Friday 4 July 2014

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!

25 comments:

  1. What a wonderful visit to Bath Gill! I hope that you found lots of information about your family history. I like the lilacy blue penstemon in your garden, very pretty indeed. Sorry to be brief, just off to bed! All lovely as always!! xx

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  2. Looks like a lovely trip to Bath. Matt is hoping to apply to Bath University. Something we are encouraging as it will be a great place to visit! Enjoy your weekend xx

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  3. Thank you for showing us the beautiful buildings in Bath, Gill, the Abbey is spectacular isn't it. Since your visit was a 'flying' one, I hope you managed to find what you were looking for but, even if not, I'm sure you enjoyed your trip.
    I enjoyed seeing your WIPs, especially hearing about your Dad's shirts - such a lovely idea - and your lovely garden blooms. Me? I've just stitched a little design on a square of linen and now waiting for the creative juices to tell me whether it should become a cushion or maybe part of a small quilt, or 'something' - we'll see …. enjoy your weekend and sunshine, xoJoy

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  4. It was lovely to see firsthand photographs of Bath. They I was talk about it in the English public broadcasting shows I watch, all the English seem to go to Bath in the summertime! Hope you had a good time and gathering family history, It's a lot of work, but it's important work!

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  5. I use to go to Bath regularly but not for years now. I hope your visit was successful. I bet it was nice to be greeted by your front garden when you arrived home :-) Lovely photos. Have a great weekend,
    Tracey xxx

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  6. I absolutely adore Bath and would love to visit again some day. I love those Georgette Heyer books too with These Old Shades, Devils Cub and Arabella being my favourites. These Old Shades was the first really adult book I read at the age of 14, I was enthralled and captivated by a literary world I was beginning to explore. I hope your genealogy research was successful. The flowers in your garden are lovely, such beauty and colour to see when much of my garden has stopped for the winter. Have a great weekend.
    Anne xx

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  7. Bath is so very beautiful isn't it. So glad you got the chance to spend a day there. It's not far from here, and it's somewhere I used to go very regularly, I love it. I hope your research was successful. The garden's looking lovely, it's the best time of year out there isn't it? I hope you have a good weekend, CJ xx

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  8. I so want to visit there one day ; )

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  9. We visited Bath a couple of years ago and did mostly the same things you did. We'd love to go back again as we really enjoyed it and would like to see more. Your flowers are looking well - we've been having some lovely weather in the UK so I'm that sure helped. Our weather has changed though - rain yesterday. I have some quilted tablemats that need the final binding done and I bought linen on holiday that I want to use to make a cushion. The things I'm working on mainly though, at the minute, are crocheted blankets.

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  10. bath is a lovely city I have visitit past year lovely and great old monuments en buildings cosy city centre very nice and a lot of roman history
    hope you had a lovey time leon10

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  11. Hope you were successful with your visit to Bath, a place on my to visit list. The garden is a delight, we have managed to get on top of the back garden after our holiday but the front is still in need of some TLC. Unfortunately the weather here is now letting us down, so it will be indoor projects today. Love the cushion made from old shirts. Have a great weekend.

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  12. What a lovely place to visit, it is a place I have never been to. I hope you visit proved to be fruitful. The sunshine is really making your flowers sing, so happy & bright. Have a great week.

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  13. Maybe i go to Bath next year for the textile summerschool, so i loved to see all those pictures. The cathedral looks gorgeous. Did you do some shopping? That shirt block is beautiful.

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  14. It's been a few years since I visited Bath, it's a very beautiful city, I love it, all that history! The Abbey is stunning!
    Beautiful stitching as always. :)
    V x

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  15. Hi Gill, how funny that our post titles are the same this week , great minds and all that , and then where should you be but Bath ! If you'd only had a bit more time we could have met for a lovely cuppa ! Loved your pictures of the Abbey , it is a very special place to us as in a way that is why we moved down here because my Dad was the Rector at the Abbey and from visiting them we just fell in love with this part of the world. Bath is always a little mad on Graduation day - we had our very proud moment this time last year when our daughter Meg had her Graduation ceremony in the Abbey.
    Your garden photos are gorgeous, all taken on a lovely sunny day by the look of it.
    Have a lovely weekend,
    Kate x

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    1. Hi Kate, I didn't realise you had such attachments to Bath! What a wonderful place to live, and how special for your Dad to have been Rector there. A very special place for your daughter to have had her graduation ceremony then.
      Next time I'll come for longer and we'll meet up for that cuppa!
      Gill xx

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  16. I have always wanted to visit Bath. I'm a Jane Austen fan too. Years ago, I attended a lecture called "Jane Austen's Bath," which was all about what Bath was like in her time. It was fascinating. Thanks for sharing your visit.

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  17. I have been to Bath many times and always enjoyed it, how could you not? Sounds like you had a lovely time too. I love seeing carved and sculpted angels, I usually associate them with Italian architecture, nice to know there are some home grown.

    I adore your bears paw cushion, it looks really authentically mid western pioneer, not sure if that was quite the look you were going for, but it works for me.

    Funny you mention Jane Austen, I have just picked up some Folio Society copies of her work and I couldn't be more pleased. I've earmarked them for some Autumnal reading.

    Jean x

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    1. Hi Jean, it's interesting what you say re:the Bear's Paw cushion as I was very into the Pioneer spirit and simple quilts made out of scraps at that time, so I'm pleased that you said that! I used old shirts and hand sewed but drew the line at anything more pioneer than that! I still love old quilts made from scraps and stripes, there's something very homely about them.
      Enjoy the Jane Austen novels later in the year, perfect for autumn days!
      Gill xx

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  18. Fabulous photos of Bath Gill, such a beautiful city. Georgette Heyer brings back memories, I read a few in my teenage years. Your garden photos look good too - I love the pink rose, is it a ballerina rose? Love the Bear's Paw patchwork too, what a lovely way to use old shirts, I wish Mr T would wear more exciting shirts! Have a lovely weekend and see you Weds.
    Jane xx

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    1. Hi Jane, yes I think it is a ballerina rose. They are always pretty in a garden I think.
      If Mr T has failed you on the shirts front then never fear, I'm sure the charity shops won't disappoint - i have bought the one or two for other projects!
      Gill xx

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  19. Lovely photo's Gill! Bath is one of our favourite cities. It's not too big and has such a lovely atmosphere. I enjoyed looking at your photo's. It brought back lots of happy memories!

    Madelief x

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  20. Hi Gill, I love your photos and I must say that I get a little bit jealous of living in a part of the world with so much history. Just a little over a hundred years ago, our town was nothing but barren desert. Nothing but tumbleweeds and sagebrush.

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  21. I was delighted with Bath, loved all the buildings.
    Merle.............

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  22. Bath is the most stunning city. I hope the trip was worth from the research point of view.
    Your garden is a profusion of colour as always.
    Lisa x

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Thanks for visiting and for taking the time to leave a comment - I love to read them!
Gill x