Framlingham Castle, Suffolk.

A collage of images from Framlingham Castle in Suffolk. A medieval castle with Tudor and later additions.

All of my photos are taken on my phone and my art work and videos are produced on my phone, which isn’t a new model.

I’m trying to get some money together to buy a PC and camera equipment to help set up a small Photographic and art business.

I do have a Ko-fi account.

https://ko-fi.com/amanda1971

And I have set up a Redbubble shop.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/shop?asc=u

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank-you for dropping by.

Halloween

Some atmospheric images from Suffolk Churches for Halloween.

Help support my art and photography on Ko-fi. Thank-you.

https://ko-fi.com/amanda1971

My Redbubble shop.

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St Mary, Rickinghall Superior, Suffolk.

St Mary

There are two churches at Rickinghall the other also dedicated to St Mary, Rickinghall Inferior, is one of the round towered churches that are found across East Anglia. I have yet to visit that one, but will do when time allows.
The church is now redundant and if you wish to see the interior, you will need to get a key, information of where to do so is on the notice board. As my visit was on the spur of the moment, I only had a look around the outside. On a future visit I will plan ahead.


Despite it being near the busy Diss to Bury road, it’s very tranquil. I visited in June and the Churchyard was overgrown, not necessary a bad thing as the place was full of wildlife. I sometimes I think we can be a bit over the top with tidying up green spaces. Not only that but gravestones get damaged by constant mowing and strimming.

The Churchyard has been left to nature.

The Churchyard has monuments from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. It’s also has a First World War Commonwealth War Grave dedicated to Ernest Matthews who died in 1918.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission have a database of war graves in the UK and elsewhere which can be found here.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/

The church itself consists of a 14th century chancel and a 15th century tower and east nave, all constructed of flint rubble with ashlar and red brick dressings. It was restored in 1868 by W.C. Fawcett. The nave has a black flint chequer board pattern and flint is used as decoration elsewhere on the church including on the buttresses.

Decorative flintwork and shields on the walls.


The porch was added and altrered in the 15th century and has MR (Marian) and IHS (Jesus) flint flushwork monograms and decorative stone shields. There are two gargoyles on the the tower to the north and south. The top of the tower has an embattled parapet and more decorative flint work, monograms and blank shields.

Monograms on the porch.


There is a possible masons mark on one of the buttresses on the south-west corner of the tower. It is thought to represent a pair of compasses.
The windows have some nice tracery and I did notice a few very weathered carvings by two of the doors, two looked like heads.
A blocked archway, filled with brick, can be seen between the tower and the porch.

Weathered stone head carvings.

Two windows have fragments of 15th century and 18th century glass. Other windows are of 19th century date.
One commemorates Samuel Speare, a former altar boy, who at the age of 15, set out to become a missionary.  In 1873, whilst working on the Island of Zanzibar, he became ill, returned home, and died at the age of 20.

As I was unable to view the interior I have posted some links which detail what can be seen. 

The website, The Last of England, Churches of East Anglia, Suffolk, is a brilliant and very interesting resource if you are interested in Suffolk churches.

http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/rickingsuper.html

The Churches Conservation Trust site is another useful site.

https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/visit/church-listing/st-mary-rickinghall-superior.html#

Historic England has a very useful searchable database.

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1241122

Window tracery.

All photos are my own.

https://ko-fi.com/amanda1971

Folklore

The UK is full of folklore, folktales, Myths and Legends.
Some are well known, others a bit more obscure. They may be based on true events or fantastical stories and you will find them in town and country alike.

Here is a roundup of articles from mostly local news sites from around the UK.

Mother Shipton carving.

A carving of Mother Shipton at the Knaresborough cave which bears her name (Image: Wikipedia)

The Witches of Yorkshire.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/history/notorious-witches-yorkshire-tragic-chilling-21242693

Folklore tales from across Hampshire.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/19540908.dragons-fairies-mermaids-folklore-fables-tales-across-hampshire/

The gory past of some of today’s phrases.

https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/19607856.many-phrases-use-today-derive-gory-past-pubs-denbighshire/

Why people are fascinated with tunnel folklore.

https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/19565330.reality-behind-folklore-people-like-tunnels-much/

Diss Mere

No there isn’t an extinct volcano in Diss.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/weird-norfolk-diss-mere-volcano-folklore-8359180

The Blackmere pond Mermaid.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/nostalgia/wild-swimming-spot-thats-haunted-21631479

The folklore and history of Welsh heritage sites.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/travel/intriguing-welsh-heritage-sites-you-21646960

Five Castles steeped in folklore.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zrrptrd

White stag seen on Devon/Somerset border.

https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/19604771.pictures-rare-white-stag-snapped-devon-somerset-border

This unfortunate white deer was shot.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-58718085

Pendle Hill. The area is well known as the home of the Pendle Witches.

https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/pretty-town-next-britains-highest-21659881

Witchmarks at a Cotswold pub.

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/cheltenham-news/cotswold-pub-witch-marks-oldest-5841357

Crazywell Pool, Dartmoor

Crazywell Pool is said to be bottomless with mystery (Image: Herby talk thyme / CC BY-SA)

A supposedly bottomless Dartmoor lake is said to be haunted by a Witch.

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/bottomless-dartmoor-lake-haunted-witch-5936789

Some Worcester Gaol history.

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/19545357.worcesters-witches-burned-cross/

Test Valley Tales book by Amanda Kane Smith explores local legends and stories.

https://www.romseyadvertiser.co.uk/news/19519024.folk-tales-legends-test-valley-come-life/

Author and storyteller Tony Bonning has written a book, Folktales of Ayrshire.

https://www.cumnockchronicle.com/news/19457634.holy-fair-regular-publishes-new-collection-folk-tales-ayrshire/

Crank Caverns, Merseyside, are associated with legends and tales of hauntings.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/gallery/17-eerie-photos-show-inside-21265284

There are more internet searches for the Loch Ness Monster than Robin Hood apparently.

https://www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk/news/loch-ness-monster-rivals-robin-hood-as-uks-most-searched-fo-252404/

Storyland: A New Mythology of Britain

Author Amy Jeffs and the cover of Storyland

The curse of Winchcombe Abbey, explored in new book, Storyland: A New Mythology of Britain, by Amy Jeffs,

https://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk/news/19548794.curse-winchcombe-abbey-explored-new-book/

Boleskine house, notorious for being the home of Alestair Crowley, is being restored.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-58718287

Fascist Fantasies and the Celts.

Walks with a legendary theme.

https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/20-best-autumn-walks-uk-devils-dyke-sussex-fairy-glen-inverness-1214633

West Walton Church, Norfolk, has a legend about the Devil.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/weird-norfolk-west-walton-church-tower-devil-folklore-8290924

A House through time explores the dark past of a Leeds home that includes murder,  Devil worship and an earthquake.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/house-through-time-explores-leeds-21509560

Foraging Folklore.

https://wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk/opinion/biodiversity-local-sourcing/roots-fruits-magic-foraging

The Alnwick Vampire.

Gloucestershire’s most notorious Highway Men.

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/story-gloucestershires-most-notorious-highwaymen-5770780

The tale of Hertford’s murderous Pie Man.

https://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/news/hertfordshire-news/curious-chilling-tale-hertfords-murderous-5760093

The quiet Edinburgh road with a gruesome history.

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/quiet-edinburgh-road-surprisingly-gruesome-21228819

Calder Folk, an art project inspired by folklore and legends from the Upper Calder Valley.

https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/arts-and-culture/art/artwork-inspired-by-calderdale-landmarks-hidden-in-unexpected-places-as-part-of-project-3376829

Maud’s Elm

A photograph of Maud’s Elm, around ten years before it was felled

The mysterious Cheltenham tree surrounded by legends.

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/cheltenham-news/legend-mauds-elm-cheltenham-tree-5887992

Green Man Carving

A Green Man on a font in St Peter’s Church, Thurston, Suffolk

My GoFund me page.

https://gofund.me/4befba40

My Ko-Fi page.

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My Redbubbleshop. 

https://www.redbubble.com/people/amanda150771/shop?asc=u

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http://tee.pub/lic/J5luNsFVkxUi