Lost in the past: #blog

Showing posts with label #blog. Show all posts

Visiting the STEAM railway museum at Swindon, home of the Great Western Railway. #MondayBlogs

STEAM - The Museum of the Great Western Railway can be found in the restored Grade II railway building of the former Swindon railway works opposite the Swindon Designer Outlet. The museum tells the story of the men and women who built, operated and travelled on the Great Western Railway, often referred to by historians and railway fans as ‘God’s Wonderful Railway’.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel (seen above) created the Great Western Railway network becoming regarded as the most advanced in the world. Unfortunately its more comfortable wide gauge track was spurned by all the other railway companies in Britain.

Olhão in the Algarve

When we have visitors staying with us in the Algarve, we like to take them to Olhão a fishing town where you can find ferries to take you across the Ria Formosa to the sandy beaches across the lagoon. Driving in from the west, you first pass large piles of salt from the salt pans and then turn onto the long, wide esplanade, alongside the marina. The tree lined walk is reminiscent of walks by the sea in the early 20th century.

During the French occupation of the Algarve by Napoleon’s soldiers, during the Peninsular Wars, a rebellion occurred in Olhaõ on 16 June 1808, resulting in the eventual expulsion of the French from Olhão and later the entire Algarve.

A month later, 17 fishermen set out for Brazil on a caique named Bom Sucesso, hoping to persuade the Portuguese Royal family to return to Portugal. A replica of this vessel is moored up by the market buildings in Olhão .

Bom Successo

Arriving in Rio de Janeiro

Walking through the narrow streets of Moorish style houses you soon reach the church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, built in 1698, when it was the first stone building in Olhão.

A stork looking out of its nest

There are many beautiful balconies in Olhão.

And several shabby, fascinating doors.

Two Essex Village Churches #MondayBlogs

Last week I visited seven of the churches in rural Essex where members of my family were baptised or buried. These are the first two which we saw. Sadly only one was unlocked. Moreton is one of the many villages which are reached by small winding lanes, but the church includes architecture from pre-Norman times with changes and additions over the years. Originally built of flint and clunch, a soft, chalky limestone, the walls have been strengthened by replacing the clunch with more durable stone. The tower is built in red brick with a lower shingled spire and there is a typical Essex wooden weather-boarded porch. The windows date from the 15th, 18th and 19th centuries.

St Mary's Church, Moreton

There was a tradition of Dissenting Ministers in Essex so it was a pleasure to find this memorial to Rev. S. Gaffee.

St Mary the Virgin, Matching is reached by driving along a single track road past a beautiful pond. The village has changed very little since the 18th century.

St Mary the Virgin, Matching

This was the smartest church we visited, mainly due to the owners of nearby Down Hall who gave £3000 for its improvement in 1875. Probably a Norman church, on the site of a former Saxon church, it has a 13th century doorway and a 15th century tower.

The signature of William Dearling MA vicar from 1761-1784 is written in the Prayer Book given to my ancestor Bartholomew Glasscock who was churchwarden in Matching.