Comments on: At Waterbeach & Landbeach

By: Greg Tingey

Greg Tingey — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 12:41:14 +0000

Very reminiscent of Tretower Farm/castle in the Brecon Beacons N Park

By: Jane Williamson

Jane Williamson — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 18:22:49 +0000

Denny Abbey is an English Heritage property and The Farmland Museum is an independent museum , they share a site and are open to the public between 1st April and 31st October. Sadly the Tithe barn is not usually open to the public though there are occasional events .

By: Pauline Poyntz

Pauline Poyntz — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 17:34:51 +0000

Dear GA, I do not know why I have not commented on your blogs before, tho’ I put in some effort to stay the demise of WC Bell Foundry and the beautiful ancient Mulberry.
I just appreciate the way you write, and your prose is just poetry to my senses.
When those receptors in my brain start to glow red as I read your daily blog ( only occasionally do I miss) I want to share with the world. Sometimes I can’t resist forwarding to friends but then I am not sure about copyrights of photos etc.
Anyway , today you introduced me to this corner of Cambridgeshire (I am making plans) , but this is far from my beloved Bow and Spitalfields and I am just curious to know why?
Just look at these drawings! Who took the time to draw and make each anecdote ? What exquisite detail that conjures up my imagination. Can’t thank you enough.

By: pauline taylor

pauline taylor — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 11:23:09 +0000

What a fascinating place, I shall be asking our friend, Dave Stenning, if he has any knowledge of it, and I bet he has, as he has unravelled the history of our shop premises for us. There are always so many clues, he tells us, as to how and why every timber and piece of stonework would have been constructed and he can recognize the clues as to that instantly. Our timbers in our roof fascinate him and he arranged dendro dating of the main exposed beam in our roof which grew from 1290 to 1386 indicating that the beam was put in place circa 1400. Our customers can go up and look at it and people are amazed, the first word when they come down again and speak is “WOW”. There is something so incredible about being in a building which has been in constant use and occupation for over 600 years and our visitors just love to soak it up, and we can look out at the adjacent parlour and solar which was built slightly later as a private retreat for the family which still attracts so much attention, now run as a tearoom and restaurant, Tymperleys, it must be one of our most photographed buildings.

Our experience is that people feel as if they have stepped back in time when they find Tymperleys and our shop and one of the regular comments is “this is an oasis”. Your piece and the lovely photos today have given me the same feeling so thank you GA.

Dave Stenning, by the way, is a retired planning officer and architect and a mine of information regarding mediaeval buildings.

By: Helen Breen

Helen Breen — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 11:17:54 +0000

Greetings from Boston,

GA, thanks for the great photo essay on Waterbeach and Landbeach. So many layers of history. Kudos to those who are preserving the property.

Recently I enjoyed the rustic scenery of Cambridgeshire on a train ride to the University. So near to London, and yet so far…

By: Jan Toms

Jan Toms — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 07:37:50 +0000

Thank you for this feast of rural history.

By: Robin

Robin — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 04:16:17 +0000

Just looking at those photos makes me gasp a bit. I can only imagine what it must be like to stroll through such an ancient structure and be able to touch the walls for a minute,smell the air in those ancient rooms..Just long enough to feel the history in those old bones.Those senses tell quite the stories in these old structures.. America has so little to offer in that regard. I am blessed to have been born in South Jersey, the cradle of Independence (Philadelphia) just a 35 -40 minute ride south. Boston 6 hrs north..But even the oldest buildings here cannot compare with what Mother England has nestled in her arms.I can’t say that I am not jealous (smile).Cheers from my adopted home,Chincoteague, a tiny spit of sand off of Virginia’a Eastern Shore .