I guess there’s only so many things you can do to distinctivize a large stone residence that must also be defended against armed attack, not that either task has come my way much — the distinctivizing or the defending. Add to that the regrettable effect of grey skies on grey stone and, after a while, the castles all look the same to me.
In trying for different perspectives, it’s easy to forget to take the basic ID shot. Oops . . .
Glenveagh Castle
Lismore Castle
Blarney Castle
Lovely photos!
Mary – Many thanks.
I’ve been to all of those. I never saw them with the perspectives you managed to bring to them. Well done. Sometimes it’s possible to see more through a camera lens than with the naked eye.
Jim T
Jim – I almost always see more with a camera in my hand. I look more carefully, I figure.
500 years from now, our buildings might also look very similar to those who are looking at their history. If there are any of our buildings left. Our tendency is to build for 50 – 100 year time span for monumental buildings, and a lot less for others. Of course, most of the cottages and manor houses from way back are gone too. Best to celebrate what we can see, as you have most beautifully.
Judith – Indeed, the old buildings/structures we do have are remarkable – if not in their design then in their endurance, as you point out. I expect there are subtle (maybe even obvious) differences in castle design that I am oblivious to . . .
Stayed in one of these in Derbyshire (Haddon Hall). It was bloody cold, all those stones. But, one of the times we stayed there (with friend Nick, The Comptroller of the pile), the weather turned so hot that the large wooden toilet seat was warm! And the roses in the garden were dinner-sized, figuring it was their last hurrah I guess. The intense scent almost knocked me out.
Another time, I was corralled to do some guiding around the place. I cooed that the stones used in the 11th century Chapel were very old! A woman in the back piped up and said, “All stones are old, dear.” Fair enough. (I was just a poor substitute guide, winging it — badly.)
Barbara – Hahaha. At least your tour group was listening. And thinking. Both good things . . .
Lovely collection. Glad you had the time, energy and creativity to go and search out the views
Jim R – Many thanks.
Today I spoke at a church called Letterbreen United. It’s just north of Mount Forest, Ontario. There’s no village, or even hamlet, there. Just a crossroads. So I asked if the church was named after a family. Turns out it was named after a town in Northern Ireland, and some original settlers of the area came from there. Have you ever been to that place in Ireland?
Tom
Tom – No, we didn’t get to Letterbreen, but must have gone close to it. We did go to Letterkenny. I looked up the meaning of “letter” in Gaelic place names and it means “hillside.”
There’re always hillsides in Ireland…
Barbara – True enough. Usually covered with hedges or stone fences.