Last week we went back to Herefordshire for a few days. D came too this time although E wasn't on holiday but at work so stayed at home to mind the house!
We had a good journey taking the usual 90 minutes and in the afternoon did the usual click and collect at Morrisons in Leominster.
On Thursday the weather wasn't good it was very very windy with frequent heavy showers but in the end we decided to pay a brief visit to Leominster in the afternoon as D hadn't seen the actual town centre. You will have seen similar photos of some of the places before but I have tried to take a few new ones of different features. Leominster is one of the towns/villages on the Herefordshire Black and White Villages Trail.
Timothy came too!
I still haven't been in Rossiter Books (D and B were way ahead and as usual I had lagged behind taking pictures and I was worried about losing them) but next time I have promised myself I will. We did go in the Mousetrap Cheese Shop and bought some cheese (Cornish Yarg from memory).
Looking at the blue skies in the photo below it is hard to believe that 5 minutes before it had been chucking it down with rain.
Grange Court you have seen before but this time there was a lovely magnolia tree flowering.
Grange Court was once the market hall and was built by John Abel in 1633 but moved to its present position in 1859. It is now a heritage centre and cafe.
This is a handmade dragon in the window of a workshop. Neither of us could get a decent photo due to reflections in the glass but D's was better than mine!
This metal sculpture is called Mr Granger mowing grass.
We walked through the grounds of Leominster Priory to get back to the car park - we didn't linger as rain clouds were again fast approaching.
One of the windows build in the "Decorated" style and covered in ballflower decorations.
Stiff leaf capitals on the South Porch
The West end of the priory and West Door
The West Door is 12th century with carvings by the Herefordshire School of Romanesque Carvers. I won't go into much detail as I have written about the priory before.
On this side of the door two of the capitals are carved with foliage - one capital may contain carvings of wheat and in the centre two ferocious looking lions.
On the other side of the door the capitals have carvings of 2 birds (doves?) entwined in foliage, 2 men dressed in ribbed suits and wearing banded hats using sickles to cut through foliage and 2 serpents with large horns and gaping mouths.
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
Photos marked D* were taken by D with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera. Rest of photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera.
Hello Timothy! Treasure is waving! What an inviting book shop. Time to mask up and go for it, maybe? That magnolia is beautiful. I do think the chap who makes those memorial seats hit on a good thing, as they are now everywhere, we've got two here.
ReplyDeleteI was saying at the weekend, I must visit the Priory. Sadly Keith isn't up to it at the moment, so I will be on my ownsome again. Lovely photos and I'm glad you got some sunshine whilst you were in Leominster.
ReplyDeleteRustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much and Timothy is waving back at Treasure. I couldn't see more than a couple of people in the shop tbh there again with OH in tow would I dare buy book(s)!! You are right I see those memorial benches everywhere! Hereford, Leominster and Whitecliffe Common immediately come to mind.
ReplyDeleteBovey Belle - Thanks so much and sorry to hear Keith is not up to going places at the moment. The Priory is stupendous inside and out! I've been inside before but only had 10 minutes! so its one I need to go back to on my own!!!
You both captured some lovely photos between the showers. I'd love to look in the bookshop and the antiques shop, also the Priory. Lovely to see the magnolia tree and I love the grass cutting sculpture. Glad you were able to have a few days away again:)
ReplyDeleteRosie - Thanks so much. The bookshop looks really good - I love towns with independent shops :) The Priory is amazing both inside and out and definitely worth a visit if you are are in the area. I must admit I do relax far more there - we just need to find a way to stop for longer!!!
ReplyDeleteI really must visit Leominster again. Your photos show it off so well.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason on our last visit we didn't get the best out of our brief visit.
The bookshop looks interesting. I hope you are able to go inside on your next visit :-)
CherryPie - Thanks so much. There is a lot to see in Leominster - we were pleasantly surprised as you miss most of it when you just drive through on the A road.
ReplyDelete