On Monday 12th June we returned to Herefordshire for 4 nights.
The Ash "Octopus Tree" - the octopus and witch's hat shapes have disappeared amongst the leaves.
The Constable Tree
The Herefordshire Oak
Thankfully the plants had survived our absence and the French Marigolds are doing well in a pot as are
the herbs. The parsley had wilted a bit as had the thyme in a separate pot but both recovered after a good water. Thankfully, the mint hasn't attracted any Mint Moths. My son planted a very healthy Apple Mint in a herb pot at home and Mint Moth caterpillars have devastated it :(
We inherited a lovely rose in the garden there and apples are forming although by the time we left there weren't many left a grey squirrel has found them!!!
The owners of the site itself mow the lawns for you and when it is left for a while you get some lovely wild flowers - Self Heal, Clover, Buttercups, Daisies and Lesser Trefoil. The clover flowers were attracting loads of bumble bees.
Foxgloves we planted are doing well - there are several white ones as well :)
Timothy back on his shelf!
We used the bat detector several nights and there were several around. D managed this very record shot which is heavily cropped!
My bat detector doesn't tell you the actual species but using information in the Field Studies Council Guide and a process of elimination we think they are probably Natterer's Bats. The clues are:
- Widespread and Common and roost in trees, timber framed barns and stone buildings (there are plenty of those nearby!)
- Emergence time - 40-60 minutes after sunset which ties in with our sightings.
- Fast and straight flight at head height along habitat edges which again ties in.
- Peak Frequency range 49kHz - spot on for our bats
- Call Frequency Range 20-101kHz which again ties in as I was picking up a call signal throughout that range although obviously fainter at 20 and 101! This is a useful clue because as far as I can see this is the only bat which has such a large range.The range of Bechstein's Bat is quite large too (28.4-131.0 kHz) but this bat is restricted and rare.
- I haven't yet tried to work out the call description as I am tone deaf and rubbish with sounds and descriptions!
- Obviously without a sonogram it is not possible to be 100% sure though.
Monday afternoon we did the usual click and collect at Leominster. Tuesday am it rained and in the end we stayed in all day. I was happy to read and unwind and enjoy the peace and quietness without all the thumping and banging we get at home! Plus I wanted to clean some of the inside of the caravan and it gave me chance to try out the new cheap rechargeable vacuum we bought for there. Its very good and quick - far better than hauling round the old plug in vacuum which these days I find just too heavy to handle.
On the Wednesday we went into Leominster. First port of call was B and Q as B wanted some garden tools for his birthday. You might know they were out of stock!
So we walked along the River Kenwater into Leominster. No Kingfishers or Dippers on the river on this visit but the bramble and other flowers on the river bank had plenty of butterflies and damselflies galore.
Plants in Walls. Ivy Leaved Toadflax in the second photo. I have learnt that Wall Pennywort can be found in Herefordshire so every wall is getting special attention!
Leominster Priory - we'll come back to this in the next post as I finally got the opportunity later for a good look round inside.
This is the West Door with the most amazing carvings by the Herefordshire School of Romanesque Carvers.
The Forbury Chapel
In 1282 the parishioners of Leominster were in conflict with monks at the Priory saying they were being locked out of the parish part of the church. The Priory was visited by John Peckham, Archbishop of Canterbury and in 1283 he ordered that the Priory should build a chapel for residents of the town to use as a place of worship.This did not suit the ambitious town burgesses and a new nave at the parish church south of the Norman nave was built for the use of parishioners in the town and was consecrated in 1239.
In 1534 Queen Mary I granted a charter to provide for a grammar school in the town and this was located in the chapel until 1795. It also served as a courthouse.
The chapel was again used for services in 1699 after the Priory roof was destroyed in a fire. In the 1750's it used as a theatrical school and performances of plays also took part there. This continued for 100 years. In 1861 it was sold to Thomas Sale a local solicitor who lived in the house next door but used the chapel as his office. There were several private owners in the twentieth cenury the last being a Samuel Beaumont who installed a dance floor and hired the chapel out for parties.
In 1984 it was bought by a trust associated with the priory for community use.
When I walked back later I tried to visit but it seemed locked and, although there was an office in one side of the building I couldn't see anyone to ask if it was possible to view.
I wanted to visit the town centre to take an item back to Rossiters and, as B and D were going to search for garden tools, afterwardsI made my escape back to the Priory which I'll write about in the next post.
After the Priory visit I met up with B and D and we walked back to the car.
Photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera and those marked *D taken by my son with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate most of my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).
Reference: Information Board outside the Forbury Chapel.
D's mint, my Mullein, both succumbed to decimation by moth. Try to think of it as a helping hand to the wildlife.
ReplyDeleteThe list of plants in your lawn at OFFA is very similar to what's coming up in my lawn. When I had the man who cuts my lawn for me here last I asked him to mow a four or 5 foot wide swathe around the edges of the lawn with a path through to the laundry line. Then, to leave a big patch in the middle of uncut lawn. It's full of beneficial plants The plan is next year to sow several packets of wildflower seeds in that patch. Unfortunately, no more may is not going to be viable for me any longer, as it. presents too many problems with my Parkinson's, and I have to consider my health and safety above not mowing.
Waving at Timothy 😊👋👋
P.S. great capture of the bat!!!
ReplyDeleteRustic Pumpkin - Thanks. I couldn't believe such a tiny moth could wreak such damage with its caterpillars! Never had it happen before and we've had Mint Moths for years. As you say think of the wildlife :) Have nettles and other plants for caterpillars. But apart from cinnabar moth caterpillars on Ragwort, I've never seen a plant be eaten so quickly!
ReplyDeleteWe get similar here when OH doesn't cut areas of the lawn at home plus Cat's Ear! We do have the wildflower mini meadow at the top of the garden and a small unmown patch in first main lawn but I wish OH would do the same as you with the rest of it. I can understand your problems though and why health and safety is so important.
Timothy waves back.
Thanks re: the bat - he did well because they fly so quickly!!
What a super post. Wow at the bat photos. Leominster looks such a fascinating place, I think I told you once that we'd stopped there to drop a friend off who was staying with her friends in the town and we moved on to Hereford for a couple of days. It looks as if the town has far more to offer than we thought at the time. All your flowers seem to be doing well and it's good to see Timothy in his t-shrt ready for his summer outings:)
ReplyDeleteRosie - Thanks so much :) Yes I think you mentioned stopping off there once. Leominster certainly we have discovered has far more to offer than you would think at first glance. There is a nice park or two there too by the Grange and of course there is the Priory as well as the shops. I haven't been in the Museum there and I must find out if it is open. Worth having a look if you are in the area again. Timothy is raring to go!! :)
ReplyDeleteWe need to visit Hereford more as its only 40 minutes away and there is a lot there to do and I still want to spend more time at the CAthedral than on my first visit and of course there are museums there and some rather interesting buildings :)
I love summer foliage it always gives me a feel good feeling.
ReplyDeleteThe bat photos are wonderful. We haven't been able to sit out much this year to enjoy the bats that visit our garden as the sun goes down.
CherryPie - Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed the bat pictures - we sometimes get them at home as well.
ReplyDeleteSome intersting parts to Leominster I did not know about. There is a Forbury Gardens in Reading in what used to be the Abbey grounds and near where I went to school
ReplyDeleteBilly Blue Eyes - Thanks so much. Reading Abbey must be where the name for the Forbury Chapel in Leominster came from I would imagine.
ReplyDelete