They love their roses in Beaminster. And roses seem to love Beaminster. roses. It’s one of those perfect little market towns, snuggled into the rumpled west Dorset hills. The back streets are charming – lined with neat and pretty cottages and some very elegant, more substantial houses. These dwellings are ideal for climbing roses of…
DetailsNothing beats apple blossom to say ‘Spring is here!’ So time to see some – orchards full. Back in August last year a hunt for orchards led to Mid Lambrook, just over the the border into Somerset. This trip featured in a previous post. Now it was time to make a return visit. The flowering…
DetailsDorset Feather Stitchery has its origins in the feather stitch embroidery traditionally used for borders and collars on rural workers’ smocks. It was conceived as a particular form of embroidery by Olivia Pass in the 1950’s – an indomitable Dorset WI lady by all accounts. She used feather stitch and combined this with buttonhole stitch…
DetailsThis vintage housecoat (come summer frock) has been hanging around on the back of a door for an absolute age. It was bought for the sake of the fabric, but was too good a garment to be chopped up. By the looks of things it has never been worn. The way in which the ties…
DetailsIt’s nearly Easter and time for Hot Cross Buns. This recipe is from the 1955 edition of the ‘Radiation Cookery Book For use with the REGULO NEW WORLD Gas Cookers‘. The fresh yeast has been replaced with a sachet of Fast Action Yeast (it’s so much easier) and substitutes mixed dried fruits for currants. Rather…
DetailsChurch or chapel? (Don’t worry – this is an aesthetic rather than a religious post). Welsh Nana’s family (despite coming from a mining village in the valleys) were C of E, and considered themselves ‘a cut above’ those who went to Chapel. In the end it came down to appearances – the fancy versus the…
DetailsDevonshire Splits (or Devon Splits – or Chudleighs)are traditional little buns specifically for cream teas as an alternative to scones. There is also a Cornish Split – the only difference seems to be a matter of size. They are soft and delicious and not that difficult to make – they just take time (about 2…
DetailsCrewkerne history – this post is a little delve into it’s manufacturing past. The town is peppered with mills from it’s days as an important centre for the processing of flax and turning that flax into products. Whilst Bridport concentrated on net and ropemaking, Crewkerne was more concerned with sailcloth – and webbing. Of course…
DetailsPortland is one of those peculiar places – almost, but not quite an island, sticking out at the end of Weymouth at the far reaches of Chesil Beach. From the viewing point above Fortuneswell you can see the full sweep of Chesil (from the other end, as it were, if you’re used to seeing it…
DetailsTyneham village lies a few miles east of Lulworth. In December 1943 it was evacuated and every inhabitant had to leave. They expected to return after the war. But it stands within the Lulworth firing range and the post-war threats of the Cold War meant that the Ministry of Defence, who own the land, decided…
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