Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024

Bletchley Park is conveniently situated between London, Cambridge and Oxford.  This is a strategic choice as Bletchley Park is on the intersection with the Capital and the bright minds of the Oxbridge Universities. Mathematical geniuses were recruited to help the war effort by breaking down both German and Japanese codes. All this activity took place at Bletchley Park which is an inspirational place to visit. The amount of work carried out was on an industrial scale which was needed to break the complex German Enigma and Lorenzo coding machines. How this was done is an amazing story. The codebreaking work that took place is said to have shortened the war by nearly two years.  One of the famous code breakers was Alan Turing who was an influential figure in computer science and the early development of artificial intelligence.  His presence and those of the other people who lived and worked at Bletchley Park are felt in every part of the Park. Whilst there is a male narrative about the work, Bletchley Park looks to correct this and highlights the important role of women. Bletchley became reliant on a female workforce which outnumbered the males by four to one. One of these was Turing’s close friend and confident Joan Clarke, who was immortalised in “The Imitation Game” by Keira Knightley.

Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
The entrance to the museum.

When you arrive at Bletchley park, your first sight is several rows of the regimented army buildings.  Entering the welcome area, you are briefly introduced into the work that took place and how it influenced the war efforts.  The museum recommends that you head over to the Mansion and then work your way back through all the huts and exhibitions.  This account is of my photographic journey through Bletchley Park.  Links to the history and the museum are set out at the end to take your interest further.  

Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
The Bletchley Park Memorial to all the people who took part in the operations.

As I walked up to the Mansion, I encountered the lake which is set in front of the house.  The display boards provide rare pictures of life at Bletchley Park.  Due to the secretive work, very few pictures were taken.  The ones that survived provide an interesting backdrop to the human element of code breaking.  I particularly enjoyed the views of the lakeside in the winter. I took some time taking my own reflective photographs of the lake with the buildings surrounding it.

Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
The lake where many people took the opportunity to relax and escape for the arduous and tedious work of codebreaking,
https://bletchleypark.org.uk
Block A reflections in the Lake.
Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
Reflections of the Mansion in a puddle on the steps.

Before entering the mansion, I visited the wartime main entrance at Wilton Avenue.  I tried to imagine how it would be arriving to work and passing through the gates.  The mansion is impressive with large rooms, stained glass ceilings and various other rooms mocked up to show what life may have been like.  I was not able to get good pictures of the mocked up room due to the number of visitors and I was more taken with the interior design of the building. Next to the house is the stable yard surround by several cottages. These houses are where the more prominent personnel would have resided.  As you leave this area you pass through several blocks and huts.  There is much to see and difficult to absorb all in just one visit.  

Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
The war time entrance to Bletchley Park via Wilton Road.
Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
The interior of the Mansion showing the beautiful stained glass ceiling window.
Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
Another view showing the large rooms.
Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
The magnificent ballroom that may be hired out for functions.
Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
The adjoining cottages where prominent codebreakers resided.
Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
Sideview of the Mansion.

Hut 8 was where Alan Turing was based, as he sought to break the Naval Enigma code.  He concentrated on the Naval Enigma code as this was more difficult to break and he came up with different techniques to achieve this. The reconstruction of his office showed the basic conditions that the code breakers worked in for many hours of every day. On the other side of Hut 8 was the codebreakers wall with the names of the personnel at the site who were instrumental in the work.

Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
Hut 8 which contained Alan Turing’s office.
Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
Alan Turing’s Office.
Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
The codebreakers wall.

A block and B block gave details of the work that was done and included some rare archival film of the workforce.  So much information to take in and for me one of the highlights included the memo board.  The communications covered some important and some of low priority messages that passed around the Park. It amused me to show that even then the British do love their administration and red tape.  The maps of the world where the code breaking had been successful brought home how relevant the work at Bletchley Park was to the war effort.

Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
A wall of memos and some of them are hilarious but do make you realise how much we love administration.

The computing museum contained the statue of Alan Turing and ever since I saw pictures of this statue then I knew I had to be there and take a photograph for myself.  This stunning statue of Alan at Bletchley Park was created in North Wales slate by Stephen Kettle in 2007. I found it a mesmerising memorial which was surrounded by details of his achievements. The rest of the museum outlined how codebreaking that took place and the construction of the Colossus computer were the forebears to the advent of AI.

Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
The story on the walls
Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
From quiet Bletchley to the cold North Sea of WWII

Then I was back at the entrance.  I took some lunch and then went back to the Mansion and the huts for some more pictures.  The living wall and the bicycle shed were the focus of my pictures including some of the memorials.  Back to the shop and I came away with a bottle of Station X beer specially brewed for the Bletchley Park museum.

Visit to Bletchley Park, Bletchley, January, 2024
Brewed specially for Bletchley Park

This photogenic journey will be like many others who visited the museum with their phones and cameras.  My visit allowed me to take a set of pictures which add a small part to the story of Bletchley Park. Whilst I was there I was fascinated by the architecture and I do love symmetry in my pictures. Similar to the beauty of well written code, the structures in Bletchley Park had a beauty to their symmetry. Here is my photographic homage to the symmetry of Bletchley Park.

Reflections on my visit. I have been fortunate to have visited many World War II sites during my travels. These include Pearl Harbour – Hawaii, Colditz Castle – Saxony Germany, Auschwitz-Birkenau – Poland the Normandy Beaches in France, and the inadequate defences of constructed prior to the fall of Singapore. I have been to several museums associated with the war. Bletchley Park is a place where the full horror of war and the evils that people inflict on each other seeps into you in a slow but effective trickle. This includes the injustice that society imposed on Alan Turing and how his death left a void in the progress of computing. I left with more questions than answers and a desire to return at a later date. If you wish to visit Bletchley Park then further details may be found on the Bletchley Park website.

Winterbourne House and Gardens, The University of Birmingham, May 2023

As the weather improves and spring is well established, there are lots more opportunities to photograph gardens. One of the best gardens to visit in Birmingham is Winterbourne House. This Edwardian house and garden have a captivating charm. The House was originally owned by the Nettlefold family and has a long history. The House and Gardens are owned by the University of Birmingham. The house has been restored to what it would have been like at the time of the Nettlefold family. The gardens that surround the house are an example of Edwardian living and several acres are planned out to take advantage of the lay of the land. There are several areas including the walled garden, a lime walk, a rhododendron walk and a glass house area. At the furthest end of the garden is the Japanese bridge and sandstone rock garden. All through the gardens is the influence of the Edwardian approach to design and then there are quirky structures created by the University of Birmingham during its ownership.

The Gardens

Winterbourne House and Gardens, The University of Birmingham, May 2023
The classic view of the Edwardian house from the Nut walk.
Winterbourne House and Gardens, The University of Birmingham, May 2023
The Japanese garden bridge in Black and White.
Winterbourne House and Gardens, The University of Birmingham, May 2023
A place to rest and admire the garden.
Winterbourne House and Gardens, The University of Birmingham, May 2023
The bluebell walk adjacent to Winterbourne.

Glass Houses and Alpine Garden

Winterbourne House

The house has been restored and the rooms reflect how an Edwardian family will have lived their lives in the building. There was ample opportunity to view the bedrooms and admire the collections of belongings including children’s toys.

Winterbourne House and Gardens, The University of Birmingham, May 2023
Top of the stairs

More views around the Gardens

Winterbourne House and Gardens, The University of Birmingham, May 2023
Colours in the water of the sandstone rock pools.
Winterbourne House and Gardens, The University of Birmingham, May 2023
Detail in the greenhouse
Winterbourne House and Gardens, The University of Birmingham, May 2023
Pathway to the garden.

There were around 20 IgersbirminghamUK photographers and we all enjoyed taking the photographs and also meeting each other to have a chat and catch up on the world of photography. Many of us met at the terrace for a cup of tea and a chat before moving on to the rest of the weekend. These are a selection of my pictures and I would encourage you to view other photographers pictures which are posted on Instagram.

Follow the tags #igersbirminghamUk, #igbUk_meet_winterbourne and #winterbourneHG.

I have two other posts on Winterbourne one written before the Pandemic and the other when the house reopened after the Lockdowns. They give more insights into this wonderful place in Edgbaston.


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Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022

Visiting popular National Trust destinations does have its challenges if you are a keen amateur photographer.  Hanbury Hall is so photogenic and countless pictures have been taken over the years.  I would guess each season throws up wonderful views not only of the house but the impeccable gardens as well.  Usually, before I visit a well-known property, I check over the web sites and look at other people’s photographs to find out which are the best views.  As it happens for this visit, I did not get myself organised, so I went to Hanbury Hall not knowing what to expect.  

Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
The commanding entrance to Hanbury Hall.

Arriving by car you pass the front façade of the house and catch a glimpse of the striking architecture.  Walking back to the house from the carpark, the entrance approach provides post card picture views.  The property is operating a timed ticket entrance which limits the amount of people.  This favours the photographer as in this case there are only a few people and not the crowds that may interrupt the pictures.  

Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
Lots of tubs with tulips

First stop was the interior of the house, and I met a volunteer who in a few minutes gave me all the information I needed.  Also, I found out that she was a good photographer and took a picture of me on the grand staircase with the beautiful paintings as a backdrop. The building is interesting and there was much activity happening in the house.  The volunteers did not mind having their photographs taken included one dressed up as the former owner of the house, Thomas Vernon.  The staircase is beautiful and the wall to ceiling painting by the English painter Sir James Thornhill has so much to see.  I spent some time moving around using my iPhone for the pictures finding that the wide-angle lens was very useful.

Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
The beautiful painting that highlights the staircase.
Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
An upward view
Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
A volunteer dressed up as “Thomas Vernon” former owner of the house.
Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
Preparing the table with the silverware.
Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
There are some beautiful rooms in the house.

Following that important mid-morning coffee, it was time to set off and explore the grounds of the house.  I am always amazed how the National Trust find gardeners to tend and cultivate their extensive properties.  They are so creative and design wonderful garden designs.  The apple orchard was symmetrically laid out and the trees were just beginning to blossom.  

Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
The beautiful apple orchard.

The Orangery was a particular favourite of mine.  The sun was shining in through the large windows accentuating the orange glow of the brick paintwork.  I leant that this grade II listed building has red Flemish bond ashlar brickwork which gives the characteristic colour.  There is also a tiled floor. One of the tiles has a dog paw print caused by a disobedient pet wandering around before the cement had set 250 years ago.  

Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
The Orangery
Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
The inside of the Orangery
Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
The 250 year old footprint!
Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
A pheasant greeting

The symmetry of the Pareteer garden was beautifully coloured by yellow tulips.  The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes “a Pareteer as the division of garden beds in such a way that the pattern is itself an ornament.”  It is like an Elizabethan knot garden and was fun to photograph.  Linking the gardens is Snob’s tunnel which returns you to the back of the house.  The tunnel allowed servants to move around without being seen by guests of the house.  

Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
Love the symmetry in the gardens
Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
The house in a lensball.
Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
Snob’s Tunnel
Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
Beautiful walks surround the property.

On my way home I visited Hanbury Church which is adjacent to the Hall and has commanding views over the river seven valley.  

Hanbury Hall, National Trust, 2022
A window to the world

If you enjoyed this account of Hanbury Hall, then please visit my blog on Croome which is another nearby National Trust property. The official National Trust website account of Hanbury Hall provides more information.


Umberslade Park Treeline

The days before Christmas are a time of waiting and getting ready. It is a strange time this year and the weather is not helping the mood much either. Whilst the rain has left the ground waterlogged, it has led to some lovely puddles lying around. These provide excellent reflections when I am out and about with my camera. This series of photographs are from my visit to Umberslade Park. There is a dramatic tree lined drive that provides varied opportunities for pictures. It was very wet and there were some rather large puddles which led to some good reflections in the water.

Reflections in the water
Reflections in the water
Tree line at Umberslade Park
Black and white tree line

It is possible to get some nice symmetrical views with the trees lined up down into a hollow. There is a bridge where the Stratford upon Avon train line sits. It is possible with timing to frame the picture so that there are people standing underneath the bridge, whilst looking down into the hollow.

Umberslade Park - trees and railway bridge
Umberslade Park – trees and railway bridge
Looking up at the tree line
Looking up at the tree line

My recent upgrade of the Dxo Nik processing software allows me to play with Silver Efex Pro. Therefore many of these photographs have been processed into black and white which fits the sombre weather of the day. The walk is nice and easy as you can park at the Tanworth in Arden village entrance and then walk down towards the bridge then onto the Children’s farm. After passing the farm, I walked straight up the hill to the fringes of the Umberslade Park.

Up the hill at Umberslade Park
Up the hill at Umberslade Park

This part I had not discovered before and there are two pillars which are possible remnants of gates. From here there are good views of the Warwickshire countryside from the elevated part of the park.

Views of the Warwickshire countryside
Views of the Warwickshire countryside

Walking back, I decided to vary the pictures by using my Lensball. It worked well in all the puddles and gave some interesting views. Hope you enjoy the pictures and I will return when the leaves are back on the trees. I suspect it will also be a good place to visit when there is fog and mist around.

Lensball reflections at Umberslade
Lensball reflections at Umberslade
Under the bridge with a selfie in a Lensball.
Under the bridge with a selfie in a Lensball.