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+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The Grumman Mohawk began as a joint Army-Marine program through the then-Navy Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer), for an observation/attack plane that would outperform the light and vulnerable Cessna L-19 Bird Dog. In June 1956, the Army issued Type Specification TS145, which called for the development and procurement of a two-seat, twin turboprop aircraft designed to operate from small, unimproved fields under all weather conditions. It would be faster, with greater firepower, and heavier armor than the Bird Dog, which had proved very vulnerable during the Korean War.
The Mohawk's mission would include observation, artillery spotting, air control, emergency resupply, naval target spotting, liaison, and radiological monitoring. The Navy specified that the aircraft had to be capable of operating from small "jeep" escort class carriers (CVEs). The DoD selected Grumman Aircraft Corporation's G-134 design as the winner of the competition in 1957. Marine requirements contributed an unusual feature to the design: since the Marines were authorized to operate fixed-wing aircraft in the close air support (CAS) role, the mockup featured underwing pylons for rockets, bombs, and other stores, and this caused a lot of discord. The Air Force did not like the armament capability of the Mohawk and tried to get it removed. On the other side, the Marines did not want the sophisticated sensors the Army wanted, so when their Navy sponsors opted to buy a fleet oil tanker, they eventually dropped from the program altogether. The Army continued with armed Mohawks (and the resulting competence controversy with the Air Force) and also developed cargo pods that could be dropped from underwing hard points to resupply troops in emergencies.
In mid-1961, the first Mohawks to serve with U.S. forces overseas were delivered to the 7th Army at Sandhofen Airfield near Mannheim, Germany. Before its formal acceptance, the camera-carrying AO-1AF was flown on a tour of 29 European airfields to display it to the U.S. Army field commanders and potential European customers. In addition to their Vietnam and European service, SLAR-equipped Mohawks began operational missions in 1963 patrolling the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
Germany and France showed early interest in the Mohawk, and two OV-1s were field-tested by both nations over the course of several months. No direct orders resulted, though, but the German Bundesheer (Army) was impressed by the type’s performance and its capability as an observation and reconnaissance platform. Grumman even signed a license production agreement with the French manufacturer Breguet Aviation in exchange for American rights to the Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft, but no production orders followed.
This could have been the end of the OV-1 in Europe, but in 1977 the German government, primarily the interior ministry and its intelligence agency, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), showed interest in a light and agile SIGINT/ELINT platform that could fly surveillance missions along the inner-German border to the GDR and also to Czechoslovakia. Beyond visual reconnaissance with cameras and IR sensors, the aircraft was to be specifically able to identify and locate secret radio stations that were frequently operated by Eastern Block agents (esp. by the GDR) all across Western Germany, but primarily close to the inner-German border due to the clandestine stations’ low power. The Bundeswehr already operated a small ELINT/ECM fleet, consisting of converted HFB 320 ‘Hansa’ business jets, but these were not suited for stealthy and inconspicuous low flight level missions that were envisioned, and they also lacked the ability to fly slowly enough to locate potential “radio nests”.
The pan and the objective were clear, but the ELINT project caused a long and severe political debate concerning the operator of such an aerial platform. Initially, the Bundesheer, who had already tested the OV-1, claimed responsibility, but the interior ministry in the form of the German customs department as well as the German police’s Federal Border Guard, the Bundesgrenzschutz and the Luftwaffe (the proper operator for fixed-wing aircraft within the German armed forces), wrestled for this competence. Internally, the debate and the project ran under the handle “Schimmelreiter” (literally “The Rider on the White Horse”), after a northern German legendary figure, which eventually became the ELINT system’s semi-official name after it had been revealed to the public. After much tossing, in 1979 the decision was made to procure five refurbished U.S. Army OV-1As, tailored to the German needs and – after long internal debates – operate them by the Luftwaffe.
The former American aircraft were hybrids: they still had the OV-1A’s original short wings, but already the OV-1D’s stronger engines and its internal pallet system for interchangeable electronics. The machines received the designation OV-1G (for Germany) and were delivered in early 1980 via ship without any sensors or cameras. These were of Western German origin, developed and fitted locally, tailored to the special border surveillance needs.
The installation and testing of the “Schimmelreiter” ELINT suite lasted until 1982. It was based on a Raytheon TI Systems emitter locator system, but it was locally adapted by AEG-Telefunken to the airframe and the Bundeswehr’s special tasks and needs. The system’s hardware was stowed in the fuselage, its sensor arrays were mounted into a pair of underwing nacelles, which occupied the OV-1’s standard hardpoints, allowing a full 360° coverage. In order to cool the electronics suite and regulate the climate in the internal equipment bays, the OV-1G received a powerful heat exchanger, mounted under a wedge-shaped fairing on the spine in front of the tail – the most obvious difference of this type from its American brethren. The exact specifications of the “Schimmelreiter” ELINT suite remained classified, but special emphasis was placed upon COMINT (Communications Intelligence), a sub-category of signals intelligence that engages in dealing with messages or voice information derived from the interception of foreign communications. Even though the “Schimmelreiter” suite was the OV-1Gs’ primary reconnaissance tool, the whole system could be quickly de-installed for other sensor packs and reconnaissance tasks (even though this never happened), or augmented by single modules, what made upgrades and mission specialization easy. Beyond the ELINT suite, the OV-1G could be outfitted with cameras and other sensors on exchangeable pallets in the fuselage, too. This typically included a panoramic camera in a wedge-shaped ventral fairing, which would visually document the emitter sensors’ recordings.
A special feature of the German OV-1s was the integration of a brand new, NATO-compatible “Link-16” data link system via a MIDS-LVT (Multifunctional Information Distribution System). Even though this later became a standard for military systems, the OV-1G broke the ground for this innovative technology. The MIDS was an advanced command, control, communications, computing and intelligence (C4I) system incorporating high-capacity, jam-resistant, digital communication links for exchange of near real-time tactical information, including both data and voice, among air, ground, and sea elements. Outwardly, the MIDS was only recognizable through a shallow antenna blister behind the cockpit.
Even though the OV-1Gs initially retained their former American uniform olive drab livery upon delivery and outfitting in German service, they soon received a new wraparound camouflage for their dedicated low-level role in green and black (Luftwaffe Norm 83 standard), which was better suited for the European theatre of operations. In Luftwaffe service, the OV-1Gs received the tactical codes 18+01-05 and the small fleet was allocated to the Aufklärungsgeschwader (AG) 51 “Immelmann”, where the machines formed, beyond two squadrons with RF-4E Phantom IIs, an independent 3rd squadron. This small unit was from the start based as a detachment at Lechfeld, located in Bavaria/Southern Germany, instead of AG 51’s home airbase Bremgarten in South-Western Germany, because Lechfeld was closer to the type’s typical theatre of operations along Western Germany’s Eastern borders. Another factor in favor of this different airbase was the fact that Lechfeld was, beyond Tornado IDS fighter bombers, also the home of the Luftwaffe’s seven HFB 320M ECM aircraft, operated by the JaBoG32’s 3rd squadron, so that the local maintenance crews were familiar with complex electronics and aircraft systems, and the base’s security level was appropriate, too.
With the end of the Cold War in 1990, the OV-1Gs role and field of operation gradually shifted further eastwards. With the inner-German Iron Curtain gone, the machines were now frequently operated along the Polish and Czech Republic border, as well as in international airspace over the Baltic Sea, monitoring the radar activities along the coastlines and esp. the activities of Russian Navy ships that operated from Kaliningrad and Saint Petersburg. For these missions, the machines were frequently deployed to the “new” air bases Laage and Holzdorf in Eastern Germany.
In American service, the OV-1s were retired from Europe in 1992 and from operational U.S. Army service in 1996. In Germany, the OV-1 was kept in service for a considerably longer time – with little problems, since the OV-1 airframes had relatively few flying hours on their clocks. The Luftwaffe’s service level for the aircraft was high and spare parts remained easy to obtain from the USA, and there were still OV-1 parts in USAF storage in Western German bases.
The German HFB 320M fleet was retired between 1993 and 1994 and, in part, replaced by the Tornado ECR. At the same time AG 51 was dissolved and the OV-1Gs were nominally re-allocated to JaboG 32/3. With this unit the OV-1Gs remained operational until 2010, undergoing constant updates and equipment changes. For instance, the machines received in 1995 a powerful FLIR sensor in a small turret in the aircraft’s nose, which improved the aircraft’s all-weather reconnaissance capabilities and was intended to spot hidden radio posts even under all-weather/night conditions, once their signal was recognized and located. The aircrafts’ radio emitter locator system was updated several times, too, and, as a passive defensive measure against heat-guided air-to-air missiles/MANPADS, an IR jammer was added, extending the fuselage beyond the tail. These machines received the suffix “Phase II”, even though all five aircraft were updated the same way.
Reports that the OV-1Gs were furthermore retrofitted with the avionics to mount and launch AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs under the wing tips for self-defense remained unconfirmed, even more so because no aircraft was ever seen carrying arms – neither the AIM-9 nor anything else. Plans to make the OV-1Gs capable of carrying the Luftwaffe’s AGM-65 Maverick never went beyond the drawing board, either. However, BOZ chaff/flare dispenser pods and Cerberus ECM pods were occasionally seen on the ventral pylons from 1998 onwards.
No OV-1G was lost during the type’s career in Luftwaffe service, and after the end of the airframes’ service life, all five German OV-1Gs were scrapped in 2011. There was, due to worsening budget restraints, no direct successor, even though the maritime surveillance duties were taken over by Dornier Do 228/NGs operated by the German Marineflieger (naval air arm).
General characteristics:
Crew: Two: pilot, observer/systems operator
Length: 44 ft 4 in (13.53 m) overall with FLIR sensor and IR jammer
Wingspan: 42 ft 0 in (12.8 m)
Height: 12 ft 8 in (3.86 m)
Wing area: 330 sq. ft (30.65 m²)
Empty weight: 12,054 lb (5,467 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,544 lb (7,051 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 18,109 lb (8,214 kg)
Powerplant:
2× Lycoming T53-L-701 turboprops, 1,400 shp (1,044 kW) each
Performance:
Never exceed speed: 450 mph (390 knots, 724 km/h)
Maximum speed: 305 mph (265 knots, 491 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
Cruise speed: 207 mph (180 knots, 334 km/h) (econ cruise)
Stall speed: 84 mph (73 knots, 135 km/h)
Range: 944 mi (820 nmi, 1,520 km) (SLAR mission)
Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
Rate of climb: 3,450 ft/min (17.5 m/s)
Armament:
A total of eight external hardpoints (two ventral, three under each outer wing)
for external loads; the wing hardpoints were typically occupied with ELINT sensor pods, while the
ventral hardpoints frequently carried 300 l drop tanks to extend loiter time and range;
Typically, no offensive armament was carried, even though bombs or gun/missile pods were possible.
The kit and its assembly:
This build became a submission to the “Reconnaissance” Group Build at whatifmodellers.com in July 2021, and it spins further real-world events. Germany actually tested two OV-1s in the Sixties (by the German Army/Bundesheer, not by the air force), but the type was not procured or operated. The test aircraft carried a glossy, olive drab livery (US standard, I think) with German national markings.
However, having a vintage Hasegawa OV-1A in the stash, I wondered what an operational German OV-1 might have looked like, especially if it had been operated into the Eighties and beyond, in the contemporary Norm 83 paint scheme? This led to this purely fictional OV-1G.
The kit was mostly built OOB, and the building experience was rather so-so – after all, it’s a pretty old mold/boxing (in my case the Hasegawa/Hales kit is from 1978, the mold is from 1968!). Just a few things were modified/added in order to tweak the standard, short-winged OV-1A into something more modern and sophisticated.
When searching for a solution to mount some ELINT sensor arrays, I did not want to copy the OV-1B’s characteristic offset, ventral SLAR fairing. I rather settled for the late RV-1D’s solution with sensor pods under the outer wings. Unfortunately, the OV-1A kit came with the type’s original short wings, so that the pods had to occupy the inner underwing pair of hardpoints. The pods were scratched from square styrene profiles and putty, so that they received a unique look. The Mohawk’s pair of ventral hardpoints were mounted, but – after considering some drop tanks or an ECM pod there - left empty, so that the field of view for the ventral panoramic camera would not be obscured.
Other small additions are some radar warning sensor bumps on the nose, some extra antennae, a shallow bulge for the MIDS antenna on the spine, the FLIR turret on the nose (with parts from an Italeri AH-1 and a Kangnam Yak-38!), and I added a tail stinger for a retrofitted (scratched) IR decoy device, inspired by the American AN/ALG-147. This once was a Matchbox SNEB unguided missile pod.
Painting and markings:
For the intended era, the German Norm 83 paint scheme, which is still in use today on several Luftwaffe types like the Transall, PAH-2 or CH-53, appeared like a natural choice. It’s a tri-color wraparound scheme, consisting of RAL 6003 (Olivgrün), FS 34097 (Forest Green) and RAL 7021 (Teerschwarz). The paints I used are Humbrol 86 (which is supposed to be a WWI version of RAL 6003, it lacks IMHO yellow but has good contrast to the other tones), Humbrol 116 and Revell 9. The pattern itself was adapted from the German Luftwaffe’s Dornier Do 28D “Skyservants” with Norm 83 camouflage, because of the type’s similar outlines.
A black ink washing was applied for light weathering, plus some post-shading of panels with lighter shades of the basic camouflage tones for a more plastic look. The cockpit interior was painted in light grey (Humbrol 167), while the landing gear and the interior of the air brakes became white. The scratched SLAR pods became light grey, with flat di-electric panels in medium grey (created with decal material).
The cockpit interior was painted in a rather light grey (Humbrol 167), the pilots received typical olive drab Luftwaffe overalls, one with a white “bone dome” and the other with a more modern light grey helmet.
The decals were improvised. National markings and tactical codes came from TL Modellbau sheets, the AG 51 emblems were taken from a Hasegawa RF-4E sheet. The black walkways were taken from the Mohak’s OOB sheet, the black de-icer leading edges on wings and tail were created with generic black decal material. Finally, the model was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
An interesting result, and the hybrid paint scheme with the additional desert camouflage really makes the aircraft an unusual sight, adding to its credibility.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Following Hungary's membership of NATO in 1999, there were several proposals to achieve a NATO-compatible fighter force. Considerable attention went into studying second-hand aircraft options as well as modifying the nation's existing MiG-29 fleet. In 2001, Hungary received several offers of new and used aircraft from various nations, including Sweden, Belgium, Israel, Turkey, and the US. Although the Hungarian government initially intended to procure the F-16, in November 2001 it was in the process of negotiating a 10-year lease contract for 12 Gripen aircraft from Sweden, with an option to purchase the aircraft at the end of the lease period.
As part of the procurement arrangements, Saab had offered an offset deal valued at 110 per cent of the cost of the 14 fighters. Initially, Hungary had planned to lease several Batch II Saab 39s; however, the inability to conduct aerial refueling and weapons compatibility limitations had generated Hungarian misgivings. The contract was then renegotiated and eventually signed on 2 February 2003 for a total of 14 Gripens, which had originally been A/B standard and had undergone an extensive upgrade process to the NATO-compatible C/D 'Export Gripen' standard. At the same time, the need for an advanced jet trainer as a replacement for the Hungarian Air Force’s last eight MiG-21UM aircraft became more and more imminent. The Gripen two-seaters alone could not cope with this task and were operationally too expensive to be used as trainers, so that Hungary requested an additional offer for a small number of Sk 90 trainers from Swedish surplus stock.
Developed under the designation FSK900, the Saab Sk 90 was a replacement for the Saab 105 (also known as Saab Sk 60) transitional trainer, light attack and reconnaissance aircraft. The FSK900 was a conservative design, with a configurational resemblance to the Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jet, even though the FSK900 was overall bigger and heavier, and the two machines could be easily told apart at a glance.
The Swedish Air Force accepted Saab’s design, leading to a contract for two nonflying static-test airframes and four flying prototypes. Detail design was complete by the end of 1993 and prototype construction began in the spring of 1994, leading to the initial prototype’s first flight on 29 July 1994. The first production Sk 90 A, how the basic trainer type was officially dubbed, was delivered to the Swedish Air Force in 1996.
A total of 108 production Sk 90s were built until 1999 for Sweden in several versions. The initial Sk 90 A trainer was the most common variant and the basis for the Sk 90 B version, which carried a weather radar as well as more sophisticated avionics that enabled the deployment of a wider range of weapons and other ordnance. However, this version was not adopted by the Swedish air force but exported to Austria as the Sk 90 Ö. Another variant was the S 90 C (for “Spaning” = reconnaissance); a small number was produced with a set of cameras in the nose for the Swedish Air Force, where it replaced the ground attack/reconnaissance Sk 60 Cs.
In service, the Sk 90 was regarded as strong, agile, and pleasant to fly, while being cheap to operate. But despite its qualities and potential, the Sk 90 did not attain much foreign interest, primarily suffering from bad timing and from the focus on domestic demands. The aircraft came effectively 10 years too late to become a serious export success, and in the end the Sk 90 was very similar to the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet (even though it was cheaper to operate), at a time when the German Luftwaffe started to prematurely phase out its attack-capable variant and flooded the global market with cheap secondhand aircraft in excellent condition. Furthermore, the Saab Sk 90 had on the global market with the BAe Hawk another proven competitor with a long and positive operational track record all over the world.
Beyond Hungary, potential Sk 90 buyers were Malaysia as well as Singapore, Myanmar, Finland, and Poland. Austria eventually procured 36 Sk 90 Ö in 2002, replacing its Saab 105 fleet and keeping up its close connection with Saab since the Seventies. A late operator became the independent Republic of Scotland in 2017, with a dozen leased secondhand Saab Sk 90 A trainers which were later purchased.
The Swedish Sk 90 offer for Hungary was a 10-year lease contract similar to the Gripen package, and comprised five refurbished Sk 90 A trainers from the first production batch, which had been stored in Sweden for spares. The Hungarian Sk 90 deal also included an option to purchase the aircraft at the end of their lease period. In parallel, to save maintenance costs for the relatively small fleet of a completely new/different aircraft type, an agreement with neighboring neutral Austria could be arranged to outsource major overhauls to the Austrian Air Force and its newly established Sk 90 Ö service base at Linz – a deal from which both sides benefited. However, to improve flight safety over Austria’s mountainous terrain during these transfer flights, the Hungarian Sk 90 As had a simple navigational radar retrofitted with a small radome in their noses. Otherwise, the machines were basically identical with the original Swedish aircraft.
The aircraft were flown under civil registration from Sweden to Hungary between April and September 2005. To keep the distance to their Austrian service station short, the machines were not allocated to the 59th Air Regiment at Kecskemét Air Base, where the Hungarian Gripen fleet was based, but rather to the 47th Air Regiment at Pápa Air Base in Northwestern Hungary, where the last Hungarian MiG-21UM trainers had been operated. These were fully retired in 2008.
Beyond their primary role as advanced/jet conversion trainers, the Hungarian Sk 90 As were also intended to be used for tactical reconnaissance duties with Orpheus pods with daylight cameras and an infrared line scanner, inherited from the Italian Air Force, as light attack aircraft and ─ armed with gun pods and air-to-air missiles ─ as (anti-tank) helicopter hunters. Reflecting these low-level tasks, the machines received a tactical camouflage in green and tan, similar to the former MiG-21s, instead of the Gripens’ all-grey air superiority scheme.
While the Hungarian Air Force operated its total of 14 Gripen and 5 Sk 90 aircraft under lease, in 2011, the country reportedly intended to purchase these aircraft outright. However, in January 2012, the Hungarian and Swedish governments agreed to extend the lease period for a further ten years. According to Hungarian Defence Minister Csaba Hende, this agreement represented considerable cost savings, so that the running business model was retained. The service agreement with Austria could be extended, too.
One Sk 90 A was lost in a landing accident in May 2016, and two Gripens had to be written off through accidents in the meantime, too. To fill these gaps, Hungary signed a replacement contract in 2018 to come back to its full fleet of 14 Gripen, and the Sk 90 A fleet was expanded to seven aircraft. These new machines were delivered in 2019.
General characteristics:
Crew: two pilots in tandem
Length incl. pitot: 13.0 m (42 ft 8 in)
Wingspan: 9.94 m (32 ft 7 in)
Height: 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)
Empty weight: 3,790 kg (8,360 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 7,500 kg (16,530 lb)
Powerplant:
2× Williams International FJ44-4M turbofans without reheat, rated at 16.89 kN (3,790 lbst) each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 1,038 km/h (645 mph)
Stall speed: 167 km/h (104 mph, 90 kn)
Range: 1,670 km (900 nm; 1,036 m) with two 450 L (99 imp gal; 120 US gal) drop tanks
Service ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 51 m/s (10,000 ft/min)
Armament:
No internal gun; five hardpoints for 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) of payload and a variety of ordnance,
including AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and a conformal, ventral gun pod (not used by the Hungarian
Air Force, instead, UPK-23-250 pods with a fixed twin-barrel GSh-23L cannon and 200-250 rounds
were carried under the fuselage and/or the inner wing hardpoints)
The kit and its assembly:
This additional member of my fictional Sk 90 family came spontaneously when I studied information concerning the MiG-21. I came across the Hungarian trainers and wondered with what they could have been replaced after 2000 – and “my” fictional Sk 90 came to my mind. I also had a suitable decal set in store, so I dug out a(nother) Hasegawa T-4 and created this whiffy Hungarian variant.
The kit is the old/first T-4 mold; Hasegawa did the T-4 twice, and both kits differ considerably from each other in their construction. The first one has a fuselage consisting of two simple halves with separate wings attached to it; the later mold features a separate cockpit section and a single dorsal wing section, so that the wings’ anhedral is ensured upon assembly.
The air intakes are also different: the old mold features ducts which are open at their ends, while the new mold comes with additional inserts for the intakes which end in a concave wall, making them hard to paint. The fin of the old kit consists of two full halves, while the new one has the rudder molded into just one half of the fin for a thinner trailing edge. The same goes for the wings’ upper halves: on the new mold, they comprise the full flaps and ailerons, while the old kit has them split up, resulting in a marginally thicker training edge. However, you can hardly recognize this and it’s IMHO not a flaw.
Personally, I prefer the old kit, because it is much more straightforward and pleasant to build – even though some details like the main landing gear struts are better on the new mold.
The (old) kit itself is relatively simple and fit is quite good, even though some PSR was necessary on almost every seam. The only mods I made are additional emergency handles on the seats (made from thin wire), and I added an Orpheus recce pod under the fuselage with an integral pylon, left over from an Italeri F-104G kit. The OOB underwing pylons were used, together with the original drop tanks.
Painting and markings:
The prime reason for a Hungarian Sk 90 was the paint scheme, and the fact that I have a sweet spot for Hungary in genarl. The livery was adapted from the late Hungarian MiG-21bis, a more or less symmetrical pattern consisting of a yellowish light tan and a bluish dark green, with light blue undersides. It’s actually a very simple paint scheme, and my adaptation is a free interpretation, since the T-4’s layout with shoulder-mounted wings is quite different from the sleek Fishbed with mid-mounted delta wings.
Finding good color matches was not easy, because pictures of reference Hungarian MiG-21s show a wide variety of green and brown shades, even though I assume that this is just weathering. I found some good pictures of a late MiG-21UM trainer with an apparently fresh paint job, and these suggested a hard contrast between the upper tones. With this benchmark I settled for Humbrol 63 (Sand), and Modelmaster 2091 (RLM 82, Dunkelgrün). The undersides were painted with Humbrol 47 (Sea Blue Gloss), since they appeared rather bright and pale in reference pictures.
The cockpit interior was painted in medium grey (Revell 47), the landing gear and the air intakes in white (Revell 301), very conservative. The Orpheus pod was painted in light grey (FS 36375, Humbrol 127) to set it apart from the light blue undersurfaces. The drop tanks were painted in green and blue.
National markings, the large orange “47” decoration and the small emblems on nose and fin came from a Mistercraft MiG-21UM decal sheet. The tactical code in red, etched with white, was created with single digits from a Hungarian Aero Decals (HAD) sheet for Mi-24s, reflecting the aircraft’s (fictional) serial numbers’ final three digits.
Finally, after some light weathering and post-shading (for a slightly sun-bleached look, esp. on the upper surfaces), the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
Number four in my growing Sk 90 family, and certainly not the last one. A quick and simple project since the model itself was built almost OOB, and the “old” Hasegawa T-4 is really a simple build. However, I am amazed (once more) how much potential a T-4 travesty bears: even in Hungarian colors and markings this whif looks disturbingly convincing. The green/brown/blue paint scheme suits the aircraft well, too, even though it looks a lot like an Alpha Jet now, and there’s even a Su-25ish look to it?!
I set the console to the side to provide better access around it fore and aft. That is a minimal jumpseat for crew that don't feel like standing.
Stein AR, Switzerland
Adjustments:
Levelled the RGB-Colorspace
Sharpened the Photo
Darkened the Sky
Added Offset
Added Vignette
Hong Kong Transport - Buses | All types
The Hong Kong Bus Culture
The number of buses registered + licenced in Hong Kong seems to fluctuate between 18,000 - 22,000 vehicles and presumably new buses registered are offset by old buses being retired or sold over the border in China. (Source - The Transport Department, Hong Kong Government)
Bus services in Hong Kong have to be amongst the best of all major cities in the World.
All major Hong Kong Bus Companies invest heavily and are using mainly brand new double decker buses and all of them are testing and introducing single and double decker 100% electric buses and also hydrogen powered buses for future use.
☛Major Franchised Bus Companies in Hong Kong
Citybus | Cityflyer ✚ Kowloon Motor Bus | KMB ✚ Long Win Motor Bus | LWB ✚ New Lantao Bus | NLB ✚ HZMB ✚ Note : New World First Bus | NWFB merged with Citybus in 2022
☛Non - Franchised Public Bus Services using double decker and single decker buses (feeder services)
Mass Transit Railway | MTR ✚ DBTS - Lantau Island ✚ Park Island Transport Co. Ltd.
☛All Major Franchised Public Minibus Services (PLB) seating 16 or 19 people
Franchised and Non Franchised Public Light Bus Red Top ✚ Franchised Public Light Bus Green Top
☛Privately Owned Buses
Toyota seems to be the preferred brand for privately owned small and medium sized buses and are used for the following purposes
Public and Private Rehab Buses ✚ Commercial Building Buses ✚ Resident Services Buses ✚ Travel and Tour Buses ✚ Contract Hire ✚ School Buses ✚ Hotel Buses ✚ Misc. Buses for any type of charter | hire too numerous to mention including cross border buses.
One of the largest privately owned companies is Kwoon Chung Bus Company who also offer Non Franchised and Franchised Bus Services through it‛s subsidiary New Lantao Bus
☛Many Hong Kong Government Departments have a fleet of buses but for some reason also contract hire from Private Bus Companies on an “as needed” basis.
Any Government OWNED and operated vehicle in this section (such as Correctional Services Buses, Police Buses etc ) have a licence plate starting AM and any Chinese Military Vehicle has a licence plate starting ZG and naturally some of these vehicles have personalized licence plates which they buy at Government Auction!
☛.... and if you want to read about my views on Hong Kong, then go to my blog, link below
✚ www.j3consultantshongkong.com/j3c-blog
☛ Photography is simply a hobby for me, I do NOT sell my images and all of my images can be FREELY downloaded from this site in the original upload image size or 5 other sizes, please note that you DO NOT have to ask for permission to download and use any of my images!
DESCRIPTION
The Little Bittern is a small heron with a dark back and cap and buff white neck and wing patches.
ADULT: The male has a green black crown with elongated feathers forming a modest crest. The bill is yellow or yellow green with dark brown upper edge. Irises are yellow, and the lores are yellow or green. The side of the face is grey washed with a vinaceous tinge. The chin and throat are white with buff center. The back and tail is green black. The flight feathers are green black, which contrast on the upper wing with buff white wing patches. Sides of the upper breast have small tufts of elongated black feathers. The under sides are buff white with minimal brown streaking that is variable among individuals with the under wings white. Legs vary from green, green grey, yellow, green in front and yellow behind. The toes are long.
In breeding the plumage is brighter and upper breast feathers are longer and looser. In courtship the lower bill (of both sexes) flashes red briefly during copulation, nest relief, and other excitement. The lores and orbital skin flush dull red.
VARIATION: The female is smaller and a duller color. Its crest is black and less glossy than the male. It has a brown or rufous tinge to the dark colors, which also show some streaking. Wing patches are pale brown buff and slightly streaked. The under parts are striped in brown. There are no known differences between sexes in soft part color.
Geographic variation has been recognized in five subspecies. Payesii is smaller with shorter wings than minutus; the neck and wing patches are more red brown to chestnut rather than buff of minutus; the irises become red brown in courtship; legs in breeding are olive green in front and yellow behind.
Podiceps is smaller than minutus or payesii; the adult male has the deep rufous on the neck extending over the whole underparts and under wing and becoming chestnut on the upper parts; the immature bird is darker than minutus.
Dubious has a shorter, thicker bill; the neck and wing are chestnut to rufous; the flight feathers are dull black or dark grey brown contrasting with buff wing patch; the immature has pale primaries with fulvous tips; the female is not well marked.
Novaezelandiae was larger and darker, back and scapulars were dark red brown with rufous lining to the feathers; the hind neck was chestnut; the wing patch are spotted chestnut; the female was more heavily streaked below
JUVENILE: The juvenile bird is more boldly streaked below and above with a red brown tinge. The crown is streaked brown. The wing patches are heavily mottled with brown and buff.
CHICK: The downy chick is pink buff above (minutus), reddish buff (payesii), pink buff to brown (dubious) and white below. Irises are black brown. The bill is dull pink turning to grey. The facial skin is blue grey becoming olive yellow. Legs and feet are olive grey with pink toes.
VOICE:” “Kohr” call is the distinctive and characteristic grunting or barking advertising call used during breeding. It is variously rendered as “kohr, kohr, kohr, kohr,” “hork, hork, hork,” “Cor, orr, orr, orr,” or “gogh, gogh, gogh, gogh” and also “hogh”, “rru” and “woof.” The “Kwer” call is a flight call. It is rendered as “kuk-kuk, kuk-kak,” cuck, cuck,cuck cuck,” Cra, a, a, a, k,” “quer” or “ker-ack.” It is low pitched and abrupt, and sometimes proceeded by a higher pitched “quee.” The “Koh” call is the disturbance call. The “Gek” call is a repeated call given frequently at the nest site, rendered as “gek, gek, gek, gek” or “ek, ek, ek, ek.” A similar “Gak” call is the alarm and threat call. It can be rendered as “kuk,” “gat,” “gack” or “yick.” The “Aark” call is an anxiety call. “Goo” call, rendered “goo, goo,” is used with the Greeting Ceremony. Young beg with “tu, tu, tu, tu, tu.”
WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Length: 25 – 35 cm. Weight: 140-150 g.
FIELD CHARACTERS
The Little Bittern is identified by its small size, dark cap and back, and buff grey wing patches offsetting dark flight feathers. Its flight is rapid for a heron, flying with rapid, shallow, clipped wing beats, legs dangling, often dropping into cover. It is distinguished from the Yellow Bittern by being slightly larger, having a shorter bill, its black (not brown) back, and white to grey buff (not yellow buff) wing patch. It is distinguished from the Cinnamon Bittern by it dark (not cinnamon) back and cap.
SYSTEMATICS
The Little Bittern is one of the small bitterns, Ixobrychus, that share similar plumage, white eggs, scutellate tarsi, and ten tail feathers. It is closely related to the Least and Yellow bitterns, with which it shares a slender bill, uniform dorsal coloration, and moderate plumage sexual dimorphism. The Little Bittern covers a large discontinuous range, with other small bitterns filling in the range gaps. Novaezelandia is often considered a different species, due to its larger size. Payesii and podiceps are also sometimes considered to be separate species.
RANGE AND STATUS
The Little Bittern occurs in Europe, west Asia, Africa, Madagascar, north India, Australia and New Guinea.
BREEDING RANGE: The north boundary of the breeding range of minutus includes England (Allport and Carroll 1989), Netherlands (Bekhuis 1990), Belgium, north Germany, to Estonia, Russia (west Siberia), Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan (Lopatin et al. 1992), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgystan, west China (Sinkiang). It breeds in North Africa (Morocco to Tunisia, north Egypt – El Din 1992), Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain (possibly breeding), Iraq (possibly breeding), Iran, Pakistan (Sind), India (Kasmir – Holmes and Hatchwell 1991, Uttar Pradesh, Assam), and Nepal.
Payesii occurs in Africa south of the Sahara in Mauritania, Senegal (Morel and Morel 1989), Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Gabon, Principe, Nigeria, south Sudan, south Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania (baker and Baker in prep.), south east Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, east and south South Africa (Transvaal, Natal, Cape Province). Podiceps is confined to Madagascar. Novaezelandiae occurred only on South Island New Zealand. Dubius breeds in Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, south Western Australia, north Western Australia – Jaensch 1988).
NONBREEDING RANGE: Minutus from Europe and west Asia move south in winter. A few birds remain in west and south Europe (Mediterranean, Ireland, Britain, Germany, Netherlands, and north Africa) (Cramp and Simmons 1977, Nankinov and Kantarzhiev 1988). Most birds winter in Africa south of the Sahara, mostly in east Africa but also west to Senegal and south to as far as South Africa. Minutus from north India appear to remain there during nonbreeding. Podiceps is probably sedentary; there is some evidence of its moving to Africa in the dry season (Brown et al. 1982) but this is refuted (Baker and Baker in prep.). Dubius also appears to be mostly sedentary but it also occurs in New Guinea, mostly in the southern lowlands (Jaensch 1995, 1996). As far as is known these are wintering birds from Australia, although there remains a possibility of its breeding in New Guinea (Beehler et al. 1986).
MIGRATION: Minutus is migratory across most of its breeding range and has a significant post breeding dispersal. Birds in Europe move south in August-October. They fly singly and in small groups at night. Western birds move through Italy, Spain and France and along the Atlantic coast (Nankinov 1999). They cross the Mediterranean and Sahara in a broad wave. Birds from the east cross Israel, Iraq, Arabia, and Egypt, also in a broad front. Movement in Africa is less clear. Return migration is in March – April. Birds regularly overshoot and land north of the breeding range.
Minutus in the Middle East are partially sedentary. Minutus from north India, payesii and podiceps, are at least partially sedentary, with local movements that are not clearly understood. Payesii shifts in response to rainfall and drought. Podiceps is now understood not to migrate occasionally to Zanzibar as suggested by Brown et al. (1982). Dubius is probably migratory, shifting after wetlands dry out (March- April) from south to north and inland to coast, and also to south Papua-New Guinea. Return migration to the southern breeding areas in Australia is in August-September.
The Little Bittern ranges widely in post breeding dispersal, moving in all directions. Dispersal records include Iceland, Faeroes, Azores, Madeira, and Canary islands and Scandinavia. Dispersal records in the east include Lord Howell Island and New Zealand (O’Donnell and Dilks 1988).
STATUS: The species is widespread and common in many areas within that range. It has been decreasing in Europe, especially from 1970’s to 1990’s, due to habitat loss (Nankinov 1999). Its nesting distribution is now fragmented, and the species appears to be in a rapid decline in west Europe (Marion et al. 2000). Its overall population is 37,000 – 107,000 pairs, the range reflecting uncertainties in eastern Europe - Romania, Ukraine, and Russia - which together support the greater portion of the European population (Marion et al. 2000).
The Little Bittern is common in north Africa, is increasing in Egypt (El Din 1992) and is more common in Arabia than previously appreciated. It has been under-represented on surveys in Tanzania; a guess at its population there puts it under 10,000 adults (Baker and Baker in prep.). It is rare in South Africa, under 100 pairs. It is uncommon in Madagascar and known from only a few places. It is abundant in parts of India (1000-2000 pairs in Kashmir). The population in New Zealand went extinct for unknown reasons – it is one of a few contemporary herons that has suffered extinction (Hilton-Taylor 2000) . The Little Bittern is rare and very localized in Australia. It has declined in and west Australia due to habitat loss but may be more common in other areas than is presently appreciated (Jaensch 1989)
HABITATS
The habitat used by the species is varied across its huge range. Most typically it uses freshwater wetlands having thick herbaceous vegetation with trees or bushes interspersed nearby. These habitats include peat bogs, reed swamps, edges of lakes, pools, reservoirs, oases, swamps, wooded and marshy edges of streams and rivers, wet grasslands, mangroves, salt marshes, lagoons. In east Africa it prefers smaller, well-vegetated swamps, marshes and drainage ditches (Baker and Baker in prep.) It also can be found in forests. It occurs in lowlands and up to 1500 m in Madagascar and 1800 m in the Himalayas.
Typical herbaceous plants used in these habitats include Scirpus, Typha, Phragmites, Baumea, Juncus. Shrubs and trees used include Muehlenbeckia, Melaleuca. It uses human habitats including rice fields, ponds, crop fields, vegetable gardens, and sugar cane fields. Little Bitterns can be very tolerant of humans and nest in places regularly visited by people (Cempulik 1994).
FORAGING
The Little Bittern feeds by Walking slowly at the water edge stalking prey from the ground or more characteristically from a perch. It also Walks Quickly using Crouched posture, with head forward, in rapid steps. It Stands at the edge of cover on a perch. It feeds with its head and neck withdrawn. As it sees a prey item, it slowly extends its neck and then stabs. It sometimes it feeds by pecking, jabbing the bill in the water, and using an insect for bait (Baumann 2000).
It is a solitary feeder generally within territories held long term. Its activity periods appear to vary. It is primarily crepuscular over much of its range, but feeds at night and also at times during the day. African birds are primarily diurnal (Langley 1983). When alarmed it assumes the Bittern Posture.
The diet is varied, fish (Perca, Esox, Alburnus, Blicca, Cyprinus, Gambusia, Gobio, Eupomotis, Leuciscus), frogs and tadpoles (Rana), reptiles, eggs and young birds (Olioso 1991), shrimp, crayfish, worms, insects such as crickets (Gryllotalpa), grasshoppers, caterpillars, water bugs, beetles (Notonecta, Naucoris), beetle larvae, dragonflies (Libellula, Aeshna), spiders. Diet differs in various places. In some places it has primarily a fish diet (Langley 1983, Holmes and Hatchwell 1991) and in other places such as Italy insects predominate.
BREEDING
The nesting biology of the Little Bittern has been well studied (Langley 1983, Darakchiev et al. 1984, Gerard 1986, Hoyer 1991, Holmes and Hatchwell 1991, Boozic 1992, Lopatin et al. 1992, Cempulik 1994, Martinez Abrain 1994, Gaballero 1997). As expected over such a large range, its nesting season is variable. Nesting occurs in the spring in the north of the range, May-July in Europe and India. It is in the rainy seasons or just after the rainy season in the tropics. Nesting is May –July in north Africa; July – October in west Africa; June – September in Nigeria; May –September in Congo; July, November –December in Uganda; March – April; June in Zambia; April-May in Malawi; February, September, November – December in Zimbabwe; March in Namibia; June-February in South Africa, October - January in Australia.
The species nests in thick herbaceous vegetation, especially near open water pools. But it also in trees or bushes usually over water, and has also been found nesting in trees over dry land. The Little Bittern nests solitarily, but also and perhaps more typically in loose colonies with nests as close as 5 m but usually 30 – 100 m apart. It likely is extremely residential, in that nests may be reused in consecutive years (Barbier and Boileau 2000).
The nest is a platform with a conical base, 15 –20 cm across, and 10 cm thick. In South Africa more substantial nests were 20-35 cm across. The nest is made of stems of herbaceous vegetation, lined with finer material. The nest is typically inserted in reeds, rushes, grass, or papyrus. However in some areas and situations, they nest in trees and bushes and make stick nests. It is built by the male, who starts during the display period.
Early in the breeding season, males establish breeding territories and give the Kohr call, staking out the territory and advertising. When calling, the lower bill flushes red. Territories are defended by an Upright display, Ground and Aerial Supplanting Attacks and a threat display in which the bird places its side to the opponent, spreading wings, lifting one and lowering the other. Males choose a nest site and begin building while continuing to advertise with the Kohr call. The males also use Circle Flights as part of the display. A flight also has been described in which the neck is extended and head held below the body.
Upon formation of the pair bond, birds participate in Contact and Non-contact Bill Clappering, during which the pair cross their necks. The Greeting Ceremony includes the arriving bird approaching the nest, with Bill Clappering, feathers raised, Crest Raising, and gives the Goo call. The bills flush red during the Greeting Ceremony. Upon completion, birds will Bill Clapper. Paired birds will remain together through the nesting season.
Eggs are chalky white. They are laid at intervals of 1 to 3 days. Size averages 36 X 26 mm in Europe, 34.6 X 26.6 mm in South Africa. Clutch size varies geographically, 5-6 in Europe and 3-4 in the tropics and South Africa (Langley 1983). The overall range is 2–7 eggs. Replacement clutches occur if eggs are destroyed but also after young fledge. In some case three broods are raised per year (such as in South Africa). Clutch size decreases later in season (Cempulik 1994).
Incubation, by both parents, begins with the first egg and lasts 16 –20 days (Langley 1983, Homes and Hatchwell 1991). Hatching is asynchronous and chicks have their eyes open and legs are fairly developed after hatching. Young are fed in the first 2 days by food deposited on the nest floor. The parents guide the bills of the nestlings to the food. Thereafter, young grasp the parents’ bill and is fed directly. Chicks are brooded through 8 –10 days. Chicks grow relatively fast. By three days they beg by grasping the parent’s bill. Chicks assume the Bittern Posture when disturbed. Pinfeathers develop at 4 days. Sibling rivalry is low, despite asynchronous hatching. And there was not found to be a difference in growth rates relative to hatch order or brood size (Holmes and Hatchwell 1991). Chicks grow quickly and climb out of the nest in one week and can leave the nest entirely by 14-16 days. Maximum growth takes place at 15 days (Langley 1983). The birds fledge flying strongly in 27 days. Success was 56.6% of eggs hatching to nest departure in South Africa and 70-71 in India (Langley 1983, Holmes and Hatchwell 1991).
POPULATION DYNAMICS
Females can nest before their second birthday (Langley 1983). Nothing is known about the demography of this species.
SPECIES ACCOUNT UPDATES
Please update, add, or correct information in this species account by posting it as a comment, below. Provide a title starting with the Species’ English name followed by the most pertinent account section title, capitalized. For example: ”Agami Heron Reproduction”. Then make your update using language as close as possible to the original text so as to allow for later insertion directly into the account. Images that show the biological information being presented are welcome, especially maps that change the range information. Because these images cannot be inserted directly as a comment, the update with the images should be emailed to HeronSpecialistGroup@Earthlink.net so that they can be inserted directly by the Web Site administrators. Provide complete literature references (authors, year, title, journal, book or online reference data) following the style of the Heron Bibliography. At the end of the comment, provide the author’s full name, preferred contact information, and date of contribution in day-month-year format (For example: 21 May 2011).
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Website:
www.museudooriente.pt/?lang=en
PORTUGUESE PRESENCE IN ASIA
english
The unifying concept underpinning this wide reaching exhibition was the
construction of an Oriental utopia by the Portuguese, from the 15th century right through to contemporary times based on trade, proselytism and the interchange of cultures. Given the boundaries to the collection theme allusive to the Portuguese presence in Asia, an enormous effort was therefore put into conceptualising and staging a narrative that would serve to maximise its unquestionable values and offset any shortcomings.
The visitor is welcomed into the central area on level 1 dedicated to Macau, a territory formerly under Portuguese administration and where the Fundação Oriente was founded in 1988. The large exhibition area is dominated by the four magnificent Chinese folding screens belonging to the collection. The oldest displays a Portuguese nau sailing the China Sea and flanked by another, essentially decorative in nature, bearing the coat of arms of the Gonçalves Zarco family and another inscribed with “do Coromandel”, with interesting Christian iconography echoing the school of painting founded by the Jesuits in Japan and that later spread to Macau. The fourth highly rare screen, displaying representations of the cities of Canton and Macau, is located next to the section dedicated to the iconography of the Cidade do Nome de Deus de Macau, with exhibits particularly focusing on the 17th and 18th centuries complemented by pieces from the 19th.
A granite statue, a crude depiction of a Dutchman, recalls the failed attempt to conquer Macau by Holland in 1622. This exhibition section also features a number of paintings and engravings from the period known as “China Trade” (18-19th centuries), both by Western and by Chinese artists.
A small set of designs and a charming painted miniature recall the extensive twenty seven year stay in Macau of the famous painter Georges Chinnery (1774-1852). This exponent of romantic Oriental landscapes left a sizeable legacy of urban, natural and human landscapes across the territory just as its final period of splendour as a key trading post between China and the West came to a close. On visits to Praia Grande or the sampans next to the A-Má Temple, the artist captured surprising instants of daily life dominated by the presence of the Chinese population going about their affairs against a backdrop influenced by a nostalgic European presence.
The role of Macau in international trade is extensively documented in the opposite section with highlights including the collection of porcelain bearing coats of arms laid out with the plates, dishes, terrines or jugs forming a dragon. Furthermore, there is a significant selection of examples of “China Trade” gouaches portraying the production and trade in tea and porcelain as well as Chinese fans so highly appreciated in the West.
Moving onto the eastern sector of level 1, leading onto the staircase, we encounter the following sections:
• And among remote people was founded/ A new kingdom held in great exaltation. Portuguese presence in Asia, in which, “guided” by the words of Camões in his epic Os Lusíadas in addition to those of Fernão Mendes Pinto in Peregrinação and based on a carefully selected range of objects (furniture, textiles, gold jewellery, painting and ivory pieces), complemented by maps and scale models, the establishment and expansion of the Portuguese Empire in the Orient is set out. Centred around Goa, this section features cities and strongholds, the social and cultural interchange resulting from the dialogue and confrontation between cultures and religions. Within this scope, of particular importance are an 18th century treatise written by a Goan on Hindu gentiles along with a set of watercolours making up an album portraying the traditional characters, professions and military authorities in India,
• The Far East, which testifies to the Portuguese discovery of the culture of the Middle Empire and the lucrative trade in luxury products that came about while also incorporating the role of the missionaries that would accompany the traders and soldiers and who first founded the Christian Church in China, as well as those martyred for their faith. The profitable interchange with Japan throughout the 16th and 17th centuries is brilliantly encapsulated by two folding screens and the Namban lacquered pieces, among the most significant pieces in the entire collection,
• The mother of pearl route: from the Holy Land to Oriental Asia, a collection made up of devotional pieces and “remembrances”, of small and medium size, destined either for export or the local Christian community with crucifixes and fixed crosses to the fore in a collection built up over decades by the sculptor Domingos Soares Branco and acquired by the Fundação Oriente.
With this section over, the visitor again returns to the central area of the Macau section and enters the western wing given over to the following:
• East Timor, peoples and cultures, a very rich collection that documents, through pieces related either to the daily reality and the genealogic traditions or to the sacred, the unity and diversity of the cultures presented in addition to the close ties these peoples held and still hold with Portugal. The seed remover and the bench are located in the daily world of working instruments while the bracelets, necklaces, insignias of power or circumcision knives project us into the worlds of ceremony and ritual and developed through the various types of mask present. The various types of cloth woven by Timorese women illustrate the genealogical traditions within community while the decorative doors and panels of homes or votive statues takes us into the microcosm of Timorese homes with their succession of storeys — from ground level, home to animals and lesser spirits, up to the quarters of the living before rising to the area given over to the worship of ancestors.
• Collecting the Art of East Asia contains a collection of terracotta and other antique Chinese, Japanese and Korean pieces acquired by the Fundação Oriente complemented by loans from Machado de Castro National Museum in Coimbra, enriched by the bequests of the poet Camilo Pessanha and the politician and writer Manuel Teixeira Gomes.
Given the extent of the Chinese ceramics collection, covering the most diverse period and techniques, the exhibition documents the typological evolution of funereal terracotta works, with examples dating back to the Neolithic period and running through to the Ming dynasty, as well as ceramics and porcelain both for practical daily purposes and pieces made for export.
The display further contains a small but significant set of bronzes in the majority deriving from the Camilo Pessanha Collection, some of them highly rare either due to their age or their artistic quality. A set of images, of various origins, and paintings in the Pessanha Collection provide a point of reference to the most erudite of Buddhist and Taoist artistic expression.
Courtesy of the painting and costumes in the Pessanha Collection, it is possible to evoke the office and artistic tastes of a 19th century Chinese man of letters with all his “cherished items”, libation recipients, screens and folding screens, objects of devotion and the roles and albums of traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy in addition to their respective means of execution.
From the notable collection of Chinese snuff flasks built up by Manuel Teixeira Gomes, the second largest in Europe, there is a representative selection of existing different types. The same level is reached with the Japanese collection of the same type: inrô (small and portable personal containers), netzuke (to close the inrô and mask shaped mostly with depictions of the leading characters from Nô Theatre) and tsuba (sword hand guards), covering a broad chronological period and which in the case of Japan are complemented by three monumental sets of armour and other ceramics, bronzes, painting and furniture.
Concluding this section, there is a display of Korean pieces: a lacquered wooden box set with mother of pearl incrustations and an interesting set of watercolours from the late 19th century by the Korean artist Kim Jun-geun, known by his artistic name of Kisan, depicting the clothing, costumes and festivals of Korea and produced for European and American markets.
português
O conceito gerador deste grande módulo expositivo foi a construção de uma utopia oriental pelos Portugueses, desde o século XV até aos nossos dias, baseada no comércio, na missionação e no encontro de culturas. Dados os referidos condicionalismos da colecção alusiva à presença portuguesa na Ásia, houve que fazer um enorme esforço de conceptualização e de encenação narrativa para de algum modo potenciar os seus indiscutíveis valores e minorar as suas fraquezas.
O visitante é acolhido no espaço central do piso 1, que é dedicado a Macau, território outrora sob administração portuguesa onde foi fundada a Fundação Oriente, em 1988. Este amplo espaço é dominado pela exposição de quatro magníficos biombos chineses da colecção: o mais antigo representa uma nau portuguesa nos mares da China e encontra-se ladeado por outros dois, um de carácter essencialmente decorativo, decorado com as armas da família Gonçalves Zarco, e um outro, dito “do Coromandel”, com interessante iconografia cristã, eco da escola de pintura criada no Japão pelos Jesuítas, que mais tarde se estenderia a Macau. O quarto biombo, raríssimo exemplar decorado com as representações das cidades de Cantão e de Macau, encontra-se junto à secção dedicada à iconografia da Cidade do Nome de Deus de Macau, com exemplares que remontam aos séculos XVII e XVIII e se estendem pelo século XIX.
Uma estátua em granito, representando toscamente um holandês, evoca a tentativa frustrada de conquista de Macau pelos Holandeses, em 1622. Neste módulo expositivo destacam-se ainda várias pinturas e gravuras do chamado período “China Trade” (séculos XVIII-XIX), tanto de autores ocidentais como de autores chineses.
Um pequeno conjunto de desenhos e uma encantadora pinturinha lembram a prolongada presença de vinte e sete anos em Macau do famoso pintor britânico Georges Chinnery (1774-1852), expoente do paisagismo romântico no Oriente, que deixou um notável registo das paisagens urbana, natural e humana do território no derradeiro período do seu esplendor como entreposto entre a China e o Ocidente. Nas vistas da Praia Grande ou das sampanas junto ao Templo de A-Má surpreendem-se instantâneos do quotidiano que envolvem dominantemente a presença da população chinesa nas suas tarefas, em cenários marcados por uma nostálgica presença europeia.
O papel de Macau no comércio internacional está extensivamente documentado na secção oposta, salientando-se a colecção de porcelana brasonada, formando, na disposição de pratos, travessas, terrinas ou jarras, um dragão. Contudo, não deixam de ser significativas as séries de gouaches “China Trade” que representam o fabrico e o comércio do chá e da porcelana, assim como os leques chineses, muito apreciados no Ocidente.
Passando ao sector nascente do piso 1, fronteiro ao acesso por escada, sucedem-se os seguintes módulos:
• E entre gente remota edificaram/Novo reino que tanto sublimaram. Presença portuguesa na Ásia, em que, “guiados” pelas palavras de Camões n’ Os Lusíadas mas também pelas de Fernão Mendes Pinto na Peregrinação, se procura documentar, a partir de uma criteriosa selecção de objectos (mobiliário, têxteis, ourivesaria, pintura e marfins), complementada por mapas e maquetas, o estabelecimento e a construção do Império Português do Oriente, centrado em Goa, com as suas cidades e praças-fortes, as suas sociedade e cultura miscigenadas, em que se deu o diálogo e o confronto entre culturas e religiões. Neste particular destacam-se um exemplar setecentista de um tratado escrito por um goês sobre o gentilismo hindu, assim como as aguarelas de um álbum que representa tipos populares, profissões e autoridades militares da Índia;
• Ásia Extrema, em que se evidencia a descoberta, pelos Portugueses, da cultura do Império do Meio e do lucrativo comércio de produtos de luxo que com ele poderiam realizar, não esquecendo o papel dos missionários que acompanhavam os comerciantes e os soldados e deram início à Igreja Católica na China, inclusive os que sofreram o martírio pela Fé. O frutuoso encontro com o Japão nos séculos XVI e XVII é brilhantemente ilustrado por dois biombos e por lacas namban que estão entre as mais relevantes peças de toda a colecção;
Findo este sector, o visitante atravessa, de novo, o espaço central dedicado a Macau e entra no sector poente, em que se desenvolvem outros dois módulos:
• Timor-Leste, povos e culturas, colecção muito rica que documenta, através de peças relacionadas quer com as vivências quotidianas e as tradições linhagísticas quer com o sagrado, a unidade e a diversidade das culturas em presença, assim como os estreitos laços que esses povos souberam manter com Portugal. O descaroçador e o banco situam-nos no mundo quotidiano dos instrumentos de trabalho, enquanto as pulseiras, os colares, as insígnias de poder ou as facas de circuncisão nos projectam no universo cerimonial e ritual, tal como acontece com as diversas máscaras presentes. Os vários tipos de panos tecidos pelas mulheres timorenses ilustram os patrimónios linhagísticos das comunidades, enquanto as portas e os painéis decorativos das casas ou a estatuária votiva nos projectam no microcosmo da casa timorense com a sua sucessão de andares — do nível térreo, morada dos animais e dos espíritos inferiores, passando pela residência dos vivos, até ao lugar de culto dos antepassados.
• O coleccionismo de arte do Extremo Oriente, constituído pela colecção de terracotas e de outras antiguidades chinesas, japonesas e coreanas que foi adquirida pela Fundação Oriente, a que se acrescentaram os acervos em depósito provenientes do Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro, em Coimbra, em que se destacam os legados do poeta Camilo Pessanha e do político e escritor Manuel Teixeira Gomes.
Atendendo ao elevado número de exemplares de cerâmica chinesa dos mais diversos períodos e técnicas, é possível documentar a evolução tipológica das terracotas funerárias, com exemplares que remontam ao Neolítico e se estendem até à dinastia Ming, assim como da cerâmica e da porcelana de uso quotidiano, nela incluindo alguma de exportação.
Expõe-se também um pequeno mas significativo conjunto de bronzes provenientes, na sua maioria, da Colecção Camilo Pessanha, alguns deles de grande raridade pela sua antiguidade e pela qualidade artística. Um grupo de imagens de vária proveniência e algumas pinturas da Colecção Pessanha permitem referenciar a expressão artística mais erudita do budismo e do taoísmo.
Graças à pintura e ao traje da Colecção Pessanha, evoca-se o ambiente do gabinete e o gosto artístico de um letrado chinês de oitocentos, com as “preciosidades”, as taças de libação, os ecrãs e os biombos, os objectos devocionais ou os rolos e álbuns de pintura tradicional chinesa e de caligrafia, bem como os respectivos apetrechos de execução.
Da notável colecção de frascos de rapé de fabrico chinês de Manuel Teixeira Gomes, a segunda maior da Europa, apresenta-se uma significativa selecção das diferentes tipologias que a constituem. O mesmo se passa com as peças japonesas da mesma proveniência: os inrô (pequenos contentores portáteis pessoais), as netzuke (fechos dos inrô em forma de máscara, com personagens, na sua maioria, do Teatro Nô) e as tsuba (guarda-mãos de espada), peças de cronologia alargada, a que se acrescentam, ainda no âmbito do Japão, as três monumentais armaduras e outros objectos de cerâmica, bronze, pintura e mobiliário.
Concluindo este módulo, expõem-se também peças coreanas: uma caixa em madeira lacada com incrustações de madrepérola e uma curiosa série de aguarelas de finais de oitocentos da autoria do pintor coreano Kim Jun-geun, conhecido pelo nome artístico de Kisan, sobre trajos, costumes e festas da Coreia, realizadas para o mercado europeu e americano.
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english
The Museum of the Orient (Portuguese: Museu do Oriente) in Lisbon, Portugal celebrates the history of Portuguese exploration with a collection of Asian artifacts. The museum opened in May, 2008, and is located in a refurbished industrial building on the Alcântara waterfront. The collection includes Indonesian textiles, Japanese screens, antique snuff bottles, crucifixes made in Asia for Western export, and the Kwok On Collection of masks, costumes, and accessories.
português
O Museu do Oriente está instalado no edifício Pedro Álvares Cabral, antigos armazéns da Comissão Reguladora do Comércio do Bacalhau em Alcântara, Lisboa.
O museu reúne colecções que têm o Oriente como temática principal, nas vertentes histórica, religiosa, antropológica e artística.
A exposição permanente engloba 1400 peças alusivas à presença portuguesa na Ásia e 650 peças pertencentes à colecção Kwok On.
O museu é da responsabilidade da Fundação Oriente e foi inaugurado no dia 8 de Maio de 2008.
A actual directora é Maria Manuela d'Oliveira Martins.
Foi classificado como Monumento de interesse público (MIP) pelo IGESPAR em 15 de junho de 2010.
I have been to Throwley on at least three previous occasions, the fourth was going to be during Ride and Stride in September, but another crawler told me it had failed to open as per the list.
St Michael and All Angles is a large and from the outside and interesting looking church, looked like it had a story to tell. So, last week, I contacted the wardens through the CofE A church Near You website, I got a reply and a date and time agreed for Saturday morning.
We arrived 15 minutes early, and it was as locked as ever, but on a fine if frosty morning took the time to study the church ad churchyard, and saw yet more fine details we had missed previously.
Dead on time the warden arrived, and was very welcoming indeed. They loved to have visitors she said. Now I know how to contact them, I can see that.
She was clearly proud of the church, and rightly so, most impressive was the south chapel with a pair of kneeling couples on top of chest tombs, staring at each other for all eternity.
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St Michael & All Angels is the parish church of Throwley. The first church on the site was probably built between 800 and 825. This would have been a small wooden structure, barely distinguishable from a farm building.
After the Norman Conquest in 1066 this was replaced by a Romanesque stone structure.
This was still small, but as the population of the parish increased the church was enlarged, until in about 1510 it reached its present size. Since then its appearance has changed little, although an extra storey was added to the tower - now far seen - in the 1860s.
The church has an elaborate Romanesque west entrance; its east window in the chancel, by Curtis, Ward & Hughes of Soho, London, is a memorial to Throwley men who gave their lives in the First World War.
In the Harris chapel is the church's newest stained-glass window, commemorating Dorothy Lady Harris who died in 1981. It was designed and executed in the Canterbury Cathedral Workshops by Frederick Cole (see pictures on left).
The church has more than its fair share of fine 16th to 19th century monuments, mainly to members of the local Sondes and Harris families, and these are all described.
www.faversham.org/community/churches/throwley.aspx
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TQ 95 NE THROWLEY THROWLEY
ROAD
(west side)
4/181
Church of
St. Michael
and All
24.1.67 Angels
GV I
Parish Church. C12, C13 north chapel, C14 south chapel, C15
nave arcades, restored 1866 and tower heightened. Flint and
plain tiled roofs. Chancel, north and south chapels, nave and
aisles, south tower and south porch. West doorway, C12, with
attached shafts and 3 orders, the outer panelled with X's on
circles, the centre roll moulded with the blocks offset and
alternately projecting, the inner with more X's on circles,
with 2 offset buttresses either side of doorway. South aisle
with plinth, string course and parapet, 3 offset buttresses and
C15 Perpendicular windows. South tower of 2 stages with square
south-eastern stair turret and C16 moulded brick surround
sundial. Water spouts on each corner in the 4 Evangelical
symbols. Half-timbered C19 south porch, south doorway with
rolled and double hollow chamfered surround, and outer surround
with label and quatrefoil spandrels. North aisle under 1 roof
with nave, with C15 fenestration, and C19 chimney to north west.
North and south chapels with C14 cusped 'Y' tracery fenestration,
with hollow chamfered and ogee drip moulds. Chancel east
window C19 curvilinear style. Interior: 2 bay nave arcades,
double hollow chamfered arches on octagonal piers. C12 single
arches to north and south eastern bay, that to south recessed
and double chamfered through tower wall. Barrel roof.
Chamfered arch on corbels from south aisle to tower, itself
with corbel table on south wall, and triple arch through to south
chapel C19 chancel arch. Chancel with 2 bay double chamfered
arcade to north chapel with octagonal capitals on round piers, and
single double chamfered arch on round responds to south chapel.
Fittings: hollow chamfered piscina and sedile in window reveal in
chancel and cusped recess in north wall. C19 reredos and altar
rail. Cusped piscina and four centred arched wall recess in
south chapel. Choir stalls, some C19, the four on the south C15
with carved misericords. Monuments: south chapel C16 chest tomb,
with shields in panelled sides, moulded plinth, lozenge-shaped
flowers, fluting and frieze. Chest tomb, Sir George Sondes,
Earl of Faversham, d.1677. Black marble with blank panelled sides.
Inscription on the top panel (made 1728). Standing monument,
Sir Thomas Sondes, died 1592. Marble tomb chest, gadrooned with
achievements on side panels. Kneeling alabaster figures of
knight and his Lady on opposite sides of central prayer desk,
carrying inscription. Mary Sondes, died 1603. Smaller and
identical to Sir Thomas Sonde's monument, with 2 adults and 2
infant sons and daughters on either side of sarcophagus. Misplaced
scrolled and enriched carved achievement on floor to east of
those monuments. Wall plaque, Captain Thomas Sondes, died 1668.
Black and white marble, with draped apron, swagged and draped
sides with military trophies. Broken segmental pediment with male
bust. Signed W.S. (B.0.E. Kent II, p.477 suggests William Stanton).
North chapel C16 chest tomb, moulded plinth, panelled sides with
shields (1 panel reset in south chapel south wall). Early C16
tomb recess with moulded jambs, with rope work, crenellated,
with late Perpendicular motifs in spandrels, and tomb with 3
panelled recesses with 2 shields on each panel. Wall plaque,
Charles Harris, d.1814, by Flaxman. White plaque on white
background; dead soldier lifted from the grave by Victory, with
palms and cannon in background. Statue, to George, first Lord
Harris, life size soldier with sword and plans, on four foot
plinth. By George Rennie, 1835. Nave, wall plaque, Stephen
Bunce, d.1634. Black plaque on coved base and apron. Foliated
sides. Scrolled nowy cornice and pediment with achievement.
(See B.O.E. Kent II, 1983, 476-7.)
Listing NGR: TQ9883454254
www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-176587-church-of-st-m...
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LIES the next parish north-eastward from Stalisfield. It is called in the record of Domesday, Trevelei, in later records Truley and Thruley, in Latin ones Trulega and Truilla; it is now written both Throwley and Throwleigh.
THROWLEY is mostly situated on high ground, it is a more pleasant and open country than that last described, for though wild and romantic among the hills and woods, it is not so dreary and forlorn, nor the soil so uncomfortable, being much drier. Besides it has a more chearful and brighter aspect from the width of the principal valley which leads through it, from north to south, whence the hills rise on each side, with smaller delves interspersed among them. There is a good deal of wood-ground, mostly of beech, interspersed at places with oak and hazel, with some good timber trees of oak among them, especially in the northern and southern parts; much of the former belongs to the dean and chapter of Canterbury. The soil is mostly chalk, the rest a heavy tillage land of red cludy earth, the whole mixed with quantities of flint stones. There are some level lands, especially in the disparked grounds of Throwley park, which are tolerably good, much more so than those in the other parts of the parish; on the east side of the park are the foundations of the antient seat of the Sondes's, with the church close to them, the whole lying on high ground, with a good prospect of the surrounding country; not far from it is Town place, now only a farm-house. There is no village, excepting the few houses in Abraham-street may be so called, the rest of the houses, which are mostly cottages, standing dispersed throughout it, either single, or built round the little greens or softalls, of which there are several in different parts of the parish. On a larger one of these called Wilgate-green, there is a house belonging to the estate of Mr. Philerenis Willis's heirs, and another larger antient one, which with the estate belonging to it, was formerly the property of the Chapmans, and sold by them to Christopher Vane, lord Barnard, in 1789, gave it, with his other estates in this county, to David Papillon, esq. of Acrise, the present owner of it. (fn. 1)
There was a family named Wolgate, from whose residence here this green seems to have taken its name of Wolgate, or Wilgate-green. After they had remained here for some generations they ended in a daughter, for Mr. Ralph Wolgate dying in 1642, his daughter Anne married Mr. William Genery, and entitled him to her father's possessions here, at Posiers, in Borden, and other parts of this county. The Woodwards seem afterwards to have possessed their estate here, several of whom lie buried under a tomb in Throwley church-yard.
About half a mile distant south-westward from Wilgate-green, in Abraham-street, there is a seat, called, from its high situation and expensive prospect, BELMONT; it was built in the year 1769, by Edward Wilks, esq. storekeeper of the royal powdermills at Faversham, who inclosed a paddock or shrubbery round it, and occasionally resided here, till he alienated it in 1779 to John Montresor, esq. the present proprietor, who resides in it.
THE BEECH TREE flourishes in the greatest plenty, as well single to a large size, as in stubs in the coppice woods, which consist mostly of them, as well in these parts as they do in general on the range of chalk hills throughout this county, in some places extending two or three miles in width, and in others much more. The large tracts of ground in this and other counties, overspread with the beech-tree, the random situation of their stubs, and other circumstances which occur in viewing them, are strong proofs of their being the indigenous growth of this island, notwithstanding Cæfar's premptory assertion, in his Commentaries, of there being none here in this time. The Britons, he says, had every material for use and building, the same as the Gauls, excepting the fir and the beech. The former there is positive proof of his being grossly mistaken in, which will in some measure destroy that implicit credit we might otherwise give to his authority, as to the latter; indeed, the continued opposition he met with from the Britons, during his short stay here, assorded him hardly a possibility of seeing any other parts of this country than those near which he landed, and in the direct track through which he marched to wards Coway-stakes; too small a space for him to form any assertion of the general products of a whole country, or even of the neighbouring parts to him. Of those he passed through, the soil was not adapted to the growth of the beech tree; from which we may with great probability suppose, there were none growing on them, nor are there any throughout them, even at this time, a circumstance which most likely induced him to suppose, and afterwards to make the assertion beforementioned.
The slints, with which the cold unfertile lands in these parts, as well as some others in this county, are covered, have been found to be of great use in the bringing forward the crops on them, either by their warmth, or somewhat equivalent to it. Heretofore the occupiers of these lands were anxious to have them picked up and carried off from their grounds, but experiencing the disadvantage of it in the failure of their crops, they, never practice it themselves, and submit to the surveyors of the highways taking them off with great reluctance.
In the parish there are quantities of the great whitish ash coloured shell snail, which are of an unusual large size; they are found likewise near Darking, in Surry, and between Puckeridge and Ware, in Hertsordshire. They are not originally of this island, but have been brought from abroad, many of them are at this time observed in different parts of Italy.
MR. JACOB, in this Plantœ Favershamienses, has enumerated several scare plants observed by him in this parish, besides which, that scarce one, the Orchis myodes, or fly satrition, has been found here, growing on the side of the path, in a small wood, midway between the church and Wilgate green.
THIS PLACE, at the taking of the general survey of Domesday, about the 15th years of the Conqueror's reign, was part of the possessions of Odo, bishop of Baieux, and earl of Kent, the king's half brother, under the general title of whose lands it is thus described in it:
Hersrid holds Trevelai. It was taxed at three sulings. The arable land is eight carucates. In demesne there is one, and twenty-four villeins, with five borderers having six carucates and an half. There is a church, and five servants. Wood for the pannage of twenty bogs, and in the city three houses of thirty-two pence. In the time of king Edward the Conssessor it was worth seven pounds, and afterwards six pounds. Ulnod held it of king Edward.
On the bishop of Baieux's disgrace, about four years afterwards, this among his other estates, became consiscated to the crown.
After which it was held of the king in capite, by barony, by Jeffry de Peverel, and together with other lands made up the barony of Peverel, as it was called, being assigned to him for the defence of Dover-castle, for which purpose he was bound to maintain a certain number of soldiers from time to time for the desence of it, and to repair and defend at this own charge a particular tower or turret there, called afterwards Turris Gattoniana, or Gatton's tower.
In the reign of king Henry III. Robert de Gatton, who took his name from the lordship of Gatton, in Surry, of which his ancestors had been some time owners, was in possession of the manor Thrule, and died in the 38th year of that reign, holding it by knight's service of the king, of the honor of Peverel, by reason of the escheat of that honor, &c. (fn. 2) He was succeded in it by this eldest son Hamo de Gatton, who resided here, and served the office of sheriff in the 14th year of Edward I. His eldest son of the same name left one son Edmund, then an instant, who afterwards dying under age, his two sisters became his coheirs, and divided his inheritance, of which Elizabeth entitled her husband William de Dene to this manor, and all the rest of the estates in Kent; and Margery entitled her husband Simon de Norwood to Gatton, and all the other estates in Surry.
William de Dene had a charter of free warren for his lands in Thurley, in the 10th year of Edward II. He died anno 15 Edward III. then holding this manor by the law of England, as of the inheritance of Elizabeth his late wife deceased, of the king in capite, as of the castle of Dover, by knight's service, and paying to the ward of that castle. His son Thomas de Dene died possessed of it in the 23d year of that reign, leaving four daughters his coheirs, of whom Benedicta, the eldest, married John de Shelving, and entitled him to this manor, on whose death likewise without male issue, his two daughters became his coheirs, of whom, Joane married John Brampton, alias Detling, of Detlingcourt, and Ellen married John de Bourne, the former of whom, in his wife's right, became possessed of this manor. He lest only one daughter Benedicta his heir, who carried it in marriage to Thomas at Town, who was possessed of much land about Charing, and bore for his arms, Argent, on a chevron, sable, three crosscrostess, ermine, which coat is in the windows of Kennington church, impaled with Ellis, of that place. He removed hither in the reign of Henry VI. and built a feat for his residence in this parish, about a quarter of a mile from the church, which he named, from himself, Town-place, soon after which he died, leaving his possessions to his three daughters and coheirs, of whom Eleanor was married to Richard Lewknor, of Challock; Bennet to William Watton, of Addington, and Elizabeth to William Sondes, of this parish and of Lingfield, in Surry, in which county his ancestors had been seated as early as the reign of Henry III. at Darking, where their seat was named, from them, Sondes-place. (fn. 3) Upon the division of their inheritance, the manor of Throwley was allotted to William Sondes, and Town-place, with the lands belonging to it in Throwley, to Richard Lewknor, who sold it to Edward Evering, the eldest son of Nicholas, third son of John Evering, of Evering, in Alkham, and his daughter and heir Mary marrying in 1565, with John Upton, of Faversham, entitled him to this estate, which he very soon afterwards alienated to Shilling, from whom it as quickly afterwards passed by sale to Anthony Sondes, esq. of this parish, whose ancestor William Sondes, on the division of the inheritance of the daughters and coheirs of Thomas at Town as before mentioned, had become possessed of the manor of Throwley, and the antient mansion of it, in which he afterwards resided, and dying in 1474, anno 15 Edward IV. was buried in the north chapel of this church, though he ordered by his will a memorial for himself to be put up in the church of Lingfield. The family of Sondes bore for their arms, Argent, three blackmores heads, couped, between two chevronels, sable, which, with the several quarterings borne by them, are painted on their monuments in this church.
His descendant, Anthony Sondes, esq. of Throwley, in the 31st year of Henry VIII. procured his lands in this county to be disgavelled, by the act then passed, and died in 1575, having married Joane, daughter of Sir John Fineux, chief justice of the king's bench, by whom he had two sons, Thomas and Michael, and two daughters.
He was succeeded by his eldest son Sir Thomas Sondes, sheriff anno 22 Elizabeth, who founded the school in this parish. He died in 1592, leaving issue only by his second wife, one daughter Frances, married to Sir John Leveson, so that on his death without male issue, his only brother Sir Michael Sondes, of Eastry, succeeded to this manor and seat of his ancestors, in which he afterwards resided. He was sheriff in the 26th year of queen Elizabeth's reign, and died in the 16th year of king James I. having had by his first wife Mary, only daughter and heir of George Fynch, esq. of Norton, six sons and six daughters.
Sir Richard Sondes, the eldest son, resided at Throwley, where he died in the 8th year of Charles I. having had by his two wives a numerous issue, of both sons and daughters. He was succeeded in this manor and seat, with the rest of his estates, by his eldest son Sir George Sondes, who was made a knight of the Bath at the coronation of king Charles I. soon after which he began to rebuild his seat of Lees-court, in Sheldwich, and fixed his residence there, under the description of which a more particular account of him and his descendants may be seen. Not long after which this seat was entirely pulled down, and the park adjoining to it disparked. The foundations of the former still remain, and the disparked lands still retain the name of Throwley park.
Sir George Sondes was afterwards created Earl of Faversham, Viscount Sondes, of Lees court, and Baron of Throwley, whose two daughters became his coheirs; Mary was married to Lewis, lord Duras, marquis of Blanquefort, and afterwards earl of Faversham, and Katherine to Lewis Watson, esq. afterwards earl of Rockingham, who each successively, in right of their respective wives, inherited this manor and estate, which has since descended in like manner as Lees-court, in Sheldwich, to the right hon. Lewis-Thomas, lord Sondes, and he is the present possessor of this manor, with Town-place and the estate belonging to it. Acourt baron is held for this manor.
The denne of Toppenden, alias Tappenden, in Smarden, in the Weald, is an appendage to the manor of Throwley, and is held of it.
WILDERTON, alias Wolderton, called also in antient deeds Wilrinton, is a manor in this parish, which was once part of the possessions of the eminent family of Badlesmere, of which Bartholomew de Badlesmere was possessed of it in the reign of Edward II. of whom, for his services in the Scottish wars, he obtained in the 9th year of it many liberties and franchises for his different manors and estates, among which was that of free-warren in the demesne lands of this manor of Wolrington. (fn. 4) Having afterwards associated himself with the discontented barons, he was taken prisoner, and executed in the 16th year of that reign. By the inquisition taken after his death, which was not till anno 2 Edward III. at which time both the process and judgement against him was reversed, it was found that he died possessed of this manor, among others, which were then restored to his son Giles de Badlesmere, who died in the 12th year of Edward III. s. p. being then possessed of this manor. Upon which his four sisters became his comanor fell to the share of Margery, wife of William, manor fell to the share of Margery, wife of William, lord Roos, of Hamlake, who survived her husband, and died in the 37th year of Edward III. possessed of it, as did her grandson John, lord Roos, in the 9th year of Henry V. leaving no issue by Margaret his wife, who survived him, and had this manor assigned to her as part of her dower. She afterwards married Roger Wentworth, esq. whom she likewise survived, and died anno 18 Edward IV.
On the death of John, lord Roos, her first husband, s. p. the reversion of this manor, after her death, became vested in Thomas his next surviving brother and heir, whose son Thomas afterwards became a firm friend to the house of Lancaster, for which he was attainted anno 1 Edward IV. and his lands were consiscated to the crown.
On the death of Margaret, the widow of Roger Wentworth, esq. the manor of Wulrington, but whether by grant or purchase, I have not found, came into the possession of Richard Lewknor, of Challock, owner likewise of Town-place, as before-mentioned, who sold it to Edward Evering, already mentioned before, whose daughter and heir Mary marrying in 1565 with Mr. John Upton, of Faversham, entitled him to it. He joined with his brother Nicholas Upton, in 1583, in the sale of the manor-house, with all the demesne lands belonging to it, excepting one small piece called the manor-croft, and a moiety of the ma nor, which, from its situation, from that time was known by the name of NORTH-WILDERTON, to Anthony Terry, of North Wilderton, yeoman, upon whose death it came to his four sons, Arnold, William, Thomas, and George Terry, who in 1601 made a partition of their father's estates, in which this manor was allotted to Arnold Terry, and William his brother, from whom it descended to Anthony Terry, of Ospringe, who in 1689 sold it to Mr. Thomas Knowler, of Faversham, who devised it to his sister Abigail for her life, and after her death to John Knowler, gent. of Ospringe, in fee. She afterwards married John Bates, and they, together with John Knowler above-mentioned, about the year 1694, joined in the sale of it to Mr. Edward Baldock, of Aylesford, and Bennet his wife. He survived her, and by deed of gift in 1717, vested the fee of it in his son Edward Baldock, who passed it away to Mr. Thomas Greenstreet, of Norton, whose niece Elizabeth marrying with Mr. Thomas Smith, of Gillingham, entitled him to this manor, which has been since sold to John Montresor, esq. of Belmont, in this parish, the present owner of it. A court baron is held for this manor.
There was antiently a chapel at this manor of Wilrintune, as appears by a charter, dated anno 1217, lately in the treasury of St. Bertin's monastery at St. Omers, concerning the privilege of a bell to it.
BUT THE REMAINING MOIETY of the manor, with a small crost called the manor-croft, lying at the west end of Hockstet green, remained with John Upton, and thenceforward acquired the name of SOUTH, alias GREAT WILDERTON. After whose death it came to his eldest son John Upton, who died possessed of it in 1635, and was buried with his ancestors in Faversham church. They bore for their arms, Quarterly, sable, and or; in the first and fourth quarters, a cross flory, argent, each charged with a trefoil, azure. (fn. 5)
John Upton, his eldest son, inherited this manor, and at his death in 1664, by his will gave it to his daughter Anne, wife of Charles Castle, gent. who in 1688 devised it to her brother-in-law George Naylor, and George White, the former of whom becoming solely possessed of it, in 1705 devised it to his nephew Mr. John Dalton, gent. of St. Edmundsbury, for his life, and afterwards to his son Thomas Dalton, and his issue, in consequence of which it descended to Benjamin Shuckforth, of Diss, in Norfolk, who in 1741 sold it to Mr. Giles Hilton, of Lords, in Sheldwich, on whose death it descended to his three sons, John, William, and Robert Hilton, the youngest of whom, Mr. Robert Hilton, as well as by the devise of his two elder brothers, afterwards became the sole proprietor of this manor. He died in 1782, and his son Mr. John Hilton, of Sheldwich, as next in the entail, succeeded to it, and is the present possessor of it.
IN THE REIGN of king Stephen there was AN ALIEN PRIORY established in this parish, as a cell to the Benedictine abbey of St. Bertin, at St. Omers, the capital of Artois, in Flanders, William de Ipre, in 1153, having given this church, with that of Chilham, to it for that purpose; which gift was confirmed by king Stephen the same year, as it was by the several archbishops afterwards, and by the charters of Henry II. and III. The charter of this gift was till lately in the treasury of the monastery of St. Bertin, as were all the others hereafter mentioned relating to this church and priory.
There are very few formal foundations of these cells, the lands of them being usually granted to some monastery abroad, as an increase to their revenues, after which, upon some part of them they built convenient houses, for the reception of a small convent. Some of these cells were made conventual, having a certain number of monks, who were mostly foreigners, and removeable at pleasure, sent over with a prior at their head, who were little more than stewards to the superior abbey, to which they returned the revenues of their possessions annually; others were permitted to chuse their own prior, and these were entire societies within themselves, and received their revenues for their own use and benefit, paying perhaps only a yearly pension as an acknowledgement of their subjection, or what was at first the surplusage to the foreign house.
The cell at Throwley was of the former sort, for which reason, during the wars between England and France, as their revenues went to support the king's enemies, these kind of houses were generally seized on by the king, and restored again upon the return of a peace. (fn. 6)
In the 25th year of king Edward I. Peter, prior of Triwle, as it was spelt in the record, made fine to the king at Westminster, and had a privy seal for his protection, by which he had the custody of his house and possessions committed to his care, to retain them during the king's pleasure, answering to his exchequer for the profits of them, according to the directions of him and his council.
The scite of this priory was that of the parsonage of the church of Throwley, which, with that of Chilham, seems to have been all their possessions in this kingdom. These were valued in the 8th year of king Richard II. anno 1384, each at forty pounds annually, and their temporalities at 20s. 6d. at which time the parsonage of Throwley was become appropriated to this cell, and a vicarage was endowed in it. In which situation this priory remained till the general suppression of the alien priories throughout England, in the 2d year of Henry V. anno 1414, which was enacted in the parliament then held at Leicester, and all their houses, revenues, &c. were given to the king and his heirs for ever. (fn. 7)
This priory, with its possessions, seems to have remained in the hands of the crown till Henry VI. in his 22d year, settled them on the monastery of Sion, in Middlesex, founded by his father Henry V. with which they continued till the general suppression of religious houses, this being one of those greater monasteries dissolved by the act of the 31st year of king Henry VIII. How this priory was disposed of afterwards by the crown, may be further seen hereafter, under the description of the parsonage of the church of Throwley.
The only remains left of this priory are some few foundations, and two walls of flint, which support a building, standing behind the parsonage-house and garden.
THERE IS A FREE SCHOOL in this parish, the house of which is situated adjoining to the church-yard, which was founded by Sir Thomas Sondes, who died in 1592, who by his will devised a house and six poundes per annum to the master of it, to dwell in, and as a recompence for his pains; but having charged his executors and not his heirs to the fulfilling of this bequest, and charged the payment of the above sum, among other charitable legacies, on several leasehold estates, the terms of which expired in his nephew Sir Richard Sondes's time, and the house having tumbled down for want of repairs, Sir George Sondes, son of Sir Richard above-mentioned, thought it unreasonable, as he had none of the estates, that he should be bound to maintain the school; however, he voluntarily paid the master his salary, and gave him a house to live in, both which have been continued by the possessors of Throwley manor to this time, as far as I can learn, as of their own free gift.
The present right hon. lord Sondes appoints the schoolmaster as such during pleasure, and pays him a salary of twelve pounds per annum, besides which, he allots him an house and garden, worth about six pounds per annum, which his lordship repairs from time to time, and for which no parochial or church-dues are paid. There are at present fourteen boys taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, gratis, in this school, which though taken mostly from the parishes of Throwley, Badlesmere, and Leveland, are not confined to those parishes.
Charities.
CATHERINE, LADY SONDES, gave by will the sum of 40s. a year, to be received yearly on St. Barnabas's day, towards the relief of the poor, payable from a farm in it, called Bell-horn, now belonging to lord Sondes, and now of that annual produce.
THERE WERE three alms-houses in this parish, the gift of one of the Sondes family; one of them was some time since burnt down, and has not been rebuilt, but lord Sondes allows the person nominated to it the value of it in money yearly.
The poor constantly relieved are about thirty, casually double that number.
THROWLEY is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Ospringe.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Michael, consists of three isles and three chancels. The steeple is a square tower, and stands in the centre of the south side of it, in which there is a peal of six bells, given in 1781, at the expence of Mr. Montresor, of Belmont. In the south isle is a memorial for Francis Hosier Hart, gent. obt. 1761, leaving three daughters, Mary, Elizabeth, and Diana Hosier. In the middle isle is a small monument for Stephen Bunce, esq. of this parish, one of the Antients of New-Inn, who died there in 1634, and was buried in St. Clement's church, London. In the middle chancel there are two stalls of wood, which are not fixed, and in the north isle three more of the like sort, joined together, with a desk before them, which seem to have been removed from the chancel, and were both intended for the use of the religious of the priory here. In the middle of this chancel is a memorial for Dr. Thomas Horsemonden, patron and rector of Purleigh, in Essex, prebendary of Lincoln, &c. who died anno 1632. In the north and south chancel are several monuments for the family of Sondes, with their essigies, arms and quarterings; one of them in the latter, a plain altar tomb of black marble for Sir George Sondes, earl of Faversham, his lady and descendants; many more of this family, as appears by the parish register, are buried in the vault underneath, but the family of Watson burying at Rockingham, this vault has not been opened for several years. The north and south chancels above-mentioned belonged, one to the possessors of Throwley manor, the other to those of Townplace, but they both belong now to lord Sondes.
There were formerly in the windows the arms of Sondes, Finch, and Gatton, and in the north window this inscriptin, Pray for the good estate of Alice Martyn, the which did make this window, MCCCCXLV.
In the church yard, at the west end of the north isle, there is a circular door-case of stone, having several bordures of Saxon ornaments carved round it. In the church-yard is an altar tomb for William Woodward, gent. of Wilgate-green, obt. 1681, and Anne his wife.
It appears by the will of William Sondes, esq. anno 1474, that this church had then constantly burning in it lights, dedicated to St. Michael, the Holy Trinity, the Holy Cross, St. Mary, St. Thomas, St. Christopher, St. George, St. Katherine, St. Margaret, St. Mary Magdalen, and St. Nicholas.
An account of the antient patronage of the church of Throwley has already been given, as first belonging to the alien priory here, and then to the monastery of Sion, to the time of the dissolution of the latter in the 31st year of Henry VIII. the year after which, the king granted the rectory, with the advowson of the vicarage of the church of Throwley, to the prebendary of Rugmer, in the cathedral church of St. Paul, London, in exchange for lands belonging to that prebend, to be inclosed within the king's park of Marybone, in pursuance of an act then passed. Since which this parsonage and advowson have continued part of the abovementioned prebend. The former is leased out by the present prebendary to the right hon. lord Sondes, but the advowson of the vicarage he retains in his own hands, and is the present patron of it.
¶There was a rent of 4l. 18s. 4d. reserved from the parsonage by king Henry VIII. nomine decimœ, which was granted by queen Elizabeth, in her third year, to archbishop Parker, among other premises, in exchange for several manors, lands, &c. belonging to that see, which rent still continues part of the revenue of the archbishopric.
A vicarage was endowed here in 1367, anno 42 king Edward III. by archbishop Langham, at which time the chapel of Wylrington belonged to it. (fn. 8)
It is valued in the king's books at 7l. 11s. 8d. and the yearly tenths at 15s. 2d.
In 1578 there were one hundred and eighty communicants here. In 1640 it was valued at forty-five pounds, communicants two hundred and twenty.
While messing around with some offset double-pleats, I found a hub that could be turned 3-D Polly-esque style... This was the "designing" paper... To simulate curved humps, I just made a bunch of parallel creases. In retrospect, this would actually make it easier to "graph" the resulting curves by plotting points...
See my attempt at tessellating this here: www.flickr.com/photos/8303956@N08/2716294204/