Evelyn Wallace -The Castle Lady...Do you love castles like me? ; ): novembre 2008

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28 novembre

The Owls

Ce poeme suivant je de'die'e a` m'ami bienestime'e, Danyel La Chouette ! - Le Chateau Demoiselle

by Roger Tory Peterson

by Charles Baudelaire

Under the yew tree's heavy weight

The owls stand in their sullen fashions,

Like Pagan gods of Pagan passions

They dart their eyes and meditate.

Unmoving they stare with living flame

Until the end of the melancholy

Hour sees the oblique sun set in folly,

And darkness falls in shades of shame.

Their aspect to the wise man teaches

All that he needs, all he beseeches,

Tumult and change and discontent;

The man drunk of a shadow that passes

Keeps always the imperishable scent

That makes the wind change and the grasses.

This translation by Arthur Symons is Copyrighted

MCMXLVII by The Citadel Press

Who- whooo loves you true? The Castle Lady that's who !

23 novembre

Here are...

I made 21,000 hits on this blog today at 10:30 a.m.

Thanks to all you wonderful readers out there!

My official site now has a beautiful new look !

Check it out at : www.ilovecastles.com

and Turkey Day is coming up next Thursday !

( a day off ! phew ! Endormi

)

Enjoy ! The Castle Lady

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone !

14 novembre

The Royal Palaces of St James's Park

Check out the new look of my official web site: www.ilovecastles.com It looks fantastic !

Today we're headed toward London and the palaces associated with St James's Park since I haven't written about London yet, except in passing. This park happens to be the oldest and most used by royalty than all of the nine royal parks of London. Despite its size, bustle and commerce, London remains one of the greenest of all capital cities, with acres of parkland and quiet squares offering rest and relaxation in the midst of the hectic pace. There are four palaces associated with St. James's Park- three of which you can spot from across the beautiful landscaped lake- the Palace of Westminster, St. James's Palace, Buckingham Palace and the remains of Whitehall Palace (pictured above).

Just south of Trafalgar Square, the first Palace of Westminster was erected on the present site of the Houses of Parliament- one of the most recognized spots in London with its wonderful Big Ben clock tower. (You'll notice it's the theme of my background on this blog!) The original palace was erected by Edward the Confessor in 1042. That palace became the official royal residence and the control center of London merchants and government for England until 1512 when it was destroyed by a fire. Thereafter, it became the chambers of Parliament, the meeting place for the House of Lords and the House of Commons, strictly. Henry VIII's reformation of 1529-36 ousted the domination of the Church's influence which made the House of Commons more powerful than the House of Lords. Another devastating fire in 1834 paved the way for the magnificent Victorian Revival Gothic ( Perpendicular) structure of today- designed and built by Sir Charles Barry and the interior decorated by A.W. Pugin beginning in 1840. During the Blitzkrieg of WWII this building was hit fourteen times but only sustained serious damage when in was hit on May 10, 1941. The Commons Chamber was destroyed, killing three people, and it was rebuilt by Giles Gilbert Scott by 1950. This structure contains 1,100 rooms, has 100 staircases and a total of 3 miles worth of corridors and the original Westminster Hall remains. To view the magnificent interiors you can pay a nominal charge to enter the Strangers' Galleries for the House of Commons and the House of Lords, Big Ben and the Lord Chancellor's Apartments. To find out more about dates and times available- both in session and out- you can call 020 7219 3000 or 0207344 9966 or just join the queue outside of St Stephen's entrance.

( Don't miss the bronze statue of Boudicca on Westminster Bridge. This insulted Queen of the native Iceni tribe of Norfolk sacked Colchester and London along with the Iceni tribe in 62 AD after the Romans robbed and flogged her. Guess she showed them a thing or two, huh?)

The entirety of St James's Park was the grand stomping ground of many royal feet. A deer park and hunting lodge was built by Henry VIII in 1532, eventually becoming the still charming St. James's Palace. James I started a menagerie here of pelicans, crocodiles and even an elephant with a proclivity for drinking wine ! (These were exotic animals in his day.) Today it is where the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace begins its pompous circuit and has frequent visitors who come to picnic and feed the ducks much the same as Charles II did in the 17th century!

1715 engraving

St James's Park was once a marshy water meadow and was the site chosen for a leper hospital in the 13th century from which the name of the park was taken. The possession of the land by the royal palaces and buildings changed the landscape through the centuries after Elizabeth I took to the throne. Her successor, James I, improved the drainage and got control of the water supply. Later, the road which runs in front of St James's Palace was placed which is The Mall today but the most dramatic changes to the area and park occurred with Charles II. He had the park landscaped to its present look and made it open to the public becoming the most accessible royalty besides Princess Diana !

The Hanovers created Horse Guards Parade by filling in one end of the long canal which is now the lake and its present look is attributed to John Nash who transformed it to a more romantic style. John Nash was the Georges Euge`ne Haussmann of London and his work in St James's Park was exceptional. In 1837 the Ornithological Society of London presented birds to the park and erected a cottage for a bird keeper which still exists. At present two ornithologists look after 1,000 birds representing 45 species and the park itself is an important migration point and breeding ground. Pelicans were brought to Duck Island, which is located at the lake, by a Russian Ambassador who presented them to Charles II.

Over the centuries the palaces had been used by royalty and as one passed out of use, another became their actual residences- respectively. Westminster was used as such from the period of 1049 until 1530, then Whitehall Palace from 1530 until 1698, thereafter St. James's Palace was used officially from 1702 to 1837 and Buckingham Palace has been in full use from 1837 up to the present day. The only exception is William III ( crowned in 1689) who suffered from asthma and moved himself and his wife Mary into Kensington Palace. (It was supposed that Whitehall Palace was unhealthy for him.) Queen Anne added to the Orangery at Kensington and Queen Victoria was born at the palace on May 24, 1819 but spent her days as Queen at Buckingham Palace.

A few paces north of Parliament, Whitehall Palace- once the largest built in the vicinity and the largest in the world for a period- was in use by the royal family ( or its members) from 1530 until 1698. Henry VIII married two of his brides here- Anne Boleyn in 1533 and Jane Seymour in 1536. He also died here in January of 1547 miserable with disease.

This grand edifice had 1,500 rooms at the end of its era and its area was bordered by Northumberland Ave. on the north extending to Downing St., Derby Gate on the south, Horse Guards Road on the west and to the banks of the Thames River on the east. In all, it occupied about 23 acres of land. This map below was the original plan for its construction. By 1650 the palace was the largest complex of secular buildings that had ever been built in England. The map shows that the layout was extremely irregular and the integral layout were of many different architectural styles much like Blois Castle in the Loire Valley in France. As a result, it appears like a town in this painting rather than a single edifice.

The unfortunate demise of Whitehall was the result of two major fires- one which burned down all the Tudor buildings and on January 4, 1698 government and residential portions of it were destroyed. The only remains of it now are the Banqueting House and a few buildings from the old complex which have been incorporated into the Whitehall government offices. The Banqueting House is a Palladian marvel in Portland stone designed by Inigo Jones, built between 1619 and 1622. This remaining hall is well worth a visit to see the Rubens ceiling, a commission by the ill-fated Charles I (who was beheaded outside the Palace on January 30, 1649- the only member of the crowned British monarchy to suffer such a public execution.) This ceiling was painted over a two year period beginning in 1634 and the nine allegorical paintings depict the unification of Scotland and England. (James I was also James VI of Scotland.) Rubens was given the knighthood for his work! Plans were drawn up by Sir Christopher Wren to rebuild Whitehall which were never carried out.

St. James's Palace along the north side of the park became the official royal residence by 1702 and many royals occupied it until 1837. It was actually built during the period between 1531 and 1536 as it was built by Henry VIII and much of the red-brick Tudor gatehouse and some rooms remain intact. Visitors will see the Chapel Royal where Charles II, James II, Mary II, Queen Anne and James Stuart (the old Pretender, so-called) were born and/or baptized, the gatehouse, turrets and a few of the remaining State Apartments. Anne Boleyn was brought here, gave birth to Princess Elizabeth, and you will find her and Henry's combined initials (HA) above some of the Tudor fireplaces which also remain. Royal marriages also took place at the Chapel Royal such as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on February 10, 1840, the Duke of York and Princess Mary of Teck and King George V and Queen Mary tied the knot at the chapel in 1893. Several historically important events took place at this Palace, also. You can view the Queen's Chapel from the outside here but its interior is unavailable to the public. This lovely building was built by Inigo Jones. If you want to see the inside you'll have to become a good friend of the Queen! Her extensive international Philatelic collection is housed within the Palace along with Royal portraits from the time of Henry VIII along with important works by Mytens, Van Somer, Michael Wright and Wissing and several more royal portraits.

It was here that Mary Tudor signed the treaty surrendering Calais in 1558 and Elizabeth I was in residence when the Spanish Armada threat made it imperative for her to leave and address her troops at Tilbury Fort in Essex, which is east of London. In 1809 the east and southern portions of the Palace were destroyed by fire. The remaining State rooms were restored by 1813 and four of George IV's brothers were provided housing within St James's walls. One being Frederick, Duke of York, was given what is today referred to as Lancaster House and William, Duke of Clarence, ( William IV) was given Clarence House which is currently occupied by Prince Charles !

After the death of William IV the palace fell out of use as a residence for the British Monarchy but court functions were still held in the State Apartments until 1939. Buckingham Palace came into official use as the London royal residence by 1837 shortly before the marriage of Queen Victoria and it has remained so since that time. Buckingham House is the core building from which the palace was started in 1710 and still exists as part of the west façade within the quadrangle. George III bought it in 1761 as a private residence for his new bride, 17 year old Charlotte. It then became known as "The Queen's House" and over a period of seventy-five years it was expanded and rebuilt with three wings around the central courtyard. The architects involved included William Winde for Sir Charles Long (the first Duke of Buckingham and Normanby), John Nash and Edward Blore, landscaping by Capability Brown and William Townsend Aiton. Some additions were made as late as the 19th and 20th centuries.

In the Middle Ages this was the site of the Manor of Ebury or Eia close to the River Tyburn on marshy ground and a village, Eye Cross, grew around it. This passed through the hands of Edward the Confessor, William the Conqueror and Geoffrey de Mandeville who finally bequeathed it to the monks of Westminster Abbey. By 1531 it naturally fell back into the hands of royalty when Henry VIII took possession of all such acquisitions by the clergy. James I sold it when money was sorely needed and only retained a small part for farming silk! The property passed through moneyed hands through the years and wasn't again in royal hands until 1703 when the Duke of Buckingham bought the land and the buildings which remained. Subsequently, Buckingham's descendant, Sir Charles Sheffield sold it to George III for L 21,000.

Through the years of occupation by Victoria and Albert many problems had to be rectified which made the house rather dangerous. Though these were all taken care of, eventually, by 1847 it was too small for the large family they created so a new wing was added, the large East Front which faces the Mall and has the public façade balcony from which the Royal Family acknowledges crowds on various occasions. The ballroom wing and a suite of state rooms were added as well, designed by Nash's student Sir James Pennethorne. Today it is 77,000 square meters of floor space, throughout, with numerous private and state rooms for many different types of functions. It contains 19 state rooms, 52 bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. The Gallery contains a beautiful collection of Rembrandts, van Dycks, Rubens and Vermeers and the Guard Room has marble statues in a tribune lined with Gobelin tapestries. Many rooms are open to the public even when Queen Elizabeth II is in residence ! Visiting heads of state who stay at the palace occupy a suite of rooms known as the Belgian suite, on the ground floor of the North-facing garden. The adjoining corridors here are enhanced by splendid domes which were placed by Prince Albert's uncle Leopold I. Edward VIII lived in this suite during his brief reign.

Many regular functions, formal dinners, state banquets and ceremonies continue at the palace. One major change came in 1958 when the presentation parties for debutantes were ended. It was presumed that only aristocratic girls would participate. These were very formal attired and properly choreographed presentations to the Queen in the Throne Room. However, Princess Margaret is reported to have said, "We had to put a stop to it, every tart in London was getting in." Today the Throne Room dais is used for royal wedding and full family portraits.

This is home to the largest landscaped garden in London and should be visited along with the Mews- that is- The Queen's stables and storerooms which house the fairytale-like coaches, horses harnesses and other apparel specifically for these types of ceremonies. It's best to inspect these during the Buckingham Palace Summer Opening when visitors can see all the palace has to offer.

Tel. 020 7839 1377

www.royal.gov.uk

Royal hugs and kisses for my loyal subjects !

The Castle Lady

Her majesty is a pretty nice girl..

someday I'm gonna make her mine..

someday I'm gonna make her mine !

- The Beatles

Check out the new London photo album !

Congrats to the Nuggets for winning four straight games in a row !

04 novembre

Treasure Houses of England

Today I want to cover grand estates of England which are classed as the Treasure Houses of England, two of which were built as monasteries and one medieval castle. Treasure Houses are special world class estates most of which are determined by a marketing consortium. Among all their wonderful architectural features they also offer amenities for large functions such as conferences, weddings, banquets and the like and often have unusual or outstanding museums. I have covered quite a few of these in past entries when I wrote about Castle Howard and Harewood House in Yorkshire (North and West), Chatsworth in Derbyshire, Burghley House in Leicester and Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. At one time Arundel Castle and Wilton House were among those on the list. With this entry I'll be covering Woburn Abbey, Leeds Castle and Beaulieu Palace House. I'll cover Warwick Castle when I post an upcoming entry on all the castles and mansions in Warwickshire! Look in the More Castles album for photos of these beautiful world-class edifices.

-The Castle Lady

About forty miles northwest of London, in Bedfordshire, Woburn Abbey sits in 3,000 acres of a lush deer park, which is currently occupied by the 15th Duke of Bedford. This abbey has the distinction of having ten different species of deer and saving the Pere David deer from extinction- a species which descended from the Imperial Herd of China. They keep the largest breeding herd, still, but reintroduced the deer into their natural habitat in China which now number several hundred! Woburn has been host to many royal guests throughout history and has been in the possession of the Dukes of Bedford- the Russels- for 400 years! It has been a public pleasure center for many decades now with an award-winning Safari Park and a world renowned Golf Club in the UK's top 100.

The Abbey itself is an art museum which houses an unrivalled, priceless art collection which includes Van Dycks, Cuyps, Gainsboroughs, Reynoldses and Velaquez paintings along with 18th century French and English furniture, silver and porcelain. In the Venetian Room there are twenty-one paintings of Venice by Caneletto and a Sevres dinner service which was given to the 4th Duke by Louis XV. This is all part of an inside tour covering three floors including silver and gold vaults, Queen Victoria's bedroom and the State Dining Room! The Antiques Centre on the premises is the largest antique market outside London. Outside there are beautiful private gardens which can be viewed from the conference rooms and banquet areas but there are also picnic areas for everyday revelers.

At one time Woburn Abbey was a castle hotel but was taken over by the Trustees of the Bedford estates and no longer houses paying guests. It is still possible to stay close by at the Inn at Woburn. There is a restaurant available- The Paris House- and many public events take place here on a regular basis, public and private, during the summer. Regular events include the Woburn Garden Show, Craft Fair and annual fly-in of the de Havilland Moth Club. Plays which will be run this year include The Winter's Tale, Much Ado about Nothing and The Tempest. The Antiques Centre on the premises is the largest antique market outside London with forty shops to browse through.

www.woburnabbey.co.uk tel. 01525 290666

Leeds Castle is a reverie seated on two islands on a natural lake which is fed by the River Len in the very heart of Kent! It's picturesque setting has been the home of many medieval Queens of England and Henry VIII and has been in existence for over a period of 1,000 years ! The interiors and gardens are open to the public both of which offer treasures and beauty throughout! It has been called the loveliest castle in the world for good reason because so much is offered to the visitor- not the least of which is a plethora of period furnishings and art plus architecture to see. The current interior was restored by Lady Olive Bailey in 1936 with the help of a French interior decorator by the name of Ste'phane Boudin and Armand Albert Rateau transforming the castle's Gloriette, originally built by Edward I, into a French Gothic beauty. During the time that Lady Bailie, an American heiress and daughter of an English Lord, was in possession of the castle she embarked on a complete restoration of the castle using only the finest architects and designers and turned it into one of the most elegant country residences in England. Art and antiques from her own collection of fifty years fill the home. Her guests were royalty, film stars and politicians who enjoyed amenities such as a cinema (at the Maiden's Tower), swimming pool, squash and tennis courts as well as exotic wildlife along with horses and dogs!

Originally built as a Saxon manor, Esledes, Robert de Crevecoeur was given this castle to fortify in stone back in 1119 as he was a descendant of an appointed lord of William the Conqueror. By 1278 it passed into royal hands becoming, in effect, the dower of the Queens of England. Over the course of one and a half centuries six medieval queens took possession of it including Eleanor of Castille ( wife of Edward I) then his second wife, Margaret of France. Others were Isabella of France, Catherine de Valois ( who married Henry V), Joan of Navarre (Spain) and Anne of Bohemia. Henry VIII visited this castle often with his Queen of the time, Catherine of Aragon. Together they made Leeds into their favorite palace and his son, King Edward VI in turn granted the castle to one of Henry VIII's courtiers, St Anthony St. Leger, ( a sheriff) for services rendered to him. Since that time it has been in private ownership until Lady Bailie bequeathed it to England under the charitable trust of the Leeds Castle Foundation upon her death in 1974. Her children occupied this castle up to the year 2003!

Over a period of 900 years it was developed into the marvel it is today. Starting with the Norman foundations, which most likely replaced the original Saxon building, a medieval gatehouse was added. The Gloriette ( the original keep) by Edward I was substantially updated during Henry VIII's reign, along with a Tudor tower. Most of the 19th century work which was done by Wykeham Martin ( completed in 1823) is called the New Castle and was built in Tudor-style. Other buildings were erected on the main island and the two islands are now connected with a corridor but originally by a drawbridge. On the grounds you'll enjoy 500 acres of parkland and breathtaking gardens including the Wood Garden with diverted streams and a (very English) Culpeper Garden. The Lady Bailie Garden is terraced in Mediterranean style and shows off the excellent view of the beautifully kept grounds and the lake. There is a museum, greenhouses, a vineyard and aviary housing more than 100 species of rare birds and even a special maze which has a secret underground grotto! Special events are celebrated on the grounds year round for holidays, festivals and concerts and Leeds can also be rented for conferences and wedding receptions.

www.leeds-castle.co.uk Tel. +44 (0) 1622765400

The grandest museum within a museum is the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu Palace House in Hampshire. It is known internationally and contains a large collection of period motor vehicles, including four world land speed record holders: a 1924 BlueBird, a 1964 Bluebird CN7, the 1927 Sunbeam 1000HP ( which was the first auto to reach 200 miles per hour) and the 1929 Irving-Napier Special 'Golden Arrow'. Each and every one has been restored to appear in showroom condition and there is much to see! It traces history of the motor vehicle all the way back from 1894 with a collection of 250 veteran, vintage and classic cars and motorcycles!

Beaulieu's village is a place where you can find out about all kinds of history with a maritime museum and their famous jazz festival plus it is in the heart of one of the few remaining primeval oak forests in England.

This Palace was originally the gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey built in 1204 ( Please be aware that this should not be confused with the Palace of Beaulieu in Essex), next to the River Beaulieu. It has been the Montagu ancestral home since 1538 when Henry VIII decreed the dissolution of the monasteries. Most of the buildings were destroyed but the gatehouse was increased in size during the 16th and 19th centuries in a fine Gothic style with fan vaulted ceilings. The interior is filled with Montagu family treasures, portraits and personal photographs. The Domus houses an exhibition on monastic life in the Middle Ages and also the embroidered wall hangings which were designed and created by Lady Belinda Montagu which depict the history of the Abbey from its very beginnings! In addition to the tour one may book a view of the estates vineyards and the home offers all the previously mentioned amenities for a wide range of functions. It is available to the public from April through October.

www.beaulieu.co.uk Tel. 01590 612345

The Castle Lady sends you off with a kiss and warm embrace !