St Chad’s Cathedral welcomes IgersbirminghamUK

by Damien Walmsley 06/08/2023 07/08/2023

St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham IgersbirminghamUK instameet, 2023

St Chad’s Cathedral was the setting for an IgersbirminghamUK Instameet on a wet Saturday morning. Storm Antoni was passing through and the rain was non-stop. I joked with the photographers that we had made the decision to go for the inside walkabout rather than taking pictures outside. The interior of the building is beautiful, and we had also arranged to view the extensive crypt below.

Our two guides were Marie Louise and Angela and as soon as the introductions were done, we were provided with the background information to the Cathedral. The Roman Catholic cathedral was designed by Pugin and is a fine example of the Gothic architecture revival in England. We were shown around both the crypt and the main interior of the Cathedral. Both Marie Louise and Angela were informative and provided historical and contemporary information about the Cathedral. They were also very welcoming and tolerant of 20 photographers taking pictures.

Here are a few of the interesting facts supplied by our guides. Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin was the architect at the forefront of the Gothic revival style in architecture. Pugin was hired to assist in the Gothic design of the House of Commons and Big Ben. John Hardman, was a close friend of Pugin, and the Hardman family are buried in the crypt. The son of a button making family, John Hardman turned his skills to metal work and stained glass windows. He designed the clock face and manufactured the hands of Big Ben. There are many more interesting facts about St Chad’s and both Marie Louise and Angela were happy to inform us of all the details. I have taken their photograph with the backdrop of the Cathedral Altar behind them.

One of the most interesting stories is that the Cathedral was earmarked to be demolished but was saved by one vote at the Birmingham City Council meeting. Many other Victorian buildings were demolished around the area to make way for the motor car. Luckily there is a sensible view prevailing these days, and the area is under improvement.

The Crypt of St Chad’s Cathedral

The crypt is a secret treasure trove with a layout of several rooms with interesting designs around the altars. Pugin collected various ornamental religious pieces on his travels, and these are held in the crypt. My favourites are the two wooden angels that have soulful expressions. The tiled design and ornamental altar in the Hardman family crypt is another standout feature of the extensive crypt. On display are the vestments worn by both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. I was also fascinated by the large wooden door which provides the entrance to the crypt. A selection of my photographs are shown. I have many more and it was difficult to select the best pictures. For interest to any photographer reading this account, the majority of my pictures are taken with the iPhone13 which excels in low light. I did have my travel tripod with me which allowed some pictures to be taken with my Fujifilm x100v.

Pope Benedict XVI visited Birmingham on Sunday, September 19, 2010 — Looking up at the details.

The main Cathedral floor

The Instagrammers then moved up to the main Cathedral area which provided more photographic opportunities. There is so much to take in and the Apse of St Chad’s Cathedral with the high altar is impressive to view. There are colourful stained-glass windows flanking the high altar. The apse was designed by Pugin and was part of his grand plan to emphasise the Gothic revival architecture of the Cathedral. There were many small details to see and, on this visit, the guides pointed out to me the non-religious wood carvings on the rear seats in the Choir Stall. These were fun to photograph. You will see from my photographs the various parts of the cathedral and I know that I did not have time to view everything.

The cathedral has so many stories and this is another one that I find fascinating. In the diapered design of the transept ceiling, there is a tile that has the words Deo Gratias 22 Nov 1940. This translates to thanks be to God. During World War II, incendiary devices were dropped and caused significant damage to buildings. The old Coventry cathedral is an example of the devestating destruction. At St Chad’s Cathedral, an incendiary device fell through the ceiling and exploded within the central heating pipes and the water subsequently put the fire out. Hence the miracle of St Chad’s.

There are many more stories about the Cathedral. These involve St Chad, the patron saint and how his relics were transported from his shrine in Lichfield. Cardinal Newman who was such an influential figure in Birmingham, gave sermons from the pulpit. However, the best way to learn more about these stories and the Cathedral is to visit the building yourself. My pictures in this blog which catalogue my view from the Instameet only show a part of what is on view..

There are many more pictures taken by the talented photographers of Igersbirmingham UK and these may be found on Instagram by using the hashtag #igbUK_meet_stchads.

Thank you to St Chad’s Cathedral for hosting us. Thank you to my fellow IgersbirminghamUK organisers, @NickyWarwickshire and @James_never_Jim and all the photographers who came along and supported the event.

For more information about St Chad’s please vist the following webpage

Discover St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham

Welcome to St Chad’s Cathedral – Birmingham’s hidden jewel on the edge of the Jewellery Quarter

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Following the colour walls at the Cheltenham Paint Festival

by Damien Walmsley 04/08/2023 14/08/2023

Cheltenham Paint Festival 2023 was on my radar when it was first announced earlier this year. Having photographed the street art in Digbeth, I have ventured further afield to Bristol and Leamington Spa to look at their street art. The Paint Festival in Cheltenham has a reputation of being well organised and attracting some of the top street artists from home and abroad. The festival director and artist Andy Dice Davies (aka dice67) had produced an audio map for the phone. I downloaded the interactive map and whilst there was a bit of a learning element on how to use the software, I found it very useful. I would love it if there was a narrative that I could listen to as a continuous streaming or even a podcast of the event. Still the interactive map was very good and I have used the app for reference for this blog.

North Place Car Park

Not knowing the geography of Cheltenham, I did my homework. I found on arriving that the town has NCP car parks and I needed their app to get a good rate of parking. I parked centrally and made my way to North Place Car Park. Many street artists were painting on the surrounding walls and the place was a hive of activity. There were many photographic opportunities as I walked around the walls. I struck up a conversation with one of the artists @mycutecreatures. Her work was only just being started but it was possible to see the design that was planned. I find it fascinating how the artwork develops as the artist is painting during the day. I moved down along the walls where other artists were working away. The murals were on different themes, with different images and most of all differed in colours and content. Certainly a feast for the eyes.

Holiday Inn

Next stop was the Holiday Inn to see both last year’s mural and the progress on this year’s wall. Last year’s mural is amazing whilst the present mural is facing towards the town. When taking pictures of the street murals, I always look to take a different picture and seeing the mural, I lined up the traffic lights with the face. This made for an interesting picture. Curtis Hylton painted the pea hen for a previous festival whilst the uncompleted work in my picture is by Epod3000. Check his Insta account to see the finished painting.

Previous Festivals Artwork

There are so many murals to visit, and I went to several places to find street art that had been completed during previous festivals. As you see from the set of pictures each mural tells a story. I visited on the Saturday and several works are incomplete. This just means that I will have to revisit at a later date! This blog provides a real time account of how the festival was taking place.

Whilst I was in the area around the Holiday Inn, I met Stephen Gledhill, a street art blogger, who runs the Natural Adventures blog. This covers street art up and down the UK. Stephen was looking at the stencil done by the Street Artist Pogo Stencils UK. Stephen explained that this artwork was a wonderful example of complex multi-layer stencils. There is good attention to detail, and it is possible on close inspection to identify the layers. I love the explanations to paintings in art galleries and was indebted to Stephen for taking me through the Street art. I took a picture of Stephen next to the street art that was painted at a previous Cheltenham Art Festival.

Frog and Fiddle

Stephen recommended visiting the Frog and Fiddle which turned out to be a real gem of a pub. Ordering myself a drink, the bartender gave me some of the background to the place and gave me permission to wander around. I went upstairs where there is another example of the stencil work of Pogo. The positioning of the partial face against the windows adds a haunting feel to the pool tables. At the back of the pub, @Dice67 has painted a portrait of Jet Black, the Strangler’s drummer who is sadly no longer with us. There were other street artists at work in this area and were happy to chat about their work. This festival does provide a buzz to the town.

Leaving the Frog and Fiddle, I walked up the high street taking some detours to see previous festival work by @Zabouartist and work in progress on a new mural by @liambononi. The latter artwork was above an entrance to a factory. The artist was painting on a motorised platform with air filter protection. The tools of the trade. Having marvelled at the artwork I returned to the path down the high street and came into the Church yard of Cheltenham Minster, St Mary’s. My destination was the Two Pigs pub, the HQ of the Cheltenham Paint Festival.

The Two Pigs

The pub was busy and had many artists working both in the back yard of the pub and inside. Many of the painters took time out to chat about their work and most were happy to have their photograph taken for my blog.

More Street Art

The festival experience is remarkable in that the murals have become an interlinked feature of the town. I passed beautiful streets filled with examples of Regency architecture. I walked around the Royal Crescent and then into the streets behind. Here tucked away in a car park are the Bayshill walls where there were examples of artwork from previous festivals.

Agg Pavillion

Using Andy’s interactive map on my phone, I retraced my steps through an alley way to the Bottle of Sauce pub and Dodo establishments. I walked through the St Paul’s area, where the houses are predominantly white with some splashes of colour. My aim was to view an iconic piece of work by the street artist @whoamIrony. However, I went too far and found myself in Pittville Park. Here I discovered street artists painting on the Agg Pavilion. There were 5 artists at work, and I was pleased to meet @Titlegraffiti. I recognised his work at once having come across his work in Digbeth, Birmingham. My personal favourite was the intricate work being done by @faye.rai who explained that she was painting in a similar manner to a watercolour. Other street art at the pavilion included the painting of a Barbie doll on its side by @katiescott_creative. There were others there and I am hoping readers will fill in the artist blanks for me.

I did get to see the iconic wolf moon mural by Irony on the way back.

There were also some other artwork on the streets which were fun to photograph. I went back to the car park and came across @ n_4_t_4 with his colourful mural of a bird. I introduced myself to Nathan and he took time out to talk to me about his work. He is a well-respected street artist and this was one of my highlights in my travels around the festival. Around the corner @mycutecreatures was finishing her mural and several others were nearing completion. Members of the public were admiring the street art.

Homeward bound

By now I was ready for home, I realised looking through Andy’s map that I had missed several other large projects such as buildings and carparks. Therefore, I will have to come back to Cheltenham and see the street art that I had missed and take pictures of those that were in progress. I did pick up on Instagram what was happening elsewhere and there is a good record on many Insta micro-blogging sites.

If you want to follow some excellent street art photography, then Max Johnson @Moxsblag is a must. Her documentation of the artists is first class and very detailed. Another insta blogger is @Streetartuk2023. Again, nice photography and documentation.

Many thanks both to Andy for organising the festival and all those artists that allowed me to take photographs of their work. I hope that I have got all the credits right and apologise if there are mistakes. I am happy to amend when I have the necessary information. Please contact me via this website or @dammodammo if there is anything that I need to correct. The featured image at beginning of this blog was by @sam_art_34. BBC Gloucestershire did a feature on the return of the event prior to the festival.

Camera use for all pictures was with my Fujifilm x100v except for a couple of iPhone pics. The x100v was on aperture control and colour balance daylight. For the artists out there, I was the guy in the hat wandering around with the silver retro camera.

If you enjoyed this blog then here are my Street art walks around Digbeth, Leamington Spa and Bristol.

Walking in Digbeth

Leamington Street Art

High Vis Festival 2021

Clifton to Bedminster

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Bostin day at a propa Black Country Folk Festival

by Damien Walmsley 01/08/2023 02/08/2023

Black Country festival 2023, Himley Hall, Dudley, West Midlands

I have loved the Black Country ever since I worked at Wordsley General Hospital in the late eighties. Arriving in the West Midlands from Manchester, I was amazed to find the Black Country full of warm, kindhearted people that reminded me of home. Sadly Wordsley hospital is no longer there but I still retain a deep-rooted love for the Black Country and its people.

The Black Country Folk Festival took place over two days. I attended the Sunday show and on arrival, I learnt that Saturday was a success and the sun had been seen. The weather forecast for Sunday was not good but in true British spirit the music played on regardless. I met Festival co-organiser Steve Edwards who was very enthusiastic about the day’s music. Steve runs the Black Country Hub and is also founder of the Black Country Day.

The music had started when I arrived and the first artist I saw was Susy Wall. Her songs resonated with me bringing back memories of visiting the Black Country. The next band Shotgun Marmalade injected a furious mix of Ska and Punk to the proceedings. They were followed by Sam Draisey who is an amazing musician making good use of a partial left arm for strumming his guitar. Sam played songs from his extensive back catalogue.

James Stevens and Rachel Slater from The Empty Can played an entertaining set and even their dog howled in unison with them. I enjoyed the energetic Atilla the Stockbroker. You must read the Wikipedia pages on this remarkable punk poet and musician. He has been influential in music, football and politics. I found his set really tuned you into the present problems besetting the world.

I was left wondering how you could beat all these performances and as the Jess Silk trio took to the stage expectations were high. Jess has been likened to a new Billy Bragg. I met Jess prior to her performance finding her to be an engaging individual. On stage she was full of fire and enthusiasm. Her songs strike a chord with you as they cover social topics that need to be heard. I loved the band and they produced a super performance to end the festival.

A comment on the rain. It hardly stopped but it failed to dampen the spirits and the fun of the Festival. The beer was supplied by the Fixed Wheel brewery, the Black Country flags were proudly displayed and Himley Hall, the former home of the Earls of Dudley provided a striking backdrop to the stage.

Thank you to the organisers for a fantastic day and you may also wish to read the official BBC reaction to the Festival. Bring on 2024 and the third Black Country Festival.

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Memories of the Colmore Food Festival 2023

by Damien Walmsley 23/07/2023 24/07/2023

The Colmore Food Festival provides a great opportunity to sample food from some of the best restaurants in Birmingham. I was determined to visit and sample the food at the festival. There was one drawback, the rain. Waking up on Saturday, the forecast was not good with the prospect of a soggy day ahead. Motivating the family to go into Birmingham on such a wet day was not easy and the train strikes compounded the problem. Once I had convinced everyone, we set off for the city centre. Parking turned out to be straightforward and we made our way from New Street station to St Philips Cathedral. The area around the Cathedral is known as Pigeon Park and in the northern quarter nearest to Snow Hill station, the Colmore Food Festival was set up and in full flow.

So was it worth the effort to get there? The answer is Yes. We enjoyed the festival. There was so much to like. The choice of food outlets was excellent and for the family we were split between Asha’s and Purnell’s. We went for dishes from both and were not disappointed. The food was well cooked and so tasty. There was a chance to wash it down with a glass of Purity’s session IPA from Purecraft beer stall. Once the main course was finished, we browsed the other stalls and kept going back to Miss Macaroons for dessert. The brightly coloured meringue-based sandwich cookies were in many different flavours. Our choice included the following Pistachio, Rhubarb and orange, strawberry, and caramel. There were many more there. We all agree that the food stalls were excellent and I apologise that I cannot review more of what was on offer but there is only so much we could eat.

My grandson was spoilt rotten. He received a free spiderman face paint, free drawing materials, a book, and a balloon. He was very happy which also made mum and grandparents very pleased. This was the detail that made the food festival a success for the family. Not only was the food good but the children were well looked after. The music was good as well even though dancing on the wet ground was a challenge. Everyone was in a happy mood despite the rain. I am already looking forward to next year’s food festival and I don’t think it will be a problem motivating the family to go whatever the weather.

I hope you enjoy the pictures which were all taken on my Fujifilm x100v. The camera is weatherproofed which makes it ideal when the weather is wet. I even had someone come up to me to ask about the camera as he liked the look of it so much.

Finally a big thanks to Colmore Row Business District for organising the food festival. I have provided a link to CBD and the food festival so you can make a note of the event for next year.

Colmore Food Festival

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Good morning from Eastside and Digbeth.

by Damien Walmsley 22/07/2023 23/07/2023

I enjoy a photographic walk with my Fujifilm x100v camera around the streets of Birmingham. The early hours are best when few people are around and about. This series of photographs begins at Eastside where the HS2 works are taking place. Digbeth was next and I returned to Birmingham along the canal exiting again near to the HS2 works.

What is there to tell you about my walk? No surprises, as building in Birmingham has not finished and HS2 is still digging and putting up barriers. I took a few pictures and was interested to see BBC midlands covering the HS2 disruption in the evening news. Why is HS2 taking so long and why is there so much disruption? I do get upset with the blasé way they are undertaking the HS2 works. I am sure it will look wonderful when finished but is it worth the upheaval and time taken.
The latest BBC item puts HS2 under the spotlight.

Digbeth was quiet for a Monday morning and since the pandemic there is less footfall during business hours. The nightlife is always busy but there is a definite change in activity during the day. My next observation is the encroachment of high rise living around Digbeth and the loss of character with the demolition and neglect of buildings.

There are several brownfield sites around the area that will become large skyscrapers. Other signs of change include the former Typhoo tea building which is starting to see activity around the relocation of the BBC to the building. Change may not always be positive and one of my pictures is outside what was the DigBrew entrance. Sadly this excellent brewery has ceased trading and artwork from the street artist Tempo33 marks the spot.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-66199790 — Don’t go there.

There is much chaotic colour around the streets of Digbeth and the morning sun brings out the light and shadows. The canalside is another area in Digbeth that is changing with several buildings undergoing renovation. How this change will progress will be interesting to document in future months.

My final picture was taken on my iPhone as I went past the Selfridges building. I went low and framed the iconic discs in the background. I was in luck as a woman walked past although she was confused by what I was doing. The picture turned out well but was also a reminder not to attract undue attention during my street photography.

Returning to the HS2 theme then there are more stories about the construction on my blog. I have been documenting 16 acre wood and the damage caused by HS2 around Balsall Common since 2020. Here is my account of this part of the HS2.

The damage to 16 acre wood

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The colour purple – a visit to Warwickshire Lavender Farm

by Damien Walmsley 16/07/2023 17/07/2023

Warwickshire Lavender fields, Bubbenhall, Coventry, 2023

A new Lavender field to visit. Warwickshire Lavender Fields is behind Coventry airport nestled in the beautiful countryside that remains between Coventry and Leamington Spa. The fields are relatively young and started out in 2016. Several photographic friends has told me about the fields and having done the Cotswolds Lavender fields, the family thought a fields closer to home would be worth a visit.

The day we chose was one of sunshine and showers. The showers when they arrived were wet and windy. This did not stop us having great fun at the fields. I understand that before we got there my oldest daughter had excelled at falling down a hole much to the amusement of the grandchildren. When we arrived the heavens opened, and we got soaked. However the rain did clear the fields, and everyone made for shelter. Although my camera was under threat from the rain, there were some wonderful photographic opportunities as people were crowded into the tents. Even Lily came along to pose in front of the tents. The children had such fun even though they got very wet. The café served great coffee and lovely cakes and the shop offered a range of lavender products including bunches of lavender flowers.

Whilst a bit of sunshine would have made the visit, we still enjoyed ourselves. We set off home for a change of clothes and to share photographs of the day. Well worth a visit and a very photogenic site for all photographers out there.

If you want to know more about Warwickshire Lavender fields then please follow the link.

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Ozzy on the final road to a new home, the bull is back

by Damien Walmsley 14/07/2023 16/07/2023

Ozzy the Bull arrives in New Street station, Birmingham. 2023

Since the Bull was unveiled in a spectacular showpiece at the Commonwealth Games in the summer of 2022, the Birmingham public haven fallen in love with him. As soon as the opening ceremony was over, the Bull was brought to Centenary Square where thousands of people came to view him. His popularity was immense, and this soon created a new problem. What to do with Bully after the games had finished? There were many suggestions but no concrete solutions and before long the Bull was moved from the square to a lock up location in Ladywood. There he stayed underneath a tarpaulin sheet as Birmingham leaders decided what to do with him. The public learnt that a solution had been found but first the bull needed to be upgraded for his new location. Time moved on and then there was an announcement of a competition to find a name for the Bull. After a public vote, the name Ozzy was selected. We also learnt where he was to be housed. In the large atrium of New Street Station. Then in early July a space was set up followed by parts of Ozzy being delivered to the station over one night in July. Commuters woke up the next day to see the construction of Ozzy. First the body, then the head and horns.

Every photographer in Birmingham rushed to take pictures of Ozzy as he is being constructed. When I visited the feet were still missing although the rest of Ozzy is pieced together. I had forgotten the size of the Bull and the distinctive head is high into the Atrium. Someone has placed a white sheet over the head of Ozzy. Brummies are unsure why this has been done as it is not possible with a single sheet to hide the identity of the bull. However the sheet does give an air of mystery to the statue.

Enjoy these pictures and stay tuned for the unveiling of Ozzy in all his glory later this month. You may also wish to see two of my earlier posts which chronicle the history of Ozzy the Bull.

The Birmingham Bull

The Fate of the Bull

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IgersbirminghamUK invited by Friends of Edgbaston Reservoir to hold an Instameet.

by Damien Walmsley 12/07/2023 13/07/2023

Birmingham Reservoir, Instameet July 2023.

Edgbaston reservoir started life in 1827 as a water supply to top up the local canal network around Birmingham and the Black Country. Originally called “Roach Pool”, it was enlarged by Thomas Telford, the influential engineer between 1824 –1829, to become the large expanse of water that it is now. Whilst the place still does this important function for the canal network, it is now much more than just a reservoir. The area is a haven for wildlife, walkers, and joggers. The reservoir is also the home for the Midlands Sailing club and Birmingham rowing club which are very active on the water.

IgersbirminghamUK was invited by the Friends of Birmingham Reservoir to hold an Instameet to highlight the natural beauty on and around the water. Nearly, 20 photographers met at the Reservoir Road entrance and were greeted by Chris and Carol from the Friends of Edgbaston Reservoir.

Edgbaston Reservoir, Instameet July 2023. — Midland Sailing Club in action on the reservoir.

The Instameet was organised by Lena, one of the IgersbirminghamUK team. Lena made the introductions, and then we heard from Chris and Carol who gave us lots of information about the reservoir. The first discussion point was the area of waste ground next to the Reservoir entrance. We were next to the site of the former Tower Ballroom. I remember going to many student functions at the Tower, but the building fell out of favour in recent years and was demolished. Now the plan is to build luxury flats on the site. This is very much out of keeping with the area which is a natural wildlife reserve. Also we are adjacent to Ladywood which is an area of high deprivation. Do we really need luxury flats in this area? A debatable point and the friends of the reservoir are keen to see that the council enters a meaningful engagement about the future of the reservoir. They wish to see all options discussed including re-purposing the Tower site for community use. If you wish to know more about this ongoing story, then visit the Friends of Edgbaston Reservoir Facebook page.

Chris and Carol provided much of the historical information and brought us right up to date with life on and around the reservoir. After lots of questions and answers, we set off to take photographs as we walked the 2.8 km (1.75 miles) path around the reservoir.

The main dam provided good photographic opportunities as we looked over towards the Birmingham Cityscape. The Canal and River Trust base was below the dam wall. The old machinery that is still present for regulating the water flow was very photogenic with a combination of chains and cog wheels. Looking back the two towers which are said to have inspired Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings may be seen. (A previous blog on the area has more on the two towers). On the water, the Midlands Sailing Club was active with a teaching session and several boats were out and about. The sailors came close to the edge of the dam allowing for several action shots of the boats.

Then the rain arrived, and we sheltered next to the Midlands Sailing Club buildings. We were able to admire the artwork of the local Street artist @icreatenotdestroy

The mural depicts the history associated with the reservoir and highlights two influential people. Thomas Telford is the Scottish Civil Engineer who enlarged ‘Roach Pool’ and created Edgbaston reservoir and William H Ward, Earl of Dudley was the first club commodore of The Edgbaston Sailing Club in 1895.

The next stretch of the perimeter walk includes much of the natural wildlife area of the reservoir. There are places from where to explore nature in the woodlands and then there are places to get close to the water. At the turn of the reservoir near to Gillott Road, there is a bridge and there is a nicely framed view of the Birmingham skyline which provides further picture opportunities. Further along is the Birmingham Settlement – the Red Shed – sits back from the path near to Selwyn Road and is an area for well being projects.

The Reservoir then stretches further westwards and then the path turns 180 degrees heading back to the reservoir entrance. The walk takes you by the back of St Paul’s School of Girls. The area is peaceful and wildlife is abundant at the water’s edge where there is semi marsh land created by a mix of trees, shrubs and water. We pass by the Birmingham Rowing club and then finally complete a full circuit of the reservoir. Thanks were given to Chris, Carol and Lena for arranging the Instameet and we said our goodbyes. Some of us remained to chat over a cup of coffee in the reservoir café before heading home.

If you wish to know more about the Reservoir then please visit “The Friends of Edgbaston Reservoir” Facebook page and sign up for further information.

If you are a photographer then please follow the IgersbirminghamUK instagram feed and look out for our Instameets. Examples of previous meetings are on my blog.

Winterbourne House and Gardens IgersbirminghamUK Instameet

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Please put the sails back on Chesterton windmill

by Damien Walmsley 08/07/2023 09/07/2023

Chesterton Windmill without sails 2023 Warwickshire

Chesterton windmill has featured in my blog over the years. The windmill is a popular structure sitting on top of a prominent hill in Warwickshire just outside Leamington Spa. You can just see the windmill from the M40 motorway, but you need to be a passenger as your eyes have to search for it in the landscape. During the Covid Lockdown, we visited the windmill many times to meet up with our grandchildren and therefore the place has many special memories. I have not visited much in the last two years as the sails have been sent off for repairs. The repair process has been ongoing with no sign of the sails being returned. On Twitter, David Adams, a member of the Chesterton Archaeology Research Team lamented about the situation to English Heritage and Historic England. He tweeted that the Windmill was looking more like a folly these days. His words spurred me on to visit once again.

The place was quiet when I arrived, and I was the only visitor around. I had brought along my tripod and spent my time leisurely approaching the windmill taking pictures. To begin with I used my 400mm lens to obtain some pictures of the lines in the field lined up with the remaining windmill structure. There are lines in the barley crop that provide a lead into the windmill making for an attractive picture. At the windmill, there is evidence of both natural and artificial erosion of the surrounding wall and the four-legged structure. The artificial erosion is the damage caused by visitors. There are stones scattered around the site and part of the surrounding wall is broken. The damage is unsightly, and no one is taking care or looking to repair the war.

The sails are obviously missing, and this removes much of the majestic appearance of the windmill. Any windmill will look deflated without sails. The unique architecture is still appealing for photographs but it is still not the same. A popular place for viewing the windmill is just into the fields on the western approach. With care I went along the tracks into the fields to set up my picture. For these pictures, I decided to use my big stopper filter. This was used to slow down time providing a cinematic feel to the pictures. There is some blurring of the barley due to the light wind blowing across the area. The clouds passed by and so did the time. I decided to move on, leave the peace behind and re-enter the hectic time of the day.

There was still some sadness as I left. The windmill is looking more like a folly without its sails. Using this blog and social media, I will ask people to post pictures of Chesterton Windmill in a campaign to bring back the sails. The picture below is one of my favourite pictures of the Windmill which was featured in the BBC England Big Picture

Here are some links of the Windmill

Chesterton Windmill as covered by Our Warwickshire

If you wish to see the sails returned then please contact Warwickshire county council.

Chesterton Windmill

You may see some more pictures of Chesterton windmill from my previous visits in my blog

Chesterton Windmill revisited

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Day out to the Confetti fields and Pershore old bridge

by Damien Walmsley 07/07/2023 09/07/2023

Visit to Confetti fields and Pershore, 2023

There is a rush of colour to the eyes when you first see the Confetti Fields in Wick near Pershore. The family have been going to the fields since 2018 and every time the colours of the flowers surprise me. The delphinium flowers are white, purple, pink, or lilac blue. They are set out in lines along the field in a regimented style. Nature has a few quirks as in each line of colour there is some cross contamination that adds a small local contrast of colour. One line is of mixed colour and then around the edges are wildflower displays which add another touch of contrast. The family enjoy the day out to the fields and on arrival we walk to the top of the field before slowly making our way back through the paths created in the lines of flowers. Along the way there are lengthy stops for photographs. The viewing platform provides an overall view of the whole field and my grandchildren enjoy the trip up the steps to see the colourful flowers up high.

This year I brought along my 85mm portrait lens, and it proved to be a big success in the family portraits. The lens gives a superb focus and a nice bokeh to the pictures. Having taken in the flower fields, we walk past the refreshments to the car. We learnt long ago that buying bunches of delphiniums cause problems. They look delightful to begin with but rapidly shed their petals when placed in a flower vase.

Every year we have a picnic ready for the park in Pershore which is near to the Abbey. However, this year our visit clashed with a brass band festival. Everywhere was busy and there were no parking places available. We were very disappointed. As we headed out of Pershore, my daughter and I remembered a small car park that we had driven past near to the old Pershore bridge. We pulled into the car park and found spaces. There were also picnic benches. A bonus included a viewing platform overlooking the river Avon. The platform was between the new and old bridge and allowed us to view people kayaking on the river. As several narrowboats passed by, the grandchildren were able to wave to the people on board. Whilst we were on the platform, I met Rob preparing his kayak for a paddle on the river Avon. My picture shows him setting up his kayak surrounded by the other equipment laid out on the viewing platform.

The historic Pershore bridge, which is now pedestrian only, has so much history attached to it. In 1413, the abbot of Pershore Abbey lost his life here on the old wooden bridge, The monks rebuilt it in stone. During the English Civil war, the King ordered the bridge to be destroyed to prevent the advancing Parliamentarian army from crossing it. The demolition, led by a Major Bridge, went disastrously wrong leading to the deaths by drowning of 40 Royalist soldiers. In World War 2 ,the bridge was fortified in the event of a German invasion.

Now the place is a picnic area and Rob can kayak peacefully beyond the bridge from Pershore to Evesham.

The family loved the day as can be seen from the photographs. If you want to learn more about our day out then I have provided some links below

The Real Confetti Flower company

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Visit Pershore with details of all the activities in the area

I also recorded past visits to the Confetti fields in 2020, 2019, and 2018. Pictures from 2021 and 2022 were featured on my Flickr and Instagram accounts.

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