a work surface athwartships under the side deck. Good stowage.

Fold-down varnished flap over the cooker suitably disguises it when not in use.

Step-locker box and step over the engine to the entrance hatch.

Surface lifts and front pulls away to give good access to the engine.

Electrical controls down the stbd side of the engine step.

25 gall flexible water tank each side under the settee berths.

Hot water calorifier tank under the port pilot berth.

Pressurised water supply to galley and fwd hand basin.

Sealed, draining gas locker in the port cock-pit locker contains 2 Camping Gas bottles.

Cock-pit table on a pedestal stows away under the pilot berth.

6’2” head-room in the saloon cabin.

5’7” head-room in fore cabin.

Varnished iroko joinery and sole boards, all very thick and strong.

3 pairs of laminated hanging knees each side to the coach-roof form attractive features in the cabin as well as adding enormous strength to the structure.

Grab rails along the coamings each side.

Small side-board shelf each side over the fwd ends of the settees provide stowage space for bedding. Lockers under the side decks above each side.

Brass reading lights above the berths.

Pascal Atkey charcoal cabin heater on the fwd saloon bulkhead.

Navigation equipment.

Bulkhead steering compass alongside entrance hatch. Hand held GPS

Sounder Log/speed

ST60 wind/speed/depth Clock and barometer.

Wind speed indicator

Ground tackle

Danforth and fisherman anchors Capstan chain windlass

Ample chain

Safety gear.

Hand held fog-horn Deck safety lines

Stainless steel boarding ladder Life buoy.