Given the
slippery nature of time I shouldn’t be surprised to realise that it’s already
more than two weeks since we arrived up here in the North-West Highlands after
a most enjoyable 90th birthday celebration weekend for DH’s mother,
which I haven’t even mentioned yet.
We assembled on
the Friday afternoon at the home of DH’s youngest brother in Southport for an
evening of family chatter before the big day itself. At 90 one doesn’t want to
spend the day too strenuously before one’s birthday dinner in a local hotel, so
it was decided we would go out in the afternoon for a gentle stroll around a
local historic property, Rufford Old Hall, near Ormskirk.
Rufford Old Hall
was owned by the Hesketh family for some 500 years until it was handed over to
the tender care of the National Trust in 1936. The original building, which
dates from around 1530, was a late mediaeval hall-house, though now only
the Great Hall survives. Its elaborate and highly decorative half-timbering is
both beautiful and impressive, though I couldn't help thinking how many oak trees it must have taken
to build it.
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| Wonderfully carved screen |
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| Spartan dining |
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| Hammerbeam roof with angels - highly unusual outside a church |
In 1661/2 a new wing was built at right
angles to the original hall which, being brick-built in Jacobean style,
contrasts very clearly with the hall’s black and white timbering. The house was
further extended in the 1820s to give the building we see today.
A touch of extra
glamour is given to the house by the possibility that the young William
Shakespeare himself may have acted in the Great Hall in the early 1580s when he
was working as an assistant teacher in the household of a local landowner.
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| Detail of the screen |
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| And this is meant to be movable? |
The house is
surrounded on three sides by formal gardens and on the
fourth by a branch of the Leeds to Liverpool canal, giving it an air of great
tranquillity and timelessness and a feeling of being very far from the hustle
and bustle of modern life.
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour through four centuries of English domestic architecture and came home very ready to relax with tea and birthday cake before sprucing ourselves up for our evening out.
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| The doors would have given access to the lost wing |
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| The photographer photographed - DH and his beloved camera |
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| The birthday girl herself |
Sadly, the
sunshine we enjoyed that afternoon didn’t last and our journey up through
Scotland on Mothering Sunday was notable for the mist and murk which conspired
to hide even the grandest of the mountains we drove through. That’s Scottish
weather for you!
What a stunning place - all that gorgeous, ancient wood! And your dear mil looks an absolute picture with her red coat and jauny knitted hat - and not at all like a 90 year old!
ReplyDeleteGlad you've arrived safely and I do hope the weather improves for you.
Axxx
Isn't it gorgeous, Annie? I love half-timbered buildings, probably because our bit of Mid-Wales has so many (Montgomeryshire oak and all that!) Even our house was once partly half-timbered.
DeleteThat is such a typical image of Mum, always cheery and interested and very fond of red. :-) I'm glad to day that after a horribly wet and windy weekend the sun is at last shining!
Hello Perpetua,
ReplyDeleteRuff ford Old Hall looks to be a most intriguing collection of architectural styles and details. We should, we know, have very much enjoyed a visit there. The timbering is particularly fine and the angelic decorative touches are simply wonderful. What fun to spot them!
And, how splendid the birthday girl looks in her lipstick red. Coat and shoes make for a bold fashion statement although we suspect that she has long since had her very own unique style. Perfect!
DH's photographs are splendid. They really do capture the feeling of the place and the occasion. At least this is a way we can join you vicariously in your celebrations! Many, many happy returns!
It is a lovely place, Jane and Lance, a real pattern-book of changing fashions in English architecture and I know you would appreciate it. I love the angels too and have a keen eye for them as the church where I was curate has a particularly fine hammerbeam roof with angel bosses.
DeleteThe birthday girl is always immaculately turned-out and as you guess has her own decided ideas about clothes and fashion. She has always been a redhead not afraid to wear red. :-)
The photographic honours are pretty equally divided between DH and myself in this post. My camera decided to misbehave part of the time, so almost all the interior shots are his. Thankfully it behaved itself enough to let me capture the angels and the screen detail and was good as gold outdoors. :-)
What a wonderful post, Perpetua! I knew of Rufford Old Hall & can recall seeing a black & white photo of it sometime in the past. But I've never visited until enjoying your virtual tour, aided by yours & DH's photographs.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at your comment, thinking of how many oak trees had gone into the construction of the Great Hall. This afternoon on my day off, I've been trying to write a further chapter of my book & was contrasting the Czech Republic, where 35% of the country is forested, with the UK where the figure is no more than 10%. Your comment offers at least part of the explanation!
As others have said, DH's mother looks very sprightly for a ninety year old & I'm glad you were able to celebrate her landmark birthday with her.
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Ricky. I must admit I'd never heard of Rufford Old Hall, so you're better informed than I was. :-) It's well worth a visit if you're ever in the area.
DeleteI'm very aware of the lack of forest in the UK compared to what can be seen elsewhere in Europe. Much of it was of course cleared for agriculture as the population grew, but house and ship building also had a lot to answer for. In Mid-Wales it's often claimed that Nelson's navy sailed in ships made of Montgormeryshire oak.
Physically Mum is still remarkably spry, though she's finally given up the twice-weekly swims which she never missed until a fall two years ago. She puts me to shame!
Congratulations to your mother in law. She looks so well and spritely for a 90 year old.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your tour of Rufford -old-Hall. Very interesting family history of the home.
The wood work and carvings are spectacular.. also the old stone floors.
2 weeks have passed quickly Perpetua.
A most enjoyable post. I do hope that your dinner was equally as good as your afternoon tea.
Happy Easter week....val xxx
Thanks, Val. Mum is very well for her age and keeps remarkably active compared to so many of her contemporaries, though she is slowing down a bit, to let the rest of us keep up with her. :-)
DeleteWe all really enjoyed visiting Rufford Old Hall. The sense of history is palpable and it's still easy to imagine the family living there as they did for so long. I kept imagining children playing games in the Great Hall in wet weather :-)
Our dinner was delicious, thanks, and we were very well-fed all day long.
The birthday girl looks very well - we can all hope that we celebrate our 90th birthdays with such style,
ReplyDeleteShe is very well, thanks, and was in her element that day with her sons and their wives around her. The afternoon outing was just right for her. As for emulating her, I'd be happy if you could just promise I'll even reach 90!
DeleteWhat a beautiful place. It never stops amazing me that you have buildings this old there, that people might still be living in houses that old today. A very happy birthday to your mother-in-law!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jennifer, I'll pass your greetings on. The house is gorgeous and was indeed a family home until the upkeep became too much in the 1930s and it was taken over by one of the British heritage organisations. But there are houses even older than this still being lived in as family homes elsewhere in the UK. Even our Welsh farmhouse is about 300 years old, though it has been altered a lot over the years.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful place and not one that has been on my radar.. it is now!!! 90 and still marching, what a smart figure mum-in-law cuts in her fine red coat. ...and welcome to the land of mist-ry. &*<> YAM xx
I don't think it's very well-known, Yam, so I'm glad to have brought it to your attention. Well worth a visit if you're passing through west Lancashire. Your photographer's eye would have a field day with the detail. Mum loves red and I think at least half her coats are that colour. :-)
DeleteYes, i sympathised with your mist post, having just driven through the blanket ourselves.
If I am as spritely as mil I shall be very happy, should I reach such a ripe old age of course.
ReplyDeleteA lovely way to spend her birthday, accompanied by family, and in such gorgeous surroundings.
What a spectacular 500 year old building Rufford Old Hall is, I do wonder how many of todays buildings will still be standing after that length of time.
I can't believe that you have been in Scotland for over 2 weeks already - doesn't time fly when you are having fun.
Oh, so shall, I, Rosemary. Mum has always been very active - walking and swimming regularly - and it really shows now in old age. She had a wonderful day, as did we, and even the weather co-operated with sunshine, though the wind was rather chilly.
DeleteRufford Old Hall is just the kind of house you would enjoy, Rosemary, though you would only be allowed to take photographs in the Great Hall and outside. Too many fragile old objects and paintings elsewhere. I doubt anything our generation builds has a hope of lasting a fraction of the time this house has been standing.
Yes, the time is flying and today the sun is actually shining, so we'll be going out this afternoon.
That is a lovely photograph of your mother in law, so stylish and alert...and what a super way to celebrate her birthday by visiting such a fascinating place.
ReplyDeleteThe angels intrigued me...I've always thought of them as only adorning churches....and I'm still wondering about the incidence of hernia in screen movers...
I do hope that the weather in Scotland has improved.
I think it captures her so well, Helen. DH is good at photographing people unposed. :-) She thoroughly enjoyed her birthday - the visit, the company and the evening celebration.
DeleteThe angels fascinated me too as I'm used to seeing them above me every Sunday in our local parish church, which has a very similar hammerbeam roof, but I don't think I've ever seen them in a secular building before. As for the screen, Tim, in his comment below, gives and excellent explanation of how it night have been moved. I bet they didn't do ti often!
We had a dreadful weekend of rain and wind, but yesterday the clouds parted and i can verify that the sun is still up there. :-)
What a lovely day, and M in law looks to have had a great time. I love her coat. So glad it all went well, and that now you have settled back into the Scottish stage of your year. Jx
ReplyDeleteIt was super, Janice, and Mum thoroughly enjoyed it. The red coat is very Mum. :-) It's taken both of us a while to recover from the long haul north in one day, but now we feel totally at home with another month to go before we start packing to return south. :-)
DeleteWhat a wonderful old building. I really should start a list of "buildings and places to visit" should I ever get back to the U.K.
ReplyDeleteLooking at that building I wondered what they used to blacken the beams - I am sure it is not just age. Funny I have never pondered on that before.
It's well worth a place on your list, Susan, as there are very few great halls like this still in existence.
DeleteYour query about the blackening of the beams is interesting and I've done a bit of googling. This site says that they weren't painted or stained but just darkened with age, though more modern additions might be stained to match. 500 years is a long time for oak to age:
http://www.britainexpress.com/History/half-timber.htm
Beautiful old house Perpetua, and very very good pictures. The carving in the black oak is superb.
ReplyDeleteI think if it were me I'd happily forego the evening out for the chance of more time in the old house.
Your mother in law looks to be in fine fettle, good to see.
Re Susan Heather's comment about the blackened wood, I wonder if the fact that all houses of that period had huge open fireplaces and lots of smoke may have had anything to do with it.
There is also something referred to as 'bog oak' which may have been used in the bigger Tudor houses. Just a thought.
Mum is indeed in fine fettle and it's only in recent years that she has slowed down at all noticeably. Before then she'd be a dot in the distance with the rest of us panting in her wake. :-) Nowadays a gentle stroll, followed by a relaxing tea, meant she was still ready for a very happy evening meal at an excellent local hotel.
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the photos and I must admit I'm pleased with the one of the screen carving and also the one of the roof angels,. Interestingly from close up the roof beams are dark brown rather than black, so the smoke can't have completely pickled them, though there was a lot of smoke staining on the wall above the fireplace. In his comment below Tim suggested that the screen may have been carved from bog oak as it is obviously a natural deep black colour. It's all so fascinating.
Wow, Ninety years old and still walking around without an aid. Congratulations to your MIL on her birthday. What a wonderful way to celebrate together. Good to see your feeling well too Perpetua. Hugs Sue
ReplyDeleteMum was glad of an arm by that stage in the afternoon, Sue, but she still drives around her home village and does her own shopping. I hope I'm half as fit if I ever make 90! I'll pass on your good wishes. We had a lovely day together and you're right, I'm enjoying feeling well and active again.
DeleteNinety years YOUNG!.... not old!!
ReplyDeleteThere's a gal that looks as though she still enjoys life to the full.
Just don't suggest any motorsport activities for her ninety-fifth!!
The big, bog oak screen would probably have been lifted onto a couple of wheels...
like a piano "dolly"...
on the other hand, when you have umpteen and a dozen strong servants around...
they possibly would have just lifted it across....
many hands move mountains!
The Scottish picture posts are well received... tareversuch!
I could smell the fresh, clean air...
it was needed...
I've been grinding up the greenery from the top of a large spruce we've had taken down...
and as it was just coming into full flower....
there were clouds of yellow pollen as I raked, as I lifted it into the "broyeur"....
and even more as the armsfull got processed into compostable!!
I've still got half left to do before the grass goes yellow under the pile...
I think I'd even put up with being "midged"!!
That's just what i wrote in her birthday card, Tim. She's living proof of the adage that a positive outlook keeps you young and is still deeply interested in people and events.
DeleteOf course you're right. Despite looking as though it grew out of the floor, with enough men the screen could have been moved, but I bet it didn't happen often. It was there to hide the movements of the servants between the kitchen and buttery doors.
Glad you enjoyed the Scottish photos. There will be more to follow. It finally stopped raining yesterday and we went out this afternoon for a while, so photos were duly taken. No trees were being felled, though I've just spent the latter part of the afternoon taming a rampant buddleia which hasn't been pruned for two years! I do hope you're not allergic to tree pollen or life will be rather miserable for you for a while. I'm trying to imagine how bad the pollen must be for you to prefer midges!
What a beautiful place, and birthday girl looks very spry and happy to be there. She must have greatly enjoyed her birthday.
ReplyDeleteOh, she did, Sarah. The afternoon outing suited her down to the ground, but the best bit for her was having us all together for the weekend. She's a family person through and through.
DeleteRufford Old Hall certainly is Tudor Splendor, Perpetua, and a great idea for a birthday treat. Congratulations to the Birthday Girl herself, who looks wonderfully well for 90 in her bright red coat. The dark oak carving is amazing, and the angels a special touch. I can't imagine living in such surroundings! Time is flying for you, and I hope you enjoy the mists of faraway Scotland!
ReplyDeleteIt was DH's youngest brother who had the idea, Patricia, as he lives in the area and we were all staying with him. It was the perfect choice as it isn't a big house, but there's so much to see. Mum's red coats are almost her signature and suit her wonderfully well, being as bright and positive as she is.
DeleteThe decorative detail is wonderful and it must have been an extraordinary place to live. Just imagine growing up there. One could have some wonderful games of hide-and-seek. :-) I'm pleased to tell you that the mists have lifted for the moment and we've just had two dry days with quite a lot of sunshine. :-) It isn't forecast to last, but with another month here, there's plenty of time to see the sun again.
A 90th birthday is a very special occasion! I enjoyed the pictures of the house you toured. I'm trying to wrap my North American mind around the thought that the "new wing" was added in 1661!
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed, Kristie and you know from your Mum's recent birthday what fun it is to celebrate these special occasions. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos and I'm smiling at the mental contortions the age of the house is giving you. We British are so used to seeing very old buildings that we forget how fortunate we are to have them around us. and indeed live in them. The oldest part of our Welsh house is around three hundred years old, with some internal half-timbering.
DeleteSo Glad that your family celebrations went so well & that M-in-law enjoyed her 90th Birthday. Just hoping that our family occasion goes as well on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteThanks, PolkaDot. It was a great day and Mum had a wonderful time. I'll be thinking of you on Saturday and having checked the forecast I'm pleased to see that you'll be having the sun to keep you company. :-)
DeleteThank you for giving us this wonderful tour. Every minute I spent reading it was most enjoyable. The birthday girl is very lovely. Her red coat gives her an even more youthful look. I don't think she looks like she is 90.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it so much, Sally. It's fun to share some of the things which are quintessentially British with my blog friends elsewhere and we all liked the house very much. You're quite right to say Mum doesn't look her age. She never has and her outlook on life has always been interested and positive, with none of the narrowness that can come with age.
DeleteRufford Old Hall is a location I would love to visit, Perpetua. Thank you so very much for sharing these pictures of it - and look at your dear mother-in-law! She looks fantastic, with her red coat and pleasant demeanor; a kindred spirit with her equally red shoes. My kind of woman! What a delightful way to honor her 90 years.
ReplyDeleteWith your love of history and tradition I know you'd revel in Rufford Old Hall, Penny, so I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures. I bet you'd get on like a house on fire with Mum too, as she has always been interested in people and their experiences and has friends of all ages, a legacy from her years of teaching. It was a splendid day.
DeleteI'm catching up as always Perpetua so apologies if I've missed too many of your recent posts. Your trip sounds fantastic and I love the look of Rufford Hall, what spectacular architecture and all that wonderful carved wood. Just my cup of tea I must say. Your dear MiL looked as though she was enjoying every moment and many congratulations to her. Hoping to catch up soon.
ReplyDeletePatricia x
No apologies needed, Patricia. Catching up is the story of my life at the moment and posts have also been thin on the ground recently. Sometimes life just takes over. I'm sure you'd love Rufford Old Hall, as I know from your blog you have a keen eye for historic architecture. Unfortunately it's rather a long way from Essex. Mum had a truly wonderful day and we all enjoyed it and enjoyed her enjoyment too. :-)
DeleteLovely, lovely photos. The head gardener there used to be in the same Bible Sudy group as me - small world! Hope the highlands are treating you kindly.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Catriona. It's a gorgeous place and so very photogenic. The gardens are lovely, even before the abundance of summer. At my age, I've ceased to be surprised at almost any coincidence or example of small-world syndrome. :-) The Highlands are as sublime as ever, though I can't say the same of the weather - a bitter, strong wind and sleet today...
DeleteHow wonderful to see your mother-in-law walking and looking so incredibly spry for 90! The photo is really sweet, Perpetua. I'm sure the birthday was a lovely occasion. And I really enjoyed the architectural tour! It really did take a lot of trees! Ha! But look how long it has lasted and still lives to tell the story. I love the notion that Shakespeare may have performed there. I think in the absence of contrary evidence we should just say that he did. :-) I hope you're just continuing forward enjoying your time, Perpetua.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely photo of her, Debra, and we are indeed lucky she is still so well and active. I thought that you, with your love of history and places, would enjoy this post. Yes, I agree that Shakespeare really must have acted here. The Great Hall just cries out to be used as a private theatre. I love to think of it as a children's playground too, where generations of children had fun when it was too wet to go out. We're having a lovely time thanks and today the sun has even put in an appearance. :-)
DeleteYears since I've been there - we used to live near Wigan - but it all looks so familiar.
ReplyDeleteMy mother will be 87 this year ... and is still pretty sprightly too. A belated Happy Birthday to the birthday girl :)
I grew up in east Lancashire, but I'd never even heard of Rufford Old Hall until the outing was suggested. It's certainly a place I'd enjoy being more familiar with.
DeleteThank you for the birthday greetings which I will pass on. I'm glad your mother is still so sprightly and I'm sure you'll be celebrating her birthday when it arrives. Each one really matters at her age.
The birthday girl looks remarkably sprightly! What a lovely day to spend on one's birthday. i'm sue you were delighted to be part of it.
ReplyDeleteShe is still youthful in many ways, Sian, particularly in her ability to be interested in everything and everyone. So of course she had a wonderful birthday, with a lovely historical house to visit and her family around her. It was great fun.
Delete