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The Keep at Richmond Castle; Julia
I’m not sure what this tower is, but the photo was taken from the top of the Keep; Julia
This plaque was set into the pavement in the Market Square, Richmond. Interesting, but it doesn’t really explain HOW or WHY Robert
Willance’s life was saved, does it?! Julia
When I went into the Keep, suddenly a couple of birds were flying around above my head. Eventually I realised that there was a nest at the top of the wall! Swallow, I think, judging by the red throat. Not a great photo, but you can see what it is! Julia
This is the Smalls lighthouse off the coast of Pembrokeshire and the story that goes with it. Rose W’canton
The old lighthouse was the home of an unusual level of intrigue. The first message in a bottle was successfully sent from the small island, reaching its addressee through the miles of sea, and allowing a rescue of stranded repair workers, including Whiteside himself.
More disturbingly, the old lighthouse brought about a change in lighthouse policy in 1801 after a gruesome episode. The two man team, Thomas Howell and Thomas Griffith, were known to quarrel, and so when Griffith died in a freak accident, Howell feared that he might be suspected of murder if he discarded the body into the sea. As the body began to decompose, Howell built a makeshift coffin for the corpse and lashed it to an outside shelf. Stiff winds blew the box apart, though, and the body’s arm fell within view of the hut’s window and caused the wind to catch it in such a way that it seemed as though it was beckoning. Working alone and with the decaying corpse of his former colleague outside Howell managed to keep the lamp lit every night.
When Howell was finally relieved from the lighthouse the effect the situation had had on him was said to be so extreme that some of his friends didn’t recognise him.Lighthouse teams were changed to rosters of three from this point on until the automation of all British lighthouses in the 1980s.
Having so many Goslings with the Goose and Gander is causing a bit of a grass shortage for them all. We have needed to mow some of the grass around the Lake because there are quite a lot of weeds growing as well. We alternate mowing about 50% every two weeks believing there would be ample grass for all the Geese. As you can see by the way the Goslings are growing they are not short of food. Some of our Holiday Guests are feeding them bread and I am putting some mixed corn down at least once a day, although I may have to feed them twice a day.
We have been pulling some of the Reeds out that are in the middle of the Lake as they can cause those fishing a problem. The Geese eat the tender part at the bottom of the Reed. One of the Goslings decided to keep eating past the tender part, and this morning I found it with a whole Reed hanging from its beak, I had no chance of catching it but fortunately I was able to tread on the Reed when the Geese came on to the bank to eat. The Gosling had managed to swallow nearly two foot of the Reed and I am sure it would not have come out if I had not managed to tread on it.
Another problem that the Geese are causing is eroding the sides of the Lake when they get in and out of the water. I will need to secure a length of timber along the eroding part to stop it continuing. Now more of our Holiday Guests are fishing it was something that I would have needed to do, it has just made me do it sooner.