Home and Away

Yesterday was a long day away, visiting the beautiful city of Bath on a flying visit with my SIL for family history research at the Guildhall, which houses the births, deaths and marriages records for the area.

Above are a few hastily snapped photos of the majestic Guildhall.....it was amazing inside too, although we spent most of our time working in the Records rooms found under the marble staircase........

The Guildhall in Bath, Somerset, England was built between 1775 and 1778 by Thomas Baldwin to designs by Thomas Warr Attwood. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.

(wikipedia)

Right opposite the Guildhall was the majestic Bath Abbey. 

The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England.

Founded in the 7th century, Bath Abbey was reorganised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries; major restoration work was carried out by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s. It is one of the largest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in the West Country.

(wikipedia)

In the photo above you can just see, either side of the entrance to the west front, sculptures of angels climbing to heaven on two stone ladders. 

(Reminds me of the old Led Zeppelin song Stairway to Heaven......used to love that)

The Roman Baths are to the right of the photo - I didn't get a proper photo of the outside.

Judging by the number of students walking around Bath wearing black gowns and mortar boards, closely followed by proud pairs of smartly dressed parents, it was Graduation Day.  

Probably taking place in the Abbey itself. Just spotted a red-gowned graduate in the photo above.........red gowns are for Doctoral students I think. 

After our session at the Guildhall we just had time for a very quick sightsee and a coffee, before heading back east on the M4 for the 3 hour trip home to Kent.

We chose a table in a cafe right opposite the Pump Rooms and Roman Baths buildings, and as we sipped our lattes we were entertained by live guitar music, the atmosphere was lively and buzzing. But it makes me want to re-read all those old Georgette Heyer regency novels I read as a teenager, as well as Jane Austen (especially Northanger Abbey and Persuasion! Am currently re-reading Emma, having just finished re-reading Sense and Sensibility for the umpteenth time ). We had a great view of the west front of the Abbey too.

just spotted the street entertainer in the above photo!

Home again.........and a few photos of what's flowering in the front garden at the moment

And no post would be complete without a bit of fabric or a cushion would it?!

Here's what I'm currently chipping away at - a couple of old WIPs have been hauled to the top of the tottering pile for finishing.......

a simple appliqued squares on squares.............

 and a traditional Bears Paw block that I hand sewed a few years ago from old checked shirts.

Not sure yet how I will finish them.....the Bears Paw block is already hand quilted following the block pieces, but I may add more quilting. This one's a keeper for us at home as it was my first attempt at a proper named pieced block design, and is made from my Dad's old shirts. It's so soft to the touch, as the fabrics are brushed cotton and have become even softer through many washings and wearings - it'll be a real snuggle up with cushion when it's made up.

What are you working on at the moment?

Hope you have a great weekend wherever you are!