Eccles cakes aren’t really cakes, they are small currant filled pastries naked after Eccles, the town in Greater Manchester. Like all regional dishes their origins are unknown but were sold commercially in the town as Eccles cakes from the end of the 18th century. They are sweet and comforting, perfect for fresher autumnal days and…
DetailsA Shepherd’s Hut is a wonderful thing. “The image as a whole was that of a small Noah’s Ark…the hut stood on little wheels about a foot from the ground.” Thomas Hardy, ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’. Once a place of work, a mobile refuge, somewhere to bunk down and store your tools. Nowadays it’s more…
DetailsNatural dyeing is addictive. A year on from first forays into the process it’s as bad as ever. This post is by way of a summary of discoveries, thoughts and lessons learnt along the way. This is not a ‘how to’ post – but if natural dyeing appeals to you then you might glean some…
DetailsAround here we a very much fans of the provincial museum. There’s a little museum in just about every town and have been featured in previous posts like here, here and here. Chard Museum has, for some reason, missed a visit up until now. Chard is close by, just over the border into Somerset. But…
DetailsSmith & Smith of Bridport is a classic gentlemen’s (and ladies’) outfitters, every town should have one. As they say : “We have been supplying the people of Bridport with fine quality clothing since 1884.” It’s one of those shops where nothing seems to change – in the best possible way. Smith & Smith began as a…
Details“Dawe’s Twineworks in West Coker, Somerset, is said to be the only surviving rural twineworks with its original Victorian twine-making machinery in place. The Coker Rope & Sail Trust exists to preserve and restore the works, and to record and celebrate the flax and hemp based industries (twine, rope and sailcloth) which were once dominant…
DetailsThe gardens at Wayford Manor haven’t been open for the last couple of years. New owners have ‘had the builders in’ in a big way. But this year they were back on the case with the NGS last Sunday – a chance not to be missed even on a drizzly afternoon at the end of May.…
DetailsFor those who don’t know it, Cogden Beach is a marvel. Last Sunday the skies were blue and the sun was warm – time for an early morning walk. Cogden Beach is a stretch of shingle owned by the National Trust towards the western end of Chesil Beach. It is a very special habitat for…
DetailsBarrington Court is just a hop over the border into Somerset. It’s a splendid Tudor manor house, now a National Trust property. And it’s empty – of furniture anyway. In its stripped back state it’s easier to appreciate the bones of the place, although all is not as it seems. By the early 20th century…
DetailsAround here the natural dyeing adventures continue. The hunt for red is on. A true red dye is hard to find, and therefore highly prized. Before imported or chemical dyes were available reds for Scottish tartans were obtained from white Crotal (a lichen that grows on rocks) or madder root. In northern Europe the best…
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